Alternative Physical Keyboard Layouts

Is it possible to order a laptop with a different physical keyboard layout than US and UK? I’m from Spain and I’d like to know if it’s possible to order it with my desired layout or, if not, if you provide the technical specifications of your keyboards in order to look for one that can properly fit in and replace it myself.

Thank you guys!

Hi Albert!

Not at the moment, unfortunately, . We simply don’t have many requests for Spanish keyboards, so it’s not economically feasible for us to manufacture them. You can workaround this by using UK keyboard with decals/stickers. Also, we are considering other options as a long term solution, like this, for example: https://puri.sm/forums/topic/an-e-ink-keyboard/.

I doubt technical specs would be of help here, but I’ll reply back with more info.

Hi Albert!..
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As you may recall, a handful of Closed Source hardware OEMs came up with respective versions of “dual touchscreen” laptops that did away with the conventional keyboard, and that enabled new worlds of possibilities, via their “virtual touchscreen keyboards”! And the ones that come to mind, are the Canova, the ICONIA, the CeBIT… but, etc.!
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Two unique powers of these types of laptops… although, there are many!.. is their ability to facilitate an efficient and effective, and easy “user interface” for “graphic rendering”… and… their ability to display (through the tap of one’s finger… or through an interactive device!) variable “virtual keyboards” for countless professional and vocational disciplines (e.g., linguistics, physics, chemistry, music… and, any field that possesses a specialized vocabulary, and “symbolic language”!)! Indeed!.. one could use such technoma to play “virtual digital bongos”, or a “virtual piano”!
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However!.. the sad thing, is that these are Closed Source systems! Systems!.. that due to the very nature of the Closed Source philosophy, are an impediment to the very “practical realization” of the full benefits, of this dual touchscreen feature! And, for example, having to sort out who owns what, in order to actually effect a “virtual keystroke”, to-- in turn!-- render some onscreen “symbolic dialogue”! Nonsense!
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To close!.. I’m fully aware that the Purism Librem team is presently up to its neck in its effort to bring the Purism Librem lines to market! And, I don’t… for one moment!.. believe that this is an easy task! Nevertheless!.. it would be SO PRACTICAL if the Purism Librem team could find room in their busy schedules, to add this feature to a future Purism Librem line!.. and then, hopefully, the Purism Librem flagship will be able to do, what the Closed Source community-- so far!-- has not! And!.. I’m MORE THAN CONVINCED, that sundry members of our Purism Librem family-- AT LEAST!-- would be willing to back a Crowd Funding Campaign, to bring a Purism Librem Dual Touchscreen Laptop (and eventually, a 3D P.L.D.T.L.!) to fruition! And thereby, resolve the issue that you-- for one!-- are trying to address! And so… your lobbying for the abovenoted, would be a more fruitful alternative than a “language-centric” appeal re keyboard add-ons!
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Please!.. no emails!
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P.S.: It’s interesting to note, that this site’s Comment Log/ Clog window is underlining the word Librem, IN RED!.. in addition, to my expressions technoma, and abovenoted! It makes me wonder what/ which algorithms are “running the show”!.. Closed Source, or FREE AND OPEN SOURCE!

Funnily enough, I happened to visit a retail store today and to see a Lenovo “Yoga Book” laptop with a capacitive touch keyboard. I thought it was a cute gadget and a clever idea “in theory” but I (and many geeks) would never use this in practice. I hate touch keyboards. I need real physical keys that guide my fingers, and cushioning that dampens my finger strikes, or I will hurt myself (I speak from experience). This is also why I can’t stand using tablets/phones’s onscreen keyboards for anything longer than a sentence or two.

P.S.: It’s interesting to note, that this site’s Comment Log/ Clog window is underlining the word Librem, IN RED!… in addition, to my expressions technoma, and abovenoted! It makes me wonder what/ which algorithms are “running the show”!… Closed Source, or FREE AND OPEN SOURCE!

Turn off the spellchecking feature in your web browser’s preferences.

Hi Jeff!..
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Believe me, I understand your frustration!.. and it’s the very reason that the Blackberry phone lasted so long! Nevertheless!.. the Blackberry is no more!.. and millions of mobile phone users have moved on! And one of the simple reasons why many have chosen not to pursue tablet technoma(e) (technomae, being the plural form of technoma!), is that many have found holding/ placing these devices, problematic! I prefer a device that doesn’t require a prop to hold it up!
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However, the benefits of dual touchscreen technoma (technoma, being a PRODUCT OR SERVICE FORM of a given TECHNE/ craft/ field, etc.!.. and preferred over the use, “technology”!) far outweigh the idiosyncratic preoccupation with physical keyboards! And!.. and more importantly!.. for those keen on exploring multiple fields of endeavor, deliberately delimiting one’s online options by holding on to yesterday’s technoma(e), is to hamper one’s personal development, and to shut out the many other extant worlds available online! And it’s akin to saying:… “I won’t ride self-driving cars because I NEED to grasp a steering wheel!.. and, I like to use my car’s horn!”
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And lastly, my spellchecking feature is always turned off!-- regardless of the type of system I’m using! Nevertheless!.. and when using a Microsoft-based system in particular!.. I have regularly found that the boxes I have both checked and unchecked in Security under Internet Options, have been “mysteriously rechecked” upon examination! And many of these “occurrences” have been made manifest afterupon visiting certain sites, and, afterupon Microsoft “Updates”! And once again!.. thank you Todd Weaver!
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Please!.. no emails!

@mladen the link to the e-ink keyboard does not work.

I would like to have an option for a QWERTZ keyboard (German language). However, you already pointed out that it is not feasible for you to manufacture them.

However, you did not really answer the question of @Albert regarding the possibility of replacing the Purism keyboard with another model from another manufacturer.

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@balduin, I don’t think so, since the case is custom made for us.

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@mladen what about the technical specs? You wanted to reply back with more info: “I doubt technical specs would be of help here, but I’ll reply back with more info.”

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I still think the best option for multi language keyboards would be a material that could be written on with a laser instead of the “stickers” (they are doing what they should, but its just glued on top after all).

And still there was no compensation for the missing keyboard layouts that never shipped but where available on order and actually payed for.

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Please contact ops at puri.sm regarding this.

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