• @[email protected]
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    77 months ago

    Can someone explain why this would be even slightly useful to anyone?

    How does one type without a and z?

      • @[email protected]
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        37 months ago

        Definitely unneeded. The ending letter of the series of letters we employ to form words is especially useless, but to be honest the first is mostly superfluous too

    • @[email protected]
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      7 months ago

      it is possible if you get enough time to think of every word, you just need to to find synonims so you don’t write specific letters, often needing to switch both words/speech style

      (it’s very difficult though, I’ve been writing this comment for 5 to 10 minutes)

    • @[email protected]
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      67 months ago

      The left Shift is A, and Caps Lock is Z.

      To get those keys to function as Shift/Caps you would need to hold down the Fn key (bottom right).

      I’m all for minimalist keyboards, but this shit is a bit too ridiculous.

    • @[email protected]
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      107 months ago

      this is a fancy mechanical keyboard and can be programmed. The missing keys are typed using key combinations.

      In general I love the reprogrammability of mech keyboards, but this one is fucking weird ngl

    • @[email protected]
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      117 months ago

      The central control probably is set to spacebar, i dont think they make small space bars and they already have another control key down the right.

      It does however not have an “a” key, so maybe yours is misconfigured so the control-spacebar is the letter a?

  • .Donuts
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    7 months ago

    Shift is A, Caps Lock is Z, Control & Backspace is spacebar.

    Don’t ask me why, I just searched the image and found the reddit thread that this post is riffing from and got my answers

      • Farid
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        57 months ago

        They meant to say “Control or* Backspace is Space”, right? Right?!

        • @[email protected]
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          37 months ago

          Yeah both are individual space bars, at least that’s how mine is since I hit space with either thumb

      • @[email protected]
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        27 months ago

        Less used than the Code key apparently. Their editor must crash A LOT if they need a dedicated button to launch it more than A or Space

      • @[email protected]
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        77 months ago

        Split spacebars are thing mostly because of layouts that won’t support a normal spacebar key. But, since most of these keyboards have user created and designed firmware, one could assign those spacebar keys to do anything.

        I have a few keyboards with split spacebars where the “right” spacebar is normal; it’s just a spacebar but small. The “left” space does dual duty; tap it and it’s a spacebar, hold it down and it becomes a modifier key for a custom layer. Custom layers are used on small keyboards to make the “missing” keys available, sort of like how a phone keyboard has number layer and symbols layer.

        I fully embraced this habit of split spacebars because I cannot train myself to use my left thumb to hit space for the life of me even though I’m a touch typist. Since my right thumb is the only digit hitting space, may as well get some use out of the rest of the space taken up by that spacebar.

        • @[email protected]
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          17 months ago

          Wouldn’t a split spacebar be two different keys that both individually can be used to type a space? This keyboard requires that both keys be pressed together to insert a space because each individual key has a different function. Given the common occurrence of spaces, that seems needlessly difficult.

          • @[email protected]
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            17 months ago

            This is still a split spacebar layout though, the person on reddit who built this thing even said that they just didn’t have the right sized blank keycaps. This is very normal for small keyboards since keycap sets usually are designed for regular layouts and don’t always have the right size, sculpt, and legend for weird layouts.

            • @[email protected]
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              17 months ago

              Ah, ok, so “control” and “backspace” don’t actually function as control or backspace keys. Then that makes more sense.

              • @[email protected]
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                17 months ago

                Yep! This is far from the strangest layout and keycap use out there, but you’ll find that Enter and Shift keys are more common for split spacebar layouts on larger (and saner) 40% keyboards.

      • .Donuts
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        487 months ago

        Even though I told you don’t ask me why… you’re asking me why. But I’m a good donut so I went back:

        They dont have to press BOTH keys to press space, they just didnt have a spacebar key that is the correct size to fit, so they put those 2 random keys on instead until they get a permanent keycap set that all fits.

  • kamen
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    1087 months ago

    Ironically enough, talking about cutting expenses, the keyboard in the photo could easily cost 10 times more than the typical 100% keyboard you’d find in a corporate office.

    • @[email protected]
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      357 months ago

      Especially when they have luxury of lubed switches, foam, dampeners/stabilizers, custom case material (that keeb def. Custom one).

      • @[email protected]
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        177 months ago

        Don’t forget keycaps! It’s where the real money is lost.

        That set looks like GMK Blue Samurai, which sells new for $150.

        • @[email protected]
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          27 months ago

          Keycaps is where I always avoid because that’s what makes keyboard standout other than the overall produced sound.

          Still saving for my keycaps sets

        • Kogasa
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          57 months ago

          Keycaps are expensive but you can easily spend $500 on a keyboard chassis/plate/pcb alone

          • @[email protected]
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            27 months ago

            True. I was mostly thinking about having to buy keycaps aftermarket when the prices double/triple and having to source all the different kits.

            Personally, I think I have three times as many keycap sets than I do keyboards.

          • kamen
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            17 months ago

            Have you seen how metal keycaps are priced?

          • @[email protected]
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            7 months ago

            They def pricier on chassis, plate (foam too!) and ready-to-use designed pcb with components. However from my own experience building your own keyboard is fun especially when the result is as good as you expected from planning stage. Pure bliss.

            Hello fellow 2hu youkai

        • kamen
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          27 months ago

          Looks like a knockoff to me. Look at the “Backspace” lettering up close for example.

      • kamen
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        57 months ago

        I was even thinking just about the case - good CNCd aluminium has come down in price, but it’s still expensive. You also have a point, I agree.

    • @[email protected]
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      17 months ago

      A typical office keeb is around $15. If you can build this for anywhere close to $150 I’m gonna take 2, please!

      • kamen
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        27 months ago

        I wrote “could easily cost 10 times more”, which doesn’t exclude an even higher price. $100-$150 for just the case (I couldn’t find the exact one) is what I’d expect.

  • @[email protected]
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    7 months ago

    As someone that into mech keyboard hobby, I can say that’s still perceivable for average user as you still retain the familiar “qwerty” layout.

    Look up stenograph keyboard. They have lesser keys but allows someone to write higher wpm and programmable though I don’t think they would fit for average office workload (unless you types a lot).

  • Tux
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    137 months ago

    At least you still can press Alt+F4

  • mihor
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    37 months ago

    I SO hate the CapsLock, the most useless key in the best of locations. I converted it to XCape on all my keebs!

    • @[email protected]
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      37 months ago

      Usually on boards like this it’s remapped to Ctrl, Esc or whatever you actually want. At this point having the caps button still there is purely cosmetic.