00Key a 75% Keyboard

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall reaction to 00Key / 75% layout

  • Many think 00Key “looks cool” but see it as form‑oriented compared to ergonomic split boards.
  • Some dislike compressed “fractional” layouts and want full‑size or even “150%” boards with more dedicated keys and macros.
  • Others defend 75% as a practical compromise: nearly full functionality, better mouse proximity, and less desk space.

Split and ergonomic keyboards

  • Multiple users report long‑term success with split ergonomic boards (Ergodox variants, Moonlander, Glove80, Kinesis Freestyle Pro), often saying shoulder, wrist, or elbow pain disappeared.
  • Split layouts are especially valued by people with broad shoulders and those who place a trackball or other pointer between halves.
  • Some cannot adapt to ergo/split layouts, especially if they frequently type one‑handed while mousing.

Compact layouts, layers, and missing keys

  • Advocates of 60–75% boards emphasize programmable layers:
    • Arrows and navigation on home row via Fn or thumb keys (e.g., hjkl/ijkl).
    • Function keys and navigation remapped to numbers or other clusters.
  • Critics argue layers are not full substitutes for dedicated keys, especially for complex shortcuts (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+F‑keys) or users with poor memory for layered mappings.
  • Concerns include mangled “home”/Insert clusters, shortened right Shift, and missing obvious arrow keys.

Thumb clusters, keywells, and advanced ergos

  • Some find large thumb clusters on Ergodox/Moonlander “horrific” unless you have big hands; others map only a few easily reachable thumb keys and rely on pinky‑reachable keys.
  • Keywell/col‑stagger boards like Glove80 are praised but seen as harder DIY due to complex cases.

Function keys, macros, and external controllers

  • Several want many more hardware keys (e.g., F1–F24+), citing vintage Model M and industrial boards.
  • Others offload macros to devices like Stream Decks or MIDI controllers, which can be cheap and flexible, driven by custom scripts.

Pointing devices and ergonomics

  • Split boards plus central trackballs (MX Ergo, Elecom Huge) or left‑hand mousing are mentioned as major ergonomic wins.
  • Vertical mice (e.g., Evoluent) are praised; some struggle with laptop trackpads for long sessions.

Portability and special desires

  • Interest in portable 65–75% Bluetooth boards, Psion‑style sliders, and portable full‑size boards with cases.
  • Some want built‑in touchpads/trackballs for HTPC/bed use; existing options are seen as limited or expensive.

DIY, firmware, and hardware notes

  • Community strongly prefers open, programmable firmware like QMK/ZMK; custom non‑QMK firmware is viewed as a downside.
  • Suggestions include using resistor network arrays to simplify the PCB and highlighting hot‑swappable, repairable designs as valuable.