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diff --git a/public/footpedal.md b/public/footpedal.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a8214f --- /dev/null +++ b/public/footpedal.md @@ -0,0 +1,92 @@ +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> |