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Is there support is OS X for changing normal letter keys into properly functioning modifier keys?

CMD with my thumbs, and Shift, are the only modifiers I can comfortably type. RSI pain in my pinkies really limits Option and Ctrl.

It would be interesting to have a chording setup with keys on the home row. Hold "D" + type a key with your Right hand, and vice versa for "K" and the Left hand.



"Simultaneous VI Mode" in Karabiner (RIP) is apparently one such example of normal keys as modifiers.

https://github.com/tekezo/Karabiner-Elements/issues/153


I actually got really excited about doing that, but it turns out that apple keyboards are only reliable for a total of 2 simultaneous.


Is that due to the physical Apple keyboards? Or OS X?


Yes, if you hold down J and Semicolon and then hit the a button on a macbook pro you will notice it isn't picked up. It is a hardware limitation on most keyboards. See "n key rollover" in google for more details.




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