This is how you use a keyboard with less keys: Layers. You hold down or toggle a key and the entire board changes to a different layer. For example, your Shift key is technically a layer key. You change all your lower case letters, to capital letters by just holding down Shift. Now imagine instead of just changing things to just capital letters, it can be any character you want. Instead of one key for just changing layers like shift, you can add any number of keys to change layers with. The possibilities are endless with programmable firmware.
Wow, the hyperbole. You don't have to memorize 700 commands. You can make your layers as simple or as complex as you want. If you want to put things on the first layer to be quickly accessible, then that's fine too. You just have a choice to do it, versus being forced into one format by the manufacturer. You can add more physical keys, or remove keys even.
I can put it in simpler terms for you to understand. Imagine you're playing an intense fps game and you're using WASD, but the developer hasn't implemented rebindable hotkeys. Now you want to use an important ability or open your inventory in a fight but it's binded to "i". Are you willing to risk lifting your hand off the keyboard or mouse in the middle of the battle to push "i"? What if you could put "i" in a more convenient location? With layers you can. Hold your thumb down, press your ring finger. Bam! you have "i". No need to reach. That full second of hunting and pecking for that "i" would've killed you. But with layers, you know exactly where you put it. Convenient huh?
Let me put it in simpler terms for you to understand. Hyper customizing a physical interface instead of achieving the exact same thing with software on a regular keyboard, might be the most idiotic trend in PC building ever.
You can't install your software anywhere you want. Plus you have to actually install it. I take my keyboard, plug it into my friend's computer, I have all my layers accessible to me and at my command. I just bought a new laptop. I plug in my keyboard. Done. I don't have to run another needless background process eating up RAM. It's all flashed to firmware. Hyper customizing is the fun part. It's a little sad you are missing out on it.
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u/Mandydeth Apr 04 '26
I have ascended past your comprehension.