# Ortholinear keyboard option? **URL:** \ **Category:** Framework Laptop 13\ **Tags:** feature-requests\ **Created:** [July 27, 2021, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321 "2021-07-27T21:18:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Daniel\_Osipishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7c8e57/32.png) [@Daniel\_Osipishin](https://community.frame.work/u/Daniel_Osipishin)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/1 "2021-07-27T21:18:03Z")
Hi, just wanted to share a suggestion - I’d be absolutely in love with the Framework if there was an ortholinear keyboard option, preferably programmable. What do you people think about that? Apart from that - as soon as I saw the Framework, I knew I’ll be ordering one, ortho keyboard or not. Waiting patiently for the Europe release! ---
**Author:** ![Jacob\_Padgett](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/jacob_padgett/32/1553_2.png) [@Jacob\_Padgett](https://community.frame.work/u/Jacob_Padgett)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 12:08am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/2 "2021-07-28T00:08:39Z")
You may be interested in some previous related discussion: > [@What keyboard options will be available?](http://community.frame.work/t/what-keyboard-options-will-be-available/178/13): > > I guess everyone needs to understand the keyboard options are going to be limited to whatever can fit between the holes in the chassis; things like adding extra keys to the right of enter or things like an ortholinear layout probably won’t be possible. > > That being said, there’s still options! I for one would love to see T-shaped arrow keys in the future, maybe with the top half of the left and right arrow keys substituted with hard rubber or something you can’t press, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Orhan\_Ilker\_Basaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7bcc69/32.png) [@Orhan\_Ilker\_Basaran](https://community.frame.work/u/Orhan_Ilker_Basaran)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 1:03pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/4 "2022-03-13T13:03:39Z")
Hi, I also would like to have an ortholinear layout keyboard. It is more ergonomic and flexible than standard layouts. It has become more and more popular recently. I would gladly pay extra for this option. ---
**Author:** ![frhap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ec9cab/32.png) [@frhap](https://community.frame.work/u/frhap)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2022, 8:50am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/5 "2022-06-01T08:50:47Z")
I understand that the chassis does not allow for adding more keys, but this should not be an issue for ortholinear layout. While ergodox and redox type keyboards do need more space, this is not the only choice for ortholinear. See [Staggered VS Ortholinear keyboard, what are the differences? - Tech Fairy](https://tech-fairy.com/staggered-vs-ortholinear-keyboard-what-are-the-differences/) for example, although I would prefer a shorter space key and fully symmetric modifier keys. ---
**Author:** ![Eric\_Janson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/eric_janson/32/2906_2.png) [@Eric\_Janson](https://community.frame.work/u/Eric_Janson)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 12:56am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/6 "2022-06-13T00:56:37Z")
Hi all: +1 for the ortholinear keyboard and symmetrical modifiers. The modifier modification would be possible with a shorter space bar/key, but the whole thing would require cutting a different aluminium key layout. I gather it’s technically possible, right? And just waiting for enough demand for a 2nd layout? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Alistair\_Bell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/alistair_bell/32/9471_2.png) [@Alistair\_Bell](https://community.frame.work/u/Alistair_Bell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2022, 2:18pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/7 "2022-06-16T14:18:52Z")
+1 for an ortholinear keyboard option, I recognize how niche of an option it would be, but it’s something I would adore to see available on a laptop! ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Frick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@Michael\_Frick](https://community.frame.work/u/Michael_Frick)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/8 "2022-06-17T18:46:55Z")
I would also love to see an ortholinear option made available! Space should not remotely be an issue considering common ortholinear layouts only have 47 or 59 keys since the idea is to use layers for any additional keys. ---
**Author:** ![Lovis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19b73/32.png) [@Lovis](https://community.frame.work/u/Lovis)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2022, 9:02am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/9 "2022-09-09T09:02:15Z")
+1 for a ortholinar layout. I realy woud be great to have a laptop with such a layout. ---
**Author:** ![junaruga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/junaruga/32/5342_2.png) [@junaruga](https://community.frame.work/u/junaruga)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2022, 11:32am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/10 "2022-09-09T11:32:41Z")
I am also a fan of the ortholiner keyboard. As people have a variety of needs for the keyboard such as the number of keys, layout, and size of the specific key, it might be good for Framework to open the CAD file of the keyboard, and let other people create some niche keyboards. It’s like what Framework did for the expansion cards. ---
**Author:** ![madjestic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/madjestic/32/11358_2.png) [@madjestic](https://community.frame.work/u/madjestic)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2022, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/11 "2022-09-09T12:07:06Z")
Even though I am not a fan of ortholinear in general, I can see some cool use-cases for it, e.g. music controllers for DAWs for example, where ortholinearity makes a lot of sense. As an optional keyboard that is easy enough to swap with the original, that could be very nice! ---
**Author:** ![Sparky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Sparky](https://community.frame.work/u/Sparky)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/12 "2022-09-18T21:37:35Z")
I am kind of surprised this isn’t a thing with how modular these laptops are… I could see a “Planck” style 48-key ortholinear fitting easily. Ideally something split+angled. Having an ortho option and/or replacement moving forward would be a benefit to the ortho/ergo community and bring a broader awareness to the subject. I am a designer/engineer by trade and I would push to make it happen as long as it was a break-even implementation. I feel it would be something that would be innovative in the laptop market and further the awareness of orthlinear keyboards. My current travel setup is a laptop and low profile split 36-key ortholinear that gets placed on top of my laptop keyboard with the trackpad more or less down in the middle. If I have the time later this year I will be picking up a Framework laptop to see how everything is put together and see if I can come up with my own keyboard for the Framework. PCB’s can be easily designed and printed, and just looking at photos and videos I am sure a proof of concept could be hacked together using what is already available. I would love to have a discussion with someone at FrameWork about this though; Developing an ortholinear layout, or coming out with a ‘framework’ to build your own. ---
**Author:** ![Aaron\_N\_Brock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/aaron_n_brock/32/1781_2.png) [@Aaron\_N\_Brock](https://community.frame.work/u/Aaron_N_Brock)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/13 "2022-12-01T17:22:04Z")
I’d also like to say that I’m interested in an ortholinear laptop. It would be the deciding factor for me to buy a framework laptop & I’d be happy to “preorder” it with such a keyboard if that helps bring an ortholinear keyboard into existence. ---
**Author:** ![junaruga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/junaruga/32/5342_2.png) [@junaruga](https://community.frame.work/u/junaruga)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/14 "2022-12-01T21:28:22Z")
There is a community project about it. > [@DIY Staggered Columnar Laptop Keyboard (Semi Ortholinear) \[Prototype\]](http://community.frame.work/t/diy-staggered-columnar-laptop-keyboard-semi-ortholinear-prototype/23821): > > Greetings. After realizing the sub-optimality of conventional keyboard layouts around 3 years ago, I became kind of a die-hard for ergonomic keyboards. Laptops unfortunately do not leave much choice when it comes to keyboard layouts and customization, so I have been reluctant to purchase any recent laptop products, despite losing my main laptop four years ago, using a university loaner instead. One of the key factors that made me go for a FW laptop was the openness of the system, especially a… ---
**Author:** ![user6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@user6](https://community.frame.work/u/user6)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 10:07pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/15 "2022-12-01T22:07:08Z")
I would love to have an ortholinear keyboard. So much better for hands! Default staggered layout is bad in comparison, skewing hand position from left to right, it’s not symmetric… ---
**Author:** ![junaruga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/junaruga/32/5342_2.png) [@junaruga](https://community.frame.work/u/junaruga)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/16 "2023-03-23T20:15:11Z")
We can expect the ortholinear keyboard! > > > As one of the QMK Firmware maintainers, it's great to see you're going ahead with the customisable side of things even on the input side.\Might I suggest engaging with QMK early so that we can avoid the usual manufacturer "hey can you merge this, we've shipped already and forgot to raise the PR until now"? > Absolutely! We’ve been chatting with Jack Humbert, and he’s actually been prototyping an ortholinear keyboard module for the Framework Laptop 16. There are likely some photos of it in press articles about the event today. ---
**Author:** ![dimtok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8e8cbc/32.png) [@dimtok](https://community.frame.work/u/dimtok)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2023, 1:03pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/17 "2023-03-24T13:03:25Z")
tl;dr I am assuming optional `split spacebar` comes if you decide to add optional staggered keys, right? When one has become used to custom keybs such as dactyls or whatever that gives you 3+ thumb keys, then it becomes virtually impossible to use a regular laptop keyboard anymore… ---
**Author:** ![Liam\_Chung](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/liam_chung/32/14468_2.png) [@Liam\_Chung](https://community.frame.work/u/Liam_Chung)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 10:54am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/18 "2023-03-26T10:54:07Z")
Seems unlikely we’ll be getting an ortholinear option for the 13 inch though, right? It seemed like all of the options around input modules were exclusive to the 16 inch. That would be incredible, though. > We’ve been chatting with Jack Humbert, and he’s actually been prototyping an ortholinear keyboard module for the **Framework Laptop 16**. ---
**Author:** ![junaruga](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/junaruga/32/5342_2.png) [@junaruga](https://community.frame.work/u/junaruga)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/19 "2023-03-26T12:19:41Z")
> [@Liam\_Chung](#): > > Seems unlikely we’ll be getting an ortholinear option for the 13 inch though, right? For the Framework Laptop 13 with an ortholinear option, perhaps, there is a possibility by another user-driven project in the future. You can check the project below. > [@DIY Staggered Columnar Laptop Keyboard (Semi Ortholinear) \[Prototype\]](http://community.frame.work/t/diy-staggered-columnar-laptop-keyboard-semi-ortholinear-prototype/23821/23): > > @dosssman we’re exploring a possible path to offering single-key modules that are mounted on thin PCBs, which are then soldered individually upwards into a PCB lattice that serves as both the electrical connection and the mechanical structure. Let us know if you think that would work for you. ---
**Author:** ![scy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/scy/32/14488_2.png) [@scy](https://community.frame.work/u/scy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/20 "2023-03-26T20:28:25Z")
> There are likely some photos of it in press articles about the event today. Anyone seen these pop up anywhere yet? I’ve only found [this other comment](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35286544#35290235) so far: > We were hoping there would be press photos of it, but I haven’t seen any show up yet. We’ll share photos on our social channels later. That was two days ago though … Didn’t see anything on Twitter or Insta yet. Having a laptop with an ortho keyboard and QMK would be a dream come true. ---
**Author:** ![Leseratte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@Leseratte](https://community.frame.work/u/Leseratte)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2023, 5:26am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321/21 "2023-03-27T05:26:58Z")
Doesn’t have to do with ortholinear keyboards, but with different keyboards in general: What I would love for the Framework 16 is a tenkeyless keyboard over the full width of the laptop. I don’t need accent panels, LED strips or a Numpad, but I do hate the half-size split Up/Down arrows and the fact that Home/End/PgUp/PgDown doesn’t have a native key. Just give me a keyboard that’s wider than the default one and has real arrows and the typical Ins/Del/Home/End/PgUp/PgDown a desktop keyboard has. [Next page](https://community.frame.work/t/ortholinear-keyboard-option/3321.md?page=2)