I use keyd for software remapping now, and I like it a lot more than xkb’s esoteric options. It has functionality for layers like layer:C, where any “passthrough” input will have the defined modifier (or combo like C-S-M), but you can define whatever other bindings inside.

Long story short, I’ve used it to remap caps, control, shift (with a custom shift layer for some symbols), and meta, with overloads, double tap/hold into layers, oneshots, timeouts, and all sorts of (surprisingly fluid) nonsense. It’s so much easier than wading through xkb options for me.

To sidestep the question slightly less, I always got rid of capslock altogether instead of swapping. That still leaves true escape to be hit accidentally, but I think there should be an option to change escape too?

Edit: what I always used was

# make CapsLock behave like Ctrl:
setxkbmap -option ctrl:nocaps

# make short-pressed Ctrl behave like Escape:
xcape -e 'Control_L=Escape'

from here

I don’t know if I’ll ever move from qwerty on mobile. Swipe to text seems like a different beast, but I’m curious how it is. I was thinking it might be the one thing qwerty is good for!

I made a couple quick hops Canary -> Gallium v2 -> Graphite.

All I really know I like is alternation (thank you dvorak) and outward rolls oddly enough. Also typing ls ~/ was awful in dvorak, so less right pinky. SFBs can be deceptively packed too, even trigrams. Other than that, the j/k positions didn’t sit right with me in layouts like Colemak, which is what Gallium showed me. I’ve probably jammed my right index more than my other fingers now that I think about it…

I definitely didn’t like the stretch for j on modded Gallium. After that, Graphite actually surprised me with the pinky for j. Using the wide mod, it’s 100% an illusion, but the key seems easier to hit with fewer keys to the right of my hand. It’s exactly the same angle and distance lmao.

Layouts really make no sense until the smallest things click and you realize that’s what those stats mean. Why is it kind of like baseball?

RTX 2080 Super -> RT 9070 XT

I bought my 2070 laptop in 2020 too. I have yet to build a nice machine, but AMD might be the move if that ever happens. Their model numbering never made any sense to me though lol

Also, I want a Voyager now… I think split, columnar, and thumb keys are my next steps. Almost wanted to go ortho for a second. I quickly stumbled upon a bluetooth corne, too. It’s all so $400-too-much right after my first mech. It was a relatively cheap one but still!

Yep, this site and DreymaR’s have been a big part of my layout exploration and wrapping my head around layers.

I’m actually considering switching to something newer instead like Colemak-DH (really interested in wide mod not having a split board) or canary, graphite, gallium, etc, etc. So many to look at. I kinda glossed over Colemak in general wanting to really step away from QWERTY and start with good habits. Dvorak is an eye opening wonder for me, I’m just not sure it’s what I want to stick with. It’s honestly amazing it’s still ergonomically competitive with all the computer-aided layouts today. If I can figure out enough of the theory and my own preferences, I might look at making my own. Not so sure about that yet.

I don’t know what I’d be more excited for. A new machine can be incredible depending on the jump in specs. But I think the RTX card in my laptop that I could finally game on was even overshadowed by using a high refresh display for the first time. Peripherals really make a difference.

You’re hitting the nail on the head there. I’ve always used b/e and honestly forgot w for motion until recently. Trying out dvorak is kind of breaking the habit in-editor aside from menu nav. Doom with evil-mode also has ‘s’ as a quick 2-letter isearch that is incredibly handy. I’ve seen about helix and other modern projects, they just seem to stray from the weirdness I learned to love about vim, even if they may be more intuitive.

Using hyprland, emacs, and now dvorak too is tangling my brain sometimes. I’ve resolved to using super for my WM mod key as to not mess up emacs even though it’s less comfortable. I’m considering making a post to get a feel for peoples’ use of alt layouts, WM bindings, and Extend/layers. Just not sure if this would be the right com or not.

To pack some more in here unsolicited, I also worked out a capslock overload that is kinda wild. Tap for oneshot control, hold for super, or tap-then-hold to hold control. The super-hold even reverts to a control when intending to use the oneshot and rolling too fast. Oh, and hitting caps again in the oneshot gives escape since caps to control/escape was my original overload. It’s gnarly and I want to post about it too at some point.

Apologies for the dump lol, might have to come back to this if I decide to post.

Sounds like Screeps or Hackmud! But I think the heavier RPG focus might make it easier to get into. I keep falling flat on games like these, especially with the idea of a few veterans who are automation or async wizards. Definitely gonna look into it more.

Eureka moment! Key repeat in a nutshell.

I probably only get around 70wmp in bursts with qwerty, but I also type faster than I write. The best way I can describe the difference is my fingers feel all spider-like with qwerty, but in dvorak, I feel like I’m jookin (I was trying to think of a faster shuffle-y footwork, but this is sick). I can feel a different level of flow even at slower speeds.

Lol idk if there’s a maybe little sarcasm there, but honestly, I love it already. I’ve been averaging about 15 wpm at 80% accuracy, and getting the groove to manage a few seconds at 30 wpm is so smooth.

Also thought I’d mention keyd (if you use linux). It’s a system-wide remapper. I considered whether to use software or the firmware, just because keyd has such a neat spec with layers, oneshots, and key overloads. It’s great.

I haven’t tried it with vim in full yet, but I was surprised by how comfortable the hjkl positions are in dvorak. i like tiling window managers with win+vi keys for navigation and such, so it would be important. Dvorak L is kind of annoying at P, and I’m trying to make myself hit it with the pinky usually, but it actually feels alright for keying around in navigation.

I mostly don’t want to have to end up rebinding everything, possibly for every program I use indefinitely, if I stick with the layout. So I’m just learning the new positions to start, and will probably always need a way to switch to qwerty for games.

Really wondering to myself if I should take this seriously or not, but I use doom with evil-mode fwiw. Both are holy saints.

I used Via because there’s a qmk version of the firmware, and yeah, I just set one of the layers to the layout. The Nuphy has a switch for Win/Mac mode that toggles between layer 1 (with 2 and 3 for modifiers) and 4 (with 5 and 6 for modifiers), so I can switch easily between qwerty. I actually did that to finish this cause I’m still slow as hell lol.

Emacs is “just” a text editor that’s an operating system in disguise, waaaay too configurable and macro’d out than any software should be. Or like all software should be, maybe.

As far as the keyboard, I got a Nuphy Air60 V2 as my first. Maybe not super top, but it’s comfy and I’m loving it. Emacs is a rabbithole, unless you wanna get into that too lol

Oh, and the switches are Nuphy’s special moss LPs. I think they’re supposed to be like slightly heavier browns?

Wait, for real? I really thought kagi had its own thing going on, and that was why people would pay for it. Not like a fully bespoke index, but I assumed it was more than that. I guess the “quality control” is what I had heard about.

Generally I agree. It feels kind of shoehorned in when desktop is your goal, like more of an afterthought or side effect of the overall focus.

The main thing I hang on to is the code-specified configuration. I never got into managing dotfiles with arch, but that could be a better solution for many people. Especially along with btrfs, numerous containerization options, and whatnot.

I went from Arch to NixOS, so I can offer a bit there.

You definitely won’t want to rely on it until you know a good amount and get comfortable. Things can be made to work, but knowing how to get it done is the main thing most of the time.

Regarding package availability, it’s just a matter of a few oddly esoteric incantations and version controlled code, usually. Binaries are another story but still possible, and python is a special case of that.

It has been an annoyance for me, but I’ve also learned a lot by getting things to work. If you use any niche python stuff you’re bound to run into something. A bunch is already packaged and works fine, though. Either way there’s a bit of extra nuance, which is more to learn.

You don’t have to start with NixOS and can feel it out using nix on any distro. It can be hard to tell if someone will vibe with it. All that said, it could be more than you’re looking to get into, but you can ease into it if you’re interested.

Being the change you want to see in the world. I like it.

4?? Also, the screenshot reminds me of hedgehog launch. Pulled it right out of the recesses of my memory.

I wouldn’t say “the cloud” is exactly in the same realm. It’s broad and definitely had its heyday being thrown around in marketing, but it’s a very real facet in modern software. More specialized and actually useful AI will probably end up in a similar place eventually.

I think I’m talking myself out of my original point though lol. Kind of conflated LLMs and AI at first. I just wish LLMs weren’t the only things with money behind them.

True. I’ve worked in pretty small teams with usually 2-4 devs paired, so it kind of worked out as both what we got through, what’s next priority, and how we plan to split out that day. Especially if we were light on stories.