Neo (keyboard layout)

Neo uses a total of six layers with the following general use:[5][6] On the basis of the statistical distribution of letters of the German language and research on ergonomics, the Neo keyboard layout aims to shorten the finger movements during typing.The most common letters are therefore in the home row and in the positions of the fast index and middle fingers.

For an average German-language text 63% of all letters can be typed with fingers in the home row—in contrast to 25% in the usual QWERTZ layout.

[7] In addition, using Neo the hands shall alternate as often as possible during typing and their use be evenly distributed—the QWERTY keyboard layout is very left-heavy.

The first two levels correspond to the German lowercase and uppercase letters and can be reached by switching as usual layouts.

By making the navigation buttons accessible on the main panel, Neo also encounters the criticism expressed in reform keyboards that text editors like Vim would be more difficult to use.

The levels five (Shift + Mod3) and six (Mod3 + Mod4) finally contain small and capital letters in Greek as well as other mathematical and scientific signs.

Thus, not only grave, acute and circumflex, but also many other diacritics such as the ring, breve and macron are possible, including the novel dead button "turning" ↻ , for example, from the sign a one can create an ɐ.

On the levels five and six one reaches the Greek letters and numerous characters required for writing formulas, for example symbols for sets (

The initial version 1 was introduced in 2004 by Hanno Behrens on the mailing list of the de ergo keyboard.

Drivers are downloadable on the project page for common platforms, including Linux, Windows, Mac OS, BSD and Solaris.