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* A little less Colemak centrism, in an attempt to not scare anyone else off.
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DreymaR committed Dec 2, 2024
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12 changes: 12 additions & 0 deletions README.md
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Expand Up @@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ Web pages for [dreymar.colemak.org](https://dreymar.colemak.org)

TODO/WIP for the BigBag Forum & web content (mostly for DreymaR's use):
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Alt-layout writeup?!
- Make it the first section under Layers. Update other sections to be more layout inclusive.
- Move the links to Getreuer's and the AKL beginner's guides there from the links page, or keep both?
- There's so much strongly worded nonsense on Reddit etc... People defend their investments and pet ideas.
- Warning against bad choices: Dvorak (unless implementation is king), Workman/Norman, Minimak.
- Differences of priority: Ease of learning/implementation (Colemak), rolls (Cmk/etc) vs alternation (Gra/Gal/etc), ...
- My suggestion: Colemak is very good for nearly everyone. Decide on Vanilla vs DH.
- If really set on going further, try out Gralmak.
- Gralmak is good, and has similarities with familiar layouts (row/column assignments, punctuation etc).
- Even if you end up wanting even more radical optimization, it can still be a useful stepping-stone.
- If after learning Gralmak for a while, you still want to proceed: Go to full Graphite(-HB) or similar.

- Platform box for Sequencing? And Modifiers?
- Colemak-eD too?
- Tarmak `DOWNLOADS` definitely should be boxed. But the Mac one doesn't show up?!
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37 changes: 21 additions & 16 deletions docs/index.html
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Expand Up @@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
<h3 class="anchor" id="top">INTRO</h3>
<p>
My mission is to make your keyboard a lot more comfortable and powerful, even if you don't have an expensive programmable
board – or if you do! To this end, I use several ergonomic mods and tools that I and others in the Colemak community
have created over the years, on different OS platforms. My many "typing tricks" are what the Big Bag is about.
board – or if you do! To this end, I use several ergonomic mods and tools that I and others have created over the years,
on different OS platforms. My many "typing tricks" are what the Big Bag is about.
</p><p>
If you're new to this, there may be a lot of unfamiliar terms and concepts. You may not be sure whether your board
or OS layout is <a href="https://deskthority.net/wiki/ANSI_vs_ISO">ISO or ANSI</a>,
Expand All @@ -16,9 +16,7 @@ <h3 class="anchor" id="top">INTRO</h3>
</p><p>
Relax and take a deep breath please, because it's all here. I hope you find what you're looking for and then a lot more useful stuff!
</p><p>
If something is too obscure or hard, look up the community on the <a href="https://forum.colemak.com/">Colemak Forum</a>
and the <a href="https://discord.com/invite/rpbxP2REjZ">Colemak Discord</a>, for guidance. We're a right helpful lot!
The BigBag is my go-to reply to many questions on the Discord and elsewhere, to the extent that a meme was created in my honor. Be warned...!
The BigBag is my go-to reply to many questions on Discord, Reddit and elsewhere, to the extent that a meme was created in my honor. Be warned...!
</p>
<div class="spoiler">
<p><span>The "Do You Have A Moment..." Meme:</span></p>
Expand All @@ -29,8 +27,6 @@ <h3 class="anchor" id="top">INTRO</h3>
</div>
</div>
<p>
I would also advise a visit to the <a href="https://www.colemak.org/"><b>colemak.org</b></a> community site, which answers several layout-related questions.
</p><p>
And so, without further ado, <i>voila</i>, here it is! Rummage around in the Big Bag a bit and you shall find!
</p><p><br>
<i>DreymaR</i> &nbsp;~&nbsp; ( のvの) c[_]
Expand All @@ -40,20 +36,25 @@ <h3 class="anchor" id="top">INTRO</h3>

<h3 class="anchor" id="colemak">THE COLEMAK KEYBOARD LAYOUT</h3>
<p>
<b><a href="https://colemak.com/">Colemak</a></b> is a great keyboard layout that <a href="https://www.colemak.org/">I and many others</a> use daily with great enthusiasm. It may – and in all likelihood, it will! – make you a faster typist, although you can get very fast with other layouts too. More importantly, it makes typing a lot more comfortable and optimal, and your fingers will thank you for the rest of your life for choosing it!
<b><a href="https://colemak.com/">Colemak</a></b> is a great keyboard layout that I and many others use daily with great enthusiasm. It may – and in all likelihood, it will! – make you a faster typist, although you can get very fast with other layouts too. More importantly, it makes typing a lot more comfortable and optimal, and your fingers will thank you for the rest of your life for choosing it!
<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp; (b ̄◇ ̄)b
</p><p>
Since I started using using Colemak in early 2007 I've been fiddling with it, trying out ideas from the <a href="https://forum.colemak.com/">Colemak forum</a> and adding some of my own. Colemak <i>per se</i> is to me only the letter block mappings. I've always ended up with that mostly intact and it has stood the test of time: Even though I add mods like Colemak-DH, better symbol key placements and geometric ergo mods like Angle/Wide, these are still just minor adjustments. The layout itself stays essentially the same.
Since I started using using Colemak in early 2007 I've been fiddling with it, trying out ideas from the Colemak Forum and adding some of my own. Colemak <i>per se</i> is to me only the letter block mappings. I've always ended up with that mostly intact and it has stood the test of time: Even though I add mods like Colemak-DH, better symbol key placements and geometric ergo mods like Angle/Wide, these are still just minor adjustments. The layout itself stays essentially the same.
</p><p>
If something is too obscure or hard, look up the community on the <a href="https://forum.colemak.com/">Colemak Forum</a>
and the <a href="https://discord.com/invite/rpbxP2REjZ">Colemak Discord</a> for guidance. We're a right helpful lot!
</p><p>
There are other optimized layouts that may be good for you. And there are other layouts that aren't nearly as good as they claim to be, so beware. Ask around if you're curious, but know that Colemak is a well-tried and solid choice. Either way, many of my mods and tools can be used with different layouts – even with QWERTY should you wish to (ugh!).
I would also advise a visit to the <a href="https://www.colemak.org/"><b>colemak.org</b></a> community site, which answers several layout-related questions. It's the "Read the FAQ" option, pretty much.
</p><p>
There are <a href="https://bit.ly/alt-layouts-quickstart">other optimized layouts</a> that may be good for you. And there are other layouts that aren't nearly as good as they claim to be, so beware. Ask around if you're curious, but know that Colemak is a well-tried and solid choice. Either way, many of my mods and tools can be used with different layouts – even with QWERTY should you wish to (ugh!).
</p>


<h2 class="anchor" id="new-here">DREYMAR'S BIG(!) BAG OF TRICKS?!? HALP, I'M NEW HERE!</h2>
<p>
Welcome to the BigBag web pages!
</p><p>
Inside this Big Bag there's a <i>lot</i> you can do! Some of it doesn't even require Colemak.
Inside this Big Bag there's a <i>lot</i> you can do! Much of it doesn't even require Colemak.
So, below is a little beginner's introduction to the wonders of layout modding: What are your main options, and what's good to begin with?
</p><p>
If any of this interests you right away, click the menus or submenus to start exploring the depths of the Big Bag.
Expand All @@ -66,9 +67,9 @@ <h3 class="anchor" id="faq">FAQ</h3>
<li>
The BigBag menus are thematically organized. Each section may have subsections, some on separate pages.
</li><li>
<b><a href="/layers-main.html">Layers</a></b>: Using modifier keys, bring symbols and other keys to your fingertips.
<b><a href="/layers-main.html">Layers</a></b>: From your base layout, use modifier keys to bring symbols/keys to your fingertips.
</li><li>
<b><a href="/ergo-mods.html">Ergonomy</a></b>: Modifications that change board geometry in an ergonomically useful way.
<b><a href="/ergo-mods.html">Ergonomy</a></b>: Modifications that change your board geometry in an ergonomically useful way.
</li><li>
<b><a href="/variants.html">Variants</a></b>: From locale adaptations to mirrored typing, layout variants cater to special needs.
</li><li>
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -116,8 +117,8 @@ <h3>Get a Load of This!</h3>
still so much to choose from. Personal preferences start to matter quite a lot and real benefits are often uncertain at best.
</li><li>
Instead of pouncing on every soup-du-jour layout out there, consider some other things you can do to improve your typing experience!
I'll be covering many ideas in the following. I believe strongly that there's a lot more bang for your buck in learning Extend, thumb keys and/or DKs
than in transitioning from Colemak(-DH) to ISRT to APT to Canary to "CannelloniMak" to ... you get the idea.
I'll be covering many ideas in the following. I believe strongly that there's a lot more bang for your buck in learning Extend,
thumb keys and/or DKs than in transitioning from Colemak(-DH) to ISRT to APT to Canary to "CannelloniMak" to ... you get the idea.
</li>
</ul>
</li>
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -157,7 +158,11 @@ <h3>What would you recommend, sir?</h3>
</li><li>
<b>Training 1</b>: Mostly <a href="/training.html#monkeytype">MonkeyType</a> 60 s on the English 10k + Zipf word list, with punctuation and stop-on-error:word.
</li><li>
<b>Training 2</b>: I use <a href="/training.html#amphetype">Amphetype</a> for type-reading interesting books, and play <a href="/typing-tricks.html#gaming">typing games</a> every now and then.
<b>Training 2</b>: I <a href="https://www.burst-type.pro/">BurstType</a> through a handful of words every day, to train raw speed.
</li><li>
<b>Training 3</b>: Using <a href="/training.html#amphetype">Amphetype</a> and <a href="https://entertrained.app/">EnterTrained</a>, I type-read interesting books for mileage.
</li><li>
<b>Training 4</b>: Finally, I play <a href="/typing-tricks.html#gaming">typing games</a> every now and then. Not often now, but I do like them.
</li><li>
<b>Touch screens</b>: <a href="/typing-tricks.html#swiping">MessagEase</a> with my Colemakoid layout. Adapted to touch screens, and very powerful.
</li><li>
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50 changes: 26 additions & 24 deletions docs/layers-colemaked.html
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Expand Up @@ -8,30 +8,32 @@ <h3 class="anchor" id="top">A Glutton For Glyphs</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type:none">
<li>
🔎 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltGr_key"><b>AltGr</b></a> is a Shift-type modifier that accesses layers normally used for special letters and symbols.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
🔎 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_key"><b>Dead Keys</b></a> (DKs) are keys that don't produce output themselves, but modify the output of the next key.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
🔎 <a href="https://colemak.com/Multilingual"><b>Colemak</b></a> installs from the main site have a set of AltGr and DK layers for occasional multilingual typing.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
🔎 <a href="/layers-colemaked.html"><b>Colemak-eD</b></a> is the "edition DreymaR" take on AltGr+DK layers. Much expanded, and hopefully more intuitive and practical.
</li><li>
🔎 <a href="https://bit.ly/alt-layouts-quickstart"><b>Other layouts</b></a> may of course use "edition DreymaR" layers too! Some small tweaks may be needed for an intuitive result.
</li>
</ul><br>

<p class="left">
<b>The letter block is the true Colemak</b> masterstroke to me and, as it were, Colemak <i>per se</i>:
<b>The letter block</b> is the true Colemak masterstroke to me and, as it were, Colemak <i>per se</i>:
</p>
<ul class="disc">
<li>
Symbol keys may be kept as in the US layout like the default Colemak layout does, or not (such as the <a href="/ergo-mods.html">Sym mod</a>) if that floats your boat.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Likewise, <a href="/ergo-mods.html">Wide/Angle ergonomic mods</a> are nice additions for users on several layouts.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Even the Curl-DH mod, although it does move letters around, doesn't make Colemak-DH into non-Colemak in my strong opinion: All keys keep their finger assignments.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
The Caps-to-Backspace trick is a decent idea but that can be used with other layouts too! Or upgraded to, e.g., an <a href="/layers-extend.html">Extend</a> modifier.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
When it comes to level 3-4 (AltGr mappings) of the standard Colemak layout, however, they don't do it for me!
</li> <li>
</li><li>
I look in horror at the "tilde mappings" of missed opportunities, and the many glyphs languishing in unintuitive places.
</li>
</ul>
Expand All @@ -40,17 +42,17 @@ <h3 class="anchor" id="top">A Glutton For Glyphs</h3>
<ul class="disc">
<li>
…have useful <b>special non-accent letters and symbols</b> (e.g., æ œ ß ð þ ŋ ʒ ° † © …) readily available on AltGr mappings
</li> <li>
</li><li>
…make mappings <b>easy to remember</b> based on similarity to existing letters/symbols, or failing that, shape/position
</li> <li>
</li><li>
…use <b>locale special letters</b> (in my case, æøå) easily without breaking the main Colemak setup
</li> <li>
</li><li>
…use <b>dead key accents</b> that mostly conform to the Compose sequences in Linux because they make a <i>lot</i> of sense
</li> <li>
</li><li>
…improve on a few of them; e.g., typing " to compose umlaut is über-silly - it's a very common accent and shouldn't require a Shift!
</li> <li>
</li><li>
…be able to type the accent characters `~^ directly as in the normal layout; the dead keys should be on additional AltGr mappings
</li> <li>
</li><li>
…keep the letter keys free of dead keys for consistency/clarity and to keep from triggering them while typing normally
</li>
</ul>
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -109,11 +111,11 @@ <h4>UPDATE 2012-07-08:</h4>
<ul class="disc">
<li>
Some Greek gave way to provide a set of arrows (←↑↓→) and the en/em dashes on NEI. The important β µ π were kept.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
The ‹›«» quote marks are on the same fingers as the &lt;&gt; keys for consistency. The ‚‘’„“” quotes are near the 2 key which holds the " in some layouts.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Most signs have intuitive positions I feel (based on sound like Ʒʒ Ŋŋ, or shape like many symbols), and some related keys are next to each other.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
For the "fluid" keys (mainly HJKL, VB and the brackets) I settled on some Greek and IPA signs in this version.
</li>
</ul>
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -145,9 +147,9 @@ <h4>UPDATE 2014-01-20:</h4>
<ul class="disc">
<li>
Again, a minor tweak. As mentioned, I found myself needing the bullet glyph a lot and the Greek β very rarely.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Also, I've been using the ÷× signs but hardly ever the Greek γ or even µ (although I know that's useful).
</li> <li>
</li><li>
So, I switched AltGr and AltGr+Shift positions for the H V B M keys, bringing the Greek a little more to the background. The ε and ə didn't have to swap places but I did it because it seems more consistent. The π is still on unshifted AltGr+p and αδ are on the same key as before, so it's not entirely consistent no matter what – but given how rarely these oddball Greek letters are needed (by me at least) it's okay. Again, you can always keep a proper Greek layout handy; the phonetic Colemak layouts are like add-on mapping layers really.
</li>
</ul>
Expand All @@ -156,11 +158,11 @@ <h4>UPDATE 2014-10-26</h4>
<ul class="disc">
<li>
€ added on the E key in response to popular demand
</li> <li>
</li><li>
↓ moved to the M key for shift layer consistency with the other arrows
</li> <li>
</li><li>
the "orphan" schwa/epsilon on the "up-for-grabs" H key replaced by Ħħ (more consistent)
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Win/PKL: µ on the 5 key as a Greek dead key; AltGr+'=' doubles as doubleacute+math/science dead key; other dead key additions
</li>
</ul>
Expand All @@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ <h4>UPDATE 2018-02-23</h4>
<ul class="disc">
<li>
Ææ now on the ]} key for consistency with Åå and Øø (from the Norwegian/Danish layout)
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Arrow ↑ moved to the N key so that NM form an ↑↓ pair which is nice with or without the Curl(DH) mod
</li>
</ul>
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14 changes: 7 additions & 7 deletions docs/layers-main.html
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Expand Up @@ -5,21 +5,21 @@

<h2 class="anchor" id="Cmk-eD">COLEMAK[eD] - EDITION DREYMAR</h2>
<p>
Colemak[edition DreymaR] is the name of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltGr_key"><b>AltGr</b></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_key"><b>dead key</b></a> layers I've created for the Colemak layout. I've tried to add much functionality while keeping it intuitive. In particular, I want to be able to write different scripts and tech/maths symbols. Since the start, there's been some minor tweaks based on my experience and forum feedback, but it's been stable for a long time now.
"Edition DreymaR" (abbreviated "[eD]") is the name of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltGr_key"><b>AltGr</b></a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_key"><b>dead key</b></a> layers I've created, originally for the Colemak layout. I've tried to add much functionality while keeping it intuitive. In particular, I want to be able to write different scripts and tech/maths symbols. Since the start, there's been some minor tweaks based on my experience and forum feedback, but it's been stable for a long time now.
</p><p>
Look inside my various layout files for comments and explanations, in addition to these main design goals:
</p>
<ul class="disc">
<li>
Keeping the normal and shifted states of Colemak intact! This is what I think of as the Colemak layout <i>per se</i>.
</li> <li>
Keeping the normal and shifted states intact! This is what I think of as the layout <i>per se</i>.
</li><li>
Dead keys (see below) easily accessible as unshifted AltGr+symbol keys; common ones in good positions.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Added special letters and quote signs, allowing most major latin scripts to be written correctly.
</li> <li>
</li><li>
Added symbols/glyphs similar to, e.g., Mac ones - allowing common math/tech/etc typing.
</li> <li>
The positions of added letters and symbols should as far as possible be easy to remember!
</li><li>
The positions of added letters and symbols should as far as possible be easy to remember.
</li>
</ul>
<p>
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