A Beginner’s Guide to Split Keyboards
So you’ve heard of split keyboards and want to buy one, but don’t know where to start? You’ve come to the right place! There are many offerings these days which can be overwhelming, so this guide aims to provide a high level overview of the landscape so you can figure out which path you want to take.
Remapping a Standard Keyboard
As much as I enjoy using my ergonomic keyboards, sometimes I still need to use the built in keyboard on my laptop. Transitioning between the two drastically different layouts is no longer an issue, but I find myself having an itch of wondering whether it’s possible to improve the usability of a standard keyboard.
Replacing Disqus With Giscus and Github Discussions
As you might have noticed, I’ve put this website through a number of changes this year. Apart from changing the theme (sorry if you hate blue), I also switched my website metrics from Google Analytics to Umami, which is an open source, privacy focused analytics platform.
Along the same vain, it was finally time to move on from Disqus.
Optimizing My Symbol Layer: A Data Driven Approach
When first designing my layout on my Corne keyboard, I was mostly focused on the macro level of what layers keys should go on as well as the ease of common workflows like selecting text or switching workspaces. I put some thought into the placement of each symbol, but after growing quite comfortable with my keyboard and having a nagging feeling that something about the placement of my symbols felt off, it was finally a good opportunity to revisit the micro details of my symbols layer.
Transitioning to a 36-Key Layout
Having used my Corne keyboard for some time now, I kept seeing 34/36 key layouts on r/ErgoMechKeyboards with a growing amount of envy. I mean, the minimalist aesthetics of the Ferris Sweep are just so enticing! Staring down at my whopping 42 keys, I found myself not actually using the outer columns that often and wondered if I too could join the ranks of those using even fewer keys…
So naturally, I removed the extraneous keys, covered the openings with electrical tape, and began the pursuit of trimming my layout with the goal of (arguably futile) minimalism and “efficiency”.
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