Swapping keys on 2017 MBP?

[FineFuturity]

I'm trying to learn the Colemak layout and am considering moving keys around to make the experience a little easier. I assume there should be no problem with doing this, but with each key using the new butterfly mechanism, I don't want to risk breaking anything.

Thanks in advance, guys.

EDIT: yeah, I know about keyboard covers and have one ordered already. I'm only asking if I decide to go with this layout full time. Just want the experience to be consistent in this case.

 

[hallux]

I'd have to go back and check but at least with the 2016 models some keys attached differently to the mechanism. I don't recall if all of the letters attached in the same manner or if some differed.

 

[AppleSmack]

Pulling keys off your MBP sounds like a bad idea, a really bad idea. Say goodbye to any warranty.

Why not buy an external Colemak keyboard? At least it will then be full size with the proper proportions and layout, rather than the compromised laptop layout.

 

[aevan]

I'm trying to learn the Colemak layout and am considering moving keys around to make the experience a little easier. I assume there should be no problem with doing this, but with each key using the new butterfly mechanism, I don't want to risk breaking anything.

Thanks in advance, guys.

EDIT: yeah, I know about keyboard covers and have one ordered already. I'm only asking if I decide to go with this layout full time. Just want the experience to be consistent in this case.

Short answer: don't do it.
Long answer: um, there is no long answer, just don't do it. You can easily damage your keys and you void the warranty by doing it.

 

[FineFuturity]

Pulling keys off your MBP sounds like a bad idea, a really bad idea. Say goodbye to any warranty.

Why not buy an external Colemak keyboard? At least it will then be full size with the proper proportions and layout, rather than the compromised laptop layout.

Short answer: don't do it.
Long answer: um, there is no long answer, just don't do it. You can easily damage your keys and you void the warranty by doing it.

This was what my instincts were telling me. I was just hoping to make things easier, but the Colemak keyboard cover I ordered is probably the easiest, most pain-free way of going about this.

Thanks for the answers, y'all

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

This was what my instincts were telling me. I was just hoping to make things easier, but the Colemak keyboard cover I ordered is probably the easiest, most pain-free way of going about this.

Thanks for the answers, y'all

Hmm they do recommend you don't do this anyway.

• Don't relabel or rearrange the keyboard keys. This will slow down learning as you'll be tempted to look at the keyboard instead of the monitor. While you're touch typing many keys will be hidden by your fingers, so you'll have to lift them every time to see the letter below. It will also make it more difficult to adapt to working on other people's computer, whether typing in QWERTY or Colemak. I don't recommend physically moving the key caps because it will move the bumps on the keys below the index finger ("F" and "J" keys on QWERTY). If choose to do it anyway, I recommend that you tape the labels on the keys and don't replace them when the labels start falling off.

I'd be very scared to learn a new keyboard, seeing as QWERTY is the standard, I wouldn't want to have to faff around with special keyboards each and every time I sat down at a computer. Feels like learning to drive a car with the pedals the other way around and the gearstick on the roof, might be 'faster', but buggers you up for driving anything else!

 

[FineFuturity]

Hmm they do recommend you don't do this anyway.

• Don't relabel or rearrange the keyboard keys. This will slow down learning as you'll be tempted to look at the keyboard instead of the monitor. While you're touch typing many keys will be hidden by your fingers, so you'll have to lift them every time to see the letter below. It will also make it more difficult to adapt to working on other people's computer, whether typing in QWERTY or Colemak. I don't recommend physically moving the key caps because it will move the bumps on the keys below the index finger ("F" and "J" keys on QWERTY). If choose to do it anyway, I recommend that you tape the labels on the keys and don't replace them when the labels start falling off.

I'd be very scared to learn a new keyboard, seeing as QWERTY is the standard, I wouldn't want to have to faff around with special keyboards each and every time I sat down at a computer. Feels like learning to drive a car with the pedals the other way around and the gearstick on the roof, might be 'faster', but buggers you up for driving anything else!

Oh, I know. I understood the importance of learning to touch type in the new keyboard layout from the start, and thanks to that, I now have a good idea of where keys are. Swapping them around would have been more for aesthetics than anything else.