It's the keyboard layout.


According to ED's twittering here, he seems enamored with Eight-Bit's "International" Pyra keyboard layout:

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/layouts/a81177f6e3252a77ad426a1c85beace4


Congratulations to Eight-Bit.  :)
I wouldn't say congrats to Eight-Bit.


I'd say congrats to anyone who discussed about it, made suggestions and created layouts.


It's a collaborative effort, I'm pretty sure you all affected each other :)
So, is that the Pyra keyboard layout then ED?
 
Congratulations to Eight-Bit.  :)
And condolences to everyone else...
Sorry Eight-Bit, I really don't like that one:

- No "Dosbox compatibility"

- Stretching to reach backspace

- The odd pairing of \ with ? instead of / with ?, which puts the more common / on the Fn layer and the less common \ on the primary.

- You will be accidentally triggering scroll lock all the time (alternate symbols on modifiers are a BAD idea)

- Pyra button paired with Esc means vimmers will be accidentally triggering their system menu all the time.
 
I never said I'll use that layout completely as is.

I'll probably move a few keys around. Especially ESC, which shouldn't be up there.
 
I never said I'll use that layout completely as is.

I'll probably move a few keys around. Especially ESC, which shouldn't be up there.
Perhaps a good idea to briefly review the final layout before committing to it. Just to filter out potential mistakes or oversights.From what I've seen most of the guys working actively on these layouts are pretty good in spotting possible problems.

Challenge will be to keep it brief :D
 
Aren't those Keys on the bottom Row on the Left and Right side very Hard to reach? It's hard to reach that Place on the original Nintendo DS. Maybe ED should test it on the prototype.
 
Aren't those Keys on the bottom Row on the Left and Right side very Hard to reach? It's hard to reach that Place on the original Nintendo DS. Maybe ED should test it on the prototype.
No need to test, they are at the exact same position as on the Pandora, and when typing, they are easy to reach :)
 
http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/layouts/a81177f6e3252a77ad426a1c85beace4

Aside from the clear randomness of the symbols, these in particular jump out:

  • Backspace way up top. Please don't.
  • Enter having a Fn value. Please don't.
  • Brightness toggles on one key. Please don't do this.  
  • Hardware toggles on one lonely key. Ya know.
  • Menu key? 
  • L1 should be Shift. 
  • { } should be on the opposite side from keyboard Fn.
I realize the international crowd is your bread and butter but must we have a sampling from every one of them as default? I always assumed you were present in some form during the many, many months of discussion but it appears you really were absent. Well, I'm sure the community will come together, again, for this.

I'm done for now but I'm intrigued to see what materializes out from you guys for the final product. Good luck. :)   
 
I never said I'll use that layout completely as is.

I'll probably move a few keys around. Especially ESC, which shouldn't be up there.
So DosBox compatibility is right out?That's a pity, I was looking forward to the Fn-Shift combos.

What about this particular layout got the "yes" and things about other layouts got a "no"? If this is the base you now want people to work with it'd help to avoid making mistakes if we knew what mistakes were to be avoided.
 
I never said I'll use that layout completely as is.

I'll probably move a few keys around. Especially ESC, which shouldn't be up there.
So DosBox compatibility is right out?That's a pity, I was looking forward to the Fn-Shift combos.

What about this particular layout got the "yes" and things about other layouts got a "no"? If this is the base you now want people to work with it'd help to avoid making mistakes if we knew what mistakes were to be avoided.
I've checked all keyboard layout linked from that google drive thing, and that one was the best so far.

All other ones had things missing or weird layouts.

I cannot possibly imagine there's a layout out there that works good for normal usage and also or DOSBox.

We got to live with that - we're not creating a DosBOX device, but a mini computer.
 
All other ones had things missing or weird layouts.
They may have been just not printed :) . For example in my layout ßäö are there under meta in their standard positions under US-International layout.

Anyway, my first thoughts on the presented layout:

  • How would one press Pyra with any key under Fn? Modifier keys should never be under modifiers nor should they have modified meanings. Maybe put pause under Fn instead of Pyra?
  • The Fn key here probably means a software modifier?
  • The action button labels look a bit "wonky" because of how A and B are handled.
  • Backspace is quite far. I understand the top-row location for Esc, but backspace should be closer by.
 
I'm really struggling to think which dosbox game or even productivity software out there there is that some people are so desperate to use... that hasn't been superseded by at least one if not a number of much better choices... I fail to see ANY advantage to crippling the keyboard layout to such a restrictive and arbitrary idea based in some arcane legacy issue 
 
I fail to see ANY advantage to crippling the keyboard layout to such a restrictive and arbitrary idea based in some arcane legacy issue
Really? No advantage? None whatsoever, despite several explanations everytime it's been posted? One more time then? Pay attention.I see it as making use of tools available to expand our options. Grench's most recent layout has an impressive international compatibility, access to all symbols which is no worse and in most cases better than other layouts, lots of room for custom remapping without breaking the displayed layout for key characters. The downside being that the number row is on the Fn layer but as a counter to that it makes it easy to Fn-lock in order to get simultaneous access to both the base numbers and the Function numbers which can be very useful in games: so a disadvantage with an advantage.

You can disagree on whether the advantages it has outweigh the disadvantage of having the numbers with unfamiliar access but to suggest there are absolutely no advantages is pure ignorance.
 
Exactly. And going on all the time about how easy it will be to fix the software without actually fixing it isn't very helpful either.
 
All credit goes to Eight Bit here but I felt obliged to change it up a bit(no offense intended as the initial effort gets top marks).

http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/layouts/fa7def15ac5dbe3b75054afc1b3f3474

Image for it here: http://i.imgur.com/rF16Kh4.png

rF16Kh4.png

Degree symbol could be at Fn + Backspace even though it's already Compose + o + o. Circumflex could be Shift + Fn + ^ too. Up to you guys.  :)
 
nope no advantage whatever - certainly not sufficient reason to hobble an already difficult to fit design
 
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