I’m wondering if Framework will support/build custom keyboard layouts?
I wanted a keyboard layout much like Zenbook 13 OLED UX325EA
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You don’t mention which model you’re referring to, but that layout looks a lot like the one that the FW16 already has. The '16 is just missing the column of keys to the right of the Enter key, you have to use the function key to access those abilities, or a number-pad.
“75% keyboard layout” is one common name for a keyboard layout with the Del/Home/PgUp/PgDn/End navigation column on the right. It is popular for external keyboards, and was popular on 14" notebook models.
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One benefit is often full-sized up/down arrow keys, welcomed by many people who frequently edit multiline text or spreadsheets, or play games that use up/down arrow keys. (The UX325 keyboard doesn’t have this.)
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Another benefit is dedicated Home/End keys for moving to beginning/end of line or spreadsheet row, or for shift-Home/shift-End selecting prefix/suffix of line from cursor position. On most keyboards without these dedicated keys they must be typed with two hands as fn-Leftarrow/fn-Rightarrow or fn-shift-Leftarrow/fn-shift-Rightarrow, which is more cumbersome if one hand is on the mouse positioning the cursor, or holding a phone.
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Similarly, dedicated PgUp/PgDn keys are easier to use with one hand than fn-Uparrow/fn-Downarrow, while browsing/scanning a long page. (PgUp/PgDn are also more predictible than two-finger scrolling and faster than scroll-wheel spinning, though I use all of them in different situations.)
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A third benefit for me as a frequent user of the right-ctrl key, is that this layout leaves the right-ctrl key in a position under the ‘/’ slash key that is more comfortably reachable with the short pinky finger (with less RSI) than under the ‘.’ period key.
The Zenbook UX325 series is 304 mm wide. The Framework 13 series is only 296 mm wide, requiring more compromises to squeeze in the navigation column. The 2021-2023 HP Aero 13 fit one into its 298mm width. (From 75% kb layout with dedicated Home/Pg Up/Pg Down/End?)
(In case anyone wonders how that is possible when the UX325 has a 13.3" diagonal screen and the Framework 13 has a 13.5" diagonal screen: the UX325EA screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio, while Framework 13 screen has a 3:2 aspect ratio, so the Framework 13 screen is taller, not wider.)
One challenge for third-party keyboard developers is that the keys are so thin on notebook computers including Framework laptops, so existing modular key systems do not fit. Framework is developing a thinner system, the One Key Module Developer Program, but intially only one key size is a limitation.
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