System76, the company that provides various Linux hardware along with their own Pop!_OS Linux distribution have started teasing their upcoming Keyboard again.
Originally talked about in a blog post back in March last year, we haven't really heard much since then. Things sounded pretty experimental back then but in a fresh blog post from July 30, it seems it's moving forward. However, it also sounds like it's not close to being finished yet either, as they stated:
We’re approaching our keyboard in 3 different ways: Redesigning the keyboard itself, maximizing your efficiency when using it, and empowering you to fully customize your keyboard to your whims.
We’ll announce the release of our keyboard through our newsletter and social channels once the prototyping phase is complete. This will take some time.
System76 say they want to build a keyboard you will 'fall in love with' and it seems they're going to be moving some keys around to make more use of all your fingers and thumbs. They're going with three key sizes:
- 1U (letter/number keys)
- 1.5U (tab keys)
- 2U (shift keys)
They're also chopping up the spacebar into two '2U' sized keys, they said that apart from just making it smaller it will also 'bring useful functions closer to the center of the keyboard, but this also allows you to remap another commonly-used key to where it’s easy for you to smash with your other thumb'.
Swapping around keys will be part of the design focus to allow you to customize it, and to help with that they're planning to release an application to configure your layout properly. This application will also work with their laptops that have the System76 Embedded Controller Firmware which they say will 'enable you to use the same custom keyboard layout on both your laptop and desktop'.
Certainly will be interesting to see what design they ultimately settle on, with it also being design to work well with the new Auto Tiling feature found in their Pop!_OS Linux distribution. Speaking about testing their new keyboard layout, the System76 CEO, Carl Richell, said "I’ve found using the new keyboard layouts with Auto-Tiling is so addictive that when I go to another computer, it feels like I’m in a foreign land.".
If you were to change one major thing about the standard keyboard design, what would it be? Let us know in the comments.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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prueba_hola Aug 3, 2020
i really hate the Windows logo in the super key
if they provide a ISO keyboard, i will buy it if the price is not crazy
if they provide a ISO keyboard, i will buy it if the price is not crazy
3 Likes, Who?
slaapliedje Aug 3, 2020
I am kind of a keyboard nut, so I will most likely pick one of these up. Surprised they don't do what Roccat does and just have firmware inside the keyboard that gets flashed by the software config. It has been useful there, as I can move keyboard or mouse to another computer and not lose any function.
1 Likes, Who?
Two things I really dislike on standard keyboards:
- Windows key
- Caps Lock key
2 Likes, Who?
I'm a keyboard nut so I'll keep an eye on it, but what I hear so gives me concern. It doesn't sound ANSI standard so replacing keycaps would be very expensive.
Some things I'll be looking for:
1. Is it going to use Open Firmware like ErgoDox and Hexgears feature? There are already configuration utilities for this firmware. This means no lock in.
2. Are the keycaps and layout ANSI standard? This is important if you want to switch keycaps because they wear out, break, or just want a different set of caps.
3. What switch selection will they offer and will the switch sockets be hotswapable? That means they're user serviceable.
4. Will they offer PBT over ABS keycaps?
5. How portable will their keyboard be to other distributions and OSs?
There are already some really good open keyboards on the market designed with users in mind. The blog article wasn't very encouraging either. I got the impression they're trying to design a keyboard experience in the mindset of Apple, rather than focusing on keyboard features power users want.
Last edited by randyl on 3 August 2020 at 4:17 pm UTC
Some things I'll be looking for:
1. Is it going to use Open Firmware like ErgoDox and Hexgears feature? There are already configuration utilities for this firmware. This means no lock in.
2. Are the keycaps and layout ANSI standard? This is important if you want to switch keycaps because they wear out, break, or just want a different set of caps.
3. What switch selection will they offer and will the switch sockets be hotswapable? That means they're user serviceable.
4. Will they offer PBT over ABS keycaps?
5. How portable will their keyboard be to other distributions and OSs?
There are already some really good open keyboards on the market designed with users in mind. The blog article wasn't very encouraging either. I got the impression they're trying to design a keyboard experience in the mindset of Apple, rather than focusing on keyboard features power users want.
Last edited by randyl on 3 August 2020 at 4:17 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
i really hate the Windows logo in the super keyYou can buy keycaps (singles or sets) without the Microsoft logo on the super key.
if they provide a ISO keyboard, i will buy it if the price is not crazy
0 Likes
no_information_here Aug 3, 2020
I use a mac wired keyboard (aluminum). No windows key...
Edit: Sadly, they stopped making them.
Last edited by no_information_here on 3 August 2020 at 5:25 pm UTC
Edit: Sadly, they stopped making them.
Last edited by no_information_here on 3 August 2020 at 5:25 pm UTC
0 Likes
slaapliedje Aug 3, 2020
Two things I really dislike on standard keyboards:Awesome thing about the Roccat keyboards, the Capslock is moved to a place where you have to hold down another key to press a key to enable it. Granted, like anything else on those keyboards, you can change where it is assigned.
- Windows key
- Caps Lock key
2 Likes, Who?
appetrosyan Aug 3, 2020
ErgoEmacs here I come!!!
1 Likes, Who?
I’ve found using the new keyboard layouts with Auto-Tiling is so addictive that when I go to another computer, it feels like I’m in a foreign land.".
i have mixed feelings about this.
at the same time that i aways wanted an keyboard with extra keys that i can configure to do whatever i want, nowadays i dont have time/motivation to change my workflow anymore.
as much as it sounds like empowering users, giving then more freedom, at the same time it sound a bit like vendor lock-in, unless the entire industry adopt it, you will be adicted to an feature that only they provide, wich isnt a big issue until they start to put their computers at an ridiculous price like apple...
and speaking of it, this is sounding more like apple, were their product dont give the user any significant advantage anymore, but everyone was brainwashed into thinking they do.
i mean, its just an small gimmick, why not buy an Stream Deck instead?
i have mixed feelings about this.
at the same time that i aways wanted an keyboard with extra keys that i can configure to do whatever i want, nowadays i dont have time/motivation to change my workflow anymore.
as much as it sounds like empowering users, giving then more freedom, at the same time it sound a bit like vendor lock-in, unless the entire industry adopt it, you will be adicted to an feature that only they provide, wich isnt a big issue until they start to put their computers at an ridiculous price like apple...
and speaking of it, this is sounding more like apple, were their product dont give the user any significant advantage anymore, but everyone was brainwashed into thinking they do.
i mean, its just an small gimmick, why not buy an Stream Deck instead?
1 Likes, Who?
My problem has always been size. After so many years of touch typing plus having really large hands, I struggle a lot with keyboards that don't follow the patterns I need (namely inverted T and the two row/3 column home/end space). Sadly, there isn't a laptop out there that has it.
On the other hand, the edges don't bother me at all.
A shorter space might be interesting but I would need it across all machines to really consider the physical pain of switching layouts to be worth it.
Oh, and mechanical. I go through so many membrane keyboards in a year (3-4, partially due to children, partially due to the quarter million words written) as opposed to mechanical (1/18 months).
On the other hand, the edges don't bother me at all.
A shorter space might be interesting but I would need it across all machines to really consider the physical pain of switching layouts to be worth it.
Oh, and mechanical. I go through so many membrane keyboards in a year (3-4, partially due to children, partially due to the quarter million words written) as opposed to mechanical (1/18 months).
1 Likes, Who?
All I want from a keyboard is 1: Dvorak layout, and 2: the ability to hit Ctrl+Y with one hand sans use of my thumb.
0 Likes
appetrosyan Aug 4, 2020
Does anyone know if this can be done any OS or just POP?
If there is a way, then by no means is this vendor lock-in, and if there isn't... Hey, it's a selling point.
If there is a way, then by no means is this vendor lock-in, and if there isn't... Hey, it's a selling point.
0 Likes
What I would love to see/have is an ortholinear keyboard option from laptop's manufacturers or a third party replacement so I could stop carrying mine everywhere. Blank keycaps are fine with me.
1 Likes, Who?
I'm looking for a few things. 1) I want 70's and 80's style big think rounded key caps. 2) Buckling spring key switches.
If i can get that i'm all in.
If i can get that i'm all in.
0 Likes
I wish someone would make a proper mechanical keyboard with an economic layout. I've seen lots of failed attempts at it, but it seems nobody with the means is interested in it.
I prefer mechanical keyboards, but I prefer my wrists to not hurt even more. Until then, I'm stuck with squishy ergonomic keyboards.
Developers spend far more time typing than using any other input. A decent ergonomic mechanical keyboard shouldn't be so hard to find.
I prefer mechanical keyboards, but I prefer my wrists to not hurt even more. Until then, I'm stuck with squishy ergonomic keyboards.
Developers spend far more time typing than using any other input. A decent ergonomic mechanical keyboard shouldn't be so hard to find.
0 Likes
I wish someone would make a proper mechanical keyboard with an economic layout. I've seen lots of failed attempts at it, but it seems nobody with the means is interested in it.ErgoDox might be an option to check out. They're very expensive, but also very powerful.
I prefer mechanical keyboards, but I prefer my wrists to not hurt even more. Until then, I'm stuck with squishy ergonomic keyboards.
Developers spend far more time typing than using any other input. A decent ergonomic mechanical keyboard shouldn't be so hard to find.
2 Likes, Who?
RanceJustice Aug 5, 2020
Looks potentially interesting. I'm generally appreciative of System76 pushing hardware and software/firmware alike towards usable and high quality FOSS. That said, there's already a pretty comprehensive custom keyboard community out there and they''ll have to get a lot of things "right" to be worth it. Lots of keyboard projects are free/libre all the way down, with config and firmware alone being open source. Atop that, tons of different form factors (ie from full size all the way down to 40% scale), mechanical key switches, keycap types, cases, backlighting, and more.
I should mention that regarding ergonomic keyboards, there are a handful of them. They typically fall into either standard or ortholinear layouts. On the ortholinear side, the ErgoDox layout is typically used. There are lots of keyboards using some or all of its layout from the Dactyl Manuform kits to the original old ErgoDox Infinity to the newer ErgoDox EZ (which is sort of the flag carrier of the ergodox lineage for those that don't want to build themselves.
For those who want a split ergo setup but something closer to a standard layout, check out the awesome Dygma Raise . I backed in production and it works very very well. It can be used connected together where it looks like a lot of high end custom 60% style layouts excepting its palm/wrist pad area (removable, washable etc. However you can also separate it entirely to how you are comfortable. System76 noting they were splitting the spacebar is neat, but Dygma actually made it one of their best features. They replace the space bar with 4 keys that you can bind as you wish, plus put a "sub-row" of 4 keys below it that use the low-profile mechanical keyswitches so they don't get in the way - one of the first "hotkey" setups that is actually usable as opposed to being way the heck over on the side like many gaming boards. I should mention they're currently developing the tilting/tenting addon which will work with all existing boards when it is ready; I'm eager to check it out. Also, those behind the company seem to be really helpful and accessible everytime I've spoken with them so that's also a plus
Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention the absolute brand new "Moonlander" from ZSA, the same people who make the Ergodox EZ. It uses a modified variant of the ErgoDox layout, but it seems they took a lot of inspiration from the Dygma Raise as well. I'm thinking of getting one to compare them!
I should mention that regarding ergonomic keyboards, there are a handful of them. They typically fall into either standard or ortholinear layouts. On the ortholinear side, the ErgoDox layout is typically used. There are lots of keyboards using some or all of its layout from the Dactyl Manuform kits to the original old ErgoDox Infinity to the newer ErgoDox EZ (which is sort of the flag carrier of the ergodox lineage for those that don't want to build themselves.
For those who want a split ergo setup but something closer to a standard layout, check out the awesome Dygma Raise . I backed in production and it works very very well. It can be used connected together where it looks like a lot of high end custom 60% style layouts excepting its palm/wrist pad area (removable, washable etc. However you can also separate it entirely to how you are comfortable. System76 noting they were splitting the spacebar is neat, but Dygma actually made it one of their best features. They replace the space bar with 4 keys that you can bind as you wish, plus put a "sub-row" of 4 keys below it that use the low-profile mechanical keyswitches so they don't get in the way - one of the first "hotkey" setups that is actually usable as opposed to being way the heck over on the side like many gaming boards. I should mention they're currently developing the tilting/tenting addon which will work with all existing boards when it is ready; I'm eager to check it out. Also, those behind the company seem to be really helpful and accessible everytime I've spoken with them so that's also a plus
Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention the absolute brand new "Moonlander" from ZSA, the same people who make the Ergodox EZ. It uses a modified variant of the ErgoDox layout, but it seems they took a lot of inspiration from the Dygma Raise as well. I'm thinking of getting one to compare them!
5 Likes, Who?
Wow, awesome post RanceJustice. I like how you describe the keyboard community and ecosystem.
I havn't heard of the Dygma Raise. Thanks for that tip. I've been eyeing the Moonlander, but it's very expensive. The Raise looks like it could be a good fit for me as well. There are tradeoffs between the two. Hard choices.
I'm still keeping an eye on this. It could be a good choice for my other family members too.
I havn't heard of the Dygma Raise. Thanks for that tip. I've been eyeing the Moonlander, but it's very expensive. The Raise looks like it could be a good fit for me as well. There are tradeoffs between the two. Hard choices.
I'm still keeping an eye on this. It could be a good choice for my other family members too.
1 Likes, Who?
Wow, some amazing hardware out there. And here I was stoked because my new cordless keyboard has little solar panels so you don't need to keep putting in batteries.
1 Likes, Who?
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