- # bcat's split 3x6 + 3 thumb keys layout
-
- This is my favorite split ergo layout for typing, featuring the traditional
- four ortho/ergo layers (Default, Lower, Raise, Adjust). It is loosely inspired
- by the default Planck (numbers on Lower, symbols on Raise) and Crkbd (Space on
- left, Enter on right) layouts, but has since been redesigned heavily according
- to the principles described below.
-
- * Since my most-frequently-used keyboard shortcuts involve Ctrl, which lives on
- the left half of the keyboard, keys frequently used with it (numbers, function
- keys, etc.) are on the Raise layer activated by the right thumb.
-
- * Navigation can be done on the right half alone, to enable simultaneous
- left-handed mousing. Additionally, Web pages can be scrolled with Space or
- Shift+Space on the left half alone, to enable taking notes with the right hand
- at the same time.
-
- * Other than Right Shift (which I seldom use), mods aren't rebound on layers.
-
- * Likewise, Backspace is not rebound on layers to avoid having to let go of
- layer-switch keys to correct mistakes.
-
- ## Default layer
-
- ![Default layer layout](https://i.imgur.com/g5N7g8D.png)
-
- ([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/08d9827d916662a9414f48805aa895a5))
-
- * The alpha keys are a standard QWERTY layout, no funny business there.
-
- * Tab and Backspace are in familiar locations from my row-staggered boards
- (almost all of which use HHKB-style split backspace).
-
- * The Esc key is next to the home row for convenience in Vim.
-
- * There are two Shift keys, although I generally use Left Shift. (I've
- considered replacing Right Shift with another key, but haven't chosen one.)
-
- * Lower and Raise layer-switch keys are in the resting position of my left and
- right thumbs, respectively.
-
- * Space and Enter are on the big thumb keys so they're easy to press.
-
- * Ctrl is on the left for ease of chording, especially one-handed use of common
- shortcuts like Ctrl+T and Ctrl+W. This puts Alt on the right by the process of
- elimination. (I would really like one more 1U thumb key on each half to allow
- for a redundant Alt key on the left and a dedicated Super key on the right.)
-
- ## Lower layer
-
- ![Lower layer layout](https://i.imgur.com/vaIc9JY.png)
-
- ([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/c3fba5eaa2cd70fdfbdbc0f9e34d3bc0))
-
- * This could also be called the "symbol layer".
-
- * Shifted numbers are bound in their usual positions on the top row.
-
- * Hyphen/Underscore and Equals/Plus are in the right index- and middle-finger
- columns for easy reach. They share the same relative position as on a
- row-staggered keyboard, and the shifted versions are physically above the
- unshifted versions as a mnemonic device.
-
- * Brackets and braces are placed below the parens for easy recall. Once again,
- the shifted versions are on the home row and the unshifted versions are on the
- bottom row.
-
- * Forward Slash/Pipe and Backtick/Tilde fill out the remaining positions on the
- right half, with the same relative positions as on a row-staggered HHKB layout.
- And yup, the shifted versions are above the unshifted versions.
-
- * Remaining keys from a TKL are placed out of the way on the bottom row of the
- left half.
-
- * The home row on the left half contains handy shortcuts for zooming and browser
- navigation.
-
- * Lower+Esc is bound to Ctrl+Space because the Ctrl and Space keys are both on
- the left thumb, so this key combination (which I use for tmux prefix and editor
- autocomplete) is hard to press in its natural location.
-
- * Lower+Tab is bound to a custom Alt+Tab macro that keeps the Alt modifier held
- as long as the Lower key is held down. This means that window switching is on
- Lower+Tab immediately next to browser tab switching (Ctrl+Tab).
-
- ## Raise layer
-
- ![Raise layer layout](https://i.imgur.com/VNEiV9A.png)
-
- ([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/08b44355d4ca85d294bad9e2821f91d7))
-
- * This could also be called the "number layer".
-
- * Unshifted numbers are bound in their usual positions on the top row.
-
- * Arrow keys are on VIM-style HJKL keys.
-
- * Home/End and Page Up/Page Down are in the same column as the arrow keys, but
- translated down one row. (This means that the comma and period keys are not
- bound on the number layer, which makes data entry a bit funky. I might add a
- dedicated numpad layer to compensate.)
-
- * Function keys F1–F10 take up most of remaining space on the left half, with
- F11 and F12 spilling over to the right half. (This puts the most used function
- keys (F1–F5) on the home row.)
-
- * Insert and Delete are on the rightmost column, because there didn't seem to
- be a better place to put them.
-
- * Caps Lock is bound in the same position as on an HHKB, for lack of an obvious
- better location.
-
- ## Adjust layer
-
- ![Adjust layer layout](https://i.imgur.com/fZouko5.png)
-
- ([KLE](http://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/77e7572e077b36a23eb2086017e16fee))
-
- * Media keys are centered around the ESDF cluster, just like I arrange them on
- row-staggered keyboards. (It's even more sensible with columnar stagger.)
-
- * The navigation keys are replaced by RGB controls. Again, this mirrors the
- positioning I use on my row-staggered keyboards.
-
- * Finally, reset keys live at the top-left corner of the right half where it's
- reasonably hard to press them by accident.
|