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optimizing ENTI-Key-Layout

Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 3:24 am
by admin
i wonder if it is possible to optimize the layout with a software like
http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/carpalx/

fixed would be the following:
- e,n,t and i are fixed to the qwerty letters j,k,l and รถ (right of l)
- e.n.t and i should be on the left side too, and in easy-to-reach positions: 3,4,w,e,r,t,a,s,d,f,g,x,c and v

the other keys, freed on the right side should be optimized for PHP (or pearl)

Re: optimizing ENTI-Key-Layout

Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 2:42 pm
by admin
i asked at carpalx and got this answer
Hi Ruben,

It sounds like carpalx can evaluate the layout and suggest changes. If you have certain keys in multiple locations (e,n,t,i), then carpalx would need to be adjusted to deal with this case. Currently, it expects that there is a 1-to-1 mapping between character and location. It is interesting to add additional copies of the same key to the layout - I have not thought of that. carpalx could then evaluate the layout based on using the best location for the letter, given the context. That begs the question - how would the typist evaluate, on the fly, which copy of the character to type?

Martin

there are two possibilities:
- the typist is using only one hand - only the left keys are used
- with both hands, only the right copies are used

Re: optimizing ENTI-Key-Layout

Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 10:36 pm
by frankvl
In my initial learning experience, I sometimes use the left variant and sometimes the right; whichever I recognize first in my thoughts.

Re: optimizing ENTI-Key-Layout

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:12 pm
by David Cary
Putting multiple copies of common letters is an interesting idea.

I would like to see a keyboard with a "th" key -- the most-common pair in English.

What is so special about the letters "e n t i" ?
According to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_frequency
,
the most common letters (in order of frequency) in English are etaoin shrdlcu.

So yes, "e n t i" are 4 of the top-6 letters in English -- but why not duplicate "a" and "o" instead of "i" and "n" ?

(Is it because the most common letters (in order of frequency) in German are enisra tdhulcg ?)

Re: optimizing ENTI-Key-Layout

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 8:41 pm
by admin
Anonymous wrote: why not duplicate "a" and "o" instead of "i" and "n" ?

a, d and s are already in a perfect place in the middle row at the qwert-layout, so they stay there.

Re: optimizing ENTI-Key-Layout

Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 1:50 am
by admin
to get a layout, that is fast to type with both hands and still have the maximum possible speed with only the left hand it was important to optimize several aspects:

  1. all most frequent letters have to be in the middle row of the keyboard
  2. diptongues like 'th', 'en', 'or',... have to be typed by keys on different fingers (best: on differend hands)
  3. only 4 letters are on the right side and they have to sum up to nearly 50% of all letters
  4. the letters from the right side have to be repeated on the left at good (but not the best) positions