#glove80 — Public Fediverse posts

I made a thing: a tool that allows programmable keyboards to send arbitrary Unicode characters. I created this mainly for myself, but I'm curious to know if there are other persons on this planet that could use it, so here it is:

https://crates.io/crates/infinikey

Because you didn't ask, here's my story. 😉

Ever since I bought a split ergonomic keyboard (2008, Kinesis Advantage 2), I have used an English keyboard layout at work despite being German and working in Germany. I think that for my field (software development), English layouts are just superior to the German one(s).

Still, I also need German umlaut characters for emails and chats in German. Back then I only used Windows at work, so using some Microsoft tool I created a custom keyboard layout. It mapped Ctrl-Alt-A to the letter ä, for example. The problem was that (some) software would still receive the Alt key and for example open its menu. So I built a script with AutoHotkey that handled these keypresses and that worked better. I installed the script on the work and home PCs, and when I got a new keyboard (2023, MoErgo Glove80) I started using it both at work and at home.

Fast forward to last year, when I started at a new company, and my department there does not use Windows but Linux - yay! However, that meant my AutoHotkey scripts no longer worked. 😢

I could probably have fiddled with xkb and things, but I really wanted _one_ solution that works on Linux and Windows. After several experiments (different approaches with XCompose/WinCompose and 'misusing' the Espanso text expander), a few months ago I finally decided I need to write my own software. And as of this week, it's not only good enough for daily use, but also published and installable by anyone! 🎉

Thanks for reading this far. Let me know if you're one of the maybe 10 to 100 persons in the world who have some use for this software. 🙂

#MechanicalKeyboard #Keyboard #FOSS #OpenSource #Rust #Glove80 #KinesisAdvantage #Windows #Linux #ZMK

I made a thing: a tool that allows programmable keyboards to send arbitrary Unicode characters. I created this mainly for myself, but I'm curious to know if there are other persons on this planet that could use it, so here it is:

https://crates.io/crates/infinikey

Because you didn't ask, here's my story. 😉

Ever since I bought a split ergonomic keyboard (2008, Kinesis Advantage 2), I have used an English keyboard layout at work despite being German and working in Germany. I think that for my field (software development), English layouts are just superior to the German one(s).

Still, I also need German umlaut characters for emails and chats in German. Back then I only used Windows at work, so using some Microsoft tool I created a custom keyboard layout. It mapped Ctrl-Alt-A to the letter ä, for example. The problem was that (some) software would still receive the Alt key and for example open its menu. So I built a script with AutoHotkey that handled these keypresses and that worked better. I installed the script on the work and home PCs, and when I got a new keyboard (2023, MoErgo Glove80) I started using it both at work and at home.

Fast forward to last year, when I started at a new company, and my department there does not use Windows but Linux - yay! However, that meant my AutoHotkey scripts no longer worked. 😢

I could probably have fiddled with xkb and things, but I really wanted _one_ solution that works on Linux and Windows. After several experiments (different approaches with XCompose/WinCompose and 'misusing' the Espanso text expander), a few months ago I finally decided I need to write my own software. And as of this week, it's not only good enough for daily use, but also published and installable by anyone! 🎉

Thanks for reading this far. Let me know if you're one of the maybe 10 to 100 persons in the world who have some use for this software. 🙂

#MechanicalKeyboard #Keyboard #FOSS #OpenSource #Rust #Glove80 #KinesisAdvantage #Windows #Linux #ZMK

I made a thing: a tool that allows programmable keyboards to send arbitrary Unicode characters. I created this mainly for myself, but I'm curious to know if there are other persons on this planet that could use it, so here it is:

https://crates.io/crates/infinikey

Because you didn't ask, here's my story. 😉

Ever since I bought a split ergonomic keyboard (2008, Kinesis Advantage 2), I have used an English keyboard layout at work despite being German and working in Germany. I think that for my field (software development), English layouts are just superior to the German one(s).

Still, I also need German umlaut characters for emails and chats in German. Back then I only used Windows at work, so using some Microsoft tool I created a custom keyboard layout. It mapped Ctrl-Alt-A to the letter ä, for example. The problem was that (some) software would still receive the Alt key and for example open its menu. So I built a script with AutoHotkey that handled these keypresses and that worked better. I installed the script on the work and home PCs, and when I got a new keyboard (2023, MoErgo Glove80) I started using it both at work and at home.

Fast forward to last year, when I started at a new company, and my department there does not use Windows but Linux - yay! However, that meant my AutoHotkey scripts no longer worked. 😢

I could probably have fiddled with xkb and things, but I really wanted _one_ solution that works on Linux and Windows. After several experiments (different approaches with XCompose/WinCompose and 'misusing' the Espanso text expander), a few months ago I finally decided I need to write my own software. And as of this week, it's not only good enough for daily use, but also published and installable by anyone! 🎉

Thanks for reading this far. Let me know if you're one of the maybe 10 to 100 persons in the world who have some use for this software. 🙂

#MechanicalKeyboard #Keyboard #FOSS #OpenSource #Rust #Glove80 #KinesisAdvantage #Windows #Linux #ZMK

I made a thing: a tool that allows programmable keyboards to send arbitrary Unicode characters. I created this mainly for myself, but I'm curious to know if there are other persons on this planet that could use it, so here it is:

https://crates.io/crates/infinikey

Because you didn't ask, here's my story. 😉

Ever since I bought a split ergonomic keyboard (2008, Kinesis Advantage 2), I have used an English keyboard layout at work despite being German and working in Germany. I think that for my field (software development), English layouts are just superior to the German one(s).

Still, I also need German umlaut characters for emails and chats in German. Back then I only used Windows at work, so using some Microsoft tool I created a custom keyboard layout. It mapped Ctrl-Alt-A to the letter ä, for example. The problem was that (some) software would still receive the Alt key and for example open its menu. So I built a script with AutoHotkey that handled these keypresses and that worked better. I installed the script on the work and home PCs, and when I got a new keyboard (2023, MoErgo Glove80) I started using it both at work and at home.

Fast forward to last year, when I started at a new company, and my department there does not use Windows but Linux - yay! However, that meant my AutoHotkey scripts no longer worked. 😢

I could probably have fiddled with xkb and things, but I really wanted _one_ solution that works on Linux and Windows. After several experiments (different approaches with XCompose/WinCompose and 'misusing' the Espanso text expander), a few months ago I finally decided I need to write my own software. And as of this week, it's not only good enough for daily use, but also published and installable by anyone! 🎉

Thanks for reading this far. Let me know if you're one of the maybe 10 to 100 persons in the world who have some use for this software. 🙂

#MechanicalKeyboard #Keyboard #FOSS #OpenSource #Rust #Glove80 #KinesisAdvantage #Windows #Linux #ZMK

I made a thing: a tool that allows programmable keyboards to send arbitrary Unicode characters. I created this mainly for myself, but I'm curious to know if there are other persons on this planet that could use it, so here it is:

https://crates.io/crates/infinikey

Because you didn't ask, here's my story. 😉

Ever since I bought a split ergonomic keyboard (2008, Kinesis Advantage 2), I have used an English keyboard layout at work despite being German and working in Germany. I think that for my field (software development), English layouts are just superior to the German one(s).

Still, I also need German umlaut characters for emails and chats in German. Back then I only used Windows at work, so using some Microsoft tool I created a custom keyboard layout. It mapped Ctrl-Alt-A to the letter ä, for example. The problem was that (some) software would still receive the Alt key and for example open its menu. So I built a script with AutoHotkey that handled these keypresses and that worked better. I installed the script on the work and home PCs, and when I got a new keyboard (2023, MoErgo Glove80) I started using it both at work and at home.

Fast forward to last year, when I started at a new company, and my department there does not use Windows but Linux - yay! However, that meant my AutoHotkey scripts no longer worked. 😢

I could probably have fiddled with xkb and things, but I really wanted _one_ solution that works on Linux and Windows. After several experiments (different approaches with XCompose/WinCompose and 'misusing' the Espanso text expander), a few months ago I finally decided I need to write my own software. And as of this week, it's not only good enough for daily use, but also published and installable by anyone! 🎉

Thanks for reading this far. Let me know if you're one of the maybe 10 to 100 persons in the world who have some use for this software. 🙂

#MechanicalKeyboard #Keyboard #FOSS #OpenSource #Rust #Glove80 #KinesisAdvantage #Windows #Linux #ZMK

@flub
IIRC, they said having LEDs anywhere else than under the keycaps would have made the keyboard even bulkier than the keywells already force it to be. I found that argument convincing.

Also, in using a Glove80 as my daily driver for several years (since the Kickstarter), I can say I don't miss the LEDs at all. YMMV, of course.

#Glove80 #MoErgo #MechanicalKeyboard #ErgonomicKeyboard

@esther Hmm, I can offer an opposing data point: for the last 15 years, I've been typing on a columnar keyboard on my desk at work (#KinesisAdvantage 1 with QWERTY) and on row-staggered laptop keyboards (QWERTZ) in meetings, but on row-staggered keyboards (QWERTZ) at home. No trouble whatsoever switching back and forth between them!

Then, 8 months ago, I got a #Glove80 columnar #SplitKeyboard (QWERTY) that I use both in the office and at home. But I can still type on those laptops in meetings!

@esther Hmm, I can offer an opposing data point: for the last 15 years, I've been typing on a columnar keyboard on my desk at work (#KinesisAdvantage 1 with QWERTY) and on row-staggered laptop keyboards (QWERTZ) in meetings, but on row-staggered keyboards (QWERTZ) at home. No trouble whatsoever switching back and forth between them!

Then, 8 months ago, I got a #Glove80 columnar #SplitKeyboard (QWERTY) that I use both in the office and at home. But I can still type on those laptops in meetings!

@esther Hmm, I can offer an opposing data point: for the last 15 years, I've been typing on a columnar keyboard on my desk at work (#KinesisAdvantage 1 with QWERTY) and on row-staggered laptop keyboards (QWERTZ) in meetings, but on row-staggered keyboards (QWERTZ) at home. No trouble whatsoever switching back and forth between them!

Then, 8 months ago, I got a #Glove80 columnar #SplitKeyboard (QWERTY) that I use both in the office and at home. But I can still type on those laptops in meetings!

@esther Hmm, I can offer an opposing data point: for the last 15 years, I've been typing on a columnar keyboard on my desk at work (#KinesisAdvantage 1 with QWERTY) and on row-staggered laptop keyboards (QWERTZ) in meetings, but on row-staggered keyboards (QWERTZ) at home. No trouble whatsoever switching back and forth between them!

Then, 8 months ago, I got a #Glove80 columnar #SplitKeyboard (QWERTY) that I use both in the office and at home. But I can still type on those laptops in meetings!