Remapped Mac keyboard shortcuts on Kinesis Advantage and Contoured Keyboards

In Part 3 of my journey in learning to type on the Kinesis Contoured / Advantage line of keyboards, I decided to document how the layout and split design has affected my keyboard workflow as well as my current solutions.

• Part1: Kinesis Contoured Classic QD (KB133PC/QD)
• Part 2: First Impressions with the Kinesis Contoured Classic QD (KB133PC/QD)

After the first week, I started to enjoy typing on the new keyboard. I’m at a point now where I’m typing ~60 WPM, which is fast enough for day to day use. I’m starting to think about how to best optimize my workflows now.

Things that I have found disruptive:

• Word-by-word navigation using the Option (⌥) + ←,→ is very awkward with the default layout of Option (⌥) at the far most top of the left thumb cluster.
• Similarly, moving to the start and end of the line is difficult because of the default placement of the Command (⌘).
• Keyboard combinations pressing Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) are difficult.
  • Specifically combinations that need to be done all on the left hand.
  • The one I use most is to switching tabs in Chrome and Firefox (⌘ + ⌥ + ←,→).
• Splitting the direction keys across two hands is very hard to adapt.
  • This makes multi-key combinations difficult as the most commonly used one are the left and right directional buttons which are on the same side as the Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) keys.
• I make use of an application called BetterTouchTool that allows me to map keyboard shortcuts. Specifically, I use this to “snap”, “tile” or “maximize” my windows across my monitors. I’ve tied the keyboard shortcuts to Command (⌘) + Option (⌥) + Control (^) + ←,↓,↑,→ and 1,2,3,4. Not being able to use these shortcuts are difficult.
• Moving back to my MacBook Pro keyboard causes some dissonance.

There hasn’t been much written on this, here is what I’ve come up with using the keyboards built-in remapping features.

The first change makes Cut, Copy and Paste operations much easier as you no longer have to extend your thumb upwards to hit the small control key. It also makes using LaunchBar / Alfred / Spotlight much more easier. The second change allows me to “Mash” both buttons with my left thumb. Finally, the third change allows me to “Mash” all three buttons using my left thumb¹.

• Finally, I remapped and moved the keycaps of ← and→ directional keys to the square braces ([, ]) in the “↓ , ↑ , [ , ]” cluster. By physically moving and remapping keys, I’ve modelled it to the VIM shortcuts (←,↓,↑,→).

This reduces the acrobatics with my left hand although I still find I am moving all over the place as I accidentally hit the directions keys the M, comma and period keys.