It was easier than it was

A few days ago, in 2019, I bought a used Centromere V2 from a friend. It’s a wireless split ortho keyboard (aw, I was hoping that if I dropped “ortho” in the sentence casually like that, you wouldn’t realize I didn’t know what it actually stands for, but you called me out on it). I didn’t know whether I was going to be able to get used to such a weird shape, but in the end I did, and vowed to write a post about it, but in the end I didn’t.

However, I liked that custom keyboard so much that I decided to make my own, for reasons that I will explain soon. I had a conversation with my friend Josh (of Keyyyyyyyys! fame), where I asked him what I should name my new keyboard:

  • Josh, Josh! What should I name my new keyboard?
  • Hmm... George?
  • ...fine.

This is the story both of my impressions of switching to a custom keyboard, and my eventual saga of making George.

Switching to the Centromere

The Centromere V2.
The first version.
The first version.
The first version.
The first version.
The first version.

Epilogue

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Notes

  • Write this post on the new keyboard.
  • Background: I do 110 WPM on my regular (laptop) keyboard.
  • I decided to switch over the Christmas break.

Day 1

  • Couldn’t get anything done, had to configure the keyboard.
  • QMK had some gotchas where the docs were unclear and where I couldn’t get what I wanted done.
  • Other configs and reddit were helpful.
  • Trying to type is a mess, linear keys mean I don’t know where anything is, as I touch-type the “wrong” way.

Day 2

  • 5 WPM.
  • Lots of mistakes.
  • Still don’t know where anything is, but keyboard config almost done.
  • I find myself switching to the laptop keyboard when I need to type something or program.
  • The macro feature is very handy, I have two macros to type “sorry, ignore that” and “I’m very slow still”.

Day 3

  • 36 WPM.
  • Still lots of mistakes, especially on the x/c/d keys.
  • I revert to the old (“wrong”) style when I’m on a conventional keyboard.
  • I’m liking the new one a lot, as I don’t have to move my fingers off the home row for power keys/f keys/arrow keys/everything else.
  • Multiple leftover keys mean I can have various layers but that still work as buttons (the del key being one example, though possibly a dangerous one).

Day 4

  • Typing is reasonably fast but I get confused with space/backspace/enter and keyboard shortcuts are hopeless.
  • I still want to switch to the laptop keyboard sometimes, but I resist and the urge quickly goes away, as I’m not terrible on the Centromere.

Day 5

  • I can write pretty comfortably, if still slow. Actually, typing this sentence now, it’s a lie because it took forever.
  • 40 WPM, the gains are pretty marginal. At this rate, it’s going to take months to get to 110.

Day 6

  • 50 WPM.
  • Switching to the laptop keyboard, I go back to writing the “wrong” way. If I try to write the “right” way there, I keep trying to press the wrong ancillary keys (e.g. backspace).
The keyboard

General

  • The Centromere layout is quite good, though the top thumb key is hard to reach. I should print an extender so I can raise it, or put a taller key in.
  • I would have liked an extra column of keys to the right so I wouldn’t have to remap the backslash/enter key and learn a whole different position for them.
  • That said, I quite like the Enter key on the thumb, and backspace on the thumb is great.
  • So are shift-parentheses, and I couldn’t live without my Ctrl/Esc Caps Lock already at this point.
  • I love how all my computers now use the same interface. I can just plug my keyboard in to any computer and I have the exact same layout, macros, shortcuts, etc everywhere.

Epilogue

Tweet or toot at me, or email me directly.