this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2023
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ErgoMechKeyboards

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Ergonomic, split and other weird keyboards

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Keep it ergo

Posts must be of/about keyboards that have a clear delineation between the left and right halves of the keyboard, column stagger, or both. This includes one-handed (one half doesn't exist, what clearer delineation is that!?)

i.e. no regular non-split¹ row-stagger and no non-split¹ ortholinear²

¹ split meaning a separation of the halves, whether fixed in place or entirely separate, both are fine.
² ortholinear meaning keys layed out in a grid

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I'm typing this with my new ergo keeb right now. Holy fuck it is hard. I cannot seem to be able to hack my brain, I've spent 2 WEEKS desperately trying to learn the first SIX MOST FUCKIN COMMON LETTERS and I'm still completely unable to use them even remotely quickly or reliably. I am completely unable to even break the 70% confidence line on keybr on I,E,S and R despite hours of efforts. Worse, now my accuracy goes steadily down the toilet even if I slow down to a grind in an attempt to improve it.

I fuckin suck at this. It is despair and rage inducing. How the fuck do you manage to even learn new layouts?

I spent almost an hour typing this fuckin message.

But hey at least my keyboard looks awesome.

Edit: it seems using keybr is actually damaging my progress instead of helping. I'm switching to another tool.

Edit2: after a few days on monkeytype I'm up to 17 WPM and 91% accuracy in french, up from 4 WPM and almost negative accuracy. Not great BUT it's still a big win for me. I mostly know my layout now, except for the dev layer. I can only progress from now.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Your keyboard looks awesome, indeed! Very smooth and soft, may it calm and comfort you a little on your learning adventure.

Myself, I have switched from manymany years of touch typing QWERTY to Colemak DH some months (already?!) ago. The first days were brutal with constant headache, deep thinking before pressing a single key and really no wpm to speak of. Now I am much better so let me tell you: hang on, it's a steep climb but you. will. get. there.

Do not let you tell yourself you are bad or dumb or worse or slower than other people. I did that. But - the facts speak for themselves, I constantly improve in my own speed.

Focus on accuracy. Everything below 98% is not good enough to attempt a speed run (okay, once in a while to loosen up or for fun, but don't take it as a measurement of your progress). Just slow down, take your time, try to enjoy. Don't be fast, be accurate, because that's the only thing that carries you the long way and opens up later improvements. Try to avoid adopting bad habits because you want to be fast - be accurate. Especially at the beginning this is extremely important. When switching layouts you get the unique chance to train yourself again good form, don't let this pass.

Try to enjoy the time, nobody judges your progress. Be proud. Calmly accept this takes a while. It's fine. 🐣

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Thank you for your kind words.

Sometimes I feel I lost most of my brain plasticity with age...