Pro1 X Qwerty Layout (Not Shifted)

[matf-kabouik 414]

I have completed the draft on the gist with an additional layout with only two colours, and larger labels to make it more realistic considering what we currently have on the Pro1.

I also added that our previous us-intl layouts were partly incorrect, because some keys had labels that should not exist, there were a couple duplicates, and also those layouts were showing a mix of third-level and fourth-level characters. This is an issue because our colour hint suggests that AltGr produces these characters, not Shift + AltGr. Mixing them makes it non standard and hard to follow, even if it is sometimes to give priority to more common symbols. Another issue is there are more keys with third level characters than keys with fourth level characters, so choosing to show fourth-level characters would result in no blue label on some keys, despite them actually having some symbols to show when combined with AltGr. Those previous layouts we made were all based on an us-intl layout that was posted here, but turns out it was a little more featureful than the standard (and had one duplicate symbol). I do not feel bravehearted enough to redo them all from scratch, I think it's fine if we just acknowledge this mistake and stress that F(x)tec folks should not do the same mistake. If we want to add extra characters, I suggest we do it on keys that are still empty on third and fourth levels, like F, G, H, J, K, X, V and N but leave everything standard on other keys so that our layout is just us-intl on steroids, not us-layout with custom trade-offs. See the corresponding paragraph at the end of the gist.

Considering the constraints (two colours max being a very likely constraint), my favourite is Fig. 4:
 

Quote

 

Fig. 4. Layout with all us-intl labels and just two colours on keys for easier production: white for main keys, blue for AltGr modifiers and symbols, as well as the Fx key (Super) which would be cool for the Pro1x limited edition. us-intl alpha keys could be upper case if preferred. Fn is labelled in smaller size and in the top right of its key as a visual hint of where to look for function key combinations: top right, white, smaller. The same would work with bottom right if preferred. Symbols instead of text are used for function keys for space saving (except Del, as it is both more straightforward and easier to distinguish from ⌫ than ⌦). Keys are overall labelled in larger font than the other examples to make this layout realistic and similar to the current Pro1 layouts. It is still legible, which shows that this layout could work with the actual size of the Pro1/Pro1x keys.

 

 

Else, with three colours, Fig. 3 would be my favourite (provided the us-intl keys are fixed).

But of course, we could cook everything in a different way. For instance, the us-intl labels could be removed, freeing blue for something else, and then printing the Fn key as well as the associated function symbols in blue. That would work for me too. However, I believe an us-intl layout being conspicuously visible straight from a product page on the F(x)tec website without investigating any software workarounds for international symbols would be important to convince international users not already represented by Qwerty, Scandic, Qwertz and Azerty. Else, I'm sure the vast majority of users would probably not look for software solutions, and just consider this device is only for English/Scandic/German/French speaking people.

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by matf

[EskeRahn 5,460]

4 hours ago, matf said:

Considering the constraints (two colours max being a very likely constraint), my favourite is Fig. 4:

Well, as said earlier on, most likely we would have to operate under a harder constraint of only the physical keys with secondary print on the existing qwertZ layout can have have secondary print, and in yellow, without the requirement of changing det underlying keytops. But if we can persuade them to change that too, it would obviously leave us more options. But it would add extra expenses to have to produce two types of base keys, so we would have to argue harder.

[matf-kabouik 414]

I'm not sure I understood what you meant about qwertz. Can you please elaborate @EskeRahn?

Is that related to not all keys having a secondary layer for a second colour? I guess if keys are redone to change the layout, it's not changing much to the production to change which keys get a secondary layer in the first place. Their plans for Scandic already shows new keys with secondary colour compared to what we currently have on Pro1 or in other Pro1x layouts (N and K for instance).

The issue would most likely be to use the previously produced keypads, to avoid wasting parts.

Edited November 16, 2020 by matf

[EskeRahn 5,460]

I just meant that just some of the keys got the yellow foil, any other keys will be white, unless they made a different version of the base.

The currently announced can all be made with same base and different black.