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Comment by 908B64B197 | Hacker News Reader

> Given how everybody has a different answer (use the Canadian/Spanish/Swiss keyboard, use the Compose key, go for Colemak/Dvorak...)

I'd advise the author to go one step further and adopt the ANSI layout instead of ISO. So you can just get the US version with most of the keys already etched with the correct symbol, no matter where you are in the world.

> One question though: the French seem to enjoy using different standards, for some reason.

Not French, but here's an observation: the French world has great engineering schools like the Polytechniques (Paris, Montreal, Lausanne) or Mines. And the French government historically had military procurement and R&D done inside the country as well. They are, for instance, the only country outside of the United States to have built and operate a nuclear aircraft carrier.

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> I'd advise the author to go one step further and adopt the ANSI layout instead of ISO. So you can just get the US version with most of the keys already etched with the correct symbol, no matter where you are in the world.

Totally. I once had to use a UK keyboard with this weird vertical ISO enter key - it's a pain.

I think I might live with a smaller space bar, as I got a rare IBM SK-8835 keyboard in JP locale before I could source a US one ( see: http://www.komotch2.com/junk/kj/sk8835lj.htm ): the true dealbreaker was the ISO enter key.

The carveout from the spacebar were actually pretty handy, to map with AutoHotKey extra keys staying right by my thumbs :)

> They are, for instance, the only country outside of the United States to have built and operate a nuclear aircraft carrier.

I love that a lot of countries do a lot of things: we need more alternatives to avoid duopolies (MIPS to avoid AMD64 vs ARM64, Firefox OS to avoid Android vs iOS)

And it's even better when the 3rd alternative offers unique advantages!

But using a different keyboard layout for no reason at all... sorry, I don't get that. It makes life harder for everyone, with 0 practical benefit.

It's like if some country mandated a square USB-C connector: breaking a standard, just for the pleasure of breaking it, to make things more expansive, create more e-waste, etc.

> But using a different keyboard layout for no reason at all... sorry, I don't get that. It makes life harder for everyone, with 0 practical benefit.

It originally appeared in the 19th century for typewriters, so it's not exactly new.

That's even more in favor of this qwerty-fr project then: let's fix the mistakes of the past!

> I think I might live with a smaller space bar

On typical keyboards, the spacebar is just about the width of 6 keys. -- Comparing what's allocated to the thumb vs to the pinky: the thumb is strong, the pinkies are weak, but the thumb is only used for the spacebar, and the pinkies for a bunch of other keys.

I've enjoyed using these niche ortholinear or split ergonomic keyboards. It's good to be able to use the thumb for more keys.

I use my thumbs just as much for the control key for keyboard shortcuts, which I move [using xkb on Linux] to the keys left and right of space. I got used to it there as a Mac user (where it's the command key). I can't imagine trying to use control with my pinky in the corner.

Spacebar is what I dislike about US ANSI layout. I don't need such big spacebar but I need a Spacekey and useful thumb keys.

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