To be honest, I don’t think there is a big chance that they will change it. Since they already went with the Gear / Settings symbol on the Framework-13, which has been through 3 generations now. It’s generally better for companies to remain consistent as much as possible with choices like this. But I really do wish they would change it (so that they can do the Framework Gear on the “windows” key without causing confusion).
“super” on the windows/meta/super key just looks lame to me. It has no life to it. A Framework logo is what is needed. I’m a full time linux user and I wouldn’t buy this “super” keyboard. Rather have the windows logo which I can put a sticker on and get enough backlight to provide glow for the logo on a sticker. Linux users have been doing this forever.
I’d be pretty happy if it came with the keys as shown in the image, but also included a couple “spare keys” that are the changes were asking for. That lets things stay largely consistent, but offers the option for the customers to swap out for the better ones.
I very much hope that an ortholinear or ergonomic keyboard with blank keys will be available for the FL16. However, in the interests of French AZERTY layout fans, I would point out that you are using the old version of this layout here: In 2019, following several years of work and consultation, the French authorities have published the new standard for the French AZERTY layout. Here’s a page about it: The new AZERTY
I suppose it’s too late to mention that not having dedicated PgUp/PgDn keys (and to a lesser extent Home/End) is a dealbreaker for many people? You’ve even got space for Thinkpad-style PgUp and PgDn buttons in this layout - why not use it?
As @Captain_Pumpkinhead mentioned, the number row being above the shift characters is slightly confusing. What makes it worse is the row is flipped and the tilda (~), and the tick ( `) remain the same. This would read to me as if I need to press shift, to type a number on the number row.
If I recall correctly, the EC does usually assign this key to open the multimedia player in Windows and Linux. The only time this differs is in pre-built laptops running Framework’s Windows image, where they have edited the OS to have that key open the Framework homepage when pressed.
On the Spanish keyboard, the number 3 has two ‘#’ which seems redundant. My current keyboard has ‘#’ as Alt-3 and ‘·’ as Shift-3. Also, not sure what the extra symbol is under the M key, it seems like a repeated comma, never seen those.
As a more personal note, I would also love to have a version without the windows logo and the framework logo in its place. Everything else looks great.
Adding on to what @Captain_Pumpkinhead and @mrwm said about US English (RGB), not only are the number/symbol keys swapped from how I’ve seen them since them since the 90’s, but all the symbol/symbol keys even in other rows such as [/{ , '/" , ;/: and ,/< are swapped. As a touch typist, this is unlikely to slow me down, but it certainly catches me off guard every time I look at the image above.
I will assume the smaller size of the number row symbols !..) in comparison to the other US layouts and general horizontal alignment changes in the function key row are likely intentional stylistic changes.
I believe that when NumLock is off, the 7 and 1 number pad keys are generally treated as Home and End respectively. Rather than using the left and right tab arrow symbols on these keys, I believe “home” and “end” text would make more sense and also maintain consistency with the labeling on the arrow keys across the presented English keyboards.
The typeface looks… a bit too Microsoft-y (I suspect it’s 맑은 고딕?) May I kindly suggest/recommend Pretendard, a golden standard for Korean sans-serif loved by many Koreans? It’s under the SIL Open Font License.
The Korean legends look a little bit too small in comparison to the alphabets due to their more condensed nature. I think Apple strikes a nice balance between the two when it comes to this.
In same fashion, 한/영 and 한자 keys (left to the arrows key) are currently matched in size with the rest of the Fn row legends (ctrl, fn, alt), but for the readability’s sake I think it definitely needs a size bump. (Not too much, but just a little for visual compensation)
Apart from that, I think you guys nailed it! I’m so glad you guys didn’t went with serif fonts or god forbid, using 굴림 like Logitech did.
I’m responding to this thread, because I saw the tweet on the Framework account asking for feedback, especially wrt to the French layout.
As a French user, and computer programmer since a long time ago, I never managed to change my layout from AZERTY to a more efficient one. This has severely hindered my ability to enter some new ecosystems or hobbies, for instance custom mechanical keyboards.
I just learned that there is a new AZERTY layout, and that framework is considering replacing the old one with the new one.
I can’t speak for all french people, but I can say that as of now (IIUC, 5 years later after the release of the new layout), neither me or my friends have ever seen one in the wild, let alone used one. I think not having the option to use the old AZERTY would severely hinder my motivation to get a replacement part if mine was to fail, and it would defeat the entire purpose of having gotten in the framework ecosystem in the first place.
Maybe when I am forced to change by a greater trend in manufacturers, I’ll have to make the switch anyway ; but I desperately need an old AZERTY in order to being able to simply use a computer.
Now I’m not one for being resistant to change, I think supporting the new norm and offering the keyboard is a great idea. Hell, maybe that’s the thing that helps some French people like myself to actually make the switch. It is probably more efficient, and is technically the current norm, but keyboards are a very personal thing. The disconnect from switching in between all the machines I use in my life (work computers, desktop computer, gf’s computers, etc…) would be really awful to have to deal with on a daily basis.
Framework wants to be on the bleeding edge, and I would encourage the team to produce such a keyboard, but only if it means not dropping support for the old AZERTY layout.
TL;DR : please don’t shelve old AZERTY, add the new layout if you must, but most French people I know of have never even heard of a new layout.
PS: big +1 for the gear icon on super. I hate having the windows icon everywhere, even being a windows user myself.
