Tiny Keyboards: An Explanation

[@valdosh69]

I saw this video about 8 months ago...And I thought like who tf is this man, how can he use it and remember all shortcuts?!? Now after 5 months of using my Planck, I just want to say thank you very much for showing me this awesome thing! I've just ordered parts for my second 40% ortho :).

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Wonderful!

[@joelmcguire3136]

"day 12 after googling mechanical keyboard for the first time"

[@Cyromantik]

It's a hella fun rabbit hole to go down. One year later for me and I have two handbuilts, one of which is a split from Keeb.io and the other an ortholinear from Drop. Then I found out I could plug these into my phone using an OTG cable... Oh ho ho! So now I'm taking this little rainbow keyed Preonic into the office rather than my laptop now. :)

[@prophetdeceitful4444]

Once you fall in, you can never get out

[@astrofromthevoid]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 welcome my friend.

[@trejkaz]

I think it would be more approachable if the keycap set were cooperative.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I'm working on an intuitive layout and printing on keycaps that is easy to pick up on! Stay tuned!

[@gytisi.1445]

www.wasdkeyboards.com/designer/keyboard_data/models/87-Key%20Custom%20Cherry%20MX%20Keycap%20Set/layouts/38-87-vim-progdvor-black/87-vim-progdvor-blk-thumb.png

[@seven9766]

I saw this vid at a similar time. Here's my story: I wanted only one Keyboard, if i was gonna spend Money on it. Therefore i wanted it all: QMK, no RGB cancer, Split, ortho, 60% bc i didnt want to find i had not enough keys. Oh and the NEO Layout please, since i am learning that atm. To cut a long story short, i built a nyquist with custom wasd keycaps. I thought i was done for the next 10 years. Oh boy, was i wrong. I ordered a gergo kit 5 hrs ago, but with switches and keycaps included. Living in europe sucks for shipping from the us. I will go abroad for a year, and a friend wanted to play around with a macropad. Will probably take the gergo with me if i can build it in time, lend the nyquist to said friend. Original plan was to build a viterbi, but keeb.io doesnt accept paypal anymore.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I was just reading about DIY dye sub printing. Seems like a blank set would be fine for you anyway. You know all the keys from memory.

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

@@seven9766 The Corne keyboard seems ideal. I'm gonna build one of those suckers.

[@handlechar568]

"I am a programmer and I use vim." That is all you needed to say to convince me to go 40% haha.

[@pipila4826]

I just heard vim and I was like this dude knows what he's talking about

[@dedelabinouze5110]

I've stopped counting the amount of time i've heard: 'Wow how do you work with a 60% ??! I NEED my arrow keys for VIM' Mate just press Fn + WASD.

[@flexagonpark5467]

@@dedelabinouze5110 arrow keys suck This post was made by hjkl gang

[@handlechar568]

@@JohnDoe-qz9ji I think you would have to do it a similar way on a 40%. You could have a toggle layer key that replaces the top row with F keys. Personally I use vscode and don't use shortcuts that complicated. Both my numbers and F keys are accessible from layers triggered by keys I hold down with my thumbs. I think you could also set up the layer key to function as both hold and toggle. Hold to hold. Tap to toggle. Or... you could arrange the F keys on a layer in a grid pattern (like a numpad) on the right side. So you could hold down the layer key with right thumb and hit the F keys with your right fingers, freeing up your left hand to hold down both option and cmd, etc. You have many options!

[@handlechar568]

@@JohnDoe-qz9ji Oh and I think you could also do things like put Cmd+Option on the same key on your F key layer.

[@victorkhong7654]

Probably the best explanation of the 40% keyboard I have ever seen. This is truly a terrific video.

[@victorkhong7654]

"This keyboard scrolls into view like a Star Destroyer" - such a great line!

[@ultimatecheeze9066]

Pain27 users: "Pathetic"

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Always been a fan of the Pain27 :D

[@ultimatecheeze9066]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I need to find out how to buy one. I have always wanted a ridiculously overpriced paperweight.

[@iLiokardo]

LOL

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I think you have to make one yourself. I think it could be used if you could do some alpha key tap/hold layering. I've wondered about that kind of layering for a while, but never tried it out. The Pain27 would probably force me to do it, and I could finally test it :D I theorized that you could do mods or layer changes on unused english bigrams (much like modal changes in vim using 'jk' or 'fd'), or you could do holding mods on double taps of certain keys. Imagine being able to hold z to change layers, but if you tap it, it's just z. Or if you type 'jkc' the next key you press would have CTRL as a modifier for it. Creativity is found in limitation, and I think there are few keyboards more limiting than the Pain27! :D

[@J355_dll]

@@ultimatecheeze9066 there is someone on etsy that sells kits, like 60$ when I got my kit.

[@expe808]

from my gaming perspective as a leftie, i used arrow keys and buttons around them for ages now, and trust me, ortholinear is comfy! staggered layouts are so hard-wired into our minds, people need to focus on this and change it

[@iallaby]

Layers can seem scary, until you realise we all use layers on traditional keyboards, with shift and sometimes alt. Think how annoying it would be if every different symbol and even lower/upper case letter were its own key! You'd have like 150+ keys, massive, moving all over the place, super slow. 40% Planck keyboards basically just add another few layer keys to make it even more efficient.

[@HaiNguyen408]

I still don't think i could commit but this is a very good explanation video on how you function key warriors are so efficient.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

The great thing is that there are lots of options available. There are tenkeyless (missing only the number pad), and 60% (only keys from ~ to backspace and below). Now, there are more that fall in between and include arrows, functions, and page clusters fitted into the 60% form factor. The real power is in the programmability helping you get your work done faster. You can get that out of a basic mechanical keyboard, even if it's full size.

[@d3vastat0r89]

Yeah, seems a lot to cram, in addition to relearning to type.

[@Sinehmatic]

Wouldn't work very well for gamers, for example, or anyone who is using only one hand. A modifier key at one end of the keyboard and need the character while holding that modifier at the other end doesn't work too well when you're using one hand. I'm speaking specifically about 40%s and it might actually work for some people for specific games. I use a 60% because I don't use function keys in any of the games I play and I love the space it frees up and how easy it is to transport. But I definitely use my number row and I can't be moving too many fingers for one key press so modifiers to make my important, regularly used keybinds work is a no go for me. Some keyboard shortcuts such as push to mute, mute game, etc that are not intense gameplay keybinds can obviously use modifiers and more complicated keybinds but that's something else.

[@seven9766]

@@Sinehmatic To each their own poison. A QMK programmable full size board can do the same magic tricks. Just need to get creative with your spacebar. Chopping that up is long overdue

[@vakral9997]

I just moved from a 60% to a 40% a couple weeks ago, and I don't think I could ever go back now. People always ask why it I would want something so small or something that is missing so much, but having the layers just makes far more sense than having a big ass keyboard.

[@ThePowerchimp]

You made sense of a lot of what Ive been wondering about with small KBs - but I have 20 years of muscle memory for my motion graphics and animation workflows!

[@purplelord8531]

yeah, good on you for recognizing the biggest challenge with these keyboards I've seen people online buy an ergo mech, try it for a week and go wHy IsN'T iT wOrKiNg. you need to be dead set on taking years familiarize yourself with these layouts - def. not for everyone

[@nomiswanson]

For me, the biggest part of using a tiny keyboard is the mandate that your thumbs participate more in the action. Every keypress can be within one key of the home row, and it's your job to make that both memorable and easy. There's a lot of work that goes into figuring out what exactly works for you, but I think this video provides exactly the basis you need for that. No tutorials on setting up his exact key layout, no best practices for you to observe, just him telling us some cool things about his keymap and how he uses it.

[@ol1mar]

This is the first mechanical keyboard video that I've seen that has talked about 40% ortho keyboards for the purpose of maximising efficiency. Very interesting video!

[@SHENRAR]

I finally understand it. Everytime we see something that we dont understand, the first reaction is to think "this people is stupid" but if they do it that way, its probably for a reason. I am not saying I will switch to a 40%, because I dont have the need or the desire to, but, at least, now I know how it works and makes more sense.

[@idave22]

dude so well narrated. convinced

[@mqmareq6248]

Instead of reaching far away for key in vi, it is possible to just hit ^[ ( and opening square bracket). This works in vanilla vi and many other *ux command line tools.

[@galatasarayfan67]

Interesting. I don't ever see myself going to a 40% layout but your reasoning behind it makes so much sense. But why did you choose to have a grid-like layout for your keys when a 40% layout could have still kept the traditional 'diagonal' layout? The slight different in switching to a grid-like layout must have thrown off your muscle memory.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Actually I found the transition from horizontal stagger to grid to be extremely smooth. ZXCV keys are notorious because they move the most, but after a day I was totally fine. I even went further and staggered vertically with my latest design, Signum 3 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rprWiJ-Bg8-ii5Y

[@Go.el_Hadam]

great explanation, after owning a using a Anne pro 2 for a while now I am going to buy a PLANCK EZ. Layering is brilliant and I can never go back to full size.

[@tebla2074]

you made 40% make more sense in my head. I'm still not convinced that having dedicated keys for different things is not better but you opened my eyes to the possibilities!

[@jasonk.2739]

This is probably the best explanation for an ortho keyboard I've seen to date. Thank you!

[@The8merp]

my biggest concern with a 40% is the lack of visualization of a layers keys, and constantly having to hold down a fn or modifier key while using a layer causing fatigue and pain in specific fingers. The arrow, numbers and function key layers make intuitive sense and can be used without even looking at the keyboard, but I feel I'd forget lesser used customer layers, and would need to lookup my setup frequently to figure out which key was mapped to what on my lesser used layer. The other concern is having to frequently hit and maybe hold fn keys to access layers and whether this could cause finger pain. I know from experience that frequently holding the shift or ctrl keys for shortcuts causes me pain in my weaker pinky finger. I would prefer for a way to lock a fn layer by single tap of the fn key and then unlock the layer by another tap, so I don't to keep the fn key pressed for longer duration.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

You sound like someone who has actual experience with this stuff! Part of the problem with holding down keys is modifiers in the wrong place on the keyboard. In my optimized 40% layout, the thumbs are used for all modifiers, as I've found the thumbs to be the best method of holding any modifiers. I've further improved any thumb holding with some paddles of my own design, making holding modifiers even less motion. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppuaZotjesh9Z6c What keys/layers are intuitive and learnable vs forgettable depends very much on how your brain and hands work together. I tried dozens of layouts (particularly for the shifted number symbols) and finally found that assigning the symbols by mnemonics was easy to remember and fast to execute. Before that I tried all kinds of logical layouts and none of them seemed to work well with my brain. The other thing about these custom keyboards is they are programmable, so if you don't like the layout, you can change it. You should always try to build tools that make your work easier. kzbin.info/www/bejne/amrMdmZtfbSJmM0 Identifying the pinky fingers as weak for holding keys is very accurate, change those modifiers to thumbs, or make them tap keys. The custom programming for the keyboard allows for the opportunity to try out new and weird ways to activate the keys, layers, and modifiers. Having modifiers be "sticky" where you just tap them and then tap the text key without any chording is a long-supported feature of the custom keyboard firmwares.

[@v0ldy54]

40% from this video seems like a nightmare to me if you are using programs that require both mouse and keyboard to be operated, like Photoshop or video editing where you operate the keyboard with a single hand most of the time. I'd say 65% are the sweetspot, they give you great mouse space while mantaining everything except for numpad. A really underrated layout which I only found out about recently is the southpaw, which puts the numpad on the left side, that gives all the mouse space of smaller layouts while still giving you the numpad for excel or similar, plus even better it gives you the possibility of comfortably typing numbers with your left hand while changing textbox with your right hand using arrows or the mouse in a much more natural way compared to a normal keyboard. I'd love to get one but they seem pretty much nonexistend if you want Cherry switches apart from extremely expansive custom keyboards.

[@MAGAIVER]

@@v0ldy54 I'm a designer and I spend all day long on the adobe software mostly illustrator and photoshop. I daily drive a 30 key keyboard, I started on a keyboard similar to the one on the video I loved it, but now that I'm used to working with the 30 key layout using the 40% keyboard feels weird and cumbersome. So it's not only doable but it's actually great. My next project is a split 30% keyboard so I can have a similar layout to my current 30 key keyboard but split in half so I can have my wacom tablet in front of me with each half of the keyboard on each side of the tablet.

[@hershmysson]

at first I thought, "wow his keyboard is wonky", but not really, it's his keyboard.

[@ryfus007]

Your video changed my perspective in many things. Being a designer, your quote that design follows the form resonates very well with many things we are conformed because of how its designed. And the potential of the human mind to change that landscape, to rethink, relearn. And I dont ever leave comments on KZbin. You are my very first. Just cause, your very video reached out in many ways besides the title. Thanks!

[@reer3192]

I feel like 40 percents are a whole new type of hobby itself, not only 40 but just something like a custom acrylic laser cut cases with wonky layouts that divert from ansi such as the lily or levinson/lets split. You start learning about how to program pcbs and manufacture a new one which is insane. You start learning how to cnc and just start looking over the aspect of group buys and modding a keyboard until it’s full of things that aren’t keyboard.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I hope you're not talking about me specifically because that would mean more people are doing this. You are exactly right, and I think 40 percent keyboards are an invitation to rethink the concept of input devices. We've been far too long with then >100 year old design, and we're only not looking for ways to improve, and this is causing us to question all our preconceptions. "If I'm carrying around my custom keyboard, what else can I carry around? A USB drive? My passwords? An entire computer?" "My keyboard can do macros to automate basic functions and navigation on my computer, what else can it automate? Mouse movements? Combinations of the two? Can my macros change based on what program I'm working in at the time?"

[@iLiokardo]

Having a numpad layer in the keyboard could be a reason to use an ortholinear keyboard.

[@Cons-Cat]

Numpad is actually useless. You want numbers ordered ergonomically on the row above home row, with 1 and 0 on home row index position. Ordered according to Benford's Law with Zipfian distribution.

[@iLiokardo]

@@Cons-Cat Have a number layer toggle then, with a key to exit that layer. (don't do one key do toggle, have to keep mental track of toggle, a waste). Then, you don't have to press keys with the same hand that is holding a key. Swap 1 2 and 7 8 keys. More efficient, and you keep muscle memory.

[@ChrisLeeW00]

I've been thinking about how an ortho can work for me, since I also spend a lot of time in terminal and vim. Thanks for the tips!

[@lucasskotiniotis1360]

I would totally get into new layouts and keyboard types, but the problem is that ai would be unable to work on a keyboard say, in a library, at school, at a friend’s house etc. Same thing happens when I change my bindings in games significantly and can’t play at my friends’ houses.

[@iLiokardo]

You could learn the new keyboard layout, then relearn QWERTY so you can still type on a standard keyboard. But look into it more if you actually want to switch. Or, take your preferred ortholinear or vertical staggered keyboard and your game key bind config along with you in a USB stick (don't forget it :) You could have your preferred key layout in that custom keyboard XD

[@Jakethejakee]

What an awesome explanation. The background was absolutely great. I just started down the road to smaller keyboards. I have my first 60% in the mail right now and then stumbled upon 40%. When I was looking at 60% I initially didn't understand at all.... but this video even just made me understand that even better. It's also a cool idea to just use vim controls... everywhere..

[@fuzzybuddy4457]

THE ULTIMATE VIM KEYBOARDDDDDDD!!! nice video keep it up 😀

[@saladalt4999]

Hey for a keeb that is semi programmable is the vortex core. (Ordered one! Should get here today.) It has some cool stuff like the function stuff the second use is in the front of the keycaps. Cool stuff

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I like that Vortex added programmability without software, but I can't go back after QMK and EasyAVR. There are just too many features in there. It makes the Poker's and Vortex's programming look like nothing. Obviously, it's a bit more complex though! Look up Easy AVR to see how easy it can be, and look up QMK to see how powerful it can be! There IS someone who installed QMK on his vortex...

[@saladalt4999]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards well I bought the vortex for gaming. I'm not disappointed 😂

[@foursevnnn]

5:03 “Wanna see me do it again”

[@K-o-o-p-s]

recently moved to the 65% keyboard i needed dedicated arrow keys but this is by far the best explanation on 30-40% keyboards

[@edogastxoxo6654]

It requires a lot of shortcut memorization, but I'm sure over time it'll become muscle memory

[@larsthorwald3338]

Hm...I totally get the ergonomic benefit, but speed? I'm not sure. I did a quick 'net survey on the keyboard preferences of competitive typists, and I can't find a single one that prefers anything but TKL and larger. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place...could be, I guess.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

The top 0.001% of the world are not my concern, nor should they be yours. Moving less is faster for you, me, and the other 99.999% One of the top in the world very famously turns caps lock on to make a capitalized letter, then turns it off because it is faster for him. He literally does 3 keystrokes instead of 2 because it's faster for him. We are not comparable.

[@larsthorwald3338]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Yeah, I guess I'm assuming that if there's an inherent speed advantage in using the smaller keyboard, those whose only interest is speed would obviously want to exploit that advantage. The fact that they don't appear to be doing that makes me wonder--that's all. I also question the claim that competitive typists are different. Obviously they're faster, but this is only a difference in degree, not a difference in kind.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

@@larsthorwald3338 I think I understand what you're saying, but professional football players do not practice with non-regulation balls because they might adapt their muscle control to a non-standard piece of equipment. I don't know the rules of these competitions, but I don't imagine stenos are allowed, as one keystroke is not one letter. There are competitive and equipment restrictions in place that do not apply to general computer use or building a custom layout to fit your typing needs. Regardless, the thesis stands. Reducing travel time is faster. The considerations and requirements of competitive typists are irrelevant to the pure physics of movement.

[@Chokkan]

I haven't added a 40% to my collection, but I think I will have 2 by the end of the year. I think the short time in getting used to the layout will be outweighed by the benefits. I don't thing I could use one for every task I do on a computer, but for some things, I am really eager to give it a try.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

My favorite thing to do with a 40 is to take it along with me so I have a handy keyboard I can use on my phone with a usb to go cable. Android phone support usb devices natively, and if I need to do some actual work on my server, I get all my macros, key combinations, and speed when I SSH into my server.

[@nilssab]

learning a layout is surprisingly easy when all buttons on the different layers are where it makes sense to you...

[@AidanRampair]

switching between this video and Chyrosran22's video is amazing

[@meowmiaumiauw]

I used to daily drive a 40% I made, but I wound up switching to an Ergodox because the thumb clusters make layer switching easier and the split design is a little nicer. The 40% is now a stenotype, with any keys not mapped onto anything in Plover pulled out alongside the switches.

[@Mo.Faried]

I have been using my planck over the past year as a software engineer and I will never go back to any otger keybaord. It is awesome and I am using blanck keycaps.

[@supafly2087]

I got a 40% ortholinear keyboard because i wanted more desk space but still wanted a numpad. I can't go back.

[@FourOf92000]

If I can offer a counterargument: I do writing as a hobby, and I type at about 100 wpm. However, I spend quite a bit of time deliberating on which sentence goes next, such that even when I'm "really blazing" on a manuscript, I can only get about 750 words an hour. Which means that _at the very least_ I spend almost 90% of my typing time not typing. I could be going ten words a minute and still have comparable output. That's about as fast as I _write cursive._ This feels a lot like "what typing speed do you need to become a hacker". Unless you're doing a very specific job like-not like programmer, like _paralegal_ or something-you're probably going to be just fine with a typing speed in the mid-40s like everyone else. If you're worried about screwing up your hands there are ergonomic boards for that. If the 40% layout works for you, then good for you! It probably works great for a lot of people's setup. That and it's cool. But the aura of superiority I get out of this vid is kinda a putoff, and I'm _less_ likely to try one now.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Don't shoot the messenger. Moving your hands less and typing faster is objectively better in every way. Concerning yourself with the aura of superiority you attain by improving your work task or hobby is like lifting heavy things with your back because the guy who said to lift with your knees seemed like a know-it-all. Programmers make the same argument; "I spend more time thinking than typing!" That may be true, but you DO spent time typing, and if that time at 10% or 50% of your work was shorter, everything would STILL be better. Check my Vim vs Emacs video for more talk of improving text editing workflow and speed. There's nothing bad about finishing more drafts faster.

[@FourOf92000]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I recoil at the statement that _anything_ is "objectively better in every way", especially something so subjective as which keyboard experience is more efficient or feels better for you. When I'm thinking between keystrokes, for instance, I lift my hands from the keyboard _anyway,_ because I think with my hands as much as I speak with them, which means I place a premium on being able to find my spot and place my hands in it, from a non-typing position, as quickly as possible. The 104-key ANSI layout does that quite well, such that I considered a switch from a TKL to it an upgrade. Again, if your setup works for you, I'm not going to knock it. It seems to; you made an eleven-minute video extolling its virtues. And I'm not going to say it doesn't have its benefits. But if you're going to say that because this steep-curved system works well for you, it will therefore work perfectly for everyone else with no drawbacks whatsoever-which I believe the statement "objectively better in every way" is equivalent to-I'm going to object, because with that you're claiming that the vast majority of people who just want to use their damn keyboards, myself included, are objectively wrong to do so. And that I'm not going to let stand without contention. (Granted, I also tried vim for a month and rejected it, so we're probably not going to be on the same page anyway.)

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

​@@FourOf92000 I'll say it again; Moving your hands less and typing faster is objectively better in every way. Learning curve is a weak argument. If it takes you something as excessive as 12 months to learn to use it, you'll still reap the benefits for the rest of your typing life. That said; maybe if you're 99 years old, it might not be worth it. You are more than welcome to continue lifting things with your back, but don't try to convince me or others that it's better.

[@FourOf92000]

​@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I am not saying that a 104-key board is _better_ than a 40-key board, in any objective sense; I _am_ saying that there are a whole lot of different use-cases for keyboards, and a whole lot of different types of user, many of whom have various legitimate problems with a 40-key layout (for instance, most video editing software has you pressing one of the control keys at least half the time). You have said now, _twice,_ that the 40% layout is "objectively better in every way". I took that to mean that it would be _measurably_ better for _every_ person's use case. I can think of several that wouldn't be, for example video editing (where everything requires multiple keystrokes anyway, so you're stacking keystrokes on keystrokes and thus burning time) or accessibility (it's a lot harder to use multiple function keys when you're, say, missing fingers, or physically cannot move your hands dexterously). I repeat: I do not care that you use 40%. If anything, I'm happy that you are happy with it. It means you've found your optimal means of interfacing with the computer. And if it works for other people, I have no problem with it. Let them try. But it doesn't work for everybody-it doesn't work for _me,_ for instance, for reasons I've already explained-and claiming objective superiority is elitist at best. Also, "don't try to convince me or others that it's better"? What, are you afraid I'll succeed?

[@emilianoruizcarletti9381]

And here am I watching this video with my IBM Model F122... Its hard to believe that somebody actually likes 40% keyboard but here you are and a lot of people in the coment section aswell!

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

If I could run a model F without pain, and TMK firmware, I would.🤔😆

[@matthewhall6288]

Hello, fellow F122 user!

[@nero1873]

You have a talent for making videos bro. Great voice, amazing presentation, & the way you explain things is very succinct and easy to comprehend!

[@nateofnazareth7785]

I think I'm good with the extra exercise it takes to do literally anything at all without layers of modifiers to go through

[@scharkalvin]

The keyboard I'm using now is a 'ten keyless' IBM model M (space saver). I'm running Linux, and I know it's possible to remap the keys in the OS, for example I could move the left control key to where the caps lock is (and visa versa). I like the tactile feedback of the IBM bucking spring switches. I was considering trying out the HHKB, which is not much larger than your design. It doesn't have as many 'layers' in its layout as yours, but by editing a few configuration files, the Linux kernel and drivers can do the remapping. I think that before anybody invests the time to learn a new keyboard layout, they should first make as much use of keyboard shortcuts as possible. VIM and especially EMACS are richly endowed with these.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Congrats on the rare tenkeyless! They're really great! Xmodmap can do a lot for you in terms of keyboard control! I'd recommend rotating caps lock, left control, and left alt. That makes caps lock into alt, alt into control, and control into caps lock. Makes the more useful control more accessible to your thumb, and alt is tappable (you don't have to hold it down for most uses) on the pinky key. I know the HHKB, and I have a Leopold topre board, and while I do like the feel of the topre switch, I don't think I like the lack of sound. The board is n key rollover, so you can do layering on it with a custom controller. Yes, Vim and Emacs are both fully customizable input hogs. They'll pick up all your input no matter the keystroke (aside from some OS interrupt keys such as GUI and Ctrl+Alt+Del), but the goal should be to reduce chording wherever possible, or move to your thumbs where possible. This is why I like the custom ergonomic boards and the 40%, because your thumbs should be the only ones chording. But in Vim/Emacs environments, you should make use of modality (vim native, or evil in emacs) to assign regular old keys to your functions. Supplement this with a leader key layout like spacemacs does, and you can end chording entirely! If all of my work was in vim or emacs, I would have no problems. Unfortunately, I'm flipping through desktops, browser tabs, and windows, while trying to remember the keyboard shortcut for excel's recalculate formulas. The keyboard functions as a sort of translator to unify all your input across all these different things. You can program it with easy to remember shortcuts to Emacs, Chrome, Putty, and Excel. You can even set up layers specific to Excel so you have all your excel shortcuts on a layer you turn on whenever you're in excel. Tools like X-Mouse do this well by letting you change what buttons do based on the window you're in. So Mouse3+Scroll is a zoom in 3 different graphical programs even though each of those programs uses a different key combination for zoom. Unifying your input so you don't have to remember extra garbage.

[@scharkalvin]

Most people swap the caps lock with control, not alt, so that's a new one on me. I actually had three of these model M keyboards, two were found at a ham flea market for about $20 each NIB with the PS2 cord (detachable). The third was found on ebay for under $50, also NIB. One of them got zapped when the house was hit by lightning. I did manage to find a replacement control board, but one of the arrow keys and the left shift key never worked after that. Maybe something got fried on the key switch wiring. Anyway, I gave that one away to someone who thought they could fix it. So I still have a spare, but I might eventually have to replace the plastic rivets with screws according the the model M wiki.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

@@scharkalvin Yes, I did a caps lock to control swap for a very long time, until I realized that any chording on the fingers is not good. Ctrl on the thumb is easier anyway especially if you have to reach when doing a control Y or similar. Sounds pretty lucky on those model Ms, the bolt mod is very popular.

[@yaboitroy4101]

scharkalvin Autohotkey dude

[@lava-ru5ue]

This is great. You might want to consider Dvorak or another layout for more efficiency.

[@Anon.G]

Nobody should ever use Dvorak, it's inferior to colemak in everyway. Colemak is mathematically more efficient, and colemak changes less keys than Dvorak, so ctrl z x c v all work on colemak

[@jyudat4433]

Why u gotta be so smug

[@Goooogle]

Pardon my ignorance, but why wouldn't you use a split keyboard instead? It seems like it would be uncomfortable to keep your hands and your elbows together in such a tiny keyboard.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I later designed an ergonomic split 40% keyboard called the Signum, which I sell and use daily.

[@meercreate]

Can you show us a graphic of the different overlays and modifiers of this keyboard?

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I wouldn't recommend it, but here it is! www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/2b26cee77ba243e0e6b8e9d71efe7e21 I've also linked it at my website troyfletcher.com, where it will be updated from time to time.

[@meercreate]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Yeah, pretty whack, but I have a better understanding of it now. Thank you so much

[@astrophysx7523]

60% is the sweet spot imo, and thats if your familiar with vim lol

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I Vim and Emacs pretty hard on my Signum 3 40% :) I just can't get over the gigantic waste of spacebar. It should be one space, one backspace, and lots of modifier keys.

[@Tackyhashumor]

ctrl + c also exits insert mode in vim, no need for escape :)

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I knew about that one too, but typing jk to exit insert mode is extremely fast! imap jk

[@crispybacon4240]

Why use "HJKL" for arrow keys rather than the home row "JKL;"? This seems more intuitive to me than moving all the fingers on your right hand over one space. Although I like having dedicated arrow keys for games, I may add this for web browsing and such when I get my White Fox.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Vim is the modern originator of hjkl as arrows (or nethack :)), so it is the standard that programmers develop from. However, if you do not care about vim or use hjkl, then jkl; is faster. I've tried to make the switch, but there is too much "software" in my brain that uses hjkl as arrows, and it's not that big of a problem for me, so I leave it. If you don't have those hang-ups, then by all means jkl; or ijkl!

[@eldersprig]

Should have started off with the knight keyboard (like the Lisp machines had). It have roman numbers I-IV, a Greek shift key, a Front shift key, a Top Shift key, Control, Meta, Super, and Hyper, etc.

[@nxzhang]

First time such a layout made sense to me. Thanks.

[@scootergandoogle1278]

After recently learning i3wm, I am convinced that learning vim is infinitely more accessible than I assumed to this point. Thanks for this, maybe this weekend will be the time.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I have a video on Vim vs Emacs which has suggestions for getting started in Vim.

[@scootergandoogle1278]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards awesome, I'll check it. Thank you, sir

[@TheNoeticOne]

Looks like a great way to make typos very fast

[@iLiokardo]

Learn it.

[@Cereal.Fidgeter]

I think you convinced me when I first saw this video. I'm now considering this to be my first build.

[@picklejar7236]

I didn't understand the true purpose of smaller keyboards. I thought they were made for either more space or to look better. Very helpful video thank you. I might buy a 60% now.

[@MAGAIVER]

More space is a thing as well, I'm graphic designer and I use a big drawing tablet next to my keyboard, if I use a full size keyboard I have to keep my arms open in an uncomfortable position and I end up with neck and shoulder pain, a smaller keyboard solves that for me. And is also good for extra mouse space too. Most of my keyboard usage is software shortcuts on the left side of the keyboard.

[@Endrushmi]

I scoffed at these when I first heard about them. 2 years later after using an 87 key with layers, I find I am using less that 50 of those keys. Plank EZ is on the way.

[@theodoro89]

Well... Size doesn't matter for these things then... It's about programmability and I do love programmable keyboards. I'm using the WASD for the arrow keys and I can't go back to any non-programmable keyboard anymore.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Exactly! I feel like so many people are using mechanical keyboards, capable of literally doing work for them, and they settle for the feelz, or the clack when they could be doing so much more. I'm planning on making a video with an introduction to some simple shortcuts for your programmable keyboard that save time and reduce movement.

[@Ledface117]

a 40 percent board is a bit much but i can understand your arguement. I am a software developer and I use a POK3R 60% board everyday at work and it is SO much better than a full sized. The caps lock button is my function layer key, and arrows are on IJKL which is actually WAY baetter than having to move my hand off the home row. having dedicated buttons for things i never use like function keys and insert and delete, is simply not worth the wasted desk space. I think the 60% board will become the new standard in a few years.

[@robertfontaine3650]

Nice thoughts. The idea of shifting things to the fingers resonates very well. Im currently making the adjustment from a 60% with a rather poor layout to a 30% with a focus on steno and vmk for programmability. I was tending to think about layouts in terms of duplicating what is already there... ie. number keys and fkeys up. shifting them to home row with a fast toggle or as a macro is slick. going to have to give this some thought,

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

There's plenty to think about! Eliminating motion is as much speed as it is ergonomics, so try to target any weird or repetitive (or both!) key sequence. I made a long and poorly recorded video going over my 40% layout: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqDZm4aIar-dbcU

[@yokusi]

I've been wondering what's the deal with 40% keyboards and ever since moving from a 100% to a 60%, I'm starting to appreciate layers and programmable keyboards and your video just got me really considering a 40%. I might try it someday. Thanks!

[@Oratinum]

my mechanical keyboard is so small and when im playing games my thumb hurts while pressing spacebar

[@AtomLabX]

I came for the 40 percent keyboard and stayed for the cool voice tune, I have big issues with auidio, and your audio was clean. Yes the quality might be bad, but it doesn not matter because bny the end of the day the most impornat thing is the audio, so thank you for making that be cool, and good enough to hear with out any issues!

[@nottobay6768]

I'm actually wanting to build a xd75 based keyboard. Having a numb pad in the middle would definitely help with the transition. Although I might look into a plank.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I think the software matters as much as the hardware. I don't know how capable the XD75 firmware is, but look into QMK support, I imagine someone has ported it by now. Then you can start layering and really reducing your motion

[@nottobay6768]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards It supports it. I decided on it over a 40% because it means a bit less toggling between layers.

[@MAGAIVER]

I used to think 40% keyboards were cool and all but then I got a Gherkin and now my 40% keyboards feel too big. With well setup home row mods there's no need for dedicated modifier keys. I still use my 40's and even a much bigger 75key ortholinear from time to time but the Gherkin is my favorite tiny keyboard, at least until the Corne-ish Zen comes, that one is supposed to be the end all be all of tiny keyboards for me.

[@Alekpowah]

I suggest starting with a 60% with double printed functions on the keycaps, or 40% with doubleprint. It will save you time learning the layers.

[@ascourter]

Great explanation. Thank you!

[@tommyamos3198]

couldn't agree more! typing is all about efficiency.

[@josboersema1352]

You made me want to go 40%. You should switch to Dvorak, if you want to move the keys to your fingers. I know it is a hard change, but now I am glad for it. _Persevere and triumph._ P.S. Did some thinking and although I probably one day get a DIY planck kit or something to try 40%, the benefit of closer number row is sort of lost by having to type them like capital letters, which I do not like too much. You finger moves less, but you pay by moving another finger. The numbers can be reached fairly well on a 60%, so for now I think the Pok3r (60%) with its Dvorak plus costum dvorak keycaps seems a good choice. Really nice keyboard you have, though.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I spent some time learning a programmer's colemak, but abandoned it after it messed with my Vim mnemonics too much. Now that I'm pretty much all emacs, it might make sense to try again. I think HJKL to JKL; is going to be the hardest. Decades of muscle memory there... I would cold turkey it though. I have heard many reports of people who mentally switch between layouts without issue. Maybe I can pretend to be one of those people. I'm already all in on the custom keyboard, so making my own layout would make more sense. I'm working on an ergo 40% with a number row, which is technically a 60%, but will still have more thumb keys for chording.

[@josboersema1352]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Wow an Emacs user. I tried that when I started on GNU/Debian/Linux too but all these keychords got the better of me, so then I switched to vim and love it still. I wonder if 40% makes emacs easier or harder. A thing to consider with changing the layout could be how much typing you still have ahead of you to make it worthwhile, and how many behind that will make the switch so much more difficult. Also one should wonder what is solved by it. If you go home with finger pain often, it could be worth it. If you need really fast speeds, it could be worth it. Otherwise the cost of the change might not pay out. I was a fairly fast qwerty typer, and therefore the change was difficult, but not with decades of heavy typing behind me. I think it took me years. At one point I thought it was not worth it, even while I was already blind typing Dvorak, but now i am glad for it and I'm sure i type both faster (430 hits/minute), and never any finger strain. I never even want to think of qwerty again, or see it, and still to this day I can not easily find the keys visually because all I ever did was learn dvorak blind typing and the qwerty memory still seems to be there visually to a degree messing it up. 'Where is the x exactly' ? I don't know, even though I just typed it ;-). I'd have to type it and stop my finger and notice. Odd isn't it. Good luck on your new keyboards, the programability on those seems wonderful.

[@josboersema1352]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards I ordered the PCB of the Minivan hehehe. Playing with the layouts in QMK, reprogramming the Pok3r to simulate a 40%, puzzle puzzle and it seems it will work great on 44 keys.

[@jamuson4359]

the next steps are to split your board and get a little trackball to attach for either of your thumbs

[@TheLunarFX]

I'm having troubles deciding to go Ortholinear or Staggered. Staggered would be easier to used to while the Ortho would be easier, more intuitive for the numbers.

[@AllenJun]

Rolling your hand over to get numbers is genius!

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Numbers were the second hardest to figure out. Now I activate that corner key with Cherry MX compatible SA profile caps, so it sticks WAY up and is easy to reach easily. I can still feel the pressure after long sessions, and recommend some kind of padding on the button. Stack of foam on a audible click switch would reduce bottoming out, distribute the pressure, and still let you know when it activates.

[@AllenJun]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards could you perhaps have soft jelly like material as the key to absorb the pain?

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

@@AllenJun A mixed media cherry MX keycap would be pretty sweet. Jelly like a wrist rest.

[@thegame3417]

40% seems really effective, but I don't want to buy one before trying it first. Is it possible to map function keys and layers so I can simulate a 40% on a full size keyboard in Linux?

[@blazingmatty123]

AT102W, i still have one of these, these are good boards, it's my spare board now mind you

[@virgileallonas7384]

Are these conway gliders ? Take my like good sir

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Penny for the Guy! The Glider was adopted as a symbol for a group of computer users years ago, and I've been carrying it forward. I love the concept of an emergent complexity or behavior off random inputs and simple rules. Like the Mandelbrot Set.

[@user6343]

My problem with having a custom layout is that I still use an ordinary keyboard besides my private one and I don't want to switch my muscle memory

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Not everyone can, but many do switch back and forth throughout the day.

[@user6343]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards From my point now I think I'm going to build myself a 65% one but perhaps in the future get a 40% ortholinear or staggered one

[@ShaneNull]

Good video the are lots of build videos on these but not many explaining basic use, can you share your keymap file and do your have this on keyboard editor?

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Yes, my keyboard layout is a bit of a mess, but only because I keep trying new things and tweaking what doesn't work. There are a lot of iterations here: www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/#/gists/2b26cee77ba243e0e6b8e9d71efe7e21 You can also find a poorly recorded video where I discuss my 40% layout: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqDZm4aIar-dbcU

[@thorham1346]

With AutoHotkey you can do these things with any normal keyboard. So yes, it's a gimmick. Fewer keys isn't better, it's about the function of the keys.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Nope. I've already gone through this whole process... "I'll just swap caps lock to control"

[@thorham1346]

Perhaps you're right (must admit I didn't watch the video). Didn't expect AutoHotkey be a problem though. The big drawback has to be that you get used to this completely custom layout that no one else has. That's reason enough for me to stick with standard layout, full size keyboards.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Autohotkey still has features you can't get out of a keyboard, and I think it's a good supplement to any workflow. The macros are very VERY extensive, and the mouse XY click is super useful for systems that refuse to be automated or accept keyboard shortcuts. Programming a hyper key on your keyboard really helps AHK to stay out of the overlapping shortcut space of the OS. That is certainly a drawback for many. Personally, I never had a problem going back and forth. I'm slow on the transition for an hour or so, but I get back up to speed. Part of why I like these small boards is you can just take them with you, but if you're in a situation where you can't, or you have trouble going back and forth, it's hard to justify. I type way too much on my own systems, so the benefits are staggering (no pun intended). I mean, I can even plug this thing into my phone with a USB-to-Go cable, connect to my server, and do actual work with all my shortcuts.

[@thorham1346]

I'll stick with my normal keyboard thank you very much.

[@thorham1346]

For me, a good keyboard is about build quality. I like the standard 104 key layouts, so that's what I use. What layout you like is personal.

[@sp3ctum]

Star wars joke I was thinking about too, uses Vim... Instant like.

[@tuneman7688]

For some reason I was thinking about the SW reference too before he even said it.

[@msjkramey]

I love typing. I don't like programming, but I do it. This looks like it's annoying to learn, but worth it. It's like re-learning hot keys. I'm into it

[@sylens_]

So are the top layer of the keys, the keys that you have on them now and the bottom layer is where the enter, backspace and num row live? I want to try this layout im just confused on whats being presented a little, even with the braces and quotation keys are them keys the top layer as well, like can I see your qmk configuration file for that keyboard if you have it.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Ignore the print on the buttons, it doesn't match the function. I've moved to an ergonomic keyboard of my own design, but it is still a 40%, and you can find the layout here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/amrMdmZtfbSJmM0

[@blueridge8992]

So happy that I stumbled upon this video. What relatively inexpensive 40% with layers would you recommend? I like a brown or a speed silver switch.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Cheapest 40% I know of is the JJ40, but you have to solder it yourself. That's part of the fun and ownership though. :)

[@aeidein]

Good video, and I'm a big fan of efficiency, but there are many use cases where a traditional layout is faster or more convenient. Number keys should be easily accessible; needing to use modifiers to type numbers, especially ones that are interspersed in text, is cumbersome. So are things like Ctrl+Shift+arrow, which are used often in word processing - adding an extra modifier there is impractical/awkward.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Convenient? Maybe. Faster? No. Less movement is less time. There is nothing faster about picking up your hand to move your fingers to the number row, and then back to the letters when your hand is already over the layer modifier to get to numbers.

[@aeidein]

​@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Thanks for the response. It's mostly dependent on what you're typing. For many consecutive numbers / data entry, a (pseudo-)numpad is indeed faster. However, I think most typing (at least mine) involves numbers sparsely interspersed within text. The number row is still pretty accessible (you don't have to move your hand much, just stretch your finger) and it's faster to type those directly than holding a modifier, typing the key, and releasing the modifier in between typing letters. It's similar to the way Sean Wrona finds it faster and more convenient to toggle CapsLock on/off for capitals than hold Shift. Modifiers hinder your flexibility and thus your speed - e.g. when you're using your pinky to hold the number modifier, it anchors your hand in place and makes subsequent left-handed letters more difficult and slower to type.

[@nachomahn]

Love this and thanks! I always a proponent for vi because you don't have to touch the mouse or use difficult key combos to do every possible operation you'd want in an editor. So I logged keystrokes for a few hours (in vim) and watched how many times I hit escape ... I couldn't believe it. Sure I don't touch a mouse, but my hands are all over the keyboard in wasted motion. I remapped immediately and got in on a drop for a planck to help force the issue. It will take time to get used to ortholinear keys, but I am already reconfigured so my hands rarely move in my vim config and I can't wait to have extra keys close by for more layers.

[@MatrixMaverick1980]

Nice explanation. Got one on order from Drop.

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Drop? As in Massdrop? I hope it goes well. Let me know if it doesn't! There are alternatives.

[@MatrixMaverick1980]

@@TroyFletcherKeyboards Yes Drop.com or formally known as Massdrop. I got a Preonic kit from them which is excellent. Just got Plank kit on order expecting the same quality. Both of them feature interchangeable switch PCBs.

[@JohnMassaglia]

Nice Dell AT101W. I have a black one. I didn't appreciate how great my planck was until I built a gherkin.

[@Boyetto-san]

Well explained, and you really did help me understand what the reasoning behind these keyboards are. But I still believe that this boils down to just a more extreme version of the Dvorak argument. You could make the case and demonstrate that typing on a 40% ortholinear makes things that much more efficient and whatever, but it's still a learning curve that may make sense for some but not most people. Short of your professional credentials directly benefitting from this kind of absolute efficiency to justify overcoming that learning curve, I still fail to see how an ordinary user could justify doing the same themselves other than because it'd make them look cool. Also, adapting this to gaming seems a stretch when you need function just to access the number rows, or having nontraditional placements for space and other modifiers.

[@abominathan932]

I had made some money working with my uncle and ordered a Planck on an impulse, no knowledge of it, no idea how to touch type, no desire to learn a 40% board, just thought it looked cool so I blew my money on one and hoped I’d like it

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Hardcore.

[@wolverine9632]

As a simple universal non-ESC way to escape, Ctrl-[ works exactly the same as the ESC key.

[@rauljosegarcia]

How's it going with the tiny keyboards and the ortholinear layout? Still using it?

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

I've switched to an ergonomic 40% keyboard I designed, the Signum 3.0

[@karlh5645]

Great video! Would you tell me how you made some of your keys angled?

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

The angling is a function of the keycap profile. The switches are all level, but the caps you put on them are angled by a "profile" set by the manufacturer. The steepest angles are on the bottom row, and by flipping those around, I've made very different angles that are easy to "home" your fingers on.

[@karlh5645]

That's pretty cool, I will probably do that when I build my 60%, and since the keycaps I ordered is for TKL, I have quite a few extra keys to move around.

[@2manameturfilms13]

I had the privilege of typing on this at the Louisville meetup earlier this year. Very cool!

[@256k_]

i won a let's split kit from a meetup and im waiting for my switches to build it and im so torn on the 40% life... im investing some nice money into to really build a sweet keyboard (im used to the 60% with the caps used as FN layer) and i keep going back and forth on the let's split... im worried i wont like it but im really excited at the idea to fully customize the layout to my own liking making it very logical to my own brain. I find that making layouts for anything if you made it yourself and spent time coding it, you'll have a much better time rmembering where everything is rather than having to learn some generic layout someone decided was the best..

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Great! Good luck with the 40! I recommend being aggressive with your layout, and being quick to change things to try different configurations. The more iterations you go through, the better things will get!

[@darukutsu]

Whole Time I Was Using This Keyboard Wrong. Now I Can Finally Rest In Peace.

[@WadelDee]

I've heard complaints before that switching to the mouse and back takes time. What if you need to switch to the mouse a lot? Can you simulate mouse commands with the keyboard or would even you say that just using a regular mouse would be the better option?

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

You can simulate mouse controls and commands on the keyboard, but it's clunky at best. EasyAVR has the best mouse controls, but QMK could probably be just as good with a bit of work. Generally, if you do a lot of mousing, and there's not a keyboard shortcut way around it (such as graphics work), you just need a mouse. I should note that after trying out a trackball, I started mousing a lot more because it was quick and more convenient than the keyboard mouse controls. The logitec m570 is cheap and robust. I have 3 now.

[@ARandomClown]

I don't think I could ever use a small keyboard as effectively as I use my current keyboards. I feel like my hands would cramp up after 20 minutes, especially considering how the layout looks like a matrix rather than the offset layout. I have some keyboards with a numpad, and some without, but the thought of needing to use 2 or more function keys to be able to hit every single key is not something I am a fan of. it's cool that it works for you, but I don't think I would be able to use it. also is having some of the keycaps in different orientations a stylistic choice, or are some upside down to get a different angle for your fingers on the keys?

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

Once you adjust to the new key positions, the small keyboard means you will have less movement, which would lead to less cramping. The biggest change is the bottom row, which is shifted to the left, after you learn zxcv, you're fine. Yes, the keycap orientation is to present more surface area for the thumbs and reduce pressure points.

[@JorgeHernandez-gq6yy]

Do you know if there is any articles that go more deeper into this? I broke my wrist 3 years ago 2 weeks before I graduated from high school and I still get wrist problems when i code. Thank you for showing us this 👍

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

There is very little available that discusses my formula; (move less + type less) * time. Please send me an email. There are some ergonomic options, but they are few. [e-mail]

[@TroyFletcherKeyboards]

This covers a lot of the mechanics of what I learned about ergonomics in dealing mith my RSI kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIbCn2mmYs5kodk

[@LoverKittey]

You can do this but the more buttons available, the more combos you have. Some people use one hand to type at times(like I am right now) so having layers on a comparatively big keyboard like a 40% or 60% makes more sense for me than making a 20% with stenography levels of utility. To add to this, 70% of the people who own or use a computer regularly are not going to remember a keyboard's qwerty layout, I struggle to remember any shortcuts at all and have to have keycaps with just the shortcut label as while I've memorized qwerty, I don't work on a computer 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Most I use a computer at work is maybe half an hour at a time on a work issued laptop. Don't get me wrong, I love layers and tap and hold, but the more keys on a board the more utility the board has. That said, 40% has some of the coolest keyboards of all time and I understand trying to justify their practicality. It's just that if your work space can accept it, why not fill it up with buttons for everything?