I did think of adding the Windows keys but never thought anyone would need them. These keys will be added for the next version.

Is this software still being developed? It would be nice to see an option to change the overall size of the keyboard. I think it would be great to see it at 75% - or at least change the height of it.

Thanks.

Try: zwkb.exe Size=1024x480

Great! Thanks. I'm running it at 800x400 - and it works really well.

Any plans to split the keyboard so that half is on the L lower corner and the other half is in the R lower corner?

ZWKB will remain a finger keyboard rather than becoming a thumb one. The design goal of the keyboard is to attain a high rate of multi-fingered typing speed while the UMPC is laying on the lap or on a desk top.

we certainly appreciate your work on this.

does this software allow for custom layouts? I am particularly interested in Dvorak, like the TypeMatrix 2030 keyboard

It would be in your best interest to stick with QWERTY. Unless you never intend on using any keyboards but your own.

At the moment, the keyboard is fixed in qwerty. Non-qwerty layout may be supported in the future. I will look at one of French, Spanish, or German layouts once I get round to it.

It's a myth that if you use a Dvorak you suddenly forget how to use a QWERTY. I am able to use both just fine, but I prefer Dvorak since it's much faster and doesn't cause tendinitis injuries. I also have a compact TypeMatrix 2030 keyboard that I usually take with me. Honestly, the only time I have keyboard compatibility troubles is when it's a software keyboard that can't be changed or unplugged. I use my own mice too.

I don't wear your pants, and I'd rather use my own keyboard (and computer) too. The best craftsmen use their own tools, and I don't see why it should be any different in computer technology. My software, my input devices, etc. I do better work that way.

Pardon the rant, but I see no reason why I should use somebody else's cheapo keyboard. Maybe they were expensive in the old days, but a top quality TypeMatrix keyboard is under $100. If that gets me an extra 20 words per minute, and no medical problems, then that $10 I would have saved by using somebody else's keyboard doesn't mean anything. Think about it, how often do YOU use other people's keyboards? If it's rare, then why worry about what everyone else uses if you can have something that works well for YOU?

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It's a myth that if you use a Dvorak you suddenly forget how to use a QWERTY.

That's not what I was implying. I was implying that dividing your memory between 2 layouts slows you down for both. Hell even different keyboards (positions of the keys) throw me off.

Have you ever used dictation software? I type about 60 WPM on QWERTY, 80 WPM on Dvorak, and I do about TWO HUNDRED WPM on Dragon NaturallySpeaking. If I need to use a QWERTY, I'll be slow for the first 10 minutes or so, but it doesn't matter much. If I need to go really fast, I can do fine on pretty much anything, and if I need to go super fast, nothing beats voice recognition. By the way, last I heard, the world record typing speed on a normal non-shorthand keyboard was about 200 WPM, set on a Dvorak keyboard. Shorthand keyboards can do 200 WPM or faster pretty routinely. To make a long story short, if speed is important to you, use anything but QWERTY.

temp:

Pardon the rant, but I see no reason why I should use somebody else's cheapo keyboard. Maybe they were expensive in the old days, but a top quality TypeMatrix keyboard is under $100.

Pardon me, but the only real keyboard is a IBM Model-M :) If you can find them for sale...

Version 8.5.28 released

www.freshnet8.com

Activation Bug

Whenever the left shift key on the physical keyboard is used, the physical keyboard right shift activation of ZWKB becomes disabled as if by the left+right shift combo. This debilitating bug has been fixed.

Key Symbols

Existing Ret key has been renamed as Ent and existing Ent key has been renamed as ent. The ent key corresponds with the Enter key found on the typical numeric key pad. The ent key is accessible when the ZWKB Fn is activated.

New symbols Sz+, Sz-, Bg+, Bg-, Fg+, Fg-, Tr+, and Tr- denote keys for changing font size, background, foreground, and transparency.

Windows Keys

The windows logo and menus keys have been added to the sides of the space bar. If these keys are not required, the new LargeSpaceBar option can be used to specify a wider space bar in place of these keys. The following command line will start ZWKB with a wide space bar:

   zwkb.exe LargeSpaceBar

Key Morphing

A key morphing mode can be entered by quick double tapping of the Cap key. Once the mode is entered, the Cap key turns into the Mor key. The Mor key can be tapped to exit the morphing mode. Whilst in the morphing mode, the space bar can be tapped to change its width. Currently, only the space bar is morphable. Tapping on all other keys in morphing mode has no effect. However the Hide key will continue to function normally in this mode.

Default Symbol Size

The default keyboard symbol sizes have be increased. Users using non-default sizes may need to recalibrate their Size= and Size2= parameters.

Key Click

The key clicking sound has been shortened as a measure to reduce CPU usage during typing.

Stay On Top

Doubled sensitivity of ZWKB to detect and respond to other pop-up windows appearing in front of the keyboard. This further reduces the chance of pop-ups interfering with fast typing.

I have to tell you thank you very much for making this software. I've been using it on my Q1UP-XP, and I don't mind that much that it's QWERTY. I would still like a customizable layout, and my vision for the ultimate incarnation of this software would include the ability to have custom keys in my custom layout that are basically macros that will spit out any string I desire.

I do have a couple of bugs to report though. I absolutely hate the repeating arrow keys, and I need a way to turn that off. I use ctrl-arrow to navigate quickly through text, along with home and end. I wish home and end were always visible, without needing to hit the fn key first. I'm not sure where you'd put ti, but if the layout were customizable, that'd be my problem. Oh, can you make the shf and alt secondary keys customizable too, so I could put my @ sign at alt-shift-a, for example?

well, those were more like feature requests. An actual bug happens when I touch a key and the white square appears within it, indicating it detected the keystroke, but then nothing happens - no actual keystroke occurs. I think it happens because zwkb can't register a new keystroke if I'm typing fast and my finger hasn't yet disengaged fully from yhe previous keystroke.

And, just now, I'm seeing my browser's menus drop down from time to time while I type, and that didn't happen before. I wonder if some of my keystrokes are going places they shouldn't. It also looks like the little orange Z box in the upper right corner is gradually moving down away from the top of the screen.