Add footpedal.md

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diff --git a/public/footpedal.md b/public/footpedal.md
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+My footpedal
+============
+---
+date: "2025-05-31"
+markdown_options: "+superscript"
+---
+
+A collection of things I have written about the footpedal that I
+sometimes use with my computer:
+
+----
+
+> I have a VEC Infinity IN-USB-2 that I grabbed at Goodwill for $5.
+>
+> I love it.  I tend to use it less when the RSI isn't flaring up, but
+> the first time I had RSI being bad is when I started to use it--it
+> really helped.  My RSI was in the few fingers on the pinky-side of
+> my hands (so the opposite of CTS; I'm told this is less common, but
+> I'm figuring it's more common for Emacs users, with all the talk of
+> "Emacs-pinky"), and much worse on my right hand.  The pedal has 3
+> keys; I have them as (left-to-right) Control, Shift, and Alt/Meta,
+> with the addition that if I short-tap the center, it does Enter;
+> this basically means that I can avoid using my right pinky at all
+> when typing.  This allowed me to keep using the computer without
+> making things worse, while I did other things to improve the RSI
+> (stretches, wearing wrist braces at night).  The tap-for-Enter seems
+> a bit weird, but I added it after that motion seemed instinctual
+> when using left-button for control in a repeated C-s search; hold
+> foot-left and tap keyboard-S to increment search, then tap
+> foot-center to complete the search.
+>
+> About the IN-USB-2 specifically:
+>
+> ***It's an XK-3:*** It's actually made by P.I. Engineering for VEC;
+> it's a [rear-hinged X-Keys
+> XK-3](https://web.archive.org/web/20180119/http://piengineering.com/xkeys/xkfootRear.php)^([updated
+> link](https://xkeys.com/xkfootrear.html))^ with a different (less
+> capable) firmware.  The benefit of the crippled firmware is that the
+> IN-USB-2 is way cheaper than buying a "real" XK-3 (even without
+> finding one at Goodwill).
+>
+> ***Firmware:*** On the downside of that, the firmware is less
+> capable; unlike the XK-3, it shows up as a generic HID device with 3
+> buttons, instead of as a keyboard, and thus you can't configure
+> which button is which key.  That is, you'll have to have a program
+> running to monitor the HID buttons and synthesize whichever key
+> events you want, instead of configuring the keys on the device.
+> Fortunately, the device is supported by P.I. Engineering's Linux
+> SDK,
+> [`pihid`](https://web.archive.org/web/20180119/http://xkeys.com/PISupport/DeveloperLinuxSDK.php)^([updated
+> link](https://xkeys.com/software/developer/developerlinuxsdk.html))^
+> ([git](https://github.com/piengineering/xkeys)), so that program is
+> fairly easy to write (and as an Emacs user, you probably appreciate
+> that configuration-is-code gives you more flexibility).  The `pihid`
+> SDK is a crappy little wrapper around the `hidapi` library with the
+> appropriate magic numbers for the hardware.  `hidapi` is portable to
+> macOS; I imagine that getting `pihid` working on macOS is no trouble
+> at all. (IDK if their
+> [ControllerMate](https://web.archive.org/web/20180119/http://piengineering.com/PISupport/SoftwareControllerMate.php)
+> program for macOS works with it, or if ControllerMate requires the
+> real XK-3 firmware.)
+>
+> ***Hardware:*** The thing feels sturdy.  If the switch ever craps
+> out (not that I think it would), it's a generic switch that's in
+> everything that you can pick up for $0.50; which is nice for
+> peace-of-mind. The middle button feels a little wide; I generally
+> have my foot around the left side of it, for Control, and it is
+> difficult to reach over to the right for Meta, and usually end up
+> hitting Meta on the keyboard instead.
+>
+> <cite>[Reddit, 2018-01-19](https://reddit.com/r/emacs/comments/7remed/has_anybody_used_foot_pedals/dswhzkt/)</cite>
+
+----
+
+> I love it, but I don't necessarily love it *more than I would any
+> other foot pedal*.  If you find a different one for cheaper, go for
+> it.
+>
+> <cite>[Reddit, 2018-01-19](https://reddit.com/r/emacs/comments/7remed/has_anybody_used_foot_pedals/dswrf3r/)</cite>
+
+----
+
+> I found that my brain didn't want to treat the pedals like it did
+> keys--it wanted to treat them modally. I wasn't *pressing control*,
+> I was *entering control-mode*.  I wasn't *pressing shift*, I was
+> *entering caps-mode*. Which works out, because it isn't the quick
+> keystrokes that cause the most strain, it's holding the modifier
+> with one finger while the rest of the hand moves around.  I wouldn't
+> use the footpedal Control for the usual quick C-f/b/n/p, but it's
+> great for holding Control as you C-s through a document.
+>
+> <cite>[Reddit, 2018-01-19](https://reddit.com/r/emacs/comments/7remed/has_anybody_used_foot_pedals/dswrmo5/)</cite>