Colemak For Pandora

[TLJRyan]

I know having the keys remapped within Linux is trivial, but I'm not sure how well I would type with the Colemak* layout on Pandora. I have no problem typing without the physical keys re-arranged -- from qwerty to Colemak -- on my full-sized keyboards, but I don't think the same ease will be there with a handheld device. Typing with my thumbs, on small keys, with a Colemak mapped layout on a qwerty-key layout. Does anyone have experience with this? Will my thumbs get confused a lot, or will I get used to it?

I guess I can physically re-arrange the keys, but I noticed some keys have special functions on them.

This concerns me a little, because I was thinking of getting into handheld development using the Pandora.

Thanks.

*http://www.colemak.com

Edit: Sorry, when I used the search function for an answer, for some reason I searched for "pandora" and not "colemak" lol so I didn't see that this is has already been discussed. Still, feel free to comment if you like.

 

[kloplop321]

I know having the keys remapped within Linux is trivial, but I'm not sure how well I would type with the colemak* layout on Pandora. I have no problem typing without the physical keys re-arranged -- from qwerty to colemak -- on my full-sized keyboards, but I don't think the same ease will be there with a handheld device. Typing with my thumbs, on small keys, with a colemak mapped layout on a qwerty-key layout. Does anyone have experience with this? Will my thumbs get confused a lot, or will I get used to it?

I guess I can physically re-arrange the keys, but I noticed some keys have special functions on them.

This concerns me a little, because I was thinking of getting into handheld development using the Pandora.

Thanks.

*http://www.colemak.com

I am a dvorak user personally(though I would NOT want to use it on a small device)
I looked at the site, it might be a good layout but the keys are already printed on the mats, I don't think you would want to rip it apart just for that layout... You might be able to use an On Screen Keyboard in that layout though...

 

[Rathum]

More news from the development team for the new year:

We have made a couple tweaks to the MK2 board design that was sent to all the devs, and we should have a MK3 prototype in a week or so. If everything is fine with that board, it will go into mass production very shortly thereafter. We <i>could</i> have just used the MK2 board and left the minor bugs in as "quirks", but with all the other delays, it was worth it to do one more revision and get it perfect.

The cases will be going into mass production on the 15th. That's our deadline for making any last minute tweaks, and it looks like we'll be in great shape for that. We already have the new LCD ribbon cable for these cases and it's working nicely.

The keypads will go into mass production in the next week or two at the latest. The keypad layout will be very similar to the one on the original renders. I am told there will only be "minor changes" between the render and the final layout. There <i>may</i> be separate layouts available for the middle east and Asian regions, but all other regions will have the same standard layout for now. It is very likely that alternate keymats (including blank mats) will be made available for a small price at some point in the near future.

We now have the SGX video drivers in their entirety. We're just waiting for a few documents to come back signed and then we can release both the binary part and the open source driver shim to the public. Expect OpenGL ES demos soon.

Reorders are happening now, slowly. We're sending out details and a reorder URL to customers one at a time, starting with US customers. Some have already been sent, and the rest are on the way. We're doing it slowly to avoid any potential problems with the CC processor and to avoid overwhelming the sales ladies. Do not worry, everybody will have the opportunity to reorder in time to get their Pandora.

We are meeting with the bank this week to fix the Amex situation. They <i>cannot</i> simply sit on the money forever, and we're not accepting any more of their stall tactics. If the bank simply refuses to rectify the situation, there is a backup plan. <b>Anybody who paid for a Pandora will get one</b>, no matter what the bank does. One way or another, this situation <i>will</i> be remedied this week.


We're coming down the final stretch.

I was so confused when I dug up this post, but then I realized it's from 2009 >.<

Final stretch! Cases start mass production on the 15th!

 

[DaMummy]

how would this matter? you type with only your thumbs anyway, so there really isnt any ergonomic to this, it really wont help you how fast you can move your fast typing pointer finger...unless someone can explain to me otherwise...

 

[TLJRyan]

how would this matter? you type with only your thumbs anyway, so there really isnt any ergonomic to this, it really wont help you how fast you can move your fast typing pointer finger...unless someone can explain to me otherwise...

1. As a developer, I appreciate a streamlined transition from one platform to another. In this case , computer to Pandora. The keyboard transition would not feel congruent, and the difference will always be in the back of my mind even if the transition did not effect typing speed.

2. Typing anything on qwerty for more than a minute really confuses my fingers when I get back on Colemak. Like when I'm fixing someone's computer for a couple hours, and I come back home. The whole ordeal feels like jumping out of a jacuzzi into a cold pool, then jumping back into a jacuzzi that is even colder and you have to wait for the jacuzzi get get hot again.

3. I think it would effect my typing speed.

Edit: Obviously this is not a top priority and won't effect my decision to purchase a Pandora (hell, I even bought the GP2X fully aware that the stick sucked ass). It is something small that would only effect a few people, though that doesn't mean other developers won't be sympathetic to the concern and propose a solution or two. It is in the nature of hacking to come up with solutions.

 

[greendots]

Do you really not have the whole key layout memorized? If not then there is not point in switching to a more efficient layout like dvorak or colemak...


Anyway... your only other option is to get a blank keymat and laser etch.

 

[TLJRyan]

Do you really not have the whole key layout memorized? If not then there is not point in switching to a more efficient layout like dvorak or colemak...


Anyway... your only other option is to get a blank keymat and laser etch.

From my OP: I have no problem typing without the physical keys re-arranged -- from qwerty to Colemak -- on my full-sized keyboard. Which implies that I have the layout memorized, since it would do me no good looking at a qwerty keyboard and trying to derive Colemak out of it. For that I would have to consciously tell myself, for every key, that j=n, k=e, l=i and so on. So, it is far more probable that I am not looking at the keys while typing Colemak on a qwerty keyboard and that I have it intuitively memorized.

My specific questions are (again, from the OP): Does anyone have experience with [this | typing on a hand held device using a re-mapped layout which is not the same as the physical layout of the keys]? Will my thumbs get confused a lot, or will I get used to it?

The problem is that I cant see myself not looking at the keys while typing on a handheld device. So I'm pretty much asking if anyone has experience with this and if they got used to it.

Thank you Kloplop321 for pretty much answering my question.

Hmm, I missed the second part of your post.
Anyway... your only other option is to get a blank keymat and laser etch.
Oddly, I do have access to a laser cutter. I didn't think of that. Later, after I get my Pandora, I can make a vector drawing and post it here for others to make use of.

*E: Some additions.

 

[grasshoppir]

leave it qwerty! that goes for all keyboards

 

[TLJRyan]

leave it qwerty! that goes for all keyboards

I don't know if you mean the key-mapping or physical key layout.

For some people, including me, switching from qwerty is for health reasons. I don't know if you use the qwerty layout exclusively, but look at it from this perspective: what if you're typing on the Pandora with the keys mapped as qwerty, but the physical layout is not qwerty? You probably wouldn't like it. It is the same thing. Can you see why this concerns me?

 

[grasshoppir]

leave it qwerty! that goes for all keyboards

I don't know if you mean the key-mapping or physical key layout.

For some people, including me, switching from qwerty is for health reasons. I don't know if you use the qwerty layout exclusively, but look at it from this perspective: what if you're typing on the Pandora with the keys mapped as qwerty, but the physical layout is not qwerty? You probably wouldn't like it. It is the same thing. Can you see why this concerns me?

yeah but from what i can tell most ppl who switch for health reasons still use crappy keyboards, either the one that dell/apple shipped with the computer or they got tricked into buying logitech, unless you're a typist or do A LOT of typing i suggest ppl try to adjust their desk/chair before deviating from the standard.

that said, i dont think colemack is as effective if you cant perform the inward rolls since you're using your thumbs and maybe (?) index fingers for modifiers

EDIT: or try a keyboard with quality switches

 

[TLJRyan]

yeah but from what i can tell most ppl who switch for health reasons still use crappy keyboards, either the one that dell/apple shipped with the computer or they got tricked into buying logitech, unless you're a typist or do A LOT of typing i suggest ppl try to adjust their desk/chair before deviating from the standard.

that said, i dont think colemack is as effective if you cant perform the inward rolls since you're using your thumbs and maybe (?) index fingers for modifiers

EDIT: or try a keyboard with quality switches

This really isn't relevant to my concerns, but oh well.

I use a great keyboard, just not one of those crazy Maltron or whatever keyboards. It uses cherry switches, and it types like a champ. I'm a writer, copywriter, web developer, and a programmer. So, needless to say, I do type a lot.

I am of the opinion that the ergonomics of the keyboard itself are largely negligible, unless the person is in a really terrible disposition with their health. Myself, the switch to Colemak alleviated ALL my pain. Though, if I had to do it over again I would learn the optimized carpalax layout with fixed zxcv instead of Colemak. But oh well, it's working out great for me so far.

The point isn't to translate the effectiveness of Colemak onto Pandora. That should go without saying. Just the translation of the layout is fine. I just want congruency between between what I am used to typing on the computer and typing on Pandora.

Special keyboards aren't exactly translatable to the Pandora, or any other handheld devices. All that said, this really has nothing to do with my stated concerns about Colemak on Pandora. Thanks though.

 

[Awakening]

You should be able to type faster with your thumbs if you can switch between left and right thumbs as much as possible.

Because you are typing with your thumbs you won't have fixed finger positions so I imagine it will be very hard to type without looking at the keyboard.

 

[grasshoppir]

TLJRyan, congrats on the pain relief.