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Typing with Go60

Setting up Go60 for comfortable typing

Go60 has been designed to encourage good typing postures.

Here are quick instructions:

  1. Make sure you have a properly set up and comfortable desk and chair, or alternatively a standing desk.
  2. If you intend to use Go60 with the optional Go60 Palm Rest, install the palm rest.
  3. If the keycaps have been loosened during its long journey to you, they will feel uneven as you slide your fingers down the columns. Push them in to fully reseat the keycaps.
  4. Place the two halves in a comfortable position, such that:
  • The two halves are separated at a distance suitable for your shoulder width;
  • Your wrists are straight when viewed from above, i.e. no ulnar deviation;
  • Your forearms are horizontal or slightly pointing downwards when you place your palms on the palm rests. If necessary, please re-adjust your desk and chair.
  • When adjusted properly, your wrists should be straight or very slightly bending downwards when viewed from the side, i.e. neutral or slight negative tilt. If your wrists are bending upwards, please adjust your desk and chair height.
  1. Place your fingers on the highlighted keys in the image below. This is the typical rest position for your fingers, also known as the “home row”.

Home row

  1. Go60 is a columnar keyboard: it is designed to reduce the need for fingers reaching sideways. Most of our finger movements are to curl and uncurl. The index and the pinky fingers are each responsible for two columns (C1 & C2 for index fingers, and C5 & C6 for the pinky fingers), while the middle and ring fingers are each responsible for one column.

That’s it!

If you are already familiar with typing on a columnar keyboard such as an Ergodox, you should very quickly adapt to your Go60. If you have never typed on a columnar keyboard, there will be a learning curve to adapt to the columnar finger movement. Most people find themselves picking up the basics within a day, but mastery will take at least a few weeks of practice.

Here is a typing/coding demonstration by @gentlemanprogramming on Go60. Notice the distinct lack of palm movement.

Transitioning process and learning tools

Our standard recommendation is to practice 30 to 60 minutes each day. Don't rush, as both your body and mind need to develop new muscle and muscle memory. When you feel your typing on Go60 is becoming natural (usually around 40 to 50 wpm), you will be ready to use Go60 as a full-time keyboard.

There are learning tools that will help in learning new keyboard layouts. Some of the well-known ones are

Note

MoErgo is not affiliated with these tools, this is not an endorsement.

Key position naming convention

To help identify the keys on Go60, we use the following key position naming convention.

We refer to finger key positions using the naming convention (side) C(column)R(row). For example, the key on the left hand side, in column two, row three, would be called LH C2R3. Thumb key positions are named from the inside out, as (side) T(number). For example, the innermost thumb key on the right hand side would be called RH T1.

Key positions

Default key layout

Go60 supports the concept of multiple layers. When you power on the keyboard, the Base Layer will be active. However, you can switch to different layers in which the same key can serve multiple purposes. This isn’t as confusing as it may sound; you do the same when you use the Fn key on a laptop. There are two ways of switching layers: you can switch to another layer momentarily (for as long as you hold down a trigger key, similar to “Fn” on many laptop keyboards) or indefinitely until you switch layers again.

When shipped, Go60’s default key layout has five layers:

  • Layer 0 – Base Layer: The alphabetic, numeric and base symbols.
  • Layer 1 – Numpad Layer: Layer optimized for number data entry. In the default layout, this layer is activated with the ⬠ key on RH C6R4.
  • Layer 2 – SymbolNav Layer: Navigation keys and symbol keys accessible via chording. In the default layout, this layer is activated with the △ key on LH T1.
  • Layer 3 – Magic Layer: Access to Go60 control functions such as RGB and Bluetooth
  • Layer 4 – Factory Test Layer: This layer is not used for normal typing; it is only for switch testing

Base layer

Here is the Base Layer. This layer is active when you switch on the keyboard.

Base layer

The Base Layer is the home for the most commonly used keys on the keyboard. The functions of each key should be self-explanatory.

Numpad layer

Numpad layer

The Numpad Layer is optimized for number data entry.

The Numpad Layer contains:

  • F1 to F12
  • An extended numeric pad on the right half
  • A full navigation cluster on the left half
  • Common shortcuts such as copy and paste on the left half

To enter the Numpad Layer temporarily, hold down ⬠ key at RH C6R4 . To enter the Numpad Layer permanently, double tap ⬠ key at RH C6R4 . To exit the Numpad Layer back to the Base Layer, single tap ⬠ key at RH C6R4.

SymbolNav layer

SymbolNav layer

The SymbolNav layer makes navigation keys and symbol keys accessible via chording. Please note to simplify navigation key combos with ctrl+shift, this layer has added shift and control on the bottom row of the right hand pinky columns.

The SymbolNav Layer contains:

  • F1 to F12
  • A full navigation cluster on the left half
  • A partial navigation cluster on the right half
  • Easy access to common normally-shifted symbols such as punctuation and braces
  • Less-common functional keys such as Print Screen, Pause/Break, Insert, Scroll Lock, and Caps Lock

To enter the SymbolNav Layer temporarily, hold down the △ key at LH T1. To enter the SymbolNav Layer permanently, double tap the △ key at LH T1. To exit the SymbolNav Layer back to the Base Layer, single tap the △ key at LH T1.

Please note to simplify key combos of navigation keys plus Ctrl and/or Shift, the SymbolNav layer has added shift and control on the bottom row of the right hand pinky columns.

Finally, the Right Trackpad mouse movement is accelerated 3 times the normal speed when the SymbolNav Layer is active.

Magic layer

Magic layer

The Magic Layer is the layer for controlling Go60 itself.

This is the layer for:

  • Controlling the RGB LED behavior
  • Selecting which BT Profile or USB to output keystrokes to
  • Other system functions on Go60
  • Media keys

To enter Magic Layer, hold down the MoErgo key at LH C6R4.

Making the key layout yours

As you become familiar with Go60, you may want to customize Go60’s key layout to match your typing habits.

Indicators

When you tap on the Magic key, the status indicators are activated for 10 seconds. The RGB LEDs under the keys on the left hand side of Go60 will light up to indicate the status of the Go60, showing:

  • Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock status
  • The battery level and status of both left and right halves
  • The status of each of the BT Profiles
  • Which key layout layer is currently active

Here is a diagram showing the meaning and position of the indicator RGB LEDs:

Indicators

Caps Lock, Num Lock & Scroll Lock

If the corresponding indicator is red, the lock is enabled.

Key layout layer status

If the corresponding indicator is purple, the layer is active.

Layer 0 is always the Base Layer of the key layout. For the default key layout, Layer 1 is the Numpad Layer, Layer 2 is the SymbolNav Layer, and Layer 3 is the Magic Layer.

If you are using a customized key layout, the meanings of Layer 1 through Layer 5 will depend on your own definition. If your customized key layout has more than six layers, the status of Layer 6 or above won’t be shown.

Battery indicators

LH R2 (i.e. row 2) indicates the battery status of the left half of Go60.

LH R3 (i.e. row 3) indicates the battery status of the right half of Go60.

The number of LEDs in each row indicates the charge level:

  • 1 LED: 0 to 19%
  • 2 LEDs: 20 to 39%
  • 3 LEDs: 40 to 59%
  • 4 LEDs: 60 to 79%
  • 5 LEDs: 80 to 99%
  • All 6 LEDs Green: 100% or charging.
  • All 6 LEDs Red: Left and right halves of Go60 have lost connection: see note below).

If the battery level is less than 20% the row will be in red. Otherwise, if the battery level is less than 40% then the row will be in yellow.

BT and USB indicators

Each of the four BT Profile outputs and one USB output of Go60 is represented by an RGB indicator. The meaning of the colors for an output indicator is:

  • Purple:
    • For BT Profiles: No device is paired to this BT Profile.
    • For USB: Unplugged.
  • Red:
    • For BT Profiles: The output device is paired but not connected.
    • For USB: Powered only but no data. Note: Some chargers and USB power banks appear as USB hosts and will appear as green or even white.
  • Green: The output device is connected, but not being used for output.
  • White: The output device is connected and is the current actual output device to which typing will be sent.

Note

Due to the behavior of ZMK, the actual output device may not be the same as the selected output device when the selected output device is not connected. ZMK’s output fallback mechanism is explained further in the section ZMK output fallback mechanism. If the output fallback mechanism is in operation, i.e., the actual output device is not the same as the selected output device, the Output Fallback indicator will be lit in red.