Undoubtedly, programmers are a major user of keyboards, and IDE developers love function keys for esoteric shortcuts for debugging, moving around, and running code. So why do so many split keyboards not actually have the function keys.
I think makers are missing out a huge audience.
The more annoying thing is they don’t duplicate the middle keys, especially B. I don’t always touch type using the “official rules” so I frequently found myself trying to press a key that didn’t exist.
I gave up on split keyboards anyway - a good desk and chair are much more important.
Programmer here: Haven’t used a function key in years.
programmer here too: use them daily!
also programmer here: using F13-F24 as well.
Dude, that’s why I want an IBM Model F! F for tons of function keys obviously!
Removed by mod
This post will be removed for violating our TOS 4.3
4.3. You shall not use our services to transmit any unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, junk mail, spam, chain letters, or any other form of solicitation.
Yep, purchased cheaply on ebay and resold.
I’m sure you have something that works for you already, but before I had a keyboard that just let me add the keys with firmware, I was getting by using AutoHotkey and a script that would turn double taps of an F-key into the F+12key.
I bought a little macro keyboard, but if I had the physical keys already, I’d be using them as macro keys!
Probably because layering and chording easily let you access the F-keys while not having them take up so much space.
But some f key shorcuts already need ctrl + alt/shift pressing so you don’t have many options for switching to a different layer.
I use Extend by Dreymar which includes the alt, shift, and even control keys. This lets me almost exclusively use the homerow for key binds, which is great if you’re on a laptop keyboard or similar.
My shift and layer switch are both under my thumb so I can hit cmd+ opt/ctrl + shift + layer shift and an F key all at once with only 4 fingers.
I don’t know if it exists, but I want a vertically staggered keeb, with F1-F24. Why does this not exist (and if it does, it’ll cost 700 EUR) ;_;
I will answer with a simple question: When’s the last time you had to press a function key and a number key at the same time?
When it comes to split keyboards and other kinds of shaped keyboards, smaller is usually better to a point. Standard keyboards are usually more fixed in place and as such, the size doesn’t matter as much as long as you can still reasonably use it.
I don’t remember the last time I had to press a number key and the enter key at the same time. I can’t remember the last time I had to press a number key and ctrl at the same time, so obviously by your logic, that’s two more keys that do not need to be on the keyboard!
Well yeah that argument is flawed if you don’t account for the position and common use of keys. I know it’s a bit of a arbitrary rule. You wouldn’t want to press a number or enter on the same key, nor are they even close to each other. However, two keys that occupy common outcome with a different “function” that are also close to one another have the opportunity to be combined either contextually or with modifiers. I will also add that these keys being on the edge of keyboards also gives an advantage for combination to reduce size. You could also bridge the number pad keys with the function and number row keys. However, the purpose of the number-pad is more than just numbers and some symbols, the primary purpose is the for the layout (at least in my eyes) to improve usability and speed.
It’s not a definitive answer that has only a single logical path, merely an answer/explanation that codifies the why based on common use and anecdote.
However, you do bring up a good point in your original post. Most of the time, it’s programmers or “power users” that makes sense to have this contextual combination layout. For normal people, you assume every key does one thing and look for it on the keyboard when you need it.
The real answer is a combination of above and cost saving. If developers of keyboards can not include ~13 keys (to include tilde/grave), this saves on many aspects of design, hardware, and software. It’s kind of why some keyboards also don’t perfectly mirror all of the modifier buttons across the keyboard. Most people probably don’t even know/use the right alt key. Shit, my right alt key isn’t even a proper alt key; it’s my symbol input key!
I didn’t intend on typing so much, but I hope this clarifies the “argument” in my first post.
Ctrl-shift-4 or something is screenshot on Mac (for some stupid reason). But I agree with you.
Well they go on a layer. If you don’t need to hit them at the same time they can be on different layers.
I’d assume most people on minimal split keyboards use vim bindings or similar. that’s what I usually do and I have a quefrency and wireless corne. I only end up using fn keys if I’m playing games. for programming I’d rather have mnemonic chords like
<space> p cfor project menu then compile instead of remembering f7 or whateveron that note though, a quefrency might fit your needs. it has 8 fn keys on the side and the others on a layer. otherwise you can always get custom pcbs, it’s work but it’s not that bad
