diff --git a/vim/config/after.vim b/vim/config/after.vim
index 10e938b..a795f00 100644
--- a/vim/config/after.vim
+++ b/vim/config/after.vim
@@ -43,13 +43,16 @@ endif
     "filtype specific settings
     autocmd Filetype text,mkd,mkdc,gitcommit,notes,mail,notmuch,rst,taskreport setlocal nonumber spell nolist linebreak breakat&vim breakat-=* breakat-=. breakat-=/ breakat-=? breakat-=, breakat-=: breakat-=; breakat-=! "set some defaults for word processing
     autocmd Filetype text,gitcommit,notes,mail,notmuch,rst,taskreport setlocal wrap
-    autocmd FileType help* wincmd L "help windows always open vertically
-    autocmd FileType help* vertical resize 80 "set the window size to 80 cols
-    autocmd FileType help* setlocal nocursorline "remove the horizontal cursor line
     autocmd FileType tmux,taskrc setlocal commentstring=#\ %s "set the comment string to #
     autocmd FileType slrnrc setlocal commentstring=%%\ %s "set the comment string to %
+
+    "special side/bottom-bar settings to apply when opened
     autocmd BufEnter,FileType taskreport,qf,help* setlocal nowrap nocursorcolumn "disable text wrapping and the vertical cursor line
     autocmd BufEnter,FileType extradite setlocal number "enable line numbers in extradite
+    autocmd BufEnter,FileType help* setlocal nocursorline "remove the horizontal cursor line
+
+    "load help as a vertical split (sidebar) using one third of the window
+    autocmd BufEnter,FileType help* wincmd L|wincmd h|vs|wincmd =|q|wincmd l
 
     "settings for buffers in diff mode
     autocmd VimEnter,FilterWritePre * if &diff|setlocal nofoldenable|endif
diff --git a/vim/config/keyboard.vim b/vim/config/keyboard.vim
index 47b8185..b4ddb58 100644
--- a/vim/config/keyboard.vim
+++ b/vim/config/keyboard.vim
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@
 "    <Ctrl-w>{                | (N) -> rotate counter-clockwise
 "    <Ctrl-w>}                | (N) -> rotate clockwise
 "    <Ctrl-w>]                | (N) -> split vertically
-"    <Ctrl-w>0                | (N) -> create a vertical split 25% of the window
-"    <Ctrl-w>)                | (N) -> create a vertical split 75% of the window
+"    <Ctrl-w>0                | (N) -> create a vertical split 33% of the window
+"    <Ctrl-w>)                | (N) -> create a vertical split 66% of the window
 "    <Ctrl-w>[                | (N) -> split horizontally
-"    <Ctrl-w>9                | (N) -> create a horizontal split 25% of the window
-"    <Ctrl-w>(                | (N) -> create a horizontal split 75% of the window
+"    <Ctrl-w>9                | (N) -> create a horizontal split 33% of the window
+"    <Ctrl-w>(                | (N) -> create a horizontal split 66% of the window
 "
 "  (display)
 "    <Backspace>              | (N) -> reset window and clear search
@@ -326,10 +326,10 @@
     cabbrev <expr><silent> gitstatus ':Gstatus<CR>'
     cabbrev <expr><silent> GitCommit ':Gcommit<CR>'
     cabbrev <expr><silent> gitcommit ':Gcommit<CR>'
-    cabbrev <expr><silent> vs25 ':VS25<CR>'
-    cabbrev <expr><silent> vs75 ':VS75<CR>'
-    cabbrev <expr><silent> sp25 ':SP25<CR>'
-    cabbrev <expr><silent> sp75 ':SP75<CR>'
+    cabbrev <expr><silent> vs33 ':VS33<CR>'
+    cabbrev <expr><silent> vs66 ':VS66<CR>'
+    cabbrev <expr><silent> sp33 ':SP33<CR>'
+    cabbrev <expr><silent> sp66 ':SP66<CR>'
     cabbrev diff vertical diffsplit
     cabbrev sudow SudoWrite
     cabbrev wsudo SudoWrite
@@ -414,11 +414,11 @@
         nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>{ ':wincmd R<CR>'
         nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>} ':wincmd r<CR>'
         nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>] ':vs<CR>'
-        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>0 ':VS25<CR>'
-        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>) ':VS75<CR>'
+        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>0 ':VS33<CR>'
+        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>) ':VS66<CR>'
         nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>[ ':sp<CR>:wincmd j<CR>'
-        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>9 ':SP25<CR>'
-        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>( ':SP75<CR>'
+        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>9 ':SP33<CR>'
+        nmap <expr><silent> <C-w>( ':SP66<CR>'
     "}
 
     "DISPLAY:{
diff --git a/vim/config/settings.vim b/vim/config/settings.vim
index 642162a..244189f 100644
--- a/vim/config/settings.vim
+++ b/vim/config/settings.vim
@@ -85,50 +85,54 @@
         set timeout timeoutlen=500 "how long before timing out for mappings
         set ttimeout ttimeoutlen=100 "how long before timing out for terminal key codes
 
-        if has('autocmd')
-            "enable the auto-creation of missing folders in a save path
-            if !exists('*s:MakeNewDir')
-                function s:MakeNewDir(fullpath, buf)
-                    if empty(getbufvar(a:buf,'&buftype')) && a:fullpath!~#'\v^\w+\:\/'
-                        let dirpath=fnamemodify(a:fullpath,':h')
-                        if !isdirectory(dirpath)|call mkdir(dirpath,'p')|endif
-                    endif
-                endfunction
-                augroup WriteDir
+        "FUNCTIONS: {{{
+            if has('autocmd')
+                "enable the auto-creation of missing folders in a save path
+                if !exists('*s:MakeNewDir')
+                    function s:MakeNewDir(fullpath, buf)
+                        if empty(getbufvar(a:buf,'&buftype')) && a:fullpath!~#'\v^\w+\:\/'
+                            let dirpath=fnamemodify(a:fullpath,':h')
+                            if !isdirectory(dirpath)|call mkdir(dirpath,'p')|endif
+                        endif
+                    endfunction
+                    augroup WriteDir
+                        autocmd!
+                        autocmd BufWritePre * :call s:MakeNewDir(expand('<afile>'),+expand('<abuf>'))
+                    augroup END
+                endif
+
+                "update the current filetype when a file is renamed
+                augroup RenameCheckFiletype
                     autocmd!
-                    autocmd BufWritePre * :call s:MakeNewDir(expand('<afile>'),+expand('<abuf>'))
+                    autocmd BufFilePost * filetype detect
                 augroup END
             endif
 
-            "update the current filetype when a file is renamed
-            augroup RenameCheckFiletype
-                autocmd!
-                autocmd BufFilePost * filetype detect
-            augroup END
-        endif
+            "functions to create a split using 33% and 66% of the height
+            function s:SPResize33()
+                sp|wincmd =|q
+            endfunction
+            function s:sp33()
+                sp|call s:SPResize33()|wincmd j
+            endfunction
+            command! -buffer SP33 call s:sp33()
+            function s:sp66()
+                sp|wincmd j|call s:SPResize33()
+            endfunction
+            command! -buffer SP66 call s:sp66()
 
-        function s:VSResize75()
-            vs|wincmd =|q
-        endfunction
-        function s:vs75()
-            vs|call s:VSResize75()
-        endfunction
-        command! -buffer VS75 call s:vs75()
-        function s:vs25()
-            vs|wincmd h|call s:VSResize75()|wincmd l
-        endfunction
-        command! -buffer VS25 call s:vs25()
-
-        function s:SPResize25()
-            sp|wincmd =|q
-        endfunction
-        function s:sp25()
-            sp|call s:SPResize25()|wincmd j
-        endfunction
-        command! -buffer SP25 call s:sp25()
-        function s:sp75()
-            sp|wincmd j|call s:SPResize25()
-        endfunction
-        command! -buffer SP75 call s:sp75()
+            "functions to create a vertical split using 33% and 66% width
+            function s:VSResize66()
+                vs|wincmd =|q
+            endfunction
+            function s:vs66()
+                vs|call s:VSResize66()
+            endfunction
+            command! -buffer VS66 call s:vs66()
+            function s:vs33()
+                vs|wincmd h|call s:VSResize66()|wincmd l
+            endfunction
+            command! -buffer VS33 call s:vs33()
+        "}}}
     "}}}
 "}}}