colemak 2 (#198)

blog/colemak-layout-2-2020-08-22.markdown

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+---
+title: Colemak Layout - First Week
+date: 2020-08-22
+series: colemak
+---
+
+# Colemak Layout - First Week
+
+A week ago I posted the last post in this series where I announced I was going
+all colemak all the time. I have not been measuring words per minute (to avoid
+psyching myself out), but so far my typing speed has gone from intolerably slow
+to manageably slow. I have been only dipping back into qwerty for two main
+things:
+
+1. Passwords, specifically the ones I have in muscle memory
+2. Coding at work that needs to be done fast
+
+Other than that, everything else has been in colemak. I have written DnD-style
+game notes, hacked at my own "Linux distro", started a few QMK keymaps and more
+all via colemak.
+
+Here are some of the lessons I've learned:
+
+## Let Your Coworkers Know You Are Going to Be Slow
+
+This kind of thing is a long tirm investment. In the short term, your
+productivity is going to crash through the floor. This will feel frustrating. It
+took me an entire workday to implement and test a HTTP handler/client for it in
+Go. You will be making weird typos. Let your coworkers know so they don't jump
+to the wrong conclusions too quickly.
+
+Also, this goes without saying, but don't do this kind of change during crunch
+time. That's a bit of a dick move.
+
+## Print Out the Layout
+
+I have the layout printed and taped to my monitor and iPad stand. This helps a
+lot. Instead of looking at the keyboard, I look at the layout image and let my
+fingers drift into position.
+
+I also have a blank keyboard at my desk, this helps because I can't look at the
+keycaps and become confused (however this has backfired with typing numbers,
+lol). This keyboard has cherry MX blues though, which means it can be loud when
+I get to typing up a storm.
+
+## Have Friends Ask You What Layout You Are Using
+
+Something that works for me is to have friends ask me what keyboard layout I am
+using, so I can be mindful of the change. I have a few people asking me that on
+the regular, so I can be accountable to them and myself.
+
+## macOS and iPadOS have Colemak Out of the Box
+
+The settings app lets you configure colemak input without having to jailbreak or
+install a custom keyboard layout. Take advantage of this.
+
+Someone has also created a colemak windows package for windows that includes an
+IA-64 (Itanium) binary. It was last updated in 2004, and still works without
+hassle on windows 10. It was the irst time I've ever seen an IA-64 windows
+binary in the wild!
+
+## Relearn How To Type Your Passwords
+
+I type passwords from muscle memory. I have had to rediscover what they actually
+are so I can relearn how to type them.
+
+---
+
+The colemak experiment continues. I also have a [ZSA
+Moonlander](https://www.zsa.io/moonlander/) and the kit for a
+[GergoPlex](https://www.gboards.ca/product/gergoplex) coming in the mail. Both
+of these run [QMK](https://qmk.fm), which allows me to fully program them with a
+rich macro engine. Here are a few of the macros I plan to use:
+
+```c
+// Programming
+SUBS(ifErr,     "if err != nil {\n\t\n}", KC_E, KC_I)
+SUBS(goTest,    "go test ./...\n",        KC_G, KC_T)
+SUBS(cargoTest, "cargo test\n",           KC_C, KC_T)
+```
+
+This will autotype a few common things when I press the keys "ei", "gt", or "ct"
+at the same time. I plan to add a few more as things turn up so I can more
+quickly type common idioms or commands to save me time. The `if err != nil`
+combination started as a joke, but I bet it will end up being incredibly
+valuable.
+
+Be well, take care of your hands.