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
For some minimal direct comparison, here are the white-paw, pink-pad versions of both keycaps. KeyKollectiv: https://i.imgur.com/z9Eo0y3.jpg
Hopefully, this helps any potential buyers decide whether or not they're comfortable buying the Zomo keycaps. I don't intend to express support or rejection of either side; only to add something which has helped me form my own opinions (along with reading through the discussions here).
What are these adorable little things even MADE of?
I'm going to buy one that is "close enough".... it's cute... not quite ADORABLE, but cute.. I'll keep my eyes open for an original (now that I know they were made). If I happen to fall into finding one for sale, I will think I'm the luckiest person in the world, but I'm not going to spend a horrible amount of money for the privilege to purchase it... (but sure would be nice if I could find one that needs rehoming.) I could give it a really loving home. My cat would LOVE it.
UGH -- I just went to order one, and the sale is CLOSED!! ARGH!!! If anyone ordered an extra one, and would like to rehome it, I would *LOVE* to buy it from you... sigh.