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betrusted-io / betrusted-wiki

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https://github.com/betrusted-io/betrusted-wiki/wiki
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Customizing keyboard layouts #2

Open bunnie opened 5 years ago

bunnie commented 5 years ago

Need to consider the possibility that users will need to customize keyboard layouts of the physical keyboard.

Perhaps offer the keyboard keycaps as a module that can be snapped into the design. The downside of this is that the snaps/screws to support this in a robust fashion will add a considerable amount of thickness/size to the design.

dumblob commented 5 years ago

I believe a keyboard as the absolutely major input for any digital device is quite a sensitive topic (you might have already come across that with Novena).

It seems to me there will be a need to differentiate not just caps (i.e. visual layout), but also mechanical layout might need to be fully swappable - to account for the differences between the most widespread ones (as outlined in the wikipedia article) as well as for e.g. the otho-linear (aka "matrix") mechanical layout or special layouts like Lingo Splix Board.

Btw I believe the solution of Novena is an excellent one - "here you have a hole and place the keyboard and keys inside the way you like".

bunnie commented 5 years ago

The trade-off of a modular keyboard is it'll increase the size footprint of the device. For example, if the device could be say, 3.5mm thick, but with a modular keyboard it'd have to be 5.5mm thick, plus add about 4mm to width and height, would users accept that? obviously the impact is primarily felt on the thickness, but I worry users will tend to judge a device more by aesthetics and metrics that are less related to utility such as a swappable keyboard.

dumblob commented 5 years ago

My words.

My idea could be summed up to "do not make the design modular, but make the design in a way, that a little effort will be needed to support other mechanical layouts even if one will have just limited DIY possibilities" (e.g. do the keyboard part of the device so much mechanically simple, that every buyer could print it's own variant on a 3D printer (and connect the keys/touch_foil/touch_screen to the same existing PCB) to accommodate the different needs.

This could boil down e.g. to sufficiently mechanically simple bezels (allowing custom-made alternatives), sufficiently enough place around the default keyboard to allow custom mechanical layouts (e.g. ortho-linear or "split keyboard"), sufficient number of pins to support 7-row keyboards, not having the keyboard MCU so tightly coupled with the default mechanical keys that one would need its own MCU and firmware, not having keyboard switches integrated on a PCB with the rest of the device (to allow fully custom positioning of the keys), etc.

I do not know any background of the current design process and possibilities nor goals, so take my comments just as an idea to ease international compatibility.

bunnie commented 5 years ago

That makes sense. I'll take the suggestion into consideration. thanks.

ediliziosantrapa commented 4 years ago

I just wanted to say I am very happy that the device will be coming with dvorak layout, I believe it is the most effective for thumb typing of any layout.

delirereste commented 2 years ago

I reference here horizontal keyboard hardware possible benefit: https://github.com/betrusted-io/betrusted-wiki/issues/13#issuecomment-1072018384

thank you so much for your work and consideration