Open Source Keys

Hey Everyone! I just wanted to let everyone know that more updates to this site are coming! In fact I plan to be doing quite a few more posts in order to get this project going. Right now I’m just waiting on a webcam/mic combo that I just ordered which should make things a bit easier (Mac Pro doesn’t come with an iSight or mic so I’ve been using a MacBook Pro to do everything so far which is a bit tedious!)

Even though I’ve been super busy shooting weddings and portraits, I’ve had some time over the last couple days to think about the best way to approach Open Source Keys. What I want is to make sure that everyone has a processing/workflow solution that suits them perfectly. That being said it is very clear to me that OSK will not be for everyone. Some people will be much better off purchasing a pre-programmed keyboard from a  developer like RPG keys or DQ Studios . By purchasing their products you save yourself the trouble of creating an intuitive keyboard layout as well as programing all of the shortcuts yourself! Both those developers provide products that will have you up and running right away and most importantly you’ll be saving a ton of time by pressing keys instead of using your mouse to control sliders.

BUT… If you want the flexibility of being able to customize keyboard layouts, and customize keyboard shortcuts (in a variety of photography related programs or any program really!) AND you’re patient enough to experiment a bit then programing an xkeys yourself might be the best solution. It took me a little less than 10 hours to program everything for the first time, but if you know what you’re doing it will take much less time (especially if you already have a keyboard layout in mind!).

The goal of this site is to provide a collection of resources and information that make it easier for you to program an xkeys (or alternative keyboard) as easily as possible. While I had originally stated that I would be posting different resolution shortcut files for QuicKeys so that the shortcuts would function with different sized monitors (as opposed to just 24inches, which is what it is set at right now) I have decided that for the time being I will not be posting different sized shortcut files for three reasons. 1. Even though the file I posted works great for me, it is still not 100% bullet proof. I would say that right now it’s about 99% (on very rare occasions you have to press a button twice in order to activate it, or the shortcuts glitch a bit). Until I find a solution that is 100% I don’t want to be posting the shortcut file in different resolutions. 2. Because this project is so new, I’m discovering new information everyday. While I still think I’ve chosen the best method for Mac so far, a new method may present itself that makes programming even easier. And finally 3. This project is about learning! While I don’t want everyone to waste 10 hours programming a keyboard I do want people to learn how to do things for themselves so that if things go wrong they’ll know how to fix it, plus they will be able to customize things perfectly to their workflow. Customization = time saving!

I just edited over 1000 images in about 6 hours. Cut down from easily over 30 hours. The amount of time you can save using a device like this is incredible. Whether you program it yourself or purchase one already programmed, I think every photographer needs a device like this.

Much much more to come.