04-26-2021, 09:07 PM
My PinePhone Beta is on it's way. Hurray. I am very looking forward to the Keyboard Back.
But I do have some concerns over for what appears to be awkward placement of heavily used Symbols.
I realize meta-keys are necessary for some for symbols given the limit key count. But, to invoke those characters, shouldn't there be an attempt make sure they are opposite from the metakey for two-handed or thumb typing? I think the keyboard back will be used without a typing surface quite a bit.
Take for example, the vertical pipe. It's a critical character for everything Shell. From the keyboard layout image I saw, it was in the top left corner while the Pine metakey is further underneath it.
Given the heavy use of the the metakey for important shell and scripting symbols, please consider re-arranging the meta-symbol layout. Maybe all the media keys should be on the left side, so as they aren't 'keyboard heavy". It would leave the left hand to control the ctrl, alt, meta, while all the meta & raised symbols are weighted on the right side. This would make for two handed/thumb typing.
It is a Linux phone so I can always remap the keyboard, but having the mapping matching the physical silkscreen is a nice feature.
Considering the demographics that will be getting the keyboards (hackers, makers, programmers, admins, writers, etc.), we are mostly touch typist folks who don't like cumbersome key combos. Being able to type without having to shift our hands holding the phone is super important -- like not dropping it important. :-D
Thank you for listening and your consideration. Cheers, M.
But I do have some concerns over for what appears to be awkward placement of heavily used Symbols.
I realize meta-keys are necessary for some for symbols given the limit key count. But, to invoke those characters, shouldn't there be an attempt make sure they are opposite from the metakey for two-handed or thumb typing? I think the keyboard back will be used without a typing surface quite a bit.
Take for example, the vertical pipe. It's a critical character for everything Shell. From the keyboard layout image I saw, it was in the top left corner while the Pine metakey is further underneath it.
- It will be nearly impossible to to "thumb" type the Pipe.
- It will be a pain to use your left pinky & ring finger for it.
- You'll end up having to use your left thumb & a finger to type the Pipe.
Given the heavy use of the the metakey for important shell and scripting symbols, please consider re-arranging the meta-symbol layout. Maybe all the media keys should be on the left side, so as they aren't 'keyboard heavy". It would leave the left hand to control the ctrl, alt, meta, while all the meta & raised symbols are weighted on the right side. This would make for two handed/thumb typing.
It is a Linux phone so I can always remap the keyboard, but having the mapping matching the physical silkscreen is a nice feature.
Considering the demographics that will be getting the keyboards (hackers, makers, programmers, admins, writers, etc.), we are mostly touch typist folks who don't like cumbersome key combos. Being able to type without having to shift our hands holding the phone is super important -- like not dropping it important. :-D
Thank you for listening and your consideration. Cheers, M.
