Difference between revisions of "Alternative keyboard layouts"
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− | + | Layouts for typewriters were numerous and varied before the introduction of QWERTY on Remington & Sons typewriters in 1874. The introduction of new technologies that remove some of the limitations of early typewriters as well as the introduction of electronic keyboards came with the ability to make new key layouts. | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | == English == | |
− | |||
− | + | === Dvorak === | |
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = Dvorak | ||
+ | | image name = Dvorak-Caps-BS-Swap-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | <!-- Dvorak Layout w/ Caps/BS swap on a 60% keyboard --> | ||
+ | | creator = August Dvorak and William L Dealey | ||
+ | | introduced = 1930's (Typewriter)<br>1982 (ANSI) | ||
+ | | top row = ',.PY FGCRL | ||
+ | | middle row = AOEUI DHTNS | ||
+ | | bottom row = ;QJKX BMWVZ | ||
+ | | patents = [https://www.google.com/patents/US2040248 US2040248] (1936) | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | Dvorak was created by Dr. August Dvorak in the early 1930's as an alternative to the QWERTY layout. Data was gathered in the form of closeup films of a typist fingers to create a primitive heat-map of key use and hand position. | |
− | + | *The most common letters were roughly placed in the rows typists were thought to like best: home-row, top-row and last bottom-row. | |
− | -- | + | *Hand-alternation: To avoid occasional long strings of one-handed-operation, emphasis was placed on hand-alternation. All vowels were moved to the left side of the keyboard, and onto the home-row, including the rare U. |
+ | *The right-hand is favored and receives 14% more usage than the lefty, which is 33% more than ''QWERTY'' because it favors the left hand with a similar percentage.<!--Probably erroneous math here, feel free to remove at will--> | ||
+ | |||
+ | Criticisms of the Dvorak design: | ||
+ | |||
+ | *Extreme dissimilarity from ''QWERTY''. System and application hotkeys that are designed around QWERTY will need to be relearned or remapped | ||
+ | *Hand-alternation. Poor single handed typing speed | ||
+ | *Poor placement of common letters. L is a case-example of this | ||
+ | {{-}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Evolved === | ||
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = Evolved (Second Experiment) | ||
+ | | image name = Klausler-Evolved.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = Peter M. Klausler | ||
+ | | license = None | ||
+ | | introduced = 2002 <ref name="evolved-intro-date">[https://web.archive.org/web/20020708141220/http://www.visi.com:80/~pmk/evolved.html Evolved Intro Date]</ref> | ||
+ | | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20060721141015/http://www.visi.com:80/~pmk/evolved.html Evolved (archive)] | ||
+ | | top row = K,UYP WLMFC | ||
+ | | middle row = OAEID RNTHS | ||
+ | | bottom row = Q.';Z XVGBJ | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | Evolved was released around 2002 on Peter Klausler's own website. During his use of Dvorak he wondered how a better modern layout could be created with the aid of computers. A metric of "work" needed when touch typing with each layout was developed. The factors of what constituted work were as follows: | ||
+ | * All 8 fingers start on the home row. | ||
+ | * An index finger stretch to the center costs 1 unit. | ||
+ | * Fingers of the same hand can't be on both the top and bottom row. When a top-row or bottom-row key is to be hit, each finger on the bottom or top row (respectively) moves to the home row, and that costs 1 unit each. | ||
+ | * After that, if a finger has to move up or down to hit the key, it costs 1 unit. An additional unit is charged to move to the bottom row (except for the index finger in its natural column) or to move an index finger to the top row in its unnatural center column. Furthermore, moving a pinky up or down costs an additional unit. I have weak pinkies. | ||
+ | * Hitting two distinct keys in succession with the same finger is really bad; 3 more units are charged. | ||
+ | * An extra unit is assessed when nonadjacent fingers of the same hand are used in succession and they are not both on the home row. | ||
+ | * But adjacent fingers are charged a unit to hit keys on distinct rows, and one more if there's adjacent movement between the top and bottom rows. | ||
+ | * When a shift key is used, the fingers of the shifting hand move to the home row for free afterwards. | ||
+ | These rules were applied to a corpus of 20mb of English text from books, the bodies of all the authors emails, and about 100k lines of C code. This was to best reflect the authors typing habits. Along with the text samples there was the layouts which were generated programmatically. Additional considerations were added to the layout generation program for alternating hands and adjacent key hits (rolling) after real world testing. Klausler ended up switching back to Dvorak layout. | ||
+ | <ref name="evolved-home-page">[https://web.archive.org/web/20060614221712/http://www.visi.com:80/~pmk/evolved.html Evolved Home Page]</ref> | ||
+ | {{-}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Programmer Dvorak === | ||
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = Programmer Dvorak | ||
+ | | image name = Programmer-Dvorak-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = Roland Kaufmann | ||
+ | | license = [http://www.kaufmann.no:80/roland/dvorak/license.html "Roland Kaufmann License"] | ||
+ | | introduced = 2003 <ref name="programmer-dvorak-intro">[https://web.archive.org/web/20030216024436/https://www.kaufmann.no/roland/dvorak Programmer Dvorak Intro Date]</ref> | ||
+ | | website = [https://www.kaufmann.no/roland/dvorak kaufmann.no] | ||
+ | | top row = ;,.PY FGCRL | ||
+ | | middle row = AOEUI DHTNS | ||
+ | | bottom row = 'QJKX BMWVZ | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | Programmer Dvorak was released by Roland Kaufmann in about 2003 to his own website. The stated goal of the layout is to eliminate RSI in the way Dvorak does for copy typist with optimizations for programmers. Symbol placement in Dvorak is seen as just as bad as QWERTY to writing source code in C, C#, Java, Pascal, Lisp, CSS, XML and alikes. Thus the changes to symbol placement is meant to reduce the distance to commonly used symbols in the most common programming languages of the time. This leads to number being scrambled, though in a meaningful way. The numbers hit by the left hand are odd and in descending order starting with 7 and wrapping back around to 9. The numbers hit by the right hand are ascending even numbers starting with zero. Symbols that are regularly under the number row are on the unshifted/lower case layer while the numbers are on the shifted/upper case layer. This is because symbols are more common in source code then numbers as having pre-defined numbers in source code is an anti-pattern. For languages other then English a "Compose Key" is used to create accented characters.<ref name="programmer-dvorak-homepage">[https://www.kaufmann.no/roland/dvorak Programmer Dvorak Homepage]</ref> | ||
+ | {{-}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Capewell Family=== | ||
+ | ==== Capewell-Dvorak ==== | ||
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = Capewell-Dvorak | ||
+ | | image name = | ||
+ | | creator = Michael Capewell | ||
+ | | license = None | ||
+ | | introduced = 2004 | ||
+ | | website = [http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/layout_capewell-dvorak.htm michaelcapewell.com] | ||
+ | | top row = ',.PY QFGRK | ||
+ | | middle row = OAEIU DHTNS | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZXCVJ LMWB; | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | Capewell-Dvorak is a modified version of Dvorak created in 2004 by Michael Capewell. The layout came about through issues Michael found with Dvorak and how he tried to reconcile them. The perceived issues are as follows: | ||
+ | * Common shortcuts such as Ctrl+C are difficult to reach | ||
+ | * The "I" key is much more common then the "U" key which is not accounted for | ||
+ | * "GH" is a common digraph which are on the same finger | ||
+ | * "F" and "X", "Y" and "B" on QWERTY, are more difficult to hit then accounted for | ||
+ | * Hitting the upper row with the pinky finger, specifically for the "L" key, is more difficult then accounted for | ||
− | == | + | {{-}} |
+ | ==== The Capewell Layout ==== | ||
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = The Capewell Layout | ||
+ | | image name = Capewell-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = Michael Capewell | ||
+ | | license = None | ||
+ | | introduced = 2005 | ||
+ | | website = [http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/layout_capewell.htm michaelcapewell.com] | ||
+ | | top row = .YWDF JPLUQ | ||
+ | | middle row = AERSG BTNIO | ||
+ | | bottom row = XZCV; KWH,' | ||
+ | | colour = red | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | The Capewell Layout was created in 2005 by Michael Capewell and released to his own site as a work in progress. Inspiration for creating the layout was drawn from Peter M. Klausler's Evolve layout generation program. Thus the layout is generated through a script along with some restrictions on how the key layout can be changed. Goals of the layout are as follows: | |
− | + | *Significant reduction in movement over QWERTY (IE: 48% or 49%) | |
− | + | *Maximize trigrams and bigrams on the same hand but different finger (IE: AS, WE, REA) | |
− | + | *Minimize unconformable combos that exist on QWERTY (IE: DR, DT, CF, CS) | |
− | + | *Keep ZXCF in the lower left to maintain system shortcuts | |
− | + | *If a key in one of the center columns is used, have the keys typed before and after the key be typed by the other hand | |
− | + | *Minimize use of certain positions on the keyboard (On QWERTY: Q, Z, P, /, J, B, X, .) | |
− | + | {{-}} | |
− | + | ==== QWERF ==== | |
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = QWERF | ||
+ | | image name = QWERF-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = Michael Capewell | ||
+ | | license = None | ||
+ | | introduced = 2006 | ||
+ | | website = [http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/index.htm#The_QWERF_Layout michaelcapewell.com] | ||
+ | | top row = QWERF JYLK; | ||
+ | | middle row = ASDTG HUOIP | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZXCVB NM,./ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | QWERF was released in 2006 by Michael Capewell on his own site. It is a modification on QWERTY thus should be easy for users to learn. More common keys were moved to the home row for a finger movement reduction of 28% over QWERTY. The author claims that within one week a user of his layout could be back at their original typing speed. | |
+ | {{-}} | ||
− | === | + | === Colemak === |
− | + | {{infobox layout | |
− | + | | name = Colemak | |
− | + | | image name = Colemak-Layout.PNG | |
− | + | | creator = Shai Coleman | |
− | + | | license = [https://colemak.com/License "Public domain"] | |
− | + | | introduced = 2006 | |
− | + | | website = [https://colemak.com colemak.com] | |
+ | | top row = QWFPG JLUY; | ||
+ | | middle row = ARSTD HNEIO | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZXCVB KM,./ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | Colemak is an alternative keyboard created by Shai Coleman, named as a portmanteau of Dvorak and Coleman. Its design goals consist of easy transition from QWERTY due to repositioning only 17 letter keys. Additionally the AZXCV shortcuts are in the same location perhaps allowing an easier time switching from QWERTY. | |
− | + | It also claims greater efficiency than Dvorak. Furthermore it places complete emphasis on the home-row: the ten most-common characters in English are on the ten home-row keys. | |
+ | {{-}} | ||
− | + | === Carpalx Family === | |
− | + | The Carpalx project was created around 2005-06 by Martin Krzywinski as a project to find the best keyboard layout to minimize typing effort. This was to be achieved through measuring then optimizing the following in respect to QWERTY: | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | * Hand-alternation or hand-balancing | |
+ | * Same-finger typing reduction | ||
+ | * Finger flow such as rolling | ||
+ | * Stronger typing finger use and index finger/pinky finger reduction | ||
+ | * Difficult stroke path limiting (IE upward row progressions such as "nse") | ||
− | = | + | Many layouts were measured through these methods and optimized derivatives were made off these existing layouts. Completely optimized layouts generated by the computer not using existing layouts as a reference were also created. The original primary focus of this project is for English language optimization but other languages, such as Dutch<ref name="carpalx-dutch-layout">[http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?de_correspondent Carpalx Dutch Layout]</ref>, were measured and optimized in recent years.<ref name="carpalx-homepage">[http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/? Carpalx Homepage]</ref> |
− | |||
− | < | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | </ | ||
− | http:// | + | ==== QFMLWY (Full Optimization QWERTY-like) ==== |
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = Carpalx QFMLWY | ||
+ | | image name = | ||
+ | | creator = Martin Krzywinski | ||
+ | | license = [https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html GPL] | ||
+ | | introduced = 2010<ref name="carpalx-full-optimization-intro">[https://web.archive.org/web/20100715101736/http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca:80/carpalx/?full_optimization Carpalx Full Optimization Intro Date]</ref> | ||
+ | | website = [http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?full_optimization mkweb.bcgsc.ca] | ||
+ | | top row = QFMLW YUOBJ | ||
+ | | middle row = DSTNR IAEH; | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZVGCX PK,./ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | A computer optimized layout in which the restriction is that only the letter keys are allowed to move from their original QWERTY positions, symbols and numbers must stay in place. | |
+ | {{-}} | ||
− | + | ==== QGMLWY (Full Optimization preserve shortcuts) ==== | |
− | + | {{infobox layout | |
− | + | | name = Carpalx QGMLWY | |
− | + | | image name = QGMLWY-Layout.PNG | |
− | + | | creator = Martin Krzywinski | |
− | + | | license = [https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html GPL] | |
+ | | introduced = 2010<ref name="carpalx-full-optimization-intro" /> | ||
+ | | website = [http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?full_optimization mkweb.bcgsc.ca] | ||
+ | | top row = QGMLW YFUB; | ||
+ | | middle row = DSTNR IAEOH | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZXCVJ KP,./ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | A computer optimized layout in which the restriction is that the letter keys can move from their original QWERTY positions, the semicolon can be moved to the top row, and the ZXCV keys must stay in their original places. The movement of the semicolon creates a Colemak-like character layout. | |
+ | {{-}} | ||
− | === | + | ==== QGMLWB (Full Optimization Colemak-like) ==== |
− | [ | + | {{infobox layout |
− | < | + | | name = Carpalx QGMLWB |
− | + | | image name = | |
− | + | | creator = Martin Krzywinski | |
− | + | | license = [https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html GPL] | |
− | + | | introduced = 2010<ref name="carpalx-full-optimization-intro" /> | |
− | + | | website = [http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?full_optimization mkweb.bcgsc.ca] | |
+ | | top row = QGMLW BYUV; | ||
+ | | middle row = DSTNR IAEOH | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZXCFJ KP,./ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | A computer optimized layout in which the restriction is that the letter keys can move from their original QWERTY positions and the semicolon can be moved to the top row. The movement of the semicolon creates a Colemak-like character layout. This layout is considered a "full optimization", as it is a sane re arrangement of all punctuation and alpha keys to achieve the lowest "total effort". | |
− | + | {{-}} | |
− | + | === Norman === | |
− | : | + | {{infobox layout |
− | + | | name = Norman | |
+ | | image name = Norman-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = David Norman | ||
+ | | license = [https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0 CC0] | ||
+ | | introduced = 2008 | ||
+ | | website = [https://normanlayout.info normanlayout.info] | ||
+ | | top row = QWDFK JURL; | ||
+ | | middle row = ASETG YNIOH | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZXCVB PM,./ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | Norman was created in 2008 by David Norman. | |
− | + | {{-}} | |
− | |||
− | == | + | === Workman === |
− | === | + | {{infobox layout |
− | + | | name = Workman | |
− | + | | image name = Workman.PNG | |
− | + | | creator = OJ Bucao | |
− | + | | license = [https://viralintrospection.wordpress.com/workman-license "OJ Bucao License"] | |
− | + | | introduced = 2010 | |
− | + | | website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20160307220358/http://www.workmanlayout.com/blog workmanlayout.com (archive)] | |
+ | | top row = QDRWB JFUP; | ||
+ | | middle row = ASHTG YNEOI | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZXMCV KL,./ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | Workman was created in 2010 in a blog post by OJ Bucao. It is designed around the use of a non-staggered layout or ortho-linear layout but works just fine on standard staggered layout keyboards. The main design goal is to '''keep the fingers to their main 4 columns''' per hand and de-prioritizing columns in the middle and sides. This minimizes diagonal and lateral movement. | |
+ | {{-}} | ||
− | + | == Norwegian == | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | === Arensito === | |
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = Arensito (Simplified) | ||
+ | | image name = Arensito-Simplified-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = Håkon Hallingstad | ||
+ | | license = None | ||
+ | | introduced = 2001 <ref name="arensito-home-page">[http://web.archive.org/web/20160719191845/http://www.pvv.org:80/~hakonhal/main.cgi/keyboard Arensito Home Page]</ref> | ||
+ | | website = [http://web.archive.org/web/20160719191845/http://www.pvv.org:80/~hakonhal/main.cgi/keyboard pvv.org (archive)] | ||
+ | | top row = QL.P' ;FUDK | ||
+ | | middle row = ARENB GSITO | ||
+ | | bottom row = ZW,HJ VCYMX | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | Arensito was released in 2001 by Håkon Hallingstad and is also known as the Hallingstad layout. It was originally made to suit the [[Kinesis_Advantage|Kinesis Contoured]] and two-handed Maltron, though an adaptation for usage on standard keyboard was developed later. The named comes from its home-row as apposed to QWERTY which named from its top row. The design intentions are as follows: | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | + | *Places the eight most used characters under your fingertips | |
− | + | *Is the layout that minimizes the probability that you use the same finger twice (in succession) | |
+ | *Is the layout that maximizes the probability for using neighbor fingers in succession (and keeps the probability of sequences like y-d or z-l diminishingly low). This lets the fingers strike diagraphs and trigraphs extremely fast | ||
+ | *Keep the workload off the pinkies. Both pinkies press a button about 40% less than the other fingers | ||
− | + | Some punctuation and programming symbols are placed under the AltGr layer, where they are closer to the fingers' home position. | |
− | + | {{-}} | |
− | + | == German == | |
− | |||
− | === Neo | + | === Neo === |
− | + | {{infobox layout | |
− | [ | + | | name = Neo |
− | < | + | | image name = Neo-2-Layout.PNG |
− | + | | creator = Multiple? | |
− | + | | license = [http://wiki.neo-layout.org/wiki/Lizenzfragen GPLv3] | |
− | + | | introduced = 2004 <ref name="neo-intro-date">[http://www.linux-community.de/Internal/Artikel/Print-Artikel/LinuxUser/2009/05/Ergonomischeres-Tastaturlayout-mit-NEO Neo Intro Date]</ref> | |
− | </ | + | | website = [https://neo-layout.org neo-layout.org] |
− | + | | top row = XVLCW KHGFQß | |
+ | | middle row = UIAEO SNRTDY | ||
+ | | bottom row = ÜÖÄPZ BM,.J | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | Neo was released in 2004 and open sourced to allow multiple users to contribute to. It was developed with the experiences of other ergonomic layouts like Dvorak in mind. It is mainly targeted at German users, but supports nearly all characters of Latin-based alphabets, as well as the Vietnamese and some African alphabets. It consists of six layers, available by combinations of multiple modifier keys. Using these layers there are special characters available which are not easily available in QWERTY-based layouts, like mathematical symbols and Greek letters. The layers are as follows: | |
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 155: | Line 305: | ||
| 6 | | 6 | ||
| Mathematical symbols and Greek uppercase characters | | Mathematical symbols and Greek uppercase characters | ||
− | |} | + | |} |
− | + | {{-}} | |
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− | ==== | + | === AdNW (Aus der Neo-Welt) === |
− | + | {{infobox layout | |
+ | | name = AdNW (Aus der Neo-Welt) | ||
+ | | image name = AdNW-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = Multiple | ||
+ | | license = [http://www.adnw.de/index.php?n=Main.Impressum "Public Domain"] | ||
+ | | introduced = abt 2012 <ref name="adnw-intro-date">[http://www.adnw.de/index.php?n=Main.HomePage?action=diff AdNW Intro Date]</ref> | ||
+ | | website = [http://www.adnw.de/index.php adnw.de] | ||
+ | | top row = KUÜ.Ä VGCLJF | ||
+ | | middle row = HIEAO DTRNSß | ||
+ | | bottom row = XYÖ,Q BPWMZ | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | AdNW is a Dvorak-like layout which appeared around 2012 for the German and English languages. | |
− | + | {{-}} | |
− | + | == French == | |
+ | === BvoFrak === | ||
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = BvoFrak | ||
+ | | image name = BvoFrak-v1.0-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = H. | ||
+ | | license = [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/fr CC BY-NC] | ||
+ | | introduced = 2011 <ref name="bvofrak-home-page">[http://bvofrak.blogspot.com BvoFrak Home Page]</ref> | ||
+ | | website = [http://bvofrak.blogspot.com bvofrak.blogspot.com] | ||
+ | | top row = | ||
+ | | middle row = | ||
+ | | bottom row = | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | {{-}} | |
− | + | === Bépo === | |
+ | {{infobox layout | ||
+ | | name = Bépo | ||
+ | | image name = BEPO-Layout.PNG | ||
+ | | creator = Nicolas Chartier and many others | ||
+ | | license = [https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licence_Creative_Commons#BY-SA CC-BY-SA] | ||
+ | | introduced = 2005 <ref name="bepo-wiki-entry">[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9po Bépo Wiki Entry]</ref> | ||
+ | | website = [https://bepo.fr/wiki/Accueil bepo.fr] | ||
+ | | top row = | ||
+ | | middle row = | ||
+ | | bottom row = | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | + | {{-}} | |
− | |||
− | + | ==References== | |
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− | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
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− |
Revision as of 15:22, 8 April 2018
Layouts for typewriters were numerous and varied before the introduction of QWERTY on Remington & Sons typewriters in 1874. The introduction of new technologies that remove some of the limitations of early typewriters as well as the introduction of electronic keyboards came with the ability to make new key layouts.
Contents
English
Dvorak
Creator | August Dvorak and William L Dealey |
---|---|
Introduced |
1930's (Typewriter) 1982 (ANSI) |
',.PY FGCRL | |
AOEUI DHTNS | |
;QJKX BMWVZ | |
Patents | US2040248 (1936) |
Dvorak was created by Dr. August Dvorak in the early 1930's as an alternative to the QWERTY layout. Data was gathered in the form of closeup films of a typist fingers to create a primitive heat-map of key use and hand position.
- The most common letters were roughly placed in the rows typists were thought to like best: home-row, top-row and last bottom-row.
- Hand-alternation: To avoid occasional long strings of one-handed-operation, emphasis was placed on hand-alternation. All vowels were moved to the left side of the keyboard, and onto the home-row, including the rare U.
- The right-hand is favored and receives 14% more usage than the lefty, which is 33% more than QWERTY because it favors the left hand with a similar percentage.
Criticisms of the Dvorak design:
- Extreme dissimilarity from QWERTY. System and application hotkeys that are designed around QWERTY will need to be relearned or remapped
- Hand-alternation. Poor single handed typing speed
- Poor placement of common letters. L is a case-example of this
Evolved
Creator | Peter M. Klausler |
---|---|
License | None |
Introduced | 2002 [1] |
Website | Evolved (archive) |
K,UYP WLMFC | |
OAEID RNTHS | |
Q.';Z XVGBJ |
Evolved was released around 2002 on Peter Klausler's own website. During his use of Dvorak he wondered how a better modern layout could be created with the aid of computers. A metric of "work" needed when touch typing with each layout was developed. The factors of what constituted work were as follows:
- All 8 fingers start on the home row.
- An index finger stretch to the center costs 1 unit.
- Fingers of the same hand can't be on both the top and bottom row. When a top-row or bottom-row key is to be hit, each finger on the bottom or top row (respectively) moves to the home row, and that costs 1 unit each.
- After that, if a finger has to move up or down to hit the key, it costs 1 unit. An additional unit is charged to move to the bottom row (except for the index finger in its natural column) or to move an index finger to the top row in its unnatural center column. Furthermore, moving a pinky up or down costs an additional unit. I have weak pinkies.
- Hitting two distinct keys in succession with the same finger is really bad; 3 more units are charged.
- An extra unit is assessed when nonadjacent fingers of the same hand are used in succession and they are not both on the home row.
- But adjacent fingers are charged a unit to hit keys on distinct rows, and one more if there's adjacent movement between the top and bottom rows.
- When a shift key is used, the fingers of the shifting hand move to the home row for free afterwards.
These rules were applied to a corpus of 20mb of English text from books, the bodies of all the authors emails, and about 100k lines of C code. This was to best reflect the authors typing habits. Along with the text samples there was the layouts which were generated programmatically. Additional considerations were added to the layout generation program for alternating hands and adjacent key hits (rolling) after real world testing. Klausler ended up switching back to Dvorak layout.
[2]
Programmer Dvorak
Creator | Roland Kaufmann |
---|---|
License | "Roland Kaufmann License" |
Introduced | 2003 [3] |
Website | kaufmann.no |
;,.PY FGCRL | |
AOEUI DHTNS | |
'QJKX BMWVZ |
Programmer Dvorak was released by Roland Kaufmann in about 2003 to his own website. The stated goal of the layout is to eliminate RSI in the way Dvorak does for copy typist with optimizations for programmers. Symbol placement in Dvorak is seen as just as bad as QWERTY to writing source code in C, C#, Java, Pascal, Lisp, CSS, XML and alikes. Thus the changes to symbol placement is meant to reduce the distance to commonly used symbols in the most common programming languages of the time. This leads to number being scrambled, though in a meaningful way. The numbers hit by the left hand are odd and in descending order starting with 7 and wrapping back around to 9. The numbers hit by the right hand are ascending even numbers starting with zero. Symbols that are regularly under the number row are on the unshifted/lower case layer while the numbers are on the shifted/upper case layer. This is because symbols are more common in source code then numbers as having pre-defined numbers in source code is an anti-pattern. For languages other then English a "Compose Key" is used to create accented characters.[4]
Capewell Family
Capewell-Dvorak
Creator | Michael Capewell |
---|---|
License | None |
Introduced | 2004 |
Website | michaelcapewell.com |
',.PY QFGRK | |
OAEIU DHTNS | |
ZXCVJ LMWB; |
Capewell-Dvorak is a modified version of Dvorak created in 2004 by Michael Capewell. The layout came about through issues Michael found with Dvorak and how he tried to reconcile them. The perceived issues are as follows:
- Common shortcuts such as Ctrl+C are difficult to reach
- The "I" key is much more common then the "U" key which is not accounted for
- "GH" is a common digraph which are on the same finger
- "F" and "X", "Y" and "B" on QWERTY, are more difficult to hit then accounted for
- Hitting the upper row with the pinky finger, specifically for the "L" key, is more difficult then accounted for
The Capewell Layout
Creator | Michael Capewell |
---|---|
License | None |
Introduced | 2005 |
Website | michaelcapewell.com |
.YWDF JPLUQ | |
AERSG BTNIO | |
XZCV; KWH,' |
The Capewell Layout was created in 2005 by Michael Capewell and released to his own site as a work in progress. Inspiration for creating the layout was drawn from Peter M. Klausler's Evolve layout generation program. Thus the layout is generated through a script along with some restrictions on how the key layout can be changed. Goals of the layout are as follows:
- Significant reduction in movement over QWERTY (IE: 48% or 49%)
- Maximize trigrams and bigrams on the same hand but different finger (IE: AS, WE, REA)
- Minimize unconformable combos that exist on QWERTY (IE: DR, DT, CF, CS)
- Keep ZXCF in the lower left to maintain system shortcuts
- If a key in one of the center columns is used, have the keys typed before and after the key be typed by the other hand
- Minimize use of certain positions on the keyboard (On QWERTY: Q, Z, P, /, J, B, X, .)
QWERF
Creator | Michael Capewell |
---|---|
License | None |
Introduced | 2006 |
Website | michaelcapewell.com |
QWERF JYLK; | |
ASDTG HUOIP | |
ZXCVB NM,./ |
QWERF was released in 2006 by Michael Capewell on his own site. It is a modification on QWERTY thus should be easy for users to learn. More common keys were moved to the home row for a finger movement reduction of 28% over QWERTY. The author claims that within one week a user of his layout could be back at their original typing speed.
Colemak
Creator | Shai Coleman |
---|---|
License | "Public domain" |
Introduced | 2006 |
Website | colemak.com |
QWFPG JLUY; | |
ARSTD HNEIO | |
ZXCVB KM,./ |
Colemak is an alternative keyboard created by Shai Coleman, named as a portmanteau of Dvorak and Coleman. Its design goals consist of easy transition from QWERTY due to repositioning only 17 letter keys. Additionally the AZXCV shortcuts are in the same location perhaps allowing an easier time switching from QWERTY.
It also claims greater efficiency than Dvorak. Furthermore it places complete emphasis on the home-row: the ten most-common characters in English are on the ten home-row keys.
Carpalx Family
The Carpalx project was created around 2005-06 by Martin Krzywinski as a project to find the best keyboard layout to minimize typing effort. This was to be achieved through measuring then optimizing the following in respect to QWERTY:
- Hand-alternation or hand-balancing
- Same-finger typing reduction
- Finger flow such as rolling
- Stronger typing finger use and index finger/pinky finger reduction
- Difficult stroke path limiting (IE upward row progressions such as "nse")
Many layouts were measured through these methods and optimized derivatives were made off these existing layouts. Completely optimized layouts generated by the computer not using existing layouts as a reference were also created. The original primary focus of this project is for English language optimization but other languages, such as Dutch[5], were measured and optimized in recent years.[6]
QFMLWY (Full Optimization QWERTY-like)
Creator | Martin Krzywinski |
---|---|
License | GPL |
Introduced | 2010[7] |
Website | mkweb.bcgsc.ca |
QFMLW YUOBJ | |
DSTNR IAEH; | |
ZVGCX PK,./ |
A computer optimized layout in which the restriction is that only the letter keys are allowed to move from their original QWERTY positions, symbols and numbers must stay in place.
QGMLWY (Full Optimization preserve shortcuts)
Creator | Martin Krzywinski |
---|---|
License | GPL |
Introduced | 2010[7] |
Website | mkweb.bcgsc.ca |
QGMLW YFUB; | |
DSTNR IAEOH | |
ZXCVJ KP,./ |
A computer optimized layout in which the restriction is that the letter keys can move from their original QWERTY positions, the semicolon can be moved to the top row, and the ZXCV keys must stay in their original places. The movement of the semicolon creates a Colemak-like character layout.
QGMLWB (Full Optimization Colemak-like)
Creator | Martin Krzywinski |
---|---|
License | GPL |
Introduced | 2010[7] |
Website | mkweb.bcgsc.ca |
QGMLW BYUV; | |
DSTNR IAEOH | |
ZXCFJ KP,./ |
A computer optimized layout in which the restriction is that the letter keys can move from their original QWERTY positions and the semicolon can be moved to the top row. The movement of the semicolon creates a Colemak-like character layout. This layout is considered a "full optimization", as it is a sane re arrangement of all punctuation and alpha keys to achieve the lowest "total effort".
Norman
Creator | David Norman |
---|---|
License | CC0 |
Introduced | 2008 |
Website | normanlayout.info |
QWDFK JURL; | |
ASETG YNIOH | |
ZXCVB PM,./ |
Norman was created in 2008 by David Norman.
Workman
Creator | OJ Bucao |
---|---|
License | "OJ Bucao License" |
Introduced | 2010 |
Website | workmanlayout.com (archive) |
QDRWB JFUP; | |
ASHTG YNEOI | |
ZXMCV KL,./ |
Workman was created in 2010 in a blog post by OJ Bucao. It is designed around the use of a non-staggered layout or ortho-linear layout but works just fine on standard staggered layout keyboards. The main design goal is to keep the fingers to their main 4 columns per hand and de-prioritizing columns in the middle and sides. This minimizes diagonal and lateral movement.
Norwegian
Arensito
Creator | Håkon Hallingstad |
---|---|
License | None |
Introduced | 2001 [8] |
Website | pvv.org (archive) |
QL.P' ;FUDK | |
ARENB GSITO | |
ZW,HJ VCYMX |
Arensito was released in 2001 by Håkon Hallingstad and is also known as the Hallingstad layout. It was originally made to suit the Kinesis Contoured and two-handed Maltron, though an adaptation for usage on standard keyboard was developed later. The named comes from its home-row as apposed to QWERTY which named from its top row. The design intentions are as follows:
- Places the eight most used characters under your fingertips
- Is the layout that minimizes the probability that you use the same finger twice (in succession)
- Is the layout that maximizes the probability for using neighbor fingers in succession (and keeps the probability of sequences like y-d or z-l diminishingly low). This lets the fingers strike diagraphs and trigraphs extremely fast
- Keep the workload off the pinkies. Both pinkies press a button about 40% less than the other fingers
Some punctuation and programming symbols are placed under the AltGr layer, where they are closer to the fingers' home position.
German
Neo
Creator | Multiple? |
---|---|
License | GPLv3 |
Introduced | 2004 [9] |
Website | neo-layout.org |
XVLCW KHGFQß | |
UIAEO SNRTDY | |
ÜÖÄPZ BM,.J |
Neo was released in 2004 and open sourced to allow multiple users to contribute to. It was developed with the experiences of other ergonomic layouts like Dvorak in mind. It is mainly targeted at German users, but supports nearly all characters of Latin-based alphabets, as well as the Vietnamese and some African alphabets. It consists of six layers, available by combinations of multiple modifier keys. Using these layers there are special characters available which are not easily available in QWERTY-based layouts, like mathematical symbols and Greek letters. The layers are as follows:
Layer | Usage |
---|---|
1 | Lowercase characters |
2 | Uppercase characters, typographical characters |
3 | Special characters, especially for programming, etc. |
4 | Navigation keys, Numberblock, etc. |
5 | Greek lowercase characters |
6 | Mathematical symbols and Greek uppercase characters |
AdNW (Aus der Neo-Welt)
Creator | Multiple |
---|---|
License | "Public Domain" |
Introduced | abt 2012 [10] |
Website | adnw.de |
KUÜ.Ä VGCLJF | |
HIEAO DTRNSß | |
XYÖ,Q BPWMZ |
AdNW is a Dvorak-like layout which appeared around 2012 for the German and English languages.
French
BvoFrak
Creator | H. |
---|---|
License | CC BY-NC |
Introduced | 2011 [11] |
Website | bvofrak.blogspot.com |
| |
| |
|
Bépo
Creator | Nicolas Chartier and many others |
---|---|
License | CC-BY-SA |
Introduced | 2005 [12] |
Website | bepo.fr |
| |
| |
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