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programmer's keyboard

Started by capn_midnight 51 replies 6.1k views
Original Post
capn_midnight
capn_midnight
ookay, so it would be a keyboard specifically designed to make the task of programming more efficient. I think it would be a good idea to base it off the dvorak key layout, even though I have never used it, it''s supposedly a lot faster than qwerty (but that''s not the point). So, for now, let''s assume we are starting with dvorak. From here, we need to arrange the keys in such a way that commonly used keys are easy to reach, foregoing the placement of less commonly used keeys. For example, how many times do you use ` (the character under ~ on many keyboards). However, I do use ~ at a greater frequency. Therefore, their positions on the key should be switched, so that I don''t have to hold down shift to use the more common function of the key. { and } should get their own keys, because of how often they are used in C-style languages (is there a technical term for languages that share a syntaxtual style with C/C++?) Maybe the keyboard could be made to be modular to support Perl or PHP writers that are constantly using $, %, and @.
simbiant
simbiant
nah. QWERTY suits me fine.
capn_midnight
capn_midnight
yeah, I used to think that qwerty suited me as well, then I got involved in programming contests, and it''s interesting to note how many times we come down to the last five minutes typing as fast as freaking possible as we try to bang out a brute force solution to a problem. So, I was thinking, what would be the best possible to optimize my typing speed.
A) use dvorak
B) design a keyboard that utilized a layout specific to the task of coding.
Spudder
Spudder
I dont think the actual keyboard has to change but ive noticd the characters i use most - (),{} etc all require shift to be help down to type them which slows typing down. What i would do is to swap these characters position on the key so you would no longer need to use shift as much
baldurk
baldurk
I use ` as often as ~, I''d say.
Also, { and } have their own keys on my keyboard.
benryves
benryves
Use a BBC Micro with a "Shift Lock" (they had a "Shift Lock" and a "Caps Lock")
[Website] [+++ Divide By Cucumber Error. Please Reinstall Universe And Reboot +++]
fredizzimo
fredizzimo
quote:
Original post by Spudder
I dont think the actual keyboard has to change but ive noticd the characters i use most - (),{} etc all require shift to be help down to type them which slows typing down. What i would do is to swap these characters position on the key so you would no longer need to use shift as much


{}[] are even worse in Swedish keyboard layouts. You have to press alt-gr 7/alt-gr 0 and alt-gr 8/alt-gr 9. Which is pretty bad, as it screws up two handed typing totally. Alt-gr is only on the right side of the keyboard, and if you are touch typing, you would normally use the right hand for pressing those keys. The alternative to alt-gr is ctrl-alt at the same time, and that's even worse.

quote:

For example, how many times do you use ` (the character under ~ on many keyboards). However, I do use ~ at a greater frequency


That's almost impossible to type, at least for anyone not knowing much about computers. You have to press alt-gr and the key with ^¨~ on it(that's the rightmost key on the top character row, next to the enter key). But that's not good enough, it's a modifier for the next character so you can type õ for example(not to be confused with our ö, that has it's own key), so to get ~ to appear on the screen you have to press the following key, and let's hope it's not an o for example, so the best is to press space. So to type it I use alt-gr ^¨~-button, both buttons up, and then space.

[edited by - fredizzimo on November 16, 2003 3:58:15 PM]
Dominicds
Dominicds
Where could I find a dvorak keyboard for sale?
Dominicds
Dominicds
quote:
Original post by deathtrap

just mark your keys in the dvorak layout, then switch to the dvorak layout in windows.


Good thinking, thanks!
Voice Of Tango
Voice Of Tango
There isn't a Windows XP Dvorak setting for UK keyboard layouts unfortunately.

[edited by - Voice Of Tango on November 16, 2003 7:02:36 PM]
Conner McCloud
Conner McCloud
quote:
Original post by capn_midnight
ookay, so it would be a keyboard specifically designed to make the task of programming more efficient. I think it would be a good idea to base it off the dvorak key layout, even though I have never used it, it''s supposedly a lot faster than qwerty (but that''s not the point).

So, for now, let''s assume we are starting with dvorak. From here, we need to arrange the keys in such a way that commonly used keys are easy to reach, foregoing the placement of less commonly used keeys. For example, how many times do you use ` (the character under ~ on many keyboards). However, I do use ~ at a greater frequency. Therefore, their positions on the key should be switched, so that I don''t have to hold down shift to use the more common function of the key.

{ and } should get their own keys, because of how often they are used in C-style languages (is there a technical term for languages that share a syntaxtual style with C/C++?)

Maybe the keyboard could be made to be modular to support Perl or PHP writers that are constantly using $, %, and @.

This would be poinless. Different languages have different dominant keys. Different OSs have different dominant keys. Different purposes have different dominant keys. How many keyboards do you want floating around?

Sure, when programming C/C++/Java, you may be able to just crank out the code. But then you start writing in Perl, and your efficiency drops. Then you use somebody else''s computer [with a typical keyboard], and you have to remember where they keys all are. Or somebody uses your computer and they ahve to figure out where all the keys are.

Its better to have a consistant layout that works decently in most circumstances than a bunch of layouts that work great in specific circumstances.

CM
ChaoticCanuck
ChaoticCanuck
I don''t see how a different keyboard layout would help you to program any faster; aside from a tiny, single file application, most projects I work on take almost as much time to plan as they do to code, then when the planning is done, we use code generators to create all of our stock code (headers, function declarations, data types, etc. All that is left after that is creating the application logic.

If your typing speed is slowing down your ability to program you need to seriously examine the other tools you are using and perhaps consider what other bottlenecks exist because the are probably simply creating too much code.
coldacid
coldacid
I need a keyboard that is designed for writing in European scripts (extended Latin alphabet and Cyrillic) as well as Japanese. Therefore, what is needed is more Bucky bits, for the express purpose of changing the character set.

How about a Unicode keyboard? One that is designed for easy typing of 2^32 different characters?
Oluseyi
Oluseyi
quote:
Original post by coldacid
How about a Unicode keyboard? One that is designed for easy typing of 2^32 different characters?
And which language would use that?

Languages with high character counts tend to accept sequence input from the keyboard rather than individual characters. That reduces the number of distinct keys needed, plus there''s usually a logical ordering (perhaps syllablic?)

The keyboard can''t be changed. Ever. Inertia''s too high. Just get rid of it instead (which, of coure, requires perfecting noisy environment voice recognition).
coldacid
coldacid
How about mind-machine interfaces? I''ll volunteer...
alnite
alnite
quote:
Original post by deathtrap
just mark your keys in the dvorak layout, then switch to the dvorak layout in windows.
Bear my newbie question, but how do you set your keys to dvorak layout in windows??

Voice Of Tango
Voice Of Tango
quote:
Original post by alnite
Bear my newbie question, but how do you set your keys to dvorak layout in windows??
With XP go to the Regional and Language Options in the Control Panel. Find the input device settings and add a new keyboard. Set the keyboard layout/IME to a Dvorak setting, of which there are three for the US.

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