Keyboards for Conlanging

[Arayaz]

If you're a Chrome user, you're familiar with the multiple keyboard options available in the Settings. I would just like to take a bit of time to tell you conlangers out there: get the Portuguese (Brazil) keyboard. It allows you to type so many things, including all the accents (e.g. ą̉ or ế), and IPA characters like /ŋ ʂ ȥ ɲ ɱ ɗ ɓ ɠ æ/. You even get special characters: want to name your language İþǽłè, but afraid of all the squiggles being hard to type? Look no further. It took me under five seconds to do so.

In conclusion, GET THIS KEYBOARD.

(One downside: / and ? are, for some reason, ralt+Q and ralt+W. But with practice, you'll get 'em.)

[Salmoneus]

On windows, you can just create your own keyboard layout pretty easily. At least, you used to be able to (this computer is VERY out of date!) - generally each versino of Windows lets you do fewer and fewer things, so maybe you can't anymore?

EDIT: I also have keyboard shortcuts defined in Word. Although it's always annoyed me that you can't do the same in Excel (not in this version, at least).

[Arayaz]

On windows, you can just create your own keyboard layout pretty easily. At least, you used to be able to (this computer is VERY out of date!) - generally each versino of Windows lets you do fewer and fewer things, so maybe you can't anymore?

EDIT: I also have keyboard shortcuts defined in Word. Although it's always annoyed me that you can't do the same in Excel (not in this version, at least).

This is one thing Windows has over Chrome. But I'm a long-time Chrome user, and probably won't change, even now that I know this thing that I've always dreamed of is just beyond my reach.

[VaptuantaDoi]

On Mac at least it's super easy to create your own keyboard layout and add it to the existing selection. I made one ages ago using an app called Ukelele, and I've been using that one ever since. And you can use it on any app you like. I remember that there was a bit of difficulty in getting the system to recognise/find the new layout but I got there in the end.