Re: vterm and Meta?

[tpeplt]

hw <hw@adminart.net> writes:

>> 
>> Here is a keyboard remapping suggestion (bottom row of keyboard):
>> 
>>    [alt/meta] [ctrl] [      space      ] [ctrl] [alt/meta]
>> 
>> With this arrangement, the Ctrl-[ combination for the Meta key is
>> pressed with your left thumb (short reach) and right pinkie (short
>> reach).  A key combination such as C-M-v (the ‘scroll-other-window’
>> command) is performed by pressing and holding the <Ctrl> key while
>> pressing the ‘[’ key.  Then those keys are released just as would be
>> done when pressing the <Esc> key and the <Ctrl>-v key will complete the
>> key combination.
>
> Try it on a keyboard shown in [1] (which is an awesome keyboard
> indeed), or on a German keyboard :)  It's awkward to press.  Swapping
> Ctrl with Alt on the right would make it easier, but that would take
> some getting used to.
>
> On a German keyboard, Ctrl-[ is virtually inaccessible because you
> would have to press AltGr+Shift+8, and the only AltGr key you get is
> on the right.
>
>
> [1]:
> https://www.pckeyboard.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=UB40B5A
>

If I am seeing this photo correctly, there are <Alt> keys immediately to
the left and right of the space bar.  These are the ones to swap with
the <Ctrl> keys (which I cannot locate in the picture).  The ‘[’ key is
immediately to the right of the ‘P’ key.  Those are the same locations
as I am referring to.  Use the left thumb to press and hold the <Alt>
key while the right pinkie presses the ‘[’ key.  This is a minimal
amount of reach and does not contort either the left or right hand.  The
combination is used the same way that the <Esc> key is used: Press and
release the two keys (think <Meta>) and then press the next key in the
combination.  This avoids having to press and hold the <Alt> key in
combination with the <Ctrl> key.

This might not be to your taste (just as Emacs’s key combinations drive
some people to use vi).  It can work very well and until I had moved to
this arrangement years ago, I routinely had RSI problems.

>
>> The advantage of this approach is that the long thumb reach for either
>> <Alt> key is avoided except for rare instances, while the short thumb
>> reach is used for frequent instances of <Ctrl> or <Ctrl>-[.  There is
>> also an extra benefit for touch typists -- it is much more rare that
>> unused fingers need to be lifted from the home keys.
>
> I always take my fingers off the home row for moving around, except
> for Ctrl-a and Ctrl-e.  That way I can use the cursor keys and
> PgDown/PgUp keys --- it's what makes sense to me.
>

If you move the <Ctrl> keys to the sides of the <Space> bar, then many
Ctrl sequences become available.  <Ctrl>-n/<Ctrl>-p can quickly replace
the Up/Down arrow keys.  <Ctrl> becomes a second <Shift> key, but more
easily reached than <Shift>.

> Ctrl and Alt are special keys for me which aren't included in
> 10-finger typing.  Typewriters don't have these keys, and they are
> very awkwardly positioned ...  I'd be impressed if you can use these
> keys just like all the others.
>

Once re-positioned, the <Ctrl> keys are not much more difficult to reach
for your thumbs than the <Space> bar and easier to reach than the
<Shift> keys (using your stronger thumbs rather than your weaker pinkies).

>> If it is available to you, the ‘gnome-tweaks’ package can be used to
>> remap the Alt and Ctrl keys.  Within the gnome-tweaks application, see
>> the "Keyboard & Mouse" settings and then select the "Additional Layout
>> Options".
>
> Right --- yet what makes Alt for Meta so great is that you can do
> stuff directly, like M-x right away puts you into the minibuffer where
> you can enter the name of the function you want to call.  Having to
> use ESC or Ctrl-[ makes this awkward because you have to press ESC
> first and then x.  That has always been weird.

It should be less weird if you reposition the <Ctrl> keys next to the
<Space> bar.  It puts them within reach of some of your strongest
fingers -- your thumbs.  Once done, it becomes a touch-typing exercise
where you learn to think <Meta> when reaching for <Ctrl> with your left
thumb and [ with your right pinkie.  Touch typing requires repetitious
practicing, as you likely know well.

A suggestion to try is to reposition the keys and go through the Emacs
Tutorial (C-h t).  That would provide practice using many Ctrl key
combinations and could help you decide whether this new approach is to
your liking.

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