

The Hacker Handheld--Mobile Computing for Programmers - asolove
http://adamsolove.com/index.php?id=3

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fragmede
I've actually tested out this keyboard layout but ran into a problem. What I
did was take two separate keyboards and tape em together on a board.
Unfortunately, both os x and linux didn't play nice with that setup. (No clue
about Windows.)The modifier on one keyboard wouldn't affect the other, which
made it hard to use extensively. It was typeable, though I imagine it would be
similar to having a Kinesis keyboard where any other keyboard just isn't home.

~~~
asolove
Yeah, you can't just combine two keyboards or the sequencing and modifier keys
are off. Isn't it ridiculous that we can make tablet computers but keyboards
are still run with this ridiculously old tech?

I'm not sure how hard it will be to mock up hardware and get the sequencing
right.

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merraksh
Isn't half of the keyboard upside down? For symmetry, the side keys (shift,
ctrl on both sides, caps and esc on the left, enter, backspace on the right)
should all be on the bottom. Otherwise I'd have to re-train my left hand to
trewq rather than qwert.

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ZeroGravitas
A bigger mystery is where the space bar has gone.

If he does this then he'd probably need to move the non-alphanumeric keys onto
the front like my Kinesis keyboard does. Perhaps make them touchscreen soft-
buttons?

~~~
merraksh
Update: the layout has been fixed. The space bar problem is still there, but
given that I use my thumbs I'd place it on the front :)

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diN0bot
i'm a developer and i don't like mice, but i _love_ my mac's touch pad. two
finger horizontal and vertical scrolling is _awesome_ for reading code
quickly, and then getting back to typing. i prefer the continuous movement
provided by the touchpad over keyboard shortcuts (er, long cuts!)

(i've made my own foot pedal for fun, but i don't suffer from wrist problems
normally. i use emacs key bindings with eclipse)

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tdoggette
A downside of the proposed keyboard design is that no one will be a!le to pick
it up for the first time and use it effectively. Come to think of it, you'd
have to learn the layout by repeatedly looking it the back of the device,
unless there was some kind of onscreen image to guide you.

~~~
fragmede
1\. "Target market" - I'd assume that most here can touch type.

2\. You could display a full size, full screen picture of the keyboard, with
all the symbols in the 'right' place. Where your left pinky would be holding
the device, the screen would actually be showing the 'a' key.

~~~
tdoggette
1\. Yes, but can you touch type backwards on a new split keyboard layout that
you can't look at? There's definitely going to be a learning curve.

2\. Okay.

~~~
diN0bot
1\. yes, that's what touching typing means.

(i don't get what you mean by backwards. it's not backwards for my fingers and
that's what matters.)

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gphil
Reminds me of this request for startup:

<http://ycombinator.com/rfs5.html>

