xcompose VS miryoku

most emoji are banned, as are nonstandard space symbols like thin space and some other things. emoticons (things like :-) and XD) are allowed. generally alphabetic characters and digits are allowed, and some other things, but i think unknown unicode is forbidden by default. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23440551 has some investigation and results which are probably still accurate

i do most of my algebraic formulas with the compose key and a custom compose map mostly written by mark shoulson https://github.com/kragen/xcompose

for the above i pasted part of the old permic table from wikipedia

    >>> s = '''𐍐‎    𐍑‎       𐍒‎       𐍓‎       𐍔‎       𐍕‎       𐍖‎       𐍗‎       𐍘‎       𐍙‎       𐍚‎       𐍛‎       𐍜‎       𐍝‎       𐍞‎       𐍟‎

Also, since the default Compose file doesn't quite satisfy, see https://github.com/kragen/xcompose; they have defined a bunch of key sequences, which I use (with some extensions of my own — for example, I wanted a quick way to type a̋, and this wasn't built into the default sequences, since it uses a combining character).

Well, I wasn't aware of this shortcut — that being said, it doesn't matter, because I'm on Linux and use the Compose key anyway (essentially, I type Left Alt and then a key sequence); and I've installed the extensions found at https://github.com/kragen/xcompose, which supplies many more combinations which the default XCompose doesn't contain.

Another possible solution is to define a compose key (I use SysRq) to type characters not on the keyboard, such that (for example) the three-key sequence "SysRq . Z" is Ż.

Here's the XCompose file I use:

https://github.com/kragen/xcompose

the way, the truth, and the light

For linux users there is the compose key which also allows for custom sequences.

Use .XCompose and enable ralt-dot-dot and a million (okay, not a million. 1066 in mine) unicode characters everywhere.

Or if you want some truly "global" keybindings, and much broader than just math symbols…

Have you ever heard of compose? That's also very helpful. If you use linux, take a look at https://wiki.portal.chalmers.se/agda/pmwiki.php?n=Main.XCompose and https://github.com/kragen/xcompose .

I've seen https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku but it doesn't appear to be easily modified.

A 75% keyboard still require quite a lot of wrist movement, which is not ideal in your situation. It's better to learn to use layers, you could still have all the function keys and such with a 36 or 34 keys. With with such a small keyboard you don't need to move your wrist while typing. A Corne or even a Ferris Sweep can do the job with a proper keymap, like Miryoku.

If you prefer to have semicolon on Base you'd substitute custom Base, Nav, and Sym layers, swapping semicolon and slash, with https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku/discussions/85.

The Miryoku layout [1] has a dedicated number layer which turns the left half into a number pad. Practical (once you get used to it) and portable.

[1] https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku

It's understandable if some people would prefer a larger layout. I wouldn't argue people should be using smaller keyboards.

It's "I don't mind moving my hand to hit the key" vs "I don't mind holding down some Fn key to hit the key". (Or with F1-F12 on Macbooks, you need to both hold down a Fn key and move your hand).

For an example of "36 keys ... how", I think the popular miryoku layout is fascinating. https://github.com/manna-harbour/miryoku/tree/master/docs/re... -- Often, mnemonics for particular keys aren't all that complicated.

Except for those who use Miryoku, which is not optimized for software development, probably every single person here will have its own custom keymap.

The keyboard on the other desk is a wireless Corne low profile kit I built up a while back using a couple nice!nano controllers and their low power display too. For general typing I don't have much of a problem going back and forth between the two, but the Corne is only 34 keys and I use a complex layout called Miryoku to get access to most symbols and functions I have by default on my 360.