The Vidork Keymap

"The Vidork Keymap? What is that?" you might ask. Well, coincidentally that's what this appropriately named article is about to address. Sorry, but I just couldn't find a better intro for this. I tried, but I failed. But I'm not going to consider this keymap a failure. I like it, but then again, I made it.

"Well, what is a keymap?" A keymap is a file that contains a layout of all of the keys on your computer's keyboard. Is that confusing? Somehow I think it is, but I figured I'd go ahead and put it anyway. Basically the keys on your keyboard can be rearranged into a different order using a flat head screwdriver or something else to pry them off and then be put on in a different arrangement (this is a difficult task on many laptops, don't try it unless you want to risk losing your keyboard). However, changing their positions doesn't change thier arrangement. It just changes the way you see them. So, what you need is a file on your computer that tells it what each key actually is. This file is called a keymap.

The most common layout is the QWERTY layout. That's the one that is generally the default on most computers and typewriters. However, there are other alternative layouts, such as the DVORAK layout. These are created because they are supposedly easier to use than the QWERTY layout.

For a while I tried the DVORAK layout. It was pretty neat, but there were some programs that didn't play nice with it. Vi, in particular was one that was built around the QWERTY layout. So, I thought, why not create a layout based off of DVORAK, but still easy to use with vi? Because that would require effort, that's why. So I didn't do it. And that's that. Hope you can create one. Naw, I'm just playfoolin' wit ya. I made one.

The layout is called Vidork because it sounds like a messed up version of a mispronunciation of DVORAK and because the first two letters are vi. It's basically a hybrid of the QWERTY and DVORAK layouts. There's an xmodmap file available for download (for you linux people), and one for keytweak (for you windows people). Once I get a mac (which might be a long while) I might make something that works with that as well. I've also made a file that brings you back to the QWERTY layout. ( Windows , Linux )

Here's a figure displaying what it looks like:

UPDATE: I have not used this layout in, like, a looooooooooooooong time. Like, a really, really long time. Like, seriously. A long time. Got it? Long. Yeah.