Final keyboard layout proposals - Discussion thread

[Grench]

I'll check all the keymat threads when the time comes, look for favourites, point out flaws I see with them (if there are any) and continue discussing about improvements from there on here at the boards.

Unfortunately that plan completely misses the fact that there are several proposed designs that would require him to evaluate them before finalizing the case plastics and key mat.

Single width space and double width center or left space designs may simply be dead without consideration.  Too bad - there were some very interesting layouts made.

 

[ible]

Yes, but it's time to throw in the towel for that one. No point being bitter, we're still going to get an awesome device in the end.

 

[_jr_]

I thought the internet is all about being bitter


But actually, it became clear very early on in the process that the Pyra will mostly be like a Pandora without much innovation (at least not in the way the Pandora was innovative, creating a class of its own). This is probably not a bad business decision and it's certainly fantastic to keep the Pandora concept alive while adding some new features (sensors, modem, gps), but it would be really nice, if someone took the design files and created something fresh. I suspect small changes in the input area (e.g. for the sake of argument use some kind of touch pad instead of the nubs and Grench's keyboard layout) could create a device that would feel much more different from a Pandora that a Pyra will be. Obviously that may not neccessarily sell well...

 

[ible]

i was hoping for an innovative direct brain to Pyra connector interface, something along the lines of this:

but perhaps we can settle for a USB version.

 

[comradekingu]

I dont think innovative is where the market for the pyra is. The pandora is already good, keep that.

People who like it tend to be extremely conservative. Matte screen, clamshell, resistive screen, real linux|gnu, zero gimmicks. A full keyboard goes nicely with the rest.

Edit: Found a mid-aligned singlespace keyboard  

And it has semi-numpad!

It seems since its smaller, the space is at full extension for both thumbs, makes sense. And its close to comma. All brackets are together. Some strange choices though.

 

[ible]

I managed to get all standard US keys on one keyboard, using Grench's idea for the layout, where you play games Fn-locked:

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/layouts/7b0cdfabfa6a79c6b5161be83ab19c0c

I also added the Euro symbol, without losing anything else. In fact, I have a button (just above right joystick) which I had completely free, and so decided to give right click functionality in that button. (Any other suggestions? I wanted to keep it free from hardware buttons that would interrupt your game.)

I put Enter next to period and just below :, because those would be a common chain (period followed by enter, and colon followed by enter). Some important keys are "dedicated", so they are the same regardless of Fn being pressed or not. These include Enter, Backspace, =+, _-, Tab, ,<, .>, and /?. This allows for easier coding and writing out numbers with decimals. Arithmetic symbols are in the same general area, which also helps with coding.

Thoughts?

 

[bzar]

I dont think innovative is where the market for the pyra is. The pandora is already good, keep that.


People who like it tend to be extremely conservative. Matte screen, clamshell, resistive screen, real linux|gnu, zero gimmicks. A full keyboard goes nicely with the rest.

You mean they tend to value features based on their functional value rather than novelty or fashion? Not adopting new stuff simply because it's new and/or in fashion is not the same as extremely conservative. Extremely conservative would be wanting pyra to have the same SoC, WLAN and display cable as pandora.

 

[Xcl4m4t10n]

I think the keyboard must be international posible. Strange B, AE, Cross O and stuff like that is senseless for a lot of people and to be printed on the keyboard is weird.

 

[_jr_]

These symbols are senseless to two different groups: poor souls with English as their mother tongue and substandard education and people from countries that don't use a latin based script. Since the latter group hasn't bought large numbers of Pandoras that only has symbols used in English printed on the keyboard they can be safely ignored. And the first group should be grateful for the chance to broaden their mind.


edit: sorry for posting in the wrong thread; move or delete as deemed appropriate

 

[rygD]

Can someone please move the recent posts in the layout thread to this one?

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Can someone move all keyboards threads here?

 

[rygD]

Is there a maximum thread length limit?

 

[Saber]

Can someone please move the recent posts in the layout thread to this one?

Can someone move all keyboards threads here?

We should keep all the chatter related to this topic in ED's thread, so he can see it. Might be unseen otherwise.

 

[rygD]

Ok, wherever.  I just want to keep that chatter out of this thread so ED can go there and look at layouts when he has time, without all the discussions, debates and random comments.

 

[Klumpen]

 

[rygD]

Oh, awesome, this thread is back! So I have this idea about how to improve the layout...

 

[Wally]

No you don't.

 

[Caine]

Oh no... Klumpen! You've resurrected it! Whyyyyyyy!

 

[Klumpen]

Oh no... Klumpen! You've resurrected it! Whyyyyyyy!

Maybe to prevent it from scattering over other threads again.

 

[Caine]

Maybe to prevent it from scattering over other threads again.

Ah, missed that one.

In that case, well done chap!