Difference between revisions of "Alternative keyboard layouts"

From Deskthority wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (Advanced Keyboard Theory: Use a thumbnailed version of the otherwise "huge" keyboard effort grid.)
(Colemak Mod-DH: consistent title size)
(16 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{TODO rethink}}
+
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.
<!--
 
== Reachout to those designing new layouts ==
 
  
(Contributors: Remove at your convenience)
+
== English ==
Also edit the message at will. Make it more attractive if you can!
+
=== Blick DHIATENSOR ===
 +
{{infobox layout
 +
| name      = Blick DHIATENSOR
 +
| image name = Blick-Layout.PNG
 +
| creator    = George C. Blickensderfer
 +
| introduced = 1893 (Typewriter)
 +
2005? (ANSI)
 +
| website    =
 +
| top row    = 'PWFU LCMY/
 +
| middle row = DHIAT ENSOR
 +
| bottom row = ZXKGB VQJ,.
 +
}}
 +
{{main|DHIATENSOR}}
  
There has been a growing interest in developing keyboard layouts, which is awesome! Unfortunately, we're fragmented. Discussion occurs on MTGandP, Neo, AdNW, and various forums and blogs. There's no central directory. The MTGAP optimizer is mature and customizable, yet we have other optimizers, reinventing the wheel. I don't know the status of Carpalx, AdNW or any new thing on the scene by the time you read this.  
+
'''DHIATENSOR''', also known as the '''Blickensderfer Scientific Key-Board''' layout by its creator was the primary keyboard layout available for the ''Blickensderfer'' typewriter.
  
The community is insular. Reporters discover Carpalx and think it is the only such project out there. AdNW is discussed in German, making it unavailable to others. Each project has long periods of inactivity. Amateurs develop theories ''from scratch'' due to ignorance of groundwork already laid. '''Why not collect all theory in one place, make a mailing list, get the big names on board?''' Make it easy for new souls to find where the discussion is happening?
+
The layout had been based on a study of the English language that had showed that 70% written text and about 85% of all words used the letters D,H,I,A,T,E,N,S,O and R. Those were put on the keyboard's home row.
  
I am inactive and don't know what goes on lately, but I thought I'd put the idea out for whoever currently is actively working on this.
+
On the original typewriters, the [[home row]] is actually on the bottom, but it is moved up one step to the home row position on a standard keyboard.
-->
+
{{-}}
  
== Modifications of QWERTY ==
+
=== 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 = 1936 (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)
 +
}}
  
=== QWERF (2006) ===
+
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.
[[File:QWERF.png|thumb|Highlighting changes from standard ''QWERTY''.]]
+
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
+
*The most common letters were roughly placed in the rows typists were thought to like best: home-row, top-row and last bottom-row.
QWERF JYKL;   <br />
+
*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.
ASDTG HUIOP  <br />
+
*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-->
ZXCVB NM,./
+
 
</p>
+
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,./
 +
}}
  
http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/index.htm#The_QWERF_Layout
+
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.
 +
{{-}}
  
''QWERF'' is a layout designed by Michael Capewell for ease of learning and great efficiency-boost. It supersedes his earlier ''Capewell-QWERTY'' (''C-QWERTY'') and an earlier iteration of ''QWERF''.
+
=== 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,./
 +
}}
  
Claims 28% finger-movement reduction, and 38% if E/D are swapped too, though in that case Capewell warns against potential discomfort while typing of bigrams ER and RE.
+
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.
  
=== CarPalx Partial Optimisation ===
+
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.
[[File:Qwkrfy.png|414px|thumb|The 5-swap (QWKRFY) layout]]
+
{{-}}
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
QWKRF YUIJP <br />
 
DSATN HOEL; <br />
 
ZXCVB GM,./
 
</p>
 
http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?partial_optimization
 
  
The carPalx project, authored by Martin Krzywinski, created a "Partial Optimization" to see the maximum efficiency-boost for the least amount of key-swaps.  
+
=== Colemak Mod-DH ===
 +
{{infobox layout
 +
| name      = Colemak Mod-DH
 +
| image name = ColemakDH-Layout.PNG.png
 +
| creator    = Steven Pugh
 +
| license    = Public domain
 +
| introduced = 2014
 +
| website    = [https://colemakmods.github.io/mod-dh/ colemakmods.github.io]
 +
| top row    = QWFPB JLUY;
 +
| middle row = ARSTG MNEIO
 +
| bottom row = ZXCDV KH,./
 +
}}
  
A listing of the best individual keyswaps is included. The top 5 swaps are as following, with effort reduction as calculated by carPalx in parenthesis:
+
Colemak Mod-DH is a modified version of the Colemak layout which moves the D and H keys from the central column to improved locations under the index-finger home position. This allows for a more comfortable and symmetrical hand position. Like in the Workman layout, the central column keys are deprioritized. However as no keys change fingers from standard Colemak, this is achieved without adversely affecting Colemak's impressive stats on same-finger bigrams.
  
#K/E (-13.4%)
+
=== Carpalx Family ===
#J/O (-11.1%)
+
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:
#F/T (-9.0%)
 
#D/A (-5.8%)
 
#G/N (-5.6%)
 
  
Aggregate effort-reduction is 37.7%. The semicolon was ignored, the first key to change position in other layouts.
+
* 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")
  
=== CarpalxQ (2007) ===
+
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>
[[File:CarpalxQ_Large_Layout_Picture.jpg‎|291px|thumb|CarpalxQ layout, highlighting changes from standard ''QWERTY''.]]
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
QWKRF YULP;<br />
 
ASDTG HNEIO<br />
 
ZXCVB JM,./
 
</p>
 
  
http://jumpedthesynapse.blogspot.com/2007/07/carpalxq.html
+
==== 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,./
 +
}}
  
CarpalxQ is a layout created by Jay Walker, as a modification of a no-longer-published iteration (called Mod-1) of carPalx partial optimisation. It consists of the following six key-swaps:
+
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.  
 +
{{-}}
  
#E/K
+
==== QGMLWY (Full Optimization preserve shortcuts) ====
#T/F
+
{{infobox layout
#N/J
+
| name      = Carpalx QGMLWY
#I/L
+
| image name = QGMLWY-Layout.PNG
#O/;
+
| creator    = Martin Krzywinski
#<nowiki>;/P</nowiki>
+
| 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,./
 +
}}
  
Martin Krzywinski talks about it and compares it with his partial optimisation: http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?partial_optimization#carpalxq_user_contribution
+
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.
 +
{{-}}
  
=== The home-row top-row partial swap layout ===
+
==== QGMLWB (Full Optimization Colemak-like) ====
[[File:Qwerty-rowswap.png|right]]
+
{{infobox layout
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
+
| name      = Carpalx QGMLWB
'''QW'''DFG''' Y'''JKL; <br />
+
| image name =  
AS'''ERT '''H'''UIOP''' <br />
+
| creator    = Martin Krzywinski
ZXCVB NM,./
+
| license    = [https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html GPL]
</p>
+
| introduced = 2010<ref name="carpalx-full-optimization-intro" />
Credits to Jammycakes from the Colemak forum? http://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?pid=7152#p7152
+
| website    = [http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?full_optimization mkweb.bcgsc.ca]
 +
| top row    = QGMLW BYUV;
 +
| middle row = DSTNR IAEOH
 +
| bottom row = ZXCFJ KP,./
 +
}}
  
To understand the changes from ''QWERTY'', try to trace the '''QWERTYUIOP''' string!
+
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".
  
This layout swaps a few keys strictly vertically so as to keep everything under the same fingers. This should achieve a very simple transition from standard ''QWERTY''.
+
{{-}}
  
A [http://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?pid=7160#p7160 ''carPalx'' analysis] has been done on the layout:
+
=== Norman ===
:Total effort: '''2.122''' (vs. qwerty: '''3.000''', dvorak: '''2.098''', colemak: '''1.842''').
+
{{infobox layout
:Effort contributions: base 0.491, penalties 0.743 (0.217 row, 0.408 finger), path: 0.889.
+
| 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,./
 +
}}
  
=== 7BIT Layout (2011) ===
+
Norman was created in 2008 by David Norman.
7BIT-Layout is a layout which is very similar to ANSI/US-QWERTY, but with strong influences from the Lisp/Symbolics and Emacs culture.
+
{{-}}
True 7BIT layouts have got a short space bar (1.5 units) and as many as possible modifier keys in the bottom row. colon and backquote are swapped, Caps Lock, if present at all, is moved to the function key row and at its usual place (where Control on Unix keyboards is) is a modifier key.
 
  
==Layouts based on a standard keyboard==
+
=== Workman ===
=== Dvorak (1936) ===
+
{{infobox layout
<!-- Note for religious zealots: Dvorak gets discussed before Colemak because it is somewhat better known, is older and is included in most OS. -->
+
| name      = Workman
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
+
| image name = Workman.PNG
',.PY FGCRL <br />
+
| creator    = OJ Bucao
AOEUI DHTNS <br />
+
| license    = [https://viralintrospection.wordpress.com/workman-license "OJ Bucao License"]
<nowiki>;QJKX BMWVZ
+
| introduced = 2010
</nowiki></p>
+
| 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,./
 +
}}
  
Soon after ''QWERTY'' was born, its incredibly poor design lost all justification, but typewriters continued to be built with it. Dr. August Dvorak set out to create a superior alternative. He gathered data in the form of statistics and closeup films of typists using their fingers. That research created the Dvorak layout.
+
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 <em>keep the fingers to their main 4 columns</em> per hand and de-prioritizing columns in the middle and sides. This minimizes diagonal and lateral movement.
 +
{{-}}
  
*The most common letters were roughly placed in the rows typists were thought to like best: home-row, top-row and last bottom-row.
+
== Norwegian ==
*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 favoured and receives 14% more usage than the lefty, which is 33% more than ''QWERTY'' because it favours the left hand with a similar percentage.<!--Probably erroneous math here, feel free to remove at will-->
 
  
Criticisms of the Dvorak design:
+
=== 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
 +
}}
  
*Extreme dissimilarity from ''QWERTY''. This may be a good and bad thing – with dissimilarity some argue that it will be easier to tell the two layouts apart. However, learned hotkeys (e.g. Ctrl+C) may have to be relearned, and user-experience with certain applications may be ill-affected.
+
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:
*Hand-alternation. This is argued by some to be counterproductive. The computer keyboards of today are far lighter to operate than typewriters, and it may be argued that preference has therefore shifted to pressing several keys in a row with the same hand.
 
*Poor placement of common letters. L is a case-example of this, receiving many complaints among disillusioned Dvorak-users, in particular those running Linux.
 
  
==== Programmer Dvorak ====
+
*Places the eight most used characters under your fingertips
http://www.kaufmann.no/roland/dvorak/
+
*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
  
==== Developer's Dvorak ====
+
Some punctuation and programming symbols are placed under the AltGr layer, where they are closer to the fingers' home position.
:''See also [[Keyboard_layouts#Advanced_Developer.27s_Dvorak_.282010.29|Advanced Developer's Dvorak]].''
+
{{-}}
  
* Standard: https://web.archive.org/web/20130512063159/http://www.andong.co.uk/dvorak/DDvorak.aspx?page=Standard+DDvorak
+
== German ==
* Light: https://web.archive.org/web/20130512065149/http://www.andong.co.uk/dvorak/DDvorak.aspx?page=Light+DDvorak
 
  
=== Neo (2004) ===
+
=== Neo ===
<!-- I placed it in between here due to the chronological order -->
+
{{infobox layout
[[File:Neo Alle Ebenen.png|400px|thumb|A picture of the multiple layers of the Neo-Layout]]
+
| name      = Neo
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
+
| image name = Neo-2-Layout.PNG
xvlcw khgfqß<br />
+
| creator    = Multiple?
uiaeo snrtdy<br />
+
| license    = [http://wiki.neo-layout.org/wiki/Lizenzfragen GPLv3]
üöäpz bm,.j
+
| 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>
</p>
+
| website    = [https://neo-layout.org neo-layout.org]
http://neo-layout.org/ (page is in German)
+
| top row    = XVLCW KHGFQß
 +
| middle row = UIAEO SNRTDY
 +
| bottom row = ÜÖÄPZ BM,.J
 +
}}
  
The Neo-layout 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, or not as easily available in QWERTY-based layouts, like mathematical symbols, and greek letters. Every Layer serves a special purpose:
+
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 340:
 
| 6
 
| 6
 
| Mathematical symbols and Greek uppercase characters
 
| Mathematical symbols and Greek uppercase characters
|}
+
|}  
 
+
{{-}}
=== Capewell-Dvorak (2004) ===
 
<!-- Maybe bring this up under the Dvorak headline? -->
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
',.PY QFGRK <br />
 
OAEIU DHTNS <br />
 
ZXCVJ LMWB;
 
</p>
 
http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/layout_capewell-dvorak.htm
 
 
 
A modified version of Dvorak designed by Michael Capewell.
 
 
 
Attempts to solve many perceived faults with the Dvorak layout, such as:
 
*Placement of the L letter
 
*Swaps I/U because I is much more common than U and should be nearer
 
*ZXCV return to their original QWERTY positions
 
 
 
=== Capewell (2005) ===
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
.YWDF JPLUQ <br />
 
AERSG BTNIO <br />
 
XZCV; KWH,'
 
</p>
 
 
 
http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/layout_capewell.htm
 
 
 
Not recommended by the author; a dead work-in-progress. Nevertheless interesting to read about.
 
 
 
=== Colemak (2006) ===
 
[[File:colemak1.jpg|400px|thumb|This image compares QWERTY and Colemak.]]
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
QWFPG JLUY; <br />
 
ARSTD HNEIO <br />
 
ZXCVB KM,./
 
</p>
 
http://colemak.com/
 
 
 
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.
 
 
 
==== Setting up Colemak ====
 
[[File:Culinia Colemak Custom.jpg|400px|thumb|A physical example of a Colemak layout on a Filco Majestouch 105 with Group Buy Round Three doubleshots depicting Caps lock and Backspace reversal as well as a customized United Kingdom layout]]
 
 
 
The layout is included with most Linux-distros (under the US header) and the Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion" developer versions<sup>(outdated info?)</sup>. Windows-users should go to [http://www.colemak.com the official Colemak website] to download the keyboard layout installer.
 
 
 
It should also be noted that Shai Coleman proposes to replace the [[Caps Lock|Caps-Lock key]] with an additional Backspace. The default Windows-install does not remap this key due to limitations with which keys are allowed to move in Windows. However, an additional registry script is included which will remap the Caps-Lock key into a Backspace regardless of the current layout, if you want it.
 
 
 
==== Custom variation: Backspace and Caps-Lock reversed ====
 
The recommended layout disposes of the Caps-Lock key, which is not to everyone's liking.
 
 
 
It is possible to create a Windows setup-file for the Colemak layout for those who want Caps-Lock to take up Backspace's original position. The necessary files available in both US English and UK English can be obtained here: http://www.mediafire.com/?gg3u3o0erpcka
 
 
 
==== Custom variation: Mod-DH ====
 
Some users find the placement of the D and H keys unduly awkward in standard Colemak. To address this, there is a variation of Colemak called [http://colemakmods.github.io/mod-dh/ Mod-DH].
 
  
=== CarPalx (2008-) ===
+
=== AdNW (Aus der Neo-Welt) ===
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
+
{{infobox layout
QGMLW BYUV; <br />
+
| name      = AdNW (Aus der Neo-Welt)
DSTNR IAEOH <br />
+
| image name = AdNW-Layout.PNG
ZXCFJ KP,./
+
| creator    = Multiple
</p>
+
| license    = [http://www.adnw.de/index.php?n=Main.Impressum "Public Domain"]
http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?full_optimization
+
| 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
 +
}}
  
The prime layouts developed by Martin Krzywinski using his layout generator under the carPalx project. As of '''Feb 2012''' these are known as the ''Q*MLW* layouts'', which involve three variations:
+
AdNW is a Dvorak-like layout which appeared around 2012 for the German and English languages.
  
*''QFMLWY'' – Only allows the letter keys to move from their original ''QWERTY'' positions.
+
==== History ====
*''QGMLWB'' – Like above, but also allows the semicolon to move up, yielding a "Colemak letter mask" ('''"full optimisation"''')
+
AdNW is a layout that emerged from online discussions about <em>Neo</em>, a layout that was made for the German language. The discussion focused on whether Neo layout which was new at the time was an improvement over Dvorak for German and English typist. AdNW was created in response to this converation, from the idea that a layout could be made that was better then Dvorak or Neo for typist who write in both German and English. To do this, Dvorak's usability criteria were coded in a newly programmed layout optimizer. Since the group formed itself during the Neo discussions, they called their layout "From the Neo World", which in German is <em>Aus der Neo-Welt</em>, abbreviated to <em>AdNW</em>.
*''QGMLWY'' – Like above (''QGMLWB''), but forces the ZXCV keys to stay in place.
 
  
=== AdNW (2010) ===
+
==== Philosophy and Performance ====  
[[File:adnw1.png|400px|right|The AdNW-Layout]]
 
 
 
AdNW ([http://www.adnw.de]) is a Dvorak-type layout for German and English. Special versions exist for other languages and ergonomic keyboards.
 
 
 
==== History and name ====
 
AdNW is a layout that emerged from online discussions about <em>Neo</em>, a layout that was meant for the German language. The participants agreed that Qwertz/Qwerty was bad for typing German, and that Dvorak was very good (be it stock or with extra German letters öäüß). The heated discussion focused on the question: was this new Neo layout even better than Dvorak? Some participants in the discussion were not convinced it was, and started a systematic search for a single layout that would outperform Dvorak both in English and in German. To do this, Dvorak's criteria were coded in a newly programmed "Optimizer". Since the group formed itself during the Neo-discussions, they called their layout "From the Neo World", which is in German <em>Aus der Neo-Welt</em>, abbreviated to <em>AdNW</em>.
 
 
 
==== Philosophy and performance ====  
 
 
AdNW is based on roughly the same ideas as "Dvorak" keyboard. Being in the Dvorak tradition, the following aspects are important:   
 
AdNW is based on roughly the same ideas as "Dvorak" keyboard. Being in the Dvorak tradition, the following aspects are important:   
 
* Same finger use (low)
 
* Same finger use (low)
Line 242: Line 369:
 
* Row jumps (low)
 
* Row jumps (low)
 
* Finger balance (less on pinkies, more on middle and index)  
 
* Finger balance (less on pinkies, more on middle and index)  
<small>(*)According to the adjacent finger criterium, (qwerty) AS and SD are rated as not so good; AD and SF are seen as better. The idea is that adjacent fingers, especially the pinky and ring finger, are not completely independent, making "rolls" with adjacent finger less pleasant and therefore to be avoided. "Rolls" on index and middle finger (like qwerty ER) are less problematic and get a lower penalty for that reason.  
+
<small>(*)On QWERTY AS and SD which are right next together is a negative mark against the layout. The AD and SF positions are seen as better. The idea is that adjacent fingers, especially the pinky and ring finger are not completely independent. Making "rolls" with adjacent finger less pleasant and therefore to be avoided. "Rolls" on index and middle finger (e.g. ER on QWERTY) are less problematic and get a lower penalty for that reason.  
 
</small>
 
</small>
  
As a result of these criteria, the AdNW layouts also have a balanced Left/Right distribution (roughly 50% of effort on each hand, compared to Qwerty that puts most work on the right hand) and a high hand alternation. Alternation means that common letter combinations like ER or IN are not typed on one hand (like in Qwerty) but on two hands. In AdNW, E and I are on the left side, R and N on the right.  
+
As a result of these criteria, the AdNW layouts also have a balanced Left/Right distribution (roughly 50% of effort on each hand, compared to QWERTY that puts most work on the right hand) and a high hand alternation. Alternation means that common letter combinations like ER or IN are not typed on one hand (like in QWERTY) but on two hands. In AdNW, E and I are on the left side, R and N on the right.  
  
To make the differences between Qwertz and AdNW clear, they are compared both visually and statistically. The graphs and data are produced by the AdNW optimizer. In the graphs, the letter 'flow' is shown. The more common a digraph is (say, ER), the fatter the line that is drawn between these two letters.   
+
To make the differences between QWERTZ and AdNW clear, they are compared both visually and statistically. The graphs and data are produced by the AdNW optimizer. In the graphs, the letter 'flow' is shown. The more common a digraph is (e.g. ER), the fatter the line that is drawn between these two letters.   
  
[[File:Adnwqa2.png|1000px|center|AdNW and Qwertz compared]]  
+
[[File:Adnwqa2.png|thumb|800px|center|AdNW and QWERTZ compared.]]
  
Looking at the graphs, one sees that qwerty uses the left hand a lot, especially the top row. Some of the most frequent bigrams are on the left top row (WE, ER, ET, RT). On the right hand the frequent IN bigram includes an home row jump, which is seen as highly unwanted. Compared to Qwerty, AdNW is more balanced (L/R), has more home row use, and much less one handed bigrams. Frequent bigrams (like WE, ER and so on) are not typed with one hand, but include a hand alternation.  
+
Looking at the graphs, one sees that QWERTY uses the left hand a lot, especially the top row. Some of the most frequent bigrams are on the left top row (WE, ER, ET, RT). On the right hand the frequent IN bigram includes an home row jump, which is seen as highly unwanted. Compared to QWERTY, AdNW is more balanced, has more home row use, and much less one handed bigrams. Frequent bigrams (like WE, ER and so on) are not typed with one hand, but alternate between hands.  
  
Even if AdNW was optimized for 50/50 English/German, it performs very well for pure English as well. These are the statistics.  
+
Even though AdNW was optimized for 50/50 English/German, it performs quite well for English solely. Comparison Below:
  
[[File:Qwertzadnw2.png|100x|center|adnw and qwerty compared]]
+
[[File:Qwertzadnw2.png|thumb|791px|center|AdNW and QWERTY compared.]]
  
Compared to Qwerty,
+
Compared to QWERTY:
 
* AdNW is more balanced left/right (52.7 versus 59.0)  
 
* AdNW is more balanced left/right (52.7 versus 59.0)  
* AdNW is more home row oriented (72% typed on homerow, versus 32.6% in Qwertz)  
+
* AdNW is more home row oriented (72% typed on homerow, versus 32.6% in QWERTZ)  
 
* AdNW is more balanced over fingers (less use of right hand index and middle finger; more of other fingers)
 
* AdNW is more balanced over fingers (less use of right hand index and middle finger; more of other fingers)
* AdNW has more alternation (70.8% versus 52.2%)  
+
* AdNW has more hand alternation (70.8% versus 52.2%)  
* AdNW has less use of adjacent fingers<sup>(**)</sup>
+
* AdNW has less adjacent finger bigrams
 
* AdNW has less same finger use
 
* AdNW has less same finger use
* AdNW has much less home jumps
+
* AdNW has higher home row usage
  
==== A multi keyboard, multi language layout ====  
+
==== Variations ====  
From the beginning, AdNW has known several versions, apart from the "standard" version (HIEAO DTRNSß). The other versions place slightly different weight to Dvorak's criteria (such as: even lower adjacent finger use, at the expense of other criteria). Some of these versions are designed for different keyboards (matrix/orthogonal layouts, Ergodox, TEK etc.) or for other languages. A user can also calculate a custom layout.
+
From its inception AdNW has had several variations apart from the standard community release version. The other versions place slightly different weight to Dvorak's criteria (e.g. even lower adjacent finger use, at the expense of other criteria). Some of these variations are designed for different keyboards (matrix/orthogonal layouts, Ergodox, TEK etc.) or for other languages. A user can also calculate a custom layout.
  
 
Reasons for calculating a custom layout include:  
 
Reasons for calculating a custom layout include:  
* use of non-standard physical keyboard, for instance a Planck, a Space Cadet, a modded Ergodox or a DIY split keyboard;
+
* Non-standard physical keyboard, for instance a Planck, a Space Cadet, a modded Ergodox or a DIY split keyboard
* different preferences regarding finger use, alternation, and so on. Users may sacrifice performance on one aspect (e.g. alternation) in order to gain better performance on others (even lower same finger use).  
+
* Different preferences regarding finger use, alternation, and so on. Users may sacrifice performance on one aspect (e.g. alternation) in order to gain better performance on others (e.g. lower same finger use).
* damaged hands, shorter fingers
+
* Physical differences between users
* input language. Users may not type 50/50 English-German prose, but for instance 30% French scientific prose and 70% Python code.  
+
* Input language. Users may not type 50/50 English-German prose, but for instance 30% French scientific prose and 70% Python code.  
  
All this can be combined: a user may calculate an optimal layout for "30% English prose, 40% Swedish forum use, 30% Polish, for Maltron keyboard, that avoids using the pinkies and that prefers the bottom row over the top row". Because of this freedom, there is not one single AdNW layout; instead AdNW is a multi keyboard, multi language layout.
+
All this can be combined: a user may calculate an optimal layout for "30% English prose, 40% Swedish forum use, 30% Polish, for Maltron keyboard, that avoids using the pinkies and that prefers the bottom row over the top row". Because of this freedom, there is not one single AdNW layout.
 
 
Here is an example of an AdNW layout for a special "almost orthogonal" split keyboard (The "Red tilt" keyboard, named after the used Cherry MX switches, by Deskthority user "suka").
 
 
 
[[File:sukaredtilt.jpg|600px|center|AdNW Red Tilt]]
 
  
 
Some other examples of AdNW layouts are:  
 
Some other examples of AdNW layouts are:  
  
<em>standard AdNW</em>  
+
<em>Standard AdNW</em>  
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:100%">
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:100%">
 
KUÜ.Ä VGCLJF<br>
 
KUÜ.Ä VGCLJF<br>
Line 291: Line 414:
 
<em>Bu-Tek</em> - for the Truly Ergonomic Keyboard
 
<em>Bu-Tek</em> - for the Truly Ergonomic Keyboard
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:100%">
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:100%">
ßbu.,ü pclmfx<br />
+
ßbu.,ü pclmfx<br>
_hieao dtrns<br />
+
&nbsp;hieao dtrns<br>
_kyöäq jgwvz</p>
+
&nbsp;kyöäq jgwvz </p>
  
 
<em>KOY</em> - even less adjacent finger use
 
<em>KOY</em> - even less adjacent finger use
Line 309: Line 432:
 
</p>
 
</p>
  
<em>Without ß Ä Ü Ö</em>
+
<em>Without ß Ä Ü Ö</em> - diacritics replaced
If these keys are not needed, the positions can be used for other symbols, for instance:
 
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:100%">
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:100%">
 
KU!.@ VGCLJF<br />
 
KU!.@ VGCLJF<br />
HIEAO DTRNS:<br />
+
HIEAO DTRNS:<br />
XY/,Q BPWMZ<br />
+
XY/,Q BPWMZ<br />
 
</p>
 
</p>
  
==== Comparison to other layouts ====
+
==== Community and Use ====  
In the table, AdNW is compared to several other layouts.
+
<em>Software</em>:
 
+
AdNW consists of a layout and several software implementations:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
+
* Drivers & scripts for using the layout on Windows, Linux, OSX and *BSD; with versions for standard keyboards and for ergonomic keyboards (Ergodox, Maltron and others). This includes AutoHotKey files for Windows.   
|-
+
* Typing training software
! Layout !! In short !! User base !! Integrated in OS ? !! Optimized for.. !! Multi-lang !! Custom versions !! Main goals<sup>(*)</sup> !! Criteria quantified? !! Optimizer? !! Online forum ?
+
* The Optimizer: an algorithm (written in C++11 and open sourced) for calculating a custom AdNW-layout.  
|-
 
| AdNW || alternating ||pico || X11  || German/English || yes || yes || 1,2,4,5,6,7 || yes || yes || yes
 
|-
 
| Dvorak || alternating ||micro || OSX, X11, Windows || English || no || no ||  1,2,4,5,6,7,8 || no || no || yes
 
|-
 
| Colemak || rolling ||nano || X11 || English || no || no ||1,3,4,5,6,9 || no || no || yes, large 
 
|-
 
| MTGAP || rolling ||pico || - || English || yes || yes || 1,3,4,5,6,7 || yes || yes || yes
 
|-
 
| Carpalx || own thing ||pico || - || English || yes || yes || 1,5,6,7 || yes || yes || no
 
|-
 
| Qwerty || sucks || giga || OSX, X11, Windows || none || no || no ||  10 || no || no || no
 
|}
 
 
 
<em>(*) Main goals of layouts</em>
 
# Low same finger use
 
# Avoid adjacent finger use
 
# Rolls
 
# Prefer inward rolls over outward rolls
 
# High use of home row
 
# Avoid row jumps
 
# Finger load balance
 
# High hand alternation
 
# Resemblance to Qwerty
 
# Avoid typing machine jams
 
 
 
==== Software and real life use ====  
 
<em>Software</em>: AdNW consists of a layout and several software implementations:
 
* drivers & scripts for using the layout on Windows, Linux, OSX and *BSD; with versions for standard keyboards and for ergonomic keyboards (Ergodox, Maltron and others). This includes AutoHotKey files for Windows.   
 
* typing training software
 
* the Optimizer: an algorithm (written in C++11, offered as source code) for calculating a custom AdNW-layout.  
 
  
 
<em>Userbase</em>:  
 
<em>Userbase</em>:  
AdNW is not (yet?) a massively adopted layout. The (German language) [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/adnw Google user group] has around 100 participants, mostly from Germany. The [http://www.adnw.de website] is in German too. However, the manual of the optimizer is in English, and participants on the discussion group say they are very open to questions in English.  
+
AdNW is not a massively adopted layout. The (German language) [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/adnw Google user group] has around 100 participants, mostly from Germany. The [http://www.adnw.de AdNW website] is in German as well. However, the manual of the optimizer is in English, and participants on the discussion group say they are very open to questions in English.  
 
 
<em>Support</em>: the developers of the software are active on the discussion forum and answer support questions. 
 
 
 
<em>Development</em>: AdNW has been tested, alternative approaches have been tried, including multitudes of user designed AdNW versions. Usually, improvements in one area meant worsening in others. The developers claim that there is not much room for further <em>overall</em> improvement, but say they invite users to prove them wrong and to come up with new ideas.
 
 
 
=== BEAKL (2016) ===
 
{{main|BEAKL}}
 
[[File:kb-beakl-9-matrix.png|400px|thumb|BEAKL 9 on ortholinear board]]
 
[[File:Beakl-8-altgr.png|400px|thumb|BEAKL 8 Alt-Gr layer on ortholinear board]]
 
[[File:Beakl-8-num.png|400px|thumb|BEAKL 8 Numpad layer on ortholinear board]]
 
<pre style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
      40123 65987
 
      JHOUK GCRFZ
 
    - QIEAY DSTNB ;
 
      /,'.X WMLPV
 
</pre>
 
http://shenafu.com/smf/index.php?topic=89.msg785#msg785
 
  
==== Advanced Keyboard Theory ====
+
<em>Support</em>:
BEAKL stands for ''Balanced Effortless Advanced Keyboard Layout''. Its goals are as follows:
+
The developers of the software are active on the discussion forum and answer support questions.
  
* '''Balance''' the workload between each hand and between the fingers and keys based on the fingers' strength and agility and the keys' potential for rolls and speed.
+
<em>Development</em>:
* '''Effortless''' means good rhythm in alternations and rolls, and getting a superior score in every keyboard metric, such as low distance, low penalties from same finger and same hands, etc. Possibly higher speed ceiling with less effort.
+
AdNW has been iterated upon by many in its community. Usually these changes are trade-offs between the specific use-case the layout is being optimized for. The developers claim that there is not much room for further overall improvement, but invite users to prove them wrong and to come up with new ideas.
* '''Advanced''' in the sense that it challenges traditional theories of typing. It asserts the following reasonings:
 
** It does '''not''' advocate the so-called home row in touch typing. It vehemently avoids favoring the home pinky and the inside index key. The home pinky is extremely slow, weak, and uncomfortable to type. Instead, it strongly recommends the '''home block''' that consists of the ring, middle, and index fingers on the top, home, and bottom rows. These 9 keys form the '''core''' where the common letters (and sometimes punctuations) should be placed.
 
** Related to the above, the pinky and inside index columns workload must be minimized. Each of these columns should have no more than 5% of the total key presses. Together, the two pinkies should do no more than 10% of the work; the two inside index columns together should not have more than 10% of the work. The latter is because the index home column already does a lot of work, so the inside column usage should be minimized.
 
** The bottom ring and index keys are extremely fast and should '''not''' be avoided as other keyboard designers suggest. These can be sometimes up to 2x or faster than pressing the home pinky key.
 
** Up and down finger movement is much faster, allows smoother rolls, and causes less strain than side-to-side movement (caused by pinky and inside index keys, and also by unnatural staggered keyboard design.)
 
** The new theory can be summed up into an '''effort grid''' that rates the effort cost and roll potential of each key, pictured as follows. Lower values are better.
 
** Recommend additional layers that are accessed by modifiers like shift, alt-gr, and numlock, so that fingers stay in the home block, rather than reaching all over the keyboard for numbers and symbols. This reduces time looking for symbols, speeds up writing code and math equations, provides an efficient numpad, and eliminates the need for tenkey numpad on the far right side of a full standard keyboard (thereby shrinking the size of the keyboard and allows mouse to be comfortably closer to the body). (See images in sidebar.)
 
[[File:Keyboard_effort_grid.png|1000px|center|Keyboard effort grid]]
 
  
==== Comparison with other layouts ====
+
{{-}}
Despite not putting the most common letters on the home row, the BEAKL layout still beats the competition in tests that heavily favor and expect common letters on the home row. This is accomplished with smart placement of common letters in the home block as described above. Thus achieving great combination of hand alternation and rolls with low same finger and same hand penalties. Due to its balanced nature, it is best to test this layout against other layouts using ergonomic keyboards designed with straight columns if possible.
 
  
The distance scores may be skewed due to the unnatural slant of standard keyboards. Most importantly, distance is not as good indicator as the actual time to hit a key. As claimed above, keys hit by the non-pinky fingers outside the home row are hit faster than the home pinky; even though generally the home pinky is thought of having a better distance score, while other faster keys may be penalized.
+
== 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 =
 +
}}
  
Modifications to AdNW Optimizer to accommodate new theory:
+
{{-}}
* Effort scores for each key has been modified from AdNW's default to match the effort grid posted as shown above.
 
* Heavily favor inward rolls compared to outward rolls.
 
* Pinky target usage 2%, other fingers 15%.
 
* Shift keys moved to thumb row (instead of outside pinkies.)
 
* Opt defaults to 32 keys by adding 2 keys to the right side. So added -_ and /? and restricted them to outside the main 30 key block.
 
  
Results:
+
=== Bépo ===
* Beats everything else in AdNW optimizer with my customizations by far. MTGAP is closest but still a huge margin. Everything else is far behind.
+
{{infobox layout
* Can compete head-to-head with MTGAP on other comparison tests using their own metric and effort values.
+
| 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 =
 +
}}
  
== Layouts for specialised keyboards ==
+
{{-}}
=== Malt (1977) ===
 
  
[[File:KB_Maltron.svg.png|391px|center]]
+
==References==
 
 
Developed in conjunction with the two-handed [[Maltron]] physical keyboards.
 
 
 
The letter E is operated by one thumb. It is the most common letter in English, occurring in sequence with almost every other letter. There is major potential in giving E independence from the other fingers' movements. In fact, QWERTY with that one change would go a long way. In an optimized layout like this one, the change also clears another spot on the home-row where E would have been placed.
 
 
 
Malt puts priority the home and top rows, relegating rare keys to the bottom.
 
 
 
[http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20067573,00.html News from 1977] - somewhat sexist, says the keyboard weighs "only three pounds", and reassures you that it can be plugged into electric typewriters. It also cost $850, which in 2016 dollars is $2873.
 
 
 
=== Arensito (2001) ===
 
[[File:Arensito-kinesis.png|182px|thumb|Implemented on a Kinesis]]
 
[[File:Arensito2.jpg|174px|thumb|Implemented on a standard keyboard.]]
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
QL&nbsp;P&nbsp; &nbsp;FUDK <br />
 
ARENB GSITO <br />
 
ZW&nbsp;HJ VCYMX
 
</p>
 
http://www.pvv.org/~hakonhal/main.cgi/keyboard
 
 
 
Also known as the Hallingstad layout. Arensito uses some unique punctuation arrangements, so they are not displayed above. Visit the link or check pictures for details.
 
 
 
Made by Håkon Hallingstad to suit the [[Kinesis_Advantage|Kinesis Contoured]] and two-handed Maltron, though there is an adaptation for usage on standard keyboards too.
 
 
 
This layout is named after its home-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 neighbour 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.
 
 
 
=== Amuseum (2008) ===
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
",WHM GCU.- <br />
 
SOENL DTAIR <br />
 
'(YVK BPF)X
 
</p>
 
http://shenafu.com/layout.php
 
 
 
Note: The Q, Z and J letters are placed outside the main-30 key area, ending up in locations determined by the keyboard used – standard or Kinesis Contoured.
 
 
 
The parentheses () turn into brackets with Shift activated.
 
 
 
The quote " and apostrophe ' signs turn into colon and semicolon, respectively, when Shifted.
 
 
 
The goals of Amuseum layout is to :
 
#balance the workload between each hand ,
 
#put common punctuation in the main block, even if that means putting rare letters outside ,
 
#mirror the keys for both hands. Notice vowels are mirrored and balanced on left and right hands, same with comma and period, and parentheses.
 
 
 
=== Advanced Developer's Dvorak (2010) ===
 
[[File:ADDvorak.png|thumb|left|How ADDvorak looks on a semi-standard keyboard]]
 
[[File:ADDvorak_Freestyle.png|thumb|288px|One way to implement the Advanced Developer's Dvorak ergonomically.]]
 
https://web.archive.org/web/20130512083048/http://www.andong.co.uk/dvorak/DDvorak.aspx?page=Advanced+DDvorak
 
 
 
Also known as ADDvorak.
 
 
 
''Keyboards that can be used with this layout are: any Japanese keyboard, Kinesis Contoured, Kinesis Freestyle, Maltron, Data Hand.''
 
 
 
Created by freelance developer [http://www.andong.co.uk/blog Andrei Stanescu], this layout is something out of the ordinary. It is only a Dvorak layout in the sense that almost all the letters are operated by the same fingers as they are in Dvorak.
 
 
 
At the outset, this layout relies on the concept that '''modifier-combinations are preferred over faraway keys.'''
 
 
 
Towards this purpose, there are six modifier states on top of the normal state. There are no utilised keys at all beyond the main home-key cluster of 3x4 for each hand. At least two thumb-keys are required for each hand.
 
 
 
=== Workman (2010) ===
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
QDRWB JFUP; <br />
 
ASHTG YNEOI <br />
 
ZXMCV KL,./
 
</p>
 
 
 
http://www.workmanlayout.com/
 
 
 
Created by OJ Bucao, it's a layout particularly made for straight-column keyboards.
 
 
 
The design crux is that of '''keeping the fingers to their main 4 columns''' per hand and de-prioritising columns in the middle and to the sides, thus minimizing diagonal and lateral movement.
 
 
 
Should be very suitable for a Kinesis Contoured-type of keyboard – the author also uses this.
 
 
 
 
 
===Ergolinear Split-case designs===
 
 
 
Following the development of the Ergolinear form factor, the developers Ian Douglas and Xay Voong continued with their attempts to reach layout nirvana.
 
 
 
As is common in this field, inventors work with frequency charts of letters, bigrams, trigrams, etc. in an attempt to find a better layout.
 
 
 
The typical letter frequency order for English is usually a variation of this order, from Michael Dickens:
 
 
 
SPC etaoinsrhldcumfgpyw ENT b,.vk-"_'x)(;0j1q=2:z/*!?$35>{}49[]867\+|&<%@#^`~
 
 
 
But this is not the whole story. One day, Ian stumbled across a frequency chart taken from a large American corpus, which looked like this:
 
 
 
etaoinsrhldcumpfg.ywb-,v0k1TAIS2C'"/3ED9:MN=RP;4OB5)L(HFx8W67G_UjqzJ<?Y@*VK!|$~[]%X&+#QZ}{>`\^
 
 
 
Apart from some order difference, the biggest difference was the separation of uppercase and lowercase letters. It suddenly dawned on him that we type mostly lower case letters, and so we should optimise for that.
 
This insight, together with the use of Arensito-style AltGr, led to the birth of the split-case design, where the upper case for a letter is on a different key to its lower case version.
 
 
 
Ideally, the optimising should work strictly according to frequency, but as a help, Ian decided to be a little less optimal, and split the keyboard into three main rows:
 
 
 
* Capital letters
 
* Lower case letters
 
* Punctuation and digits.
 
 
 
This led to the acronym C - L - P which was turned into the word Seelpy, as a name for this type of layout.
 
 
 
The initial version (Seelpy 1) looks like this:
 
 
 
[[File:Seelpy-1-ergolinear-kla.jpg|frameless|Seelpy 1 Ergolinear]]
 
 
 
Ian further refined this layout until it became unbeatable on Den1 scoring on KLA.
 
 
 
However Xay decided to pursue full optimisation, which entails mixing uppercase, lowercase, punctuation and digits, to achieve the best score.
 
 
 
This version of the Split Case came to be called Essie, from the acronym S - C. Alternative names use CLP even though this no longer implies strict separation by row.
 
 
 
A version of such a layout looks like this:
 
 
 
[[File:Essie-3-wip.ergolinear.png|frameless|Essie 3 work in progress]]
 
 
 
A comparison of scores, using Alice Chapter One on KLA: (higher is better)
 
 
 
[[File:Seelpy-patrick.png|frameless|Seelpy and Essie scores on KLA]]
 
 
 
A comparison of scores, using Alice Chapter One on Den1 scoring of KLA: (lower is better)
 
 
 
[[File:Seelpy-den1.png|frameless|Seelpy and Essie scores on Den1 scoring on KLA]]
 
 
 
These layouts may be too difficult to use in practice.
 
 
 
== Custom layout-generators ==
 
=== CarPalx ===
 
http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/
 
 
 
Created by bioinformatician Martin Krzywinski, this program will take any corpus of text and generate an optimal layout for typing it out. Works for non-English languages as well. Requires programming expertise and preferably Linux to set up.
 
 
 
Last updated: [http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/?download Version 0.11] from '''Aug 2009''' (checked March 2012).
 
 
 
==== Using carPalx ====
 
The default setup of carPalx assumes a completely standard staggered keyboard. The proficient programmer should be able to modify it to his desires, however. But (s)he will have to come up with his own values on position penalties, for instance.
 
 
 
=== MTGAP ===
 
:Program releases: https://github.com/MTGandP/Typing
 
 
 
In development by Michael Dickens since 2008, and found on the [http://mathematicalmulticore.wordpress.com/category/keyboards/ Mathematical Multicore blog]. Inspired by Capewell's and Klausler's efforts. This program should now supersede both the Capewell and Klausler optimisers.
 
 
 
Every once in a while, the latest prime layout is posted on the blog. These layouts have used the "MTGAP" moniker, as in MTGAP 2.0 and MTGAP 3.5, though lately go unnamed (2012).
 
 
 
The blog comments were for a few years the center of discussion about layout design.
 
 
 
==== What it does ====
 
The program has different modes to optimise for specifically the Kinesis Contoured, or regular keyboards. These modes include predetermined values like penalties on each key-location, but such things can be edited to the user's wishes.
 
 
 
==== Setup on Windows ====
 
Requires GNU GCC. This means either boot to an Unix system, or use '''Cygwin or MinGW.'''
 
 
 
Using MinGW: [http://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw/files/ Download it] and upon installation include the C Compiler and MSys options.
 
 
 
Open up MinGW Shell: you should get a command-line window. Navigate your way with [cd …] commands to the MTGAP main program folder (it's the same directory you can find something called makefiles). Run "command make". An executable file should appear in the folder.
 
 
 
==== Setup on OS X ====
 
* Install XCode. Go into Preferences and install Command Line Tools.
 
* Open the terminal, navigate your way with [cd …] commands to the MTGAP program folder.
 
* Run "make" to build the program. Run it again every time you change the .c or .h files.
 
 
 
==== Using the MTGAP optimiser ====
 
You will usually only have to modify the ''algorithm.c'', ''keyboard.c'', ''tools.c'', ''values.c'', ''values.h'' files and the relevant &#x2011;layoutstore.txt file to customise your layout – all depending on how much you need to customise.
 
 
 
Anytime a non-textfile is edited, you must compile the program again before you run it (with "make", as described in the Setup section above).
 
 
 
Though it may be tempting to tailor the key-locations' penalties to thine own tastes (in ''values.c''), keep in mind that such things as overworking the pinky-finger are '''already taken into account''' by other algorithms. The case is the same for the middle-finger's relative potency with heavy workload. Position penalties should only represent '''how hard the key actually is to reach'''.
 
 
 
=== AdNW Optimizer ===
 
http://adnw.de/index.php?n=Main.Downloads  See there under <em>Entwicklungsprogramme. Optimierer als C++-Quelltext, Häufigkeitstabellen für Deutsch und Englisch, Anleitung.</em>
 
 
 
The '''AdNW Optimizer''' is a C++11 algorithm for calculating a custom AdNW-layout. AdNW is a Dvorak-type layout that values high hand alternation. The algorithm uses bigrams (2 letter combinations) or trigrams (three letter combinations), according to the users preference.
 
 
 
The download includes an English language manual. The algorithm is offered as source code, meaning the user should compile it before he can run it. Instructions are in the manual. Some user settings can be changed in the code before compiling, others can be changed at runtime. The program includes wordlists for English and German; input of other text corpi (prose, code) is possible. At runtime, users may optimize for mixes of languages. The optimizer can also be used to analyse and compare other layouts (Dvorak, Qwerty, Carplax, Colemak etc.) or to see what layout scores best for what language.
 
 
 
Outputs of the program include layouts, statistics and graphs.
 
 
 
=== Michael Capewell's ''Keyboard Evolve'' ===
 
Project appears inactive as of 2012<ref>
 
 
 
Last version update on ''KeyboardEvolve'' "[http://www.michaelcapewell.com/programming/keyboardevolve.htm Sep 19 2005]", last checked 2012-03-04
 
 
 
</ref> and has been since 2005<ref>
 
 
 
Michael Dickens, 2008-03-07, "[http://mathematicalmulticore.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/extensive-research-into-the-area-of-keyboarding-a-look-at-the-many-layouts/ He is supposedly is not finished, but it looks like he was doing this in 2005, so I think it’s as far as he’s going to get.]", retrieved 2011-12-17
 
 
 
</ref>. Inspired by Klausler's evolver and supersedes it.
 
 
 
There are [http://www.michaelcapewell.com/programming/keyboardevolve.htm tools] associated with this project that may prove useful to the budding layout-designer – a text-analyzer and typing tutor.
 
 
 
=== Peter M. Klausler's evolver ===
 
All links in circulation (http://www.visi.com/~pmk/evolved.html<ref>Link found on [http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/layout_capewell-dvorak.htm#Links this page], retrieved 2011-12-17</ref> & http://klausler.com/evolved.html<ref>Link found on [http://mtgap.bilfo.com/alternative_layouts.html The Big List], retrieved 2011-12-17</ref>) appear to be dead. Capewell has presented [http://www.michaelcapewell.com/projects/keyboard/layout_capewell.htm#Klausler Klausler's final layout] for us though.
 
 
 
==== The Klausler layout (2002) ====
 
<p style="font-family:Courier New, monospace; font-size:150%">
 
K,UYP WLMFC <br />
 
OAEID RNTHS <br />
 
Q.';Z XVGBJ
 
</p>
 
 
 
This layout is also known as the ''K,UYP layout'' by some. Klausler appears to have been using a Kinesis or the like, because he does not account for a standard staggered keyboard in the metrics.
 
 
 
Quoting Capewell on the calculations involved:
 
 
 
<blockquote>
 
The score of a layout was given using the following criteria (paraphrased):
 
*Every position has an assigned cost that's looked up from a table:
 
**53334 43335 (top row)
 
**10002 20001 (home row)
 
**64447 74446 (bottom row)
 
*Using the same finger twice in succession on distinct letters costs 10 units.
 
*When two keys in a row are struck with the same hand, it costs two units if they're on different rows or on the bottom row, and one unit if they're not adjacent.
 
*If three or more keys are hit in succession by the same hand, one unit is charged for each key after the second.
 
</blockquote>
 
 
 
== References ==
 
 
<references />
 
<references />
 
[[Category:Keyboard layouts|*]]
 

Revision as of 19:01, 25 October 2020

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

Blick DHIATENSOR

Blick DHIATENSOR
Blick-Layout.PNG
Creator George C. Blickensderfer
Introduced

1893 (Typewriter)

2005? (ANSI)
'PWFU LCMY/
DHIAT ENSOR
ZXKGB VQJ,.

DHIATENSOR, also known as the Blickensderfer Scientific Key-Board layout by its creator was the primary keyboard layout available for the Blickensderfer typewriter.

The layout had been based on a study of the English language that had showed that 70% written text and about 85% of all words used the letters D,H,I,A,T,E,N,S,O and R. Those were put on the keyboard's home row.

On the original typewriters, the home row is actually on the bottom, but it is moved up one step to the home row position on a standard keyboard.

Dvorak

Dvorak
Dvorak-Caps-BS-Swap-Layout.PNG
Creator August Dvorak and William L Dealey
Introduced 1936 (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

Evolved (Second Experiment)
Klausler-Evolved.PNG
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

Programmer Dvorak
Programmer-Dvorak-Layout.PNG
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

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

The Capewell Layout
Capewell-Layout.PNG
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

QWERF
QWERF-Layout.PNG
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

Colemak
Colemak-Layout.PNG
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.

Colemak Mod-DH

Colemak Mod-DH
ColemakDH-Layout.PNG.png
Creator Steven Pugh
License Public domain
Introduced 2014
Website colemakmods.github.io
QWFPB JLUY;
ARSTG MNEIO
ZXCDV KH,./

Colemak Mod-DH is a modified version of the Colemak layout which moves the D and H keys from the central column to improved locations under the index-finger home position. This allows for a more comfortable and symmetrical hand position. Like in the Workman layout, the central column keys are deprioritized. However as no keys change fingers from standard Colemak, this is achieved without adversely affecting Colemak's impressive stats on same-finger bigrams.

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)

Carpalx QFMLWY
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)

Carpalx QGMLWY
QGMLWY-Layout.PNG
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)

Carpalx QGMLWB
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

Norman
Norman-Layout.PNG
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

Workman
Workman.PNG
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

Arensito (Simplified)
Arensito-Simplified-Layout.PNG
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

Neo
Neo-2-Layout.PNG
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)

AdNW (Aus der Neo-Welt)
AdNW-Layout.PNG
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.

History

AdNW is a layout that emerged from online discussions about Neo, a layout that was made for the German language. The discussion focused on whether Neo layout which was new at the time was an improvement over Dvorak for German and English typist. AdNW was created in response to this converation, from the idea that a layout could be made that was better then Dvorak or Neo for typist who write in both German and English. To do this, Dvorak's usability criteria were coded in a newly programmed layout optimizer. Since the group formed itself during the Neo discussions, they called their layout "From the Neo World", which in German is Aus der Neo-Welt, abbreviated to AdNW.

Philosophy and Performance

AdNW is based on roughly the same ideas as "Dvorak" keyboard. Being in the Dvorak tradition, the following aspects are important:

  • Same finger use (low)
  • Adjacent finger use(*)(low)
  • Inward motions versus Outward motions (high)
  • Home row use (high)
  • Row jumps (low)
  • Finger balance (less on pinkies, more on middle and index)

(*)On QWERTY AS and SD which are right next together is a negative mark against the layout. The AD and SF positions are seen as better. The idea is that adjacent fingers, especially the pinky and ring finger are not completely independent. Making "rolls" with adjacent finger less pleasant and therefore to be avoided. "Rolls" on index and middle finger (e.g. ER on QWERTY) are less problematic and get a lower penalty for that reason.

As a result of these criteria, the AdNW layouts also have a balanced Left/Right distribution (roughly 50% of effort on each hand, compared to QWERTY that puts most work on the right hand) and a high hand alternation. Alternation means that common letter combinations like ER or IN are not typed on one hand (like in QWERTY) but on two hands. In AdNW, E and I are on the left side, R and N on the right.

To make the differences between QWERTZ and AdNW clear, they are compared both visually and statistically. The graphs and data are produced by the AdNW optimizer. In the graphs, the letter 'flow' is shown. The more common a digraph is (e.g. ER), the fatter the line that is drawn between these two letters.

AdNW and QWERTZ compared.

Looking at the graphs, one sees that QWERTY uses the left hand a lot, especially the top row. Some of the most frequent bigrams are on the left top row (WE, ER, ET, RT). On the right hand the frequent IN bigram includes an home row jump, which is seen as highly unwanted. Compared to QWERTY, AdNW is more balanced, has more home row use, and much less one handed bigrams. Frequent bigrams (like WE, ER and so on) are not typed with one hand, but alternate between hands.

Even though AdNW was optimized for 50/50 English/German, it performs quite well for English solely. Comparison Below:

AdNW and QWERTY compared.

Compared to QWERTY:

  • AdNW is more balanced left/right (52.7 versus 59.0)
  • AdNW is more home row oriented (72% typed on homerow, versus 32.6% in QWERTZ)
  • AdNW is more balanced over fingers (less use of right hand index and middle finger; more of other fingers)
  • AdNW has more hand alternation (70.8% versus 52.2%)
  • AdNW has less adjacent finger bigrams
  • AdNW has less same finger use
  • AdNW has higher home row usage

Variations

From its inception AdNW has had several variations apart from the standard community release version. The other versions place slightly different weight to Dvorak's criteria (e.g. even lower adjacent finger use, at the expense of other criteria). Some of these variations are designed for different keyboards (matrix/orthogonal layouts, Ergodox, TEK etc.) or for other languages. A user can also calculate a custom layout.

Reasons for calculating a custom layout include:

  • Non-standard physical keyboard, for instance a Planck, a Space Cadet, a modded Ergodox or a DIY split keyboard
  • Different preferences regarding finger use, alternation, and so on. Users may sacrifice performance on one aspect (e.g. alternation) in order to gain better performance on others (e.g. lower same finger use).
  • Physical differences between users
  • Input language. Users may not type 50/50 English-German prose, but for instance 30% French scientific prose and 70% Python code.

All this can be combined: a user may calculate an optimal layout for "30% English prose, 40% Swedish forum use, 30% Polish, for Maltron keyboard, that avoids using the pinkies and that prefers the bottom row over the top row". Because of this freedom, there is not one single AdNW layout.

Some other examples of AdNW layouts are:

Standard AdNW

KUÜ.Ä VGCLJF
HIEAO DTRNSß
XYÖ,Q BPWMZ

Bu-Tek - for the Truly Ergonomic Keyboard

ßbu.,ü pclmfx
 hieao dtrns
 kyöäq jgwvz

KOY - even less adjacent finger use

K.O,Y VGCLßZ
HAEIU DTRNSF
XQÄÜÖ BPWMJ

AdNW-NL_EN - for Dutch and English - like old Dutch typewriters, it has a dedicated ij key (Unicode 0133)

buy,! fpvmljx
saeio gdtnrw
z:.ij/ kcmhq

Without ß Ä Ü Ö - diacritics replaced

KU!.@ VGCLJF
HIEAO DTRNS:
XY/,Q BPWMZ

Community and Use

Software: AdNW consists of a layout and several software implementations:

  • Drivers & scripts for using the layout on Windows, Linux, OSX and *BSD; with versions for standard keyboards and for ergonomic keyboards (Ergodox, Maltron and others). This includes AutoHotKey files for Windows.
  • Typing training software
  • The Optimizer: an algorithm (written in C++11 and open sourced) for calculating a custom AdNW-layout.

Userbase: AdNW is not a massively adopted layout. The (German language) Google user group has around 100 participants, mostly from Germany. The AdNW website is in German as well. However, the manual of the optimizer is in English, and participants on the discussion group say they are very open to questions in English.

Support: The developers of the software are active on the discussion forum and answer support questions.

Development: AdNW has been iterated upon by many in its community. Usually these changes are trade-offs between the specific use-case the layout is being optimized for. The developers claim that there is not much room for further overall improvement, but invite users to prove them wrong and to come up with new ideas.


French

BvoFrak

BvoFrak
BvoFrak-v1.0-Layout.PNG
Creator H.
License CC BY-NC
Introduced 2011 [11]
Website bvofrak.blogspot.com


Bépo

Bépo
BEPO-Layout.PNG
Creator Nicolas Chartier and many others
License CC-BY-SA
Introduced 2005 [12]
Website bepo.fr


References