This is the first time I built a keyboard!
A cheapino!
It took a little bit of time to get everything figured out, but I was able to finish that build relatively easily.
However, I am having trouble customizing the layout... I can't load it in the qmk.fm tool and when I upload a json file it gives me something that doesn't match my keyboard.
Also, the encoder currently types 'y' when turned right, I got 2 thumb keys working as spaces and I don't have a modifier key.
As far as I can tell, everything is soldered right, the diodes are in the right direction...
Did I mess up my soldering or is the cheapino firmware buggy?
Any app that can help me flash/customize my keyboard? I'll keep googling.
Thanks!
I'm all about DIYing things, but I'll never understand these fancy keyboards without the basic keys needed for a keyboard to function - number keys, function keys, arrows, etc. That extra 3 square inches of desk real estate is just not important enough to get rid of those things. I can appreciate the work put into something like this, but I just don't get the limitations.
The idea is to minimize required motions of hands and fingers, not desk real estate. Even the ordinary keyboards have layers (Alt, Ctrl, ...) and these minimalistic ones just use the idea of layers to put the most used and important keys on the home row where they are most easily accessed. And not on a key that you need to stretch your finger or even move your hand.
I don't care about the aesthetics - my main keyboard is pretty ugly Fifi keyboard. But the ease of typing is fantastic. Occasional switch to ISO keyboard just reminds me that I am not a creature with a hundred tentacles sprouting from my chest ;) The amount of jumping and stretching is just terrible.
But yes, few months of muscle memory relearning can be painful.
I'm not convinced that anyone types that much that an extra few millimeters of finger movement amount to much of anything.
If people want to mess around with such extreme keyboards as a hobby, then have at it! But I'm rather hard pressed to believe in this day and age - especially since almost everything has a GUI - that people are typing sooooo much that an extra row of numbers or other keys and moving your finger that tiny distance means anything. I've replied to someone else stating that I used to work for a large high end furniture company which had tons and tons of studies on ergonomics and such in office environments. No one is going to convince me these ultra minimal keyboards are for ergonomics or speed. They're for tinkering around, having something that others say "oh, that's different" and a way to pass the time. Which is fine.
Well ... not here to convince anybody of anything.
But yes, the unnecessary finger movements mean a lot.
I'm not a professional typist or anything but much of my work is done in CLI or an IDE. While the bottleneck is usually my brains and not my fingers, the ease of typing that comes with all the keys easily accessed is an excellent experience.
Of course everyone is allowed to believe what they choose to believe though.