# The DevTerm keyboard is far too small for grownups to type on

**URL:** <https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/the-devterm-keyboard-is-far-too-small-for-grownups-to-type-on/6182>\
**Category:** DevTerm\
**Created:** [January 10, 2021, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/the-devterm-keyboard-is-far-too-small-for-grownups-to-type-on/6182 "2021-01-10T20:44:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![carlsmith](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forum.clockworkpi.com/carlsmith/32/4573_2.png) [@carlsmith](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/u/carlsmith)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2021, 8:54pm UTC](https://forum.clockworkpi.com/t/the-devterm-keyboard-is-far-too-small-for-grownups-to-type-on/6182/2 "2021-01-10T20:54:59Z")

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If you need to make a small keyboard, you reduce the _number_ (not the _size_) of the keys. You need at least four rows of at least ten columns to be at all productive. That works out to 180mm x 72mm.

The DevTerm keyboard is 190mm x 78mm (and keyboard bevels can be any size), so it would be possible to have a very minimal, but grownup keyboard on the DevTerm. There are a bunch of ways you could lay it out, but this example offers a rough idea of the kind of compromises involved:

![kb](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/clockworkpi/original/2X/c/c595fe0ad783c74cf9cbb3f83d14732213f97e00.jpeg)

When electronics manufacturers moved from polystyrene to cardboard, they called in origami masters. The DevTerm designers should have turned to keyboard enthusiasts, who have been making tiny keyboards for ages.

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