Comparing KeyboardIO M01 and Ergodox EZ

[algernon (Gergely Nagy)]

@jamadagni

Hyper/Meh: Meh! I don’t care about these crazy combinations and they are equally possible on M01 as on my current ANSI-type keyboard. But I want to know, what do I do for Win/Level3 and Level5 modifiers?

Hyper/Meh is also possible, because that’s just Alt+Ctrl+Shift, and you can have an Alt+Ctrl+Shift key on your keymap.

@jamadagni

“Space-cadet shift” aka tap/hold: Does M01’s default firmware provide this?

The default firmware does not, but unlike ErgoDox EZ’s QMK, the Model01’s Kaleidoscope supports plugins, and there is a Space Cadet plugin (and DualUse, and OneShots, and dozens of others)…

@jamadagni

Mouse control: M01’s Fn layer right? But is scroll available too?

Yep, and yep!

@jamadagni

Dual-function keys: Isn’t this the same tap/hold feature as “Space-cadet shift” above? Why is EZ claiming this separately?

There are subtle differences, at least in the EZ case. Space-cadet would press the modifier immediately (because parens are shifted too), while DualUse would only press the modifier when the modifier usage of the key is triggered. (If I remember correctly, that is…)

@jamadagni

IIUC M01 is made in China. I hope the EZ’s comment is not an indirect reference to that!

It does not. I believe it was there before the Keyboardio Kickstarter. We are on friendly terms with the makers of the EZ

@jamadagni

That concludes the ErgoDox home page. As for Our Open-Source Firmware | ErgoDox EZ it seems to me that all those points are covered by M01 as well?

Yes. Though, the factory firmware does not have all that many plugins enabled, so if you want to use some of the features provided by these, you will have to compile your own firmware. But that isn’t terribly hard, either. If it is, then we’re doing something wrong, and need to make it more accessible.