Since I started using emacs again for clojure development at first (now shell, org-mode, emacs-lisp, haskell, scala, etc…), I completely rethink my input way.
When Emacs proposed me between blue and red pill, I took the blue one :D. And it changed me…
In this blog entry, I will try to describe why I choose to change my keyboard mapping and how I did it.
The things I understood for using emacs the right way:
- There is a function for that
- There is binding for that function
- But wait I can create a binding for that!!!
- Only a portion of the keyboard is necessary (all that remains, the arrow keys, the <F*> keys, the numeric keyboard pad, etc… are too far away to use)
- Symmetry is beauty (hands position and use in a symmetrical way):
- AZERTY seriously? (In France, AZERTY keymap is default which makes absolutely no sense when developing… and which is violently apparent when using emacs).
- AltGr?! No way, Alt all the way!
- The rodent (trackpad, mouse) is useless
- CapsLock is annoying
Language
So first thing first, I ditched AZERTY for QWERTY (US).
Why
- To code, you need some cute symbols like |,`,$,%,*,+,-,@ etc…
In AZERTY, to access this, you must do some difficult position with your right hand using the AltGr key. For non french people, it's the right Alt which does not permit the same actions as the left Alt. So this breaks your typing (even non dev people use @ for example).
In QWERTY, you have access to these symbols with a SHIFT, this is so darn faster.
- Beauty is symmetry
In QWERTY, for each binding, we can use both hand to do a binding. One hand to use the modifier key (C for Control, M for Meta, S for super, etc…) and the other one for the alphabet letter. To select how to make a binding, I choose the one involving 2 hands and the more appart the keys composing the binding can be.
For example:
- C-y (yank)
For this I use left Control (C) and the y with my right hand. On the other hand, right Control and y with the right hand is awkward when typing something.
- M-w (kill)
Right Meta (M) and w (left hand) This way, my hands move but a little and in harmony.
Install
When installing a GNU/Linux distribution, select the default keyboard language as english US.
Switch
To switch the keyboard layout
sudo loadkeys us
Mapping
Limits
Now here comes the glitch. QWERTY is not perfect.
We still have the dreaded CapsLock key.
I do not want to think about my lock because:
- I do not look at my keyboard, this moves my head (what can I say, I'm lazy! So I do not move it a lot to keep concentrated on what I do)
- I do not want to have to type a letter to know its case and remove it afterward. This is one command to type the letter and one binding to remove it. This is too much action that you need to repeat every time you are distracted and do not remember if it is locked or not.
So the fastest way to avoid this is to not use it.
.Xmodmap
I use xmodmap to remap my bindings under an X session.
.Xmodmap file:
keysym Super_L = Num_Lock remove lock = Caps_Lock keysym Caps_Lock = Control_L add control = Control_L clear mod5 add mod1 = Mode_switch
run:
xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
Install
Install the .Xmodmap in your $HOME and use your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc to execute xmodmap at session opening.
[ -f ~/.Xmodmap ] && xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
Conclusion
In this entry post, I explained why and how I use xmodmap to remap my keyboard under an X session.
But I also let appear a refusal to be distracted away from what I intend to do in the first place. This is the beginning of something I call the feedback loop that I'll explain in another blog entry.