From 366df8852f503523cc4f9046d82ba9a99dd51d7f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Akshay Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2023 12:13:49 +0530 Subject: new art: lapse --- docs/posts/programming_on_34_keys/index.html | 157 +++++++++++++++++++++------ 1 file changed, 121 insertions(+), 36 deletions(-) (limited to 'docs/posts/programming_on_34_keys/index.html') diff --git a/docs/posts/programming_on_34_keys/index.html b/docs/posts/programming_on_34_keys/index.html index 8667701..37ccfe6 100644 --- a/docs/posts/programming_on_34_keys/index.html +++ b/docs/posts/programming_on_34_keys/index.html @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ 28/08 — 2022
- 63.53 + 63.54 cm   @@ -42,79 +42,164 @@ Programming On 34 Keys
-

Minimizing your keyboard layout is a slippery slope. A few months ago, I built the Ferricy, a 34-key-split-ortho-ergo keyboard. The Ferricy is a fork of the Ferris Sweep MX Bling.

+

Minimizing your keyboard layout is a slippery slope. A few months +ago, I built the Ferricy, a +34-key-split-ortho-ergo keyboard. The Ferricy is a fork of the Ferris +Sweep MX Bling.

-The Ferricy, designed by icyphox + +
-

My daily use consists of a bit of prose and a lot of program, my layout has evolved accordingly.

+

My daily use consists of a bit of prose and a lot of program, my +layout has evolved accordingly.

Base Layer

-Colemak with no mods +Colemak with no mods +
-

The base layer contains alphabets, four symbols and four whitespace keys:

+

The base layer contains alphabets, four symbols and four whitespace +keys:

  • Alphas: Stock Colemak, with no modifications whatsoever
  • Symbols: . , / ;
  • Whitespace: tab, space, enter, backspace (from left to right)

Layers

-

Keyboard input is complex and it is impossible to skirt around it. You can either use a keyboard with enough keys to supply all possible inputs (a mechanical burden), or you can use firmware to supply all possible inputs (a cognitive burden). Layers are a cognitive burden.

-

I use 3 layers, heavily inspired by Miryoku, but tuned for programming. Excluding the base Colemak layer:

+

Keyboard input is complex and it is impossible to skirt around it. +You can either use a keyboard with enough keys to supply all possible +inputs (a mechanical burden), or you can use firmware to supply all +possible inputs (a cognitive burden). Layers are a cognitive burden.

+

I use 3 layers, heavily inspired by Miryoku, but tuned +for programming. Excluding the base Colemak layer:

    -
  • NAV: activated on holding space (left thumb)
    • -
  • NUM: activated on holding tab (left thumb)
    • -
  • SYM: activated on holding enter (right thumb)
    • +
  • NAV: activated on holding space (left +thumb)
    • +
  • NUM: activated on holding tab (left +thumb)
    • +
  • SYM: activated on holding enter (right +thumb)

The NAV Layer

-

As the name suggests, this layer is focused on navigation. Arrow keys and the likes.

+

As the name suggests, this layer is focused on navigation. Arrow keys +and the likes.

-NAV, on holding space +NAV, on holding space +
-

Using Vim and Colemak means you lose out on HJKL navigation. However, on activating the NAV layer, the right home-row is converted into arrow keys. In essence, by holding space, I can navigate Vim with the home-row, or Firefox, or my PDF reader. I no longer need to look for software that allows Vim navigation keys, because it is baked into the firmware!

-

My Vim motions are not limited to HJKL. In fact, my Vim motions are rarely HJKL. I tend to use } (next paragraph) and ) (next sentence) more often. As a result, these have found their way into my NAV layer, over the likes of PgDown and End. Having brackets at my index and middle fingers is nice for programming too.

+

Using Vim and Colemak means you lose out on HJKL navigation. However, +on activating the NAV layer, the right home-row is +converted into arrow keys. In essence, by holding space, I can navigate +Vim with the home-row, or Firefox, or my PDF reader. I no longer need to +look for software that allows Vim navigation keys, because it is baked +into the firmware!

+

My Vim motions are not limited to HJKL. In fact, my Vim motions are +rarely HJKL. I tend to use } (next paragraph) and +) (next sentence) more often. As a result, these have found +their way into my NAV layer, over the likes of +PgDown and End. Having brackets at my index +and middle fingers is nice for programming too.

The SYM Layer

-SYM, on holding enter +SYM, on holding enter +
-

This layer contains all the symbols that you would find by hitting Shift and a key on the number row. Probably noteworthy to Vim users: the symbols are arranged in the form of a mirrored numpad for exactly one reason: to move $ to the left of ^. It has always annoyed me that $ moves the cursor to the end of the line and ^ moves it to the beginning, but their position on a typical number row are reversed, 4 comes before 6.

+

This layer contains all the symbols that you would find by hitting +Shift and a key on the number row. Probably noteworthy to +Vim users: the symbols are arranged in the form of a mirrored numpad for +exactly one reason: to move $ to the left of +^. It has always annoyed me that $ moves the +cursor to the end of the line and ^ moves it to the +beginning, but their position on a typical number row are reversed, 4 +comes before 6.

The NUM layer

-NUM, on holding tab +NUM, on holding tab +
-

Another deviation from Miryoku, the numpad just feels right on my right hand.

+

Another deviation from Miryoku, the numpad just feels right +on my right hand.

ZMK Combos

-

If you have been paying close attention, you might have noticed that escape didn’t make it to any layer. escape is too crucial to put on a non-base layer, but at the same time, not as important to deserve a place on the base layer. That is where ZMK’s combos come in. Combos let you tap any number of keys, and combine them to form a single key. I have combos set up for underscore, minus, escape and caps-word (more on caps-word later):

+

If you have been paying close attention, you might have noticed that +escape didn’t make it to any layer. escape is +too crucial to put on a non-base layer, but at the same time, not as +important to deserve a place on the base layer. That is where ZMK’s +combos come in. Combos let you tap any number of keys, and combine them +to form a single key. I have combos set up for underscore, minus, escape +and caps-word (more on caps-word later):

-Combos are almost piano-like + +

Home-row Mods

-

Inherited from Miryoku, I have home-row mods for activating Super, Alt, Shift, Ctrl and Hyper (Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Super). The idea is to send T on tap and Ctrl on hold. Home-row mods are fairly popular, so I’ll not go into the details.

+

Inherited from Miryoku, I have home-row mods for activating +Super, Alt, Shift, +Ctrl and Hyper +(Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Super). The idea is to send +T on tap and Ctrl on hold. Home-row mods are +fairly popular, so I’ll not go into the details.

-Super, Alt, Shift, Ctrl, Hyper; on the left half, and mirrored on the right half + +
-

Hyper bridges the gap between firmware and software. You can never configure key combination that, opens Firefox, for example, through firmware alone. However, with the Hyper key, and some sxhkd magic, you can emulate that. Pressing Hyper + F on a keyboard is just two keys, but the key codes sent are Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Super + F. That key combination is not intercepted by any application as a shortcut, except for the following sxhkd stanza:

-
super + alt + shift + ctrl + f
+
Hyper bridges the gap between firmware and software. You
+can never configure key combination that, opens Firefox, for example,
+through firmware alone. However, with the Hyper key, and
+some sxhkd magic, you can emulate that. Pressing
+Hyper + F on a keyboard is just two keys, but the key codes
+sent are Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Super + F. That key
+combination is not intercepted by any application as a shortcut, except
+for the following sxhkd stanza:

+
super + alt + shift + ctrl + f
   xdotool search "Mozilla Firefox" windowactivate

-
Alternatively, you can intercept unused F keys: F13 through F24.

-
Home-row mods are mirrored on each half because it would be impossible to hit Ctrl + T if not; they lie on the same key.

+
Alternatively, you can intercept unused F keys:
+F13 through F24.

+
Home-row mods are mirrored on each half because it would be
+impossible to hit Ctrl + T if not; they lie on the same
+key.

 
Caps-word

-
Caps-word is a clever caps-lock, built into ZMK. Typing out constants such as PORT with home-row mods would look like this:

+
Caps-word is a clever caps-lock, built into ZMK. Typing out constants
+such as PORT with home-row mods would look like this:

 
    
-
  • hold e (shift) on left hand, and tap p on right hand
    • 
-
  • hold e (shift) on left hand, and tap o on right hand
    • 
-
  • hold s (shift) on right hand, and tap r on left hand
    • 
-
  • hold s (shift) on right hand, and tap t on left hand
    • 
+
  • hold e (shift) on left hand, and tap p on
+right hand
    • 
+
  • hold e (shift) on left hand, and tap o on
+right hand
    • 
+
  • hold s (shift) on right hand, and tap r on
+left hand
    • 
+
  • hold s (shift) on right hand, and tap t on
+left hand
    • 
 

-
This hold-alternate-hold dance gets tiring quickly. With caps-word, however:

+
This hold-alternate-hold dance gets tiring quickly. With caps-word,
+however:

 
    
 
  • toggle caps_word
    • 
-
  • type out p, o, r, t
    • 
+
  • type out p, o, r,
+t
    • 
 
  • hit a break character (space, enter will do)
    • 
 
  • continue
    • 
 

-
Caps-word automatically disables capitalization upon encountering a breaking character, (which are space, enter or any modifier, by default) right in the firmware!

+
Caps-word automatically disables capitalization upon encountering a
+breaking character, (which are space, enter or any modifier, by default)
+right in the firmware!

 
Findings

-
34-keys has been reasonably comfortable to use, for both prose and program. My palms do not move across the desk at all, as I reach for keys. I mostly write Rust and Bash, and my layout has evolved to accomodate special characters from their grammars (angled brackets and hyphens, specifically). If you are on a similar journey, I would suggest focusing on accuracy and comfort over speed. Speed comes with time.

+
34-keys has been reasonably comfortable to use, for both prose and
+program. My palms do not move across the desk at all, as I reach for
+keys. I mostly write Rust and Bash, and my layout has evolved to
+accomodate special characters from their grammars (angled brackets and
+hyphens, specifically). If you are on a similar journey, I would suggest
+focusing on accuracy and comfort over speed. Speed comes with time.
-- cgit v1.2.3