Ask Slashdot:Ergo Keyboards 264
Madsen submitted
this as an Ask Slashdot, and its been weighing on my mind
recently. I want a new keyboard- my wrists just aren't what
they used to be after 16 hours of replying to flame mail.
I'm curious what ergo keyboards people have tried. What ones
they like. What ones will make my wrists last longer. And
ideally, where I can find them and how much its gonna set
me back.
Adesso TruForm (Score:1)
www.adessoinc.com [adessoinc.com]
My roommate has a MS Natural, and I have the Adesso TruForm. Ordered mine from pcconnection.com. It was ~$20 cheaper than roommate's MS; it has full-size movement keys (cursors, PgUp, etc.), full-size Function keys; it allows you to tilt up the front instead of the back (more comfortable for me anyway).
Not so sure yet about the quality. It works okay overall, but my right Ctrl keycap is loose after two months of use.
Oops! I'm late for history...
ccg
Twiddler ?? (Score:1)
Any cheapish clones out there ?
MS Keyboards... (Score:1)
nlucent wearing his spiffy new slashdot hat
You're gonna think I'm crazy, but ... (Score:1)
Dvorak (Score:1)
Dvorak (Score:1)
I bet it takes longer than that if you're a vi user...
This is true. I have been using the arrow keys instead of hjkl for vi ever since, so vi is not as efficient as it used to be. On the other hand, I've been using Emacs more and more so... *shrug*
Apparently the Navy did tests, but the chap that did the tests had a vested interest in seeing Dvorak win.
This is also true, but the fact is that it feels much nicer than qwerty. The Navy put in an order for 4000 Dvork-layout typewriters but since it was the middle of WWII the order was squashed on budget grounds (or something like that.) If you've spent too much time reading Dvorak pages (like I have :) there is a paper that takes Dvorak down a few notches, but doesn't bother to mention the fact that all the world's fastest typest use Dvorak, and the focus of said paper is more the economics of retraining people to a new layout, not whether the layout really is superior to qwerty. In the computer age, when you don't have to buy a new typewriter or keyboard to try out a new layout, I think it makes sense it give it a shot. It's really a personal choice anyway. I use Linux in a Windows world, I use Dvorak in a QWERTY world.
Yyess ssirr rreeee ... (Score:1)
I have two, and I keep my eyes open for others. These were made in 1991, and are battle tanks. I think that they must have be used on some of their workstations. Mine is a "model M".
I hear that the northgate is better, but have been unable to find one.
The solution: type badly -yeah, I need a therapist (Score:1)
Yes, but I get this inferiority complex from knowing that others seem to have their brain stems attached to these things and can do a zillion wpm without looking down once.
The solution: type badly (Score:1)
--
How do I find out the keyboard codes? (Score:1)
--
Try wrist splints (Score:1)
What works for me is going to a drug store (wally world accually) and buying some wrist splints. I can type without them, but not for long. The pain becomes a mild discomfort rather then something to make me want to change jobs.
I like my IBM keyboard, and would buy more. (in fact I have bought more) I still need the splints though.
Followup Question: Moveable Keycaps (Score:1)
MickeySoft (Score:1)
Give me a nice solid regular keyboard any day - good enough. The old, original IBM PC (Selectric) keyboards were the bomb though. Still have a few.
Got it... (Score:1)
best thing i ever did.. (Score:1)
Dvorak for *programmers* (Score:1)
h,l are is a similar place..
i swapped my l and s and it works nicely...
you also dont have to switch one over from
standard position.. (a plus in my opinion as
i tend to overshoot those off by one thingys..)
I have 2! (stole them both!) (Score:1)
I hate those plastic Keytronic which seem to come with almost every machine nowadays.
Jón
Damned Straight! (Score:1)
MS-Ergo Keyboards (Score:1)
but he got a MS-Ergo board with his new computer,
and became optimistic about learning it because his typing slowed down immediately. I'm not sure if this applies to all people or Ergo boards, but my friend never ended up getting his typing past 70wpm again.
Otoh, when I switched to Dvorak, I felt less effort to find common keys as my hands don't really move as much anymore. I can type at my mind's speed limit without my hands getting tired for longer. (120 wpm, but I could type that in qwerty before I switched. Less errors, tho)
Another vote for Kinesis (Score:1)
The ability to touch type is a requirement for this keyboard. It took me about two weeks to get adjusted to using it. But now my typing is about 20% faster and with much less strain. If I spend more than 15 minutes on regular keyboard I can feel the strain in my wrists.
Split Keyboards (Score:1)
If you have a look here [209.24.94.137], there are a list of split keyboards (the Kinetik isn't here, as it isn't a split keyboard - either is the MS one). The keyboard I really like is the one at the end of the page... They also sell a really nice chair that has the 2 parts of the keyboard attached to the arms, and they can be adjusted around to axes.
However, I might buy a Kinetik one - they look nice. Asked my boss to buy me one in work and she laughed...
Oh, on of the pages somewhere around that link also lists other types of keyboards, including the Kinetik and the MS ones, as well as some other ergo keyboards.
MY vote is for (Score:1)
Otherwise, the bigger the keyboard the better. Sun keyboards are very nice, for example.
But most important is to get one of those strips of 2 1/2 inch thick foam to wrest your wrists on. That makes the most difference for me.
I think it's important and that keyboards match your hand size.
You're gonna think I'm crazy, but ... (Score:1)
get the Kinesis!!!! http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/ (Score:1)
And yes, I actually do adjust it often.
Still, frequent breaks are important. I
try and take a thirty second break every
five minutes.
Best of luck.
--
John B. Lee
Social and Decision Sciences; Carnegie Mellon University
Datahand is the way to go (Score:1)
There is almost no movement required of one's fingers on this thing, and your hand is kept in a very natural position.
It is an expensive keyboard, but well worth the price.
BTW, other things that help are a good chair, a low desk (most are too high, I took a saw to mine), the dvorak layout (which I use on the datahand) and a coffee break once an hour or so.
Datahand is the way to go (Score:1)
So Datahand sent me a ROM to fix it. I should note that I have a DH-200 (older model.) Also, it took me a lot of back and forth to get datahand to do this. They have a VERY limited staff. They're helpful once you can get a hold of them and if they remember to call you back
I think dvorak vs. querty doesn't matter as much on the datahand, because your fingers move so little in either. But it helps to know dvorak so that when you have to type on a standard keyboard, you can survive a little longer.
Now I just want someone to build a notebook with a datahand keyboard in it. Lugging the two handsets around isn't feasible.
Maltron--Costing/Pricing it... (Score:1)
But perhaps most importantly, they have completely eliminated my CTS pain.
If more people bought them, the price would go down. If the price goes down, more people might buy them. Vicious cycle.
Besides, the cost used to be $200, and not enough people bought them....but they had no advertising or marketing or distribution.
Kirk
Maltron IS the holy grail of ergonomica... (Score:1)
I used to have serious CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome). I didn't have surgery, but I did get regular cortizone injections, wear wrist braces when I worked and had acupuncture. What really did it to end the pain was the maltron keyboard....since using it I haven't had to do anything for my CTS pain...it's largely gone away!
And, I type faster and more accurately because the keys are placed in rational places (I use the regular QWERTY-like layout, not the MALTRON layout, in part because the MALTRON layout sucks for writing C++ code because of the placement of all the syntax characters in the MALTRON layout), increasing my productivity. And if I forget where something is on the keyboard, most of the non-text characters (i.e. ()[]{}, etc.) are placed in symmetrical positions.
Yes, they're $400. Do you have ANY idea how much a single worker's comp claim costs your company? And with new laws coming in, if anyone at your company gets a single case of CTS, it will literally cost them millions of dollars to do a RSI assessment. And acupuncture and rheumatologists and wrist splints aren't cheap either.
Look at it this way: You're paying $400 to be more productive and probably never have any wrist or finger pain and never have to have seriously debilitating pain. Is that a good investment? Probably.
I can write up a full review if anybody likes. (Rob?)
Kirk
Cirque keyboards (Score:1)
Split Keyboards - Flexpro (keytronic) (Score:1)
I like it--It was the best bet for me, since my parents can't touchtype (you can lower it back to a flat position) and I could adjust it for me when I write long email letters.
<tim><
My three faves (Score:1)
At work, i have one of the newer-model MS ergo keyboards. The keys themselves are better than the PC Concepts (as good as soft-touch gets), but the dinky arrow and home/pgup/etc keys blow. And the 6 is on the wrong side. And i'm using a wrist-killing MS mouse. But It's better than nothing.
If you don't like ergo keyboards, look for an ancient gen-u-wine IBM PC keyboard off an AT or RS/6000. *Beautiful* key touch, and they last forever. The only bad thing is they're noisy.
You need posture and a wrist rest not new keyboard (Score:1)
Keyboard, schmeeboard. Has little to do with wrist pain. I know, I used to suffer from it.
My top tips are:
- (MOST IMPORTANT) Invest in a foam wrist rest which is the same height and length as the front of your keyboard. Cost about one quid (US$1.50). If it doesn't fit cut up a bulky glossy monthly computer magazine and wrap it in sellotape- works just as well and you can trim it to size.
- (VERY IMPORTANT) Make sure the desk and seat are at the right height. This REALLY makes a difference with wrist pain! We need to shift the weight off your wrists and onto your spine. With your feet flat on the floor, your upper legs should be horizontal, your back should be straight, your upper arms should be straight, your lower arms should be horizontal (resting on the chair arm rests), and your hands should rest comfortably on the wrist rest and keyboard.
- Get an adjustable monitor stand and make sure the top of the visible screen is directly at the height of your eyes. Once again discarded monthly bulky glossy magazines come to the rescue and make excellent stackable monitor stands! Or use last year's telephone directory. This will stop you "crouching" and will ease the pressure off your wrists- your SPINE should be supporting your weight, not your hands, remember.
- Move the monitor DIRECTLY in front of you. You, your keyboard, the desk and your monitor should all be in a straight line. More to do with back and neck pain than wrist pain but again any weight shifted from your hands to your spine will help a lot.
- Try adjusting the height of your keyboard. Try it with and without the feet/struts or whatever your keyboard has.
- Type with both hands, don't hunt-and-peck, especially if you are left-handed. Your brain is quite capable of dividing up the keyboard into left-half and right-half without the aid of Uncle Bill's alien ergonomics team.
- Use the mouse a lot? Bad news is that Microsoft IntelliMice and ErgoMice are actually MOST EXCELLENT- if only their software was as good as their mice! The ONLY Microsoft product I recommend! Also a mouse pad with integral wrist-rest will help, as will a wider arm rest on your chair, or using a corner-shaped desk. You need to rest your elbow when mousing, otherwise you are going to put weight on your wrist again...
All of this learned on a one-day training course at IBM Warwick, UK!
Okay, you can start flaming me about recomending Microsoft Mice now.
Preach on, brother (Score:1)
However, I know that many of the earlier PS/2's did have the good-quality keyboards. (I've stolen some from them myself
AWESOME Cheap Generic - Better than any I've seen (Score:1)
The way to identify this one is that it has three buttons above the spacebar between the split; a 'mouse' button, a tab and backspace (This is where MS put the three lights). There is also a Macintosh-like "power" key in the top right corner (a left-pointing triangle).
I have seen this with and without a touch-pad, and I have even seen the wrist rest in white and gray colors. I own the one with the touch pad (never use it) and the white wrist rest. This keyboard is AWESOME. Durable, reliable, and quite comfortable. I highly recommend it. You should be able to find it at most large computer stores (eg: Comp USA)
M$ keyboards work well - feel good and only $24 US (Score:1)
They probably stole the design from somebody
MS Natural 1.0 (the old one) (Score:1)
I just got a 2.0 a few weeks ago and like it. You're right about those half-sized cursor key, but I just use the numeric keypad. I'm a programmer, not a data entry drone, so I don't have a need for the keypad anywho. With a ten dollar rebate, the keyboard only cost $30 too.
You're gonna think I'm crazy, but ... (Score:1)
Yeah, IBM did know how to make keyboards. I've still got mine somewhere and for years I would use it in place of whatever piece o crap came with the system. A little annoying if someone else near you is using one however, but nice for you.
These days, however, I'm using a MS Natural instead. It's doesn't have the great keys, but the ergo setup is a better than even swap I think, especially if you program all day.
Microsoft keyboard (Score:1)
And use what? If you want an ergo keyboard, there isn't another good one around. I checked several computer stores (best buy, compusa, computer city) and couldn't find any other non-cheapo ergo keyboard. As for the Kenesis, they are too expensive. I paid $30 for my MS Natural (after $10 rebate), which is hard to beat. That Kenesis might be good, but not ten times as good!
Lite On (Score:1)
MS keyboard sucks, get a Datahand and new habits (Score:1)
However, you must remember that the best hardware in the world isn't going to help much if you keep on typing for 16 hours straight. Take breaks every now and then. Otherwise you'll just get worse again. Even with my Datahand, after a couple hours of typing my wrists are sore and I need a rather long break and need to massage my carpal tunnels.
All the email in the world isn't worth losing your hands. Try to cut as much of it as you can out of your life. Stop reading and posting to high-traffic mailinglists, reduce your time on IRC, etc.; do whatever you can to reduce your typing time. It truly is worth it.
---
Adesso TruForm (Score:1)
ergo keyboards (Score:1)
I got it because I was really starting to have troubles with my wrists and tendons. It seems to have helped a lot.
\Brian
how about ergo/eco for $14? (Score:1)
http://thecraftstudio.com/bcboy
Disclaimer: if you can't use powertools safely, or use of this design makes your arms fall off, it's not my fault. Use at your own risk.
Twiddler -- not too ergo (Score:1)
I'd much prefer a two-handed design, with one key per finger (no stretching), or perhaps two for index or thumb. Also soft keys, not chicklet.
Absolutely! (Score:1)
Focus also makes some very nice keyboards, very inexpensive too. Nicer click feel than the IBM's I think, a tiny bit lighter.
How about those Happy Hacker Keyboards? Has anyone used those? How do they compare to classic clicking keyboards?
The Backspace key (Score:1)
There is also a focus keyboard there which is reall nice and super clicky (ie the one I use).
-Rich
You're gonna think I'm crazy, but ... (Score:1)
Buckling Spring keyboards forever! (Score:1)
It completely boggles my mind how a company could make a computer peripheral that could withstand the test of time like these things do. Lemme check the date on the bottom of mine here: IBM, 1984. The damned thing is 15 YEARS OLD, and works just as well as the day it was assembled. Beautiful!
I don't know who the fool was who made the 'cost-saving' move to the new, plastic nastiness keyboards. I find that my typing speed, and most anyone's, _easily_ doubles when they are using one of these dreams.
I usually find surplus/computer auctions have them, if you're lucky. You can sometimes pick up a box full of 'em for under $10
This is the only place I've found, so far, that sells them online:
http//www.pckeyboard.com/IBMSales.htm
Microsoft keyboard (Score:1)
Mechanical keys such as those on an IBM keyboard have the best feel.
Kinesis Classic (Score:1)
- dave f.
oh yeah, goto http://www.kinesis-ergo.com
Is there realy a problem with regular keyboards? (Score:1)
-Steve
IBMs ARE the best. (Score:1)
I have the same and it is great! (Score:1)
These keyboards are obvously OEMed by almost every computer tidbits manufacturer. I have a LiteON version with touchpad and a TRUST version without it. The touchpad comes in pretty handy if you just want to change windows - no need to move tha hand, just drag the index finger cross the pad. It happily coexists with my mouse.
The typing is not as marvelous as it is with the IBM keyboards from heaven (mentioned in an other thread here) but quit comparable to the Microsuck keyboard. And it features a HUGE wrist rest. Its my daily-business keyboard and did not fail within the last two years. I bought the version with touchpad for approx. $70, without pad for $30.
Fionn
Win95 Keys (You're gonna think I'm crazy, but ...) (Score:1)
Argathin
Dvorak for *programmers* (Score:1)
HJKL as arrow keys. I am a slave to these keys.
Silitek - better/cheaper than M$ (Score:1)
Generic ergo: (Score:1)
Gel-eez from Case Logic (Score:1)
I haven't tried the arched MS natural-like keyboards. Are they really that much better?
I seek silence! (Score:1)
What I'm looking for is a SILENT keyboard. I need a keyboard that doesn't make any noise at all.
Does such a beast exist?
I suppose I could duct tape a pillow over my keyboard. (But then the back lighting would be a fire hazzard, wouldn't it... ;-)
MS Natural Keyboard works well, and is cheap. (Score:1)
You're gonna think I'm crazy, but ... (Score:1)
Back in the dawn of history (1984-86 or so :), IBM's keyboards were made by the Selectric typewriter division. Cost $200 or so to replace, had a big iron plate in their base to hold 'em on the desk, proper switches under every key. Depress the keys and they go 'click' with a lovely positive feel -- you don't need to hammer them and you always know when you've mistyped something because you can feel it in your fingertips.
It's just a standard layout keyboard, but in tactile terms it's like the difference between a concert grand piano and a cheap consumer-market midi keyboard.
Those keyboards are built like brick outhouses; most of 'em are still soldiering on. The later keyboards are flimsy and plasticky, but in my experience there is nothing quite like an original PC-AT keyboard.
NB: They began cutting corners in 1987, around the time the PS/2 models began coming out. Later models look the same, but have cheap membrane switches underneath instead of being properly spring; basically a cheap plastic imitation of the real thing. I am talking about original PC-AT keyboards made between the introduction of the PC-AT in 1984 and the arrival of the PS/2 range in 1987, with the positive clicking action and the genuine electric typewriter feel. I picked this one up about two weeks ago for two pounds (UK currency -- about US $3) and it's great.
Dvorak for *journal authors* (Score:1)
I've been coding C++ for about 8 years now, and using the Dvorak layout for about 5-6 years of that. I do find that I have trouble with my right pinky. It's not so much because of the special symbols for the pinky -- most of those symbols are also mapped to the pinky for the QWERTY keyboard, they're just rearranged a little for Dvorak.
My pinky problems are twofold: first is that not all Dvorak mappings lay the keys out the same way, not even all "ANSI" Dvoraks are the same. The most recent example was, I think, the Redhat 5.2 Dvorak layout for console mode; the "=" and one other key are in the wrong place. I've seen the same in X keyboard mappings. Of course, these layouts can usually be changed, but that's a pain.
My other complaint is with keyboards that are physically different in the area of the pinky: some have a small "enter" key, whereas others have the L-shaped enter key. Then there's the Backspace key that's not always in the same place. This causes the Dvorak mapping of the pinky keys to move around in inconsistent ways. Really a pain for touch-typing, but then again, the QWERTY folks would have the same complaints.
Jim
I think there is a consensus - MS Natural (old) (Score:1)
The old Naturals are very good and pretty durable - large keys (HUGE space bar!). Only thing is that the paint on the keys may rub off after a while. If you are reading this, then you probably aren't the type who looks at the keys when they type.
(Just as a note of caution: when I first saw it, I went eeehh, but after an hour or two I was in heaven).
Later,
Justin
What's the control key doing there? (Score:1)
I'd like a sculptured Dvorak or Maltron, please,
but it needs to have the control key in a reasonable spot.
I'd remap it, but I don't see an obvious candidate. They've already optimized away capslock.
Any backlit keyboards? (Score:1)
~afniv
"Man könnte froh sein, wenn die Luft so rein wäre wie das Bier"
"We could be happy if the air was as pure as the beer"
Any backlit keyboards? (Score:1)
I agree that it's better for you to have a light on when computing.
But the best light to use is a halogen light. This light approximates the light from the sun more than other lights sources and is better for your eyes. It keeps me from having headaches.
Unfortunately at work all the lights are flourescent lights in cubicals. By turning the lights off from above my cube, things are better. Oh well.
~afniv
"Man könnte froh sein, wenn die Luft so rein wäre wie das Bier"
"We could be happy if the air was as pure as the beer"
IBM keyboards (Score:1)
The later IBM keyboards are not as good, but they're still better than anything else out there. Unfortunately, the IBM Aptiva I have has a typical cheap keyboard.
Has anyone tried the IBM keyboard with the built-in trackpoint? I'd like to check one out, but they're pretty expensive to buy sight unseen.
D
Kinesis ergo contoured (Score:1)
A side note is that the made for tv movie: Tom Clancy's Netforce used these keyboards as their keyboards of the future. BTW, the show was really bad but funny when looked at in present context (replace Will Styles from the movie with Bill Gates).
Location of Curly Braces (Score:1)
Datahand? / poll... (Score:1)
I have a Datahand, y'know the type with padded wrist rests and a well for each finger. I like it all right but I'm not sure if it was really worth the $750 (and that at a discount). What do other people with this keyboard think? I still have minor problems...
I get the feeling that different people have different problems and no single solution is going to work for everyone.
Hate to say this... (Score:1)
forget ergo keyboard! (Score:1)
I thought I'd mention that it may be worth examining your posture (there are loads of sites on the web concerning it just do a search for RSI!) also the best quality vanilla keyboard has got to be the Cherry G83!!
MS Natural Elite (Score:1)
[]
MS Natural 1.0 (the old one) (Score:1)
I would question the above author's credentials for making such claims about the MS Natural keyboard. My SO has problems with her wrists, and the original MS Natural keyboard is the only one she's used so far that's allowed her to type without problems.
I usually *AVERAGE* 55K-strokes per day, and am very happy with the original MS Natural Keyboard. I did see the new "Elite" ones, and it does indeed look like they are inferior...
Sean
MS Keyboard (And other MS hardware) (Score:1)
Even though I don't use my desktop PC near as much as I used to my MS keyboard has been great. The only problem I've ever had with it is now they letters on a couple of my home row keys are starting to show wear -- which isn't bad for how much I've used it in the last couple years.
MS Keyboard + Linux Uptime war story! (Score:1)
Well, last month I spilled hot chocolate all over the keyboard, and it was a very syrupy, crystalized sugar hot chocolate mix. Needless to say it started behaving erratically. Well, I didn't want to unplug it from the back of the computer, because I've seen many cases where you need to reboot the computer to get it to work again once it disconnects. I had a 220 day uptime to protect on linux 2.0.34!
Well, I was able to take it fully apart, clean ALL the contacts, keys, and plastic layers and put it back together again without disconnecting it. I used to work near a keyboard repair shop and I can tell you that most every keyboard is a cheap piece of crap that can't be put back together in a sane fashion once you take it apart. Well, the MS 1.0 natural keyboard was built to be cleaned.
Not only does my keyboard look brand new and feel very comfortable, but my uptime is now at 260 days. I would highly recommend it!
-OT
MS got something right, of course they stopped it (Score:1)
The New York Times had an article a while back in the mildly amusing Thursday Circuits section, about this very issue. It said that the MS kind is NOT what you want, that an adjustable one is better for your wrists. I don't know. I'm not an ergonomist. I just type. All I can say is that this one's pretty comfortable anyway.
Microsoft keyboard (Score:1)
Microsoft keyboard (Score:1)
How about a Slashdot Poll? (Score:1)
Keyboard /. poll, anyone? (Score:1)
or maybe what they want to use.
Datahand is the way to go (Score:1)
Let me add that I use the Dvorak layout and the people at Datahand were very accomodating to this fact - they even offered to burn a Dvorak-specific layout ROM chip for the keyboard. By that time, however, I had determined that it wasn't my cup of tea, and had returned it. Their customer service is superb, however.
I think Datahand is on the right track - we need to completely rethink how we input into a computer, and drop the old paradigms. A combo of the Datahand, a dataglove, and the Bat (which does chording) might be a step in the right direction
Soulfry
Dvorak for *programmers* (Score:1)
I prefer the "unofficial" layout for coding.
Soulfry.
Dvorak for *programmers* (Score:1)
It's made programming a lot more uncomfortable for me, and I'm not sure if it works for anyone else as well. If you touch-type, it's great-- this post is a breeze to respond to. But it can't be just my handicap-- has anyone else who codes in Perl or C noticed just how annoyingly the '{' and '}' are placed? It's enough to make me want to remap the keyboard again.
Elf Sternberg
Maltron (Score:1)
KINESIS! Definitely! (Score:1)
I do a lot of heavy lifting in the gym and a lot of typing at work... the combination was hell on my wrists until I got the Kinesis Ergo Classic. It just plain rocks.
In addition to being more comfortable when programming, I also do better at net Unreal. All those keys over by my thumbs (plus the foot pedals!) let me do lots of fancy stuff.
Definitely get the footpedals too.
The whole rig set me back ~ $300. Money well spent. Word is surgery for carpal tunell will run you several thousand dollars. The keyboard seems like a smart investment to me.
Microsoft keyboard (Score:1)
Dvorak (Score:1)
Well, gee. Is that a *fact* now? Well, maybe you could enlighten us on a few other facts, like 1) KDE or GNOME? 2) chocolate ice cream or strawberry? 3) Quake 2 or Quakeworld?
Matters of personal preference...
Dvorak on NT/98/95/CE/DOS (Score:1)
Microsoft keyboard (Score:1)
Keyboards to the rescue! (Score:1)
My solution to the sore hand problem was to switch from QWERTY to Dvorak [dvorakint.org]. I use this layout about 85% of the time now. The benefits: It's more comfortable than QWERTY, and it costs absolutely nothing. Here's how to get it:
Mac: Download [shareware.com] the keyboard layout.
Win32: Open the Keyboard control panel and select Language. Click Properties, then select United States-Dvorak.
X-Windows: Create a remapping and run it through xmodmap. My xmodmap files are included at the end: One to switch to Dvorak and one to go back to QWERTY.
Another interesting looking keyboard is the Maltron. The original is quite pricey, but Teleprint [teleprint.com] sells a cheaper one. Note that it is largely similar in key sequence to Dvorak, but ergonomically sculpted. I have also created an Xmodmap for this one (mapped to a regular keyboard) that is more optimized for programming, but I haven't tested it out yet.
Looks like Kinesis at 2x price (Score:1)
Almost never (Score:1)
It's not just the keyboard (Score:1)
The keyboard should be just above your knees, so that you aren't lifting your shoulders in an unnatural way. The mouse should be at the same height, as close to the keyboard as possible, so you don't find yourself stretching to get to it. I just got a nice combination setup at work that allows me to raise and lower the entire surface, as well as tilt it forward and back. It's much better than just dropping a keyboard and mouse on the top of a desk.
The temperature of your work space makes a difference, too. When the thermostat at my office is set too low, I definitely notice a stiffness in my hands.
This site [unl.edu] is all about RSIs and the things you can do to help yourself. Do a Google search on "repetitive strain injury" to find other sites.
M$ Keyboards, Ad for PCs for Everyone (Score:1)
get the Kinesis!!!! http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/ (Score:1)
All of the heavy keys are moved under your thumbs,
including Alt, Ctrl, Backspace, Delete, Enter and Space. This is perfect for the emacs abuser (no more leaning on an awkwardly placed control key with your pinky while you're thinking about what to do next). Also, the keyboard is completely programmable, so if you disagree with any of the layout decisions, you can probably fix it yourself fairly eaisly (in my case, I turn the hated CAPS/LOC key next to the A into another ESC).
There are two drawbacks: it took me about two hours to learn to use it, and another two weeks to get my speed back (on the plus side, no one else in the office can ever use my computer). The other problem is that the keyboard is a little flatter than I would like (I keep meaning to see if I can hack one to increase the hump in the middle a little bit).
Incidentally, these things come with a foot pedal (which is also eaisly programmable as any key on the keyboard, e.g. ESC, Cntrl...). I find them completely useless (I can twiddle my fingers faster than my feet), but experimenting with these things seems to be irresitable for your average geek.
Cherry G8-5000, marquardt (Score:1)
I also have a Marquartd mini-ergoII (not adjustable, cursor keys in the middle, pageup, down and pos1 , end as well as the numeric pad can be used with a "fn" key) Although i think it's much more comfortable than the average 10$ keyboard, i don't like it because the blind-typing marks are just little embossed lines on the appropriate keys. I don't like it...
Rainer
Get the Old Microsoft Ergo Keyboard (Score:1)
Recently, I got another computer and bought one of the new Microsoft keyboards. I tried using it for two weeks and found it totally useless. Whoever came up with the new keyboard layout should be beaten with a rubber hose.
InitZero
all I can say is... dishwasher treatment (Score:1)
Anyway, point is, I worked as a tech in a computer store for a while, and I saw some pretty messed up keyboards there. I found that many of the coffee/beer problems could be resolved by a run in the dishwasher - no detergent, warm water.
Of course, this is a last resort - only if you're about to throw it away.
-=Julian=-
p.s. MS keyboards suck. The old and the new. The shape is nice, but the action on the keys is TOO LOOSE. They keycaps feel like they are going to flake off or something.
Ergo keyboards (Score:1)
/juels