As a programmer and gamer the up and down arrow keys are important for me, while the right shift key is rarely ever used, so I really don’t understand why the choice was made to have such a big right shift key and cram the up and down arrow keys into one. Together with the hated windows key, its the only thing I’d change about the keyboard. I would order a new one if you fix those two things.
(I am a Java programmer and use Fedora. I avoid M$ like the plague, so a Windows key on my beloved Framework laptop feels like an eyesore and has to go.)
One way to solve this is to make a custom key through Framework, like Tuxedo Computers does. Not necessarily as a standart on keyboards but like a keyboard variant with any image you want on the windows key (like the ubuntu, fedora or arch logo on the key). It would add a lot more customisation to the laptop.
Sure it would not be used by much so it could be a special quote to make so it could be good to ask for community feedback before going into production.
Another vote for better arrow keys and page up, page down. Thinkpads are the way to do it.
Squeezed down arrow keys frankly just suck. And they influence buying decisions.
The only thing that stops me is that there is currently no Swiss keyboard layout. I have to write in German, French and English all the time and this keyboard layout is mandatory for a new device. Is there anything forseeable in the pipeline for this layout?
The thread I linked. They are verifying the layouts. I think it gives indication that they are closer to manufacture than just reading “coming soon ™”
If you want an ETA you’re free to go to the thread and ask nrp.
Like vesicant, Roman and etc, I’m still kinda stuck with a laptop that is starting to show it’s age. In my case it’s a Lenovo Yoga 3 1470 from 2015.
So a 75% layout definitely has a demand.
Rupert_Woods had a nice idea for the FN key.
I don’t know how reliable the FN toggle is on the controllers used by framework, but I do know that it bugged the hell out of me when I was given a HP for work and that damn FN toggle would always reset to the “useless” media-keys mode on each and every reboot. (And this is across multiple different units, 6 of them. There is a way to toggle this through software but half the time that doesn’t work on HP in my experience)
In a perfect world, we could have both of these options, but the 75% is probably more useful
I think it’s safe to say Spanish keyboards won’t be available until they open orders for Spain, which they said would happen in summer. I guess, when they are done fulfilling orders from everywhere else.
The Swiss version is a bit weird as the lettering for the mutated vowels only shows the lowercase variants, twice.
Because the Swiss version is in fact two: the Swiss-German and the Swiss-French versions! They differ only in the three umlaut/accent keys to the right. When you press them in the Swiss-German version, you get the umlauts and in the Swiss-French version the accents. Shifted it is the other way round. So, if I want to write “ä” I either just hit the key or hit it with Shift, depending which Swiss version I am using. This is because often people need to write both French and German and it is easy to write both languages in the Swiss keyboard. However the Swiss didn’t want to give a preference to German, so they made it optional which language has the preference. Hence two versions:
Swiss-French: à é è shifted ä ö ü
Swiss-German: ä ö ü shifted à é è
The keyboard labels are same for both versions. You are supposed to just ignore two of the four labels.
Has anyone purchased a “stealth” unmarked keyboard and then stuck on custom stickers? How has the experience been, do the stickers last, have you found the correct sizes for the keyboard?
for one: This. #30 by Brad_J
A Nav keys colunm to the right could reduce finger travel quite some, i assume. Anyway, i’d like that layout.
For another, slightly indented key tops and slanted sides, somewhat like this “/ˋ–ˊ\”; the keys themselves appear to be high enough for that shape.
This, i presume, would make a much more traditional-keyboard-like experience.
Full disclosure: i’m a Thinkpad fan and type this on a X220.
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best regards, WL
I’ve been repeatedly frustrated by the lack of a context menu button (i.e. right click button) on the keyboard. (The 2 other laptops and 1 wired keyboard on my desk right now all have it. Two have it between right Ctrl and Alt, and 1 has it as Fn+rightCtrl (annoying, but better than none at all).)
You should be able to remap a key to act as a context menu key. Or use a nearby shortcut, like Ctrl+/. I’ve done this to several keys, like the useless capslock.
