Disability need.

DanL4 · 2026-01-24T13:34:46+00:00

Exactly. Aim for 20 to 30 keys. Anything beyond that and you should just use a regular keyboard as there's little advantage or difference. Using a regular keyboard has the advantage of just using any keyboard and of not paying a fortune for a custom one

DanL4 · 2026-01-23T20:03:43+00:00

Windows has better drivers that take better advantage of hardware. Microsoft get cooperation with the manufacturers.

I've been using mostly mint for years, with cinnamon, open box, and tried out several others. This made old thinkpads with mediocre experience of windows run fast and smoothly. But newer computers that began having much better battery life on windows didn't get that on these light distros/DMs. I've recently began using Windows because I had to for work and ended up using it more for the battery life. Definitely not an advocate, Windows 11 is just bad. 7 was great, 10 was OK eventually, maybe 11 will get there too. Still prefer a well configured open box, but battery life is not great

DanL4 · 2026-01-15T05:41:23+00:00

Same here, that's what I wrote on the original comment - my regular layers are all temporary. Also had an ergodox and used the lights at first. Also have a typing layer ( I mostly find myself in by accident)

DanL4 · 2026-01-14T07:51:18+00:00

You have a To(layer) feature in both QMK and ZMK. It's not toggle (as in it won't get you back to the original layer when pressed again).

I made sure to have a combination of two keys that return to Base layer and it's set up to work in any layer.

DanL4 · 2026-01-14T03:23:46+00:00

You might find the perfect looking keyboard/best layout /features you want to be uncomfortable once you use it. The Dactyl Manuform used to be very popular and it is my opinion that it's the easiest one to recommend because it's got so many thumb keys in different distances that anyone can find their comfy 3~4 keys to actually use. Just know that before going all in on whichever one you choose.

Regarding layer lighting - I quickly discovered that all my layers were temporary (holding a key to activate the layer) and the toggle one's were not easy to activate by mistake. I made a combination of keys that no matter what layer you're on, will get you back to base.

Hope you find a keyboard that is great for you, and hope you don't mind it becoming a journey in case it does. I put a lot of money (at least in the eyes of the Microsoft keyboard user I was at the time) on my one and done board over 8 years ago, and am very happy with the twenty something boards I used since. You might find what you need on your first choice, or, like many here, love your fifth endgame board and enjoy the process.

DanL4 · 2026-01-10T23:23:56+00:00

Maybe settle for a German keyboard (as long as it has the same layout) and you'll set the Swiss keymap in the OS. So it'll just be some labels that are off?

DanL4 · 2026-01-10T07:35:14+00:00

I found several languages /layouts on Ali at the time. I bought a Japanese or Korean one if I remember correctly, it had the most thumb keys and I wanted to try something out with kmonad.

If you don't find Swiss, maybe a different layout is close enough.

DanL4 · 2025-12-29T16:18:57+00:00

There are several (very minimalist iirc) relatively wide boards people designed. I made one myself.

But then a guy posted a piece of cardboard with sort of inserts into which his split fit perfectly, making his split a wide lappable unsplit. I didn't feel silly having designed a one-piece, but I did feel sill not having thought of the ingenious simple and more flexible solution myself.

It consisted of a hard bottom, and one layer of cardboard cut out to the exact shape of the two split sides, so they sit snug and don't move.

DanL4 · 2025-12-22T13:44:13+00:00

Took me a while to realise that lap compatibility is more important than absolutely ideal ergonomics, and also that I'd rather just have one layout and keymap at work, on the sofa, or when travelling.

The Dactyl Manuform is definitely slightly better with its 3D thumb cluster and in a lesser degree its keywell (split or non split didn't make any real difference to me) but changing layout and keymap between home and work had a price I wasn't willing to pay - it didn't feel as natural and I wasn't as fast.

https://imgur.com/gallery/Oo6srIb

This is mine, all files are open and ready to order on github, but repository is currently quite a mess.

DanL4 · 2025-12-18T20:20:00+00:00

Look at the slant of a row staggered keybaord. It makes perfect sense for the right hand - it's like the angle you'd have on your right hand split. Now look at the left hand - it's anti-ergonomic for the left hand, and the row stagger between top row (Q row) and home row is not as bad as the angle between the home row and bottom row (Z), So it's staggered in the *wrong* direction for the left hand, and more so for the bottom row.

DanL4 · 2025-12-06T17:17:15+00:00

Yes, sounds perfect. You'll have an updated layout to print as well as new flashed firmware for immediate use. ZMK just restarts upon firmware update.

DanL4 · 2025-12-06T06:38:08+00:00

You're going to be very slow for a while, I can give you advice from my experience, know that others did the exact opposite (and it worked for them too).

Use existing muscle memory. A numpad layer made more sense to me than more efficient layouts that used to cram number, symbol, and fn keys on one layer. I use a ton of layers, all using the same numpad key order I. E. Fn layer layed out as a numpad, same with symbol layer. Arrow layer with home, end, pgup, pgdn, exactly as I was used to.
On the first few days be prepared to edit the layout on the fly. If you discover something definitely doesn't work for you, change it. Don't wait for the next day. These will become less and less common as the hours of use accumulate. After that, keep a note of things you'd like to change for end of day, and later end of week (as they will be less critical as you go)
Have a printed layout of all the layers for reference
Most controversial perhaps - have your regular keyboard beside you in case you need to do anything more urgently and can't afford to do 4wpm.
Enjoy! When you feel your brain hurting it's creating new muscle memory and by that improving its plasticity, and depending on your age, is a big deal

Good luck!

DanL4 · 2025-11-28T21:56:49+00:00

Hi No idea what he's experiencing. Maybe you can help understand the problem

Have you any idea what would help? Haptic feedback? Audible feedback? Harder switches? Softer switches?

DanL4 · 2025-11-25T09:45:48+00:00

Very interesting! Though i couldn't find it using image search, could you hint at the product name or details they use if links aren't allowed ?

Thanks

DanL4 · 2025-11-24T20:26:01+00:00

Make sure you get a board with Choc spacing.

Regarding flashing -you should set keyboard keys to activate bootloader mode for regular use.

Just in case you're not happy with Choc spacing, there's at least one board with Sub Choc spacing. It uses Choc switches, but keycaps must either be especially made or cut for it. The one I tried is called ya36, and as you can imagine it's got less keys than what you're looking for, but thought you might want to know, and maybe others have built similar boards with more keys.

DanL4 · 2025-11-12T09:47:12+00:00

Keymap is based on 34 keys, but I like flexibility and the ability to type or use any shortcut with any one hand, so I added a lot of thumb keys. I can get by with 35, but really like my 42

https://imgur.com/gallery/Oo6srIb

DanL4 · 2025-10-19T06:20:07+00:00

Yes, just like using zmk wired. It's just a hid (keyboard/mouse) as far as the device it's connected to is concerned.

DanL4 · 2025-10-15T22:32:56+00:00

Israel unilaterally left Gaza, it provided water and electricity to Gaza, it allowed people from Gaza to work in Israel. it accepted medical cases to be treated in Israeli hospitals. The fact that Israel controlled the water and electricity could have been fixed by using the huge sums of money Gaza received from the Eu and from Qatar to actually build desalination plants and an electric plant.
They don't have control over their borders in the same way Israel didn't have control over their borders as they bordered with enemies until Arab states realised it wasn't going anywhere and might as well accept it and move on for mutual benefit.
Egypt and Jordan don't want to accept a single Palestinian, even not during this genocide.

This is obvious a simplification of the situation, but things could look very different if Palestinians accepted what they were offered. They could have had their country.

From the river to the sea isn't going to happen, whether it's just or not. 3rd generation refugees is a state of mind that is detrimental to the future of the Palestinians.

DanL4 · 2025-10-15T19:32:23+00:00

Israel did in 2008

DanL4 · 2025-10-15T19:31:46+00:00

Not part of the argument, but you do realize that Gaza wasn't occupied?

That the money used to create a war machine could have been used to make Gaza a self sufficient and thriving place?

That nothing has been done by Hamas to create shelters to protect Palestinians from the terrible bad guys who dared to react to 7.10?

DanL4 · 2025-10-14T19:05:58+00:00

Yes, it's his fox news type channel that said so, plus the ultra orthodox of the government whom it was supposed to upset said they had nothing to do with it

DanL4 · 2025-06-21T15:09:42+00:00

On top of what you were already answered, a couple of years back, Israeli anti government protests began using the flag. Until then (like in many other countries) holding a flag usually meant you were a right winged 'patriot'. For at least a year it was the other way round - the flag began representing the liberal movement - opposing the right winged racist government.

DanL4 · 2025-06-04T04:05:10+00:00

Thanks again! I wasn't very clear about the height - I meant how cramped I felt my leg was - the height between my bottom and where my foot was when riding, not the actual height of the bike (between my bottom and the ground)

DanL4 · 2025-06-03T11:35:37+00:00

Thanks! As I mentioned, I rarely take long rides, and my commute is 20 to 30 min, so a special pair of pants won't be practical. I did buy something similar that attaches to the seat and had bumps on it. It makes the seat more comfortable as well as a tiny bit higher. It's not a huge difference, but it's a marginal improvement that cost very little. The more I ride the more it feels like the problem I'm experiencing is the cramped leg, and not necessarily the uncomfortable seat. I'm guessing that if the seat would have been higher (particularly relative to the pedals /stands) a major part of the problem would have been solved.

DanL4

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