Support for Alternative Layouts
This is a summary of how alternative layouts have been supported by kits such as Colevrak and Homing. It is not a discussion of alt layout performance and development, but if that interests you I highly recommend starting with Pascal Getreuer’s A guide to alt keyboard layouts (why, how, which one?). It’s a concise and comprehensive overview with links to some great sites that go deeper. He also has a separate Links about keyboards page. The Keyboard layouts doc he recommends explains layout goals and metrics in detail, summarizing the alt layouts discussed here as well as more than one hundred others. Sculpted-profile The majority of custom keycap sets are sculpted-profile (Cherry, SA, MT3, KAT, etc. - more on profiles generally here) so let’s start there. Because each row has a unique keycap shape, alt layouts require a unique keycap for each legend that moves off its QWERTY row. At first there were two The Dvorak layout was patented in 1936 by August Dvorak & William L....
Apr 23, 2024
- Ghosting is insane. The double tap rate makes it unusable with the default switches. MassDrop will offer a full refund, but that still means I lose my shipping costs and import duties.
- It's programmable, but it's a very involved process and there's no on-board memory. You unplug the cable, you lose your changes (that were hard to make in the first place). I had issues retaining the programming on the keyboard, others haven't. Point is: Other keyboards at this price point make this a lot easier with proper software support.
- The magnetic feet will detach immediately is you try to move the keyboard sideways. This is just silly.
For me the keyboard turned out to be a huge disappointment. I had to wait about 2 months for delivery to Europe. For 2 units I had to pay double shipping (although they were in one box). I had to pay some hefty import duties. Now MassDrop won't send me working switches, even though I'm willing to pay the difference. The refund option may be interesting for US buyers (less waiting, shipping, duties), but for an EU buyer it's too small a band-aid for the wound. A lot of love was lost and it's a bit of a tragedy. Buyer beware.