Free keyboard software for linux

vkeyd is a Linux daemon, forked from ikeyd, used to change volumes from keyboard hotkeys outside of X, or if the keyboard has been captured, as happens with SDL applications.

XKeyCaps project is a graphical front-end to xmodmap.

It displays a keyboard and lets you remap keys using dialog boxes, rather than having to learn the arcane syntax used by the xmodmap command.

It opens a window that looks like a keyboard; moving the mouse over a key shows what KeySyms and Modifier bits that key generates.

Clicking on a key simulates KeyPress/KeyRelease events on the window of your choice. It is possible to change the KeySyms and Modifiers generated by a key through a mouse-based interface.

This program can also write an input file for xmodmap to recreate your changes in future sessions.

Installing:

# xmkmf ; make ; make install ; make install.man

KeyTouch is a program which allows you to easily configure the extra function keys of your keyboard. This means that you can define, for every individual function key, what to do if it is pressed.

When you buy a new keyboard a CD-ROM will probably included. This CD-ROM contains software to configure the extra function keys (the image above shows an example of extra function keys) of your keyboard with. The problem however is that most of the times the software is not available for Linux.

KeyTouch is the solution to this problem. It allows you to easily configure the extra funtion keys of your keyboard.

KBDE is a keyboard emulator. It allow emulate keyboard input for keyboardless x86 computers.
KBDE include following:
- linux kernel module
- user-space tools
- development library
Enhancements:
- Support was added for Linux kernel versions 2.6.20 and later.

Little Wizard is a development environment for children. Little Wizard can be programmed without using keyboard, just by using drag and drop.
Even children in primary school can understand how it works. Little Wizard project uses GTK+ and libXML.
Enhancements:
- This release fixes errors found in the parser and other minor problems.

Klavaro application is just another free touch typing tutor program. We felt like to do it because we became frustrated with the other options, which relied mostly on some few specific keyboards.
Klavaro intends to be keyboard and language independent, saving memory and time (and money).
Main features:
- Internationalization: English, Esperanto and Portuguese. If you want to translate to another language, please read the instructions for translation.
- Ready to use keyboard layouts:
- "qwerty" (BR; BR_abnt0; BR_abnt2; IT; PT; US)
- dvorak (US)
- "qwertz" (HU)
- "azerty" (FR)
- Keyboard layout editor: makes possible to configure the keys positions and to save the result in a simple text file. If your keyboard isnt shown above, you can create it. If you need to do it, please let us know about.
- Basic course: a basic type of course is available for memorizing the keys positions on the keyboard. It is supposed to be independent from keyboard layout, by the generation of random character sequences to be followed by the student.
- Adaptability exercises: these exercises use all the keys ramdonly, so that you can practice using all the keyboard. Its named adaptability exercise because it develops the capacity to adapt your typing skills to any kind of strange words that may appear in some texts.
- Velocity exercises: one achieves velocity on typing when the environment is well known, or, when the words come from ones own language. Thats why these exercises focus on velocity. And even if your language isnt supported by the application, you still can indicate texts in any language to include the words contained there.
- Fluidness exercises: with these exercises, one works typing complete paragraphs, with good sense sentences. Typing errors arent accepted: the user must correct them with the backspace key before be allowed to go on. Especial attention is given to the typing rhythm, which must be as uniform as possible. Just like the velocity exercises, this one here makes possible to load any text files, independently of language.
- Progress charts: at the accomplishment of each exercise, some characteristics of your performance are saved and can be graphically showed. Thus, you can easily observe your learning progress (or regress).
- Clean graphical interface: when learning to type correctly, one must not get the attention off the exercises. So, it isnt recommended neither to have dozens of gauges measuring velocity, errors, time, etc; nor a virtual keyboard floating in front of the student: he/she must memorize the key positions by the tact, not visually. Hence, Klavaros interface started simple and will remain like that for all of its lifetime.
Enhancements:
- A Dutch translation was added.
- Turkish keyboard layouts were added.
- Size is now limited for loading personal text files in velocity and fluidness exercises, avoiding program freezings and/or segmentation faults.
- Interpretation of the environment variable LANGUAGE was corrected.
- Some code cleanup was done.

JRainWords project is a utility which aids in teaching children how to use a computer keyboard.

JRainWords is a small educational tool I have developed for my nephews.

JRainWords is a Java program useful in teaching children how to use a computer keyboard.

It works with Linux, Windows and with every other platform supported by the SUN Java 2 Virtual Machine 1.4.0. The words in the default list are English, but can be easily replaced (a file with Italian words is included).