We see interesting use cases for the small modules on the left and right as well if you are not some who wants to slide the keyboard to the left and put a numpad on the right.
We’re showing a prototype of an LED Matrix that can be used for low res information display, but other things like a row of extra buttons, a narrow LCD, a capacitive slider, and others are possible too.
As a sibling comment noted, it is also possible for a module developer to create a full width keyboard with a different layout.
As I mentioned yesterday, I really hope that it becomes possible to DIY designs, whether with thin-enough modular scissor keys, or by opening the thickness requirements of the keyboard.
Perhaps there could be alternate tall hinges and a thicker bezel filling the gap to make room for discrete keyswitches without sacrificing thickness for normal users?
With a properly designed keyboard (ortho-staggered or ortho-linear without a huge spacebar) the numpad is not needed, you can have it right around your home row)
But am very glad to hear there is at least potential for innovation here!
Hmm Apple really put a ton of money into making their touch bar work and even they couldn't manage to make it actually useful. If they couldn't do it, framework has no chance.
I would have been a lot less critical about the touch bar if it hadn't replaced the function key row though. That one is mandatory for me, and there was more than plenty room on MacBooks to have both at the same time.
I totally disagree. I think direct shortcut keys without difficult to remember combinations are much preferable to me. And also much handier (e.g. when drinking something you can press a single button with the other hand).
For this reason I also use the big old 100% keyboards with numpads, and I remap the entire numpad to other functions such as a 3x3 desktop switcher. For me there can't be enough dedicated keys.
By the way the link you are quoting actually advocates using single keys as the ideal option :) It literally says the following:
> of these, in terms of efficiency and hand health (Repetitive Strain Injury), the single key is the best. Key sequence of single keys is second best. Key chord is the worst.
I suffer from RSI also which is another reason to prefer this.
However it is really a matter of preference of course. Some people love their 60% keyboards and that's ok too. Just won't work for me.
But what I disagree with is the "should be used" part. Nobody should tell me what to prefer :) This is one of the reasons I switched away from Apple. They are very strong in their opinions (to the point of actually building opinionated software).
Dedicated keys (F-keys or numpad keys) are harder to reach from homerow. There is limited number of such keys and usually that number is less then number of available functions/commands so not-enough-keys problem persists.
We’re showing a prototype of an LED Matrix that can be used for low res information display, but other things like a row of extra buttons, a narrow LCD, a capacitive slider, and others are possible too.
As a sibling comment noted, it is also possible for a module developer to create a full width keyboard with a different layout.