ThinkPad Keyboards are generally waterproof. The framework keyboard is not. And it has no red mouse dot. However it feels nice and is even easier to replace than the Thinkpad one if needed.
Replaced my Thinkpad with a framework a few months ago and as long as I don't spill my drink over it, it looks like I will enjoy the framework a long time.
Slightly off topic. But when I got my first 60% keyboard I started using the SpaceFN layout (via TouchCursor on Windows) and never looked back. Even on larger keyboards.
SpaceFN turns your space bar into a meta key, and arrows/home/end/pgup/pgdown are all reachable from the home row. I can't go back.
You can't use it in application that need to know if your holding down the spacebar (graphic design software, games). I switch it off for those. But otherwise I haven't had any issues (besides TouchCursor, which is buggy and need a restart every now and then).
Having navigational keys on the home row is something every software developer should use (but almost no one does). Unlike Vim-style keybindings it just works everywhere.
Personally I am using an unused key on my keyboard (layout) as modifier to access them. My particular mapping is based on the Neo Layout [0]. Basically FPS-style WASD but shifted by one key to the right.
As tool to change keyboard layout I use Interception Tools [1] and a personal C program. The advantage of interception tools is that it works everywhere (even outside a desktop environment).
[0]: https://www.neo-layout.org/ – It's a German page, but you can look at "Ebene 4" on the keyboard thingy to see the layout.
Thank you, this makes so much sense! I use Neo2 on a 75%, longer learning curve but absolutely worth it IMHO. Sadly the docs are only german, think i'll have to do something about it.
