#8pen — Public Fediverse posts

@davbm

8vim: https://github.com/8VIM/8VIM

with the idea coming from #8pen

Learn at this video how the keyboard works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3OuCR0EpGo

New blog post: Musings on Input Devices

My main input devices are an Ergodox with blank keycaps in a Dvorak layout, and an Evoluent Vertical Mouse. My mobile uses a 9-keys swipe-based keyboard (MessageEase until recently, now Thumb-Key with a compatible layout). People sometimes ask me about this, and then I talk to them for way longer than they signed up for. Perhaps a written summary would save some in […]

https://blog.narf.ssji.net/2024/02/29/musings-on-input-devices/

#8pen #Dvorak #Ergodox #EvoluentVerticalMouse #KinesisAdvantag #MessageEase #ThumbKey #Wristease #rant #tip

Musings on Input Devices

https://blog.narf.ssji.net/2024/02/29/musings-on-input-devices/

My main input devices are an Ergodox with blank keycaps in a Dvorak layout, and an Evoluent Vertical Mouse. My mobile uses a 9-keys swipe-based keyboard (MessageEase until recently, now Thumb-Key with a compatible layout). People sometimes ask me about this, and then I talk to them for way longer than they signed up for. Perhaps a written summary would save some in the future (but do ask if you want a chat!).

#8pen #Dvorak #Ergodox #EvoluentVerticalMouse #KinesisAdvantage #MessageEase #ThumbKey #Wristease

New blog post: Musings on Input Devices

My main input devices are an Ergodox with blank keycaps in a Dvorak layout, and an Evoluent Vertical Mouse. My mobile uses a 9-keys swipe-based keyboard (MessageEase until recently, now Thumb-Key with a compatible layout). People sometimes ask me about this, and then I talk to them for way longer than they signed up for. Perhaps a written summary would save some in […]

https://blog.narf.ssji.net/2024/02/29/musings-on-input-devices/

#8pen #Dvorak #Ergodox #EvoluentVerticalMouse #KinesisAdvantag #MessageEase #ThumbKey #Wristease #rant #tip

8vim Keyboard
A Editor-In-Keyboard, inspired by #vim and #8pen

8vim Keyboard is an open-source, small-screen keyboard designed to overcome the limitations of small typing space. It provides users with full text editor-style editing capabilities on any text box they’re typing in.

To exactly understand this keyboard, please watch https://inv.zzls.xyz/watch?v=q3OuCR0EpGo

Download: https://f-droid.org/packages/inc.flide.vi8/

#FOSS #Android #OpenSource #OSS #Privacy #FLOSS #keyboard #texteditor #GoogleKeyboard #8vim

8vim Keyboard
A Editor-In-Keyboard, inspired by #vim and #8pen

8vim Keyboard is an open-source, small-screen keyboard designed to overcome the limitations of small typing space. It provides users with full text editor-style editing capabilities on any text box they’re typing in.

To exactly understand this keyboard, please watch https://inv.zzls.xyz/watch?v=q3OuCR0EpGo

Download: https://f-droid.org/packages/inc.flide.vi8/

#FOSS #Android #OpenSource #OSS #Privacy #FLOSS #keyboard #texteditor #GoogleKeyboard #8vim

8vim Keyboard
A Editor-In-Keyboard, inspired by #vim and #8pen

8vim Keyboard is an open-source, small-screen keyboard designed to overcome the limitations of small typing space. It provides users with full text editor-style editing capabilities on any text box they’re typing in.

To exactly understand this keyboard, please watch https://inv.zzls.xyz/watch?v=q3OuCR0EpGo

Download: https://f-droid.org/packages/inc.flide.vi8/

#FOSS #Android #OpenSource #OSS #Privacy #FLOSS #keyboard #texteditor #GoogleKeyboard #8vim

8vim Keyboard
A Editor-In-Keyboard, inspired by #vim and #8pen

8vim Keyboard is an open-source, small-screen keyboard designed to overcome the limitations of small typing space. It provides users with full text editor-style editing capabilities on any text box they’re typing in.

To exactly understand this keyboard, please watch https://inv.zzls.xyz/watch?v=q3OuCR0EpGo

Download: https://f-droid.org/packages/inc.flide.vi8/

#FOSS #Android #OpenSource #OSS #Privacy #FLOSS #keyboard #texteditor #GoogleKeyboard #8vim

8vim Keyboard
A Editor-In-Keyboard, inspired by #vim and #8pen

8vim Keyboard is an open-source, small-screen keyboard designed to overcome the limitations of small typing space. It provides users with full text editor-style editing capabilities on any text box they’re typing in.

To exactly understand this keyboard, please watch https://inv.zzls.xyz/watch?v=q3OuCR0EpGo

Download: https://f-droid.org/packages/inc.flide.vi8/

#FOSS #Android #OpenSource #OSS #Privacy #FLOSS #keyboard #texteditor #GoogleKeyboard #8vim

#DailyBloggingChallenge (51/100)

Good news, the challenge continues!

Things that were realized:

• The monthly long form article sub-goal seems like the hardest part of the challenge. Although many have made it to the draft stage, they seem to wait in purgatory until deemed onto them further processing.
• With the recent shift in the #MappingChallenge from daily to weekly, it is permitted to use the required blog post as a daily blog, thus removing myself from generating two posts on Sunday’s.
• After using #8pen / #8vim for a good 50 days, it is my preferred keyboard over the default one. Plus it comes with the added benefit that it is another security measure against potential physical attackers. Well, only those who are not savy enough to know how to exchange the keyboard. Though still have nostalgia for the swipe functionality existing on the #Google #Android keyboard. Still missing a solution for emojis.
• In the 26th (https://qoto.org/@barefootstache/110905515359438394) edition it was mentioned about the struggle of writing in the first hours of the day and have concluded that is only true if either no topic or theme exists. If either is present, then it is much more fruitful compared to waiting the last minute, where it feels those are rushed.
• Having a theme makes writing so much easier, which I have realized with the past 6 days talking about #rucking. Plus being a so-called expert in the theme simplifies the writing even more and makes it more joyish over a chore. The same can be said with a topic.
• I am still hesitant with “hashtag bloat” or “hashtag spam” - quite popular on other social media platforms - though when well used on (evergreen) content, one can harvest its bounty many days later, usually through being favorited or boosting. Thus, where applicable trying to integrate the hashtags directly into the post (as seen here) and mitigate them at the end. Though since hashtags are one of the ways for posts to cross instances it is something that should be monitored more closely.
• 52% of the first 50 were written via 8pen.

#DailyBloggingChallenge (02/10)

After using #8pen for about two days, I came across some conclusions:

• If one makes the center circle a bit bigger one is less prone in over rotating the key selection plus on learns to go further out from the center to choose the correct letter.
• Initially always ended the word/phrase in the center, which would then automatically make a SPACE there after. This became quite painful when writing a password, since after the substring a SPACE happened and one would need to delete it before continuing. So if one had lots of these substrings where one frequently needed to jump between letters and numbers/special characters the process became painstakingly annoying. Simple solution: just end outside of the circle.
• Instead of doing a full circle to get The capitalized letter, it is much easier to hit the SHIFT-
• The letters located on the third ring are the hardest to navigate to.
• Still trying to figure out how to add emojis.
• Still inconclusive if I am missing the auto suggest feature of words.
• Navigating is a bit flimsy and haven’t figured out how I accidentally trigger it.
• Sometimes I wish I had a visual confirmation that a key or functions was activated like on the other pages of the keyboard.

The theory claims once you are familiar with the layout, you won’t need the keys anymore. Once this state happens, one technically could keep one’s phone in one’s pocket and swipe away the next new novel or short story.

I am just imagining, you are swiping away in your pocket and onlookers think you are masturbating in public…

#DailyBloggingChallenge (001/10)

In the past I have been quite fruitful with daily challenges. Successfully achieved the 50 day #StatisticsChallenge and slowly creeping up on 365 day mark of the #MappingChallenge (@barefootstache) with less than a month to go. Thus, I will attempt the daily blogging challenge.

The requirements will be quite simple for the begining and might expand through time:

• It must use hashtag (XX/YY) format. This has two benefits:
  1. One can follow the hashtag thereby potentialy creating its own atom/rss feed.
  2. One can filter out these posts if unwanted.
• It must be post ready before slumber. This puts the focus on writing rather than publishing and gives a grace period if no internet connection.
• If written on mobile, it must be written with the #8pen keyboard.
• It must be at least one paragraph or three sentences long.

This challenge was sparked after reading the article

https://www.yieldcode.blog/post/why-engineers-should-write/

written by @skwee357.

While I was on the hunt for a keyboard with swipe functionality on #fdroid, I stumbled upon a #8pen keyboard. After an initial video on the concept of how it works, I quickly got the hang of it.

One thing I can agree with the developers is that it is a much quicker method of learning how to type without looking.

Currently the only initial downside is that one is constantly pressing the screen thereby creating soreness. Additionally, it is not ideal for typing texts with numbers or non-typical special characters like one would find by passwords.

I've learned about a #quikwriting, an alternative text input method using a stylus/finger focusing on continuous flow:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quikwriting

For Android, there was a now no longer maintained keyboard called #8pen.
Now, it has an open source, spiritual successor called #8vim: https://github.com/flide/8Vim

I was wondering if anyone has ever tried using 8vim/8pen or a similar (quikwriting like) input method. If so, how was it? Is the learning curve steep? Did it increase your input rate? Would you say it's worth learning to enter text on a touchscreen?