Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The 40% Keyboard

tbf-rnd.life

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

281–290 of 334 posts

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#281

Post by acqq »

Lio wrote: post #210
acqq wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What does that numpad offer that is not already on the rest of the keyboard Navigation using one hand, allowing even different body positions. Those who don’t use it have to do Ctrl-this Shift-that. I press singe keys with a single hand allowing me to have less of constant strain in both hands than if they were always at effectively same position. Like some other posters here I believe “always everything in same po…

That's an interesting take on it. Thanks for sharing. I mostly live in a terminal all day and most of that time is in Vim. So I have the whole keyboard to use as shortcuts for movement but I do have to use two hands. Like you I'm more geared up for navigating code. For me small, light movements committed to muscle memory have been the key to me getting round RSI a couple of years ago. I also use the Colemak layout so…

> I do have to use two hands

If I’d have to use such programs I’d try the programmable numpads also mentioned here. Even in the middle of nineteen eighties I was able (to my luck) to use a programmable keyboard (independent of the computer and the OS).

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#282

Post by intrepidhero »

b0rsuk wrote: post #95

Where is a hexagonal keyboard when you need it? Hexes are sweet for strategy and puzzle games, but could also be sweet for roguelikes if input devices were better. A smaller keyboard barely solves any problem, especially if you have palms as large as mine. But a hex keyboard would. Not even Kickstarter has something for hexagonal input device.

I just happened across http://xahlee.info/kbd/benzene666_keyboard.html will reading through some of the links in this thread. Unfortunately his review is spartan, and not positive.

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#283

Post by Terr_ »

ekianjo wrote: post #147
terandle wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No numpad is an ergonomic benefit. Your mouse is closer so you don't have to move your hand as far. The best way to have a numpad if you really need one, I have found, is to have a separate one like how the Microsoft Sculpt keyboard does it.

> No numpad is an ergonomic benefit. Your mouse is closer so you don't have to move your hand as far. Or you know, you don't need to use a mouse at all when you are used to living with keyboard shortcuts and the right desktop environment that goes with it.

That could of work for completely uninterrupted coding, but that's only a part of any project's lifecycle.

If nothing else, you'll end up using the mouse to navigate resources in web-browser or manipulate the product's UI...

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#284

Post by jethro_tell »

lallysingh wrote: post #184
eptcyka wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The best disaster-recovery plan for when you can't use your dominant hand to operate a mouse is to be able to use the computer without use a mouse.

The reason you can't use the mouse probably makes the keyboard harder

at some point I went all in on having a fully functional setup that didn't need a mouse, I had a laptop with a broken track pad and it didn't bother me at all. Then my first kid was born and it was impossible to do things with one had while I held them with the other. Everything needed chords. the machine required two hands and no less to operate. It was only a week in before I ordered the part to fix the track pad. Now, all my machines can be operated with one or two hands (just like everyone else's)

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#285

Post by grawprog »

terandle wrote: post #20
dangus wrote: post #7

Call me cynical, but I think a lot of the small style keyboards I see around the office are more of a fashion trend than anything. I remember when the insistence was on number pads, and how dare they be removed from our laptops and desktop keyboards. Fast forward a few years and I was made fun of at a programming job for preferring a full keyboard with a number pads. I guess programmers are too cool to enter in dolla…

No numpad is an ergonomic benefit. Your mouse is closer so you don't have to move your hand as far. The best way to have a numpad if you really need one, I have found, is to have a separate one like how the Microsoft Sculpt keyboard does it.

>No numpad is an ergonomic benefit.

Except I can type numbers a lot faster and more accurately with a numpad. Something I do regularly throughout my day. The enter key is also a quick thumb press with the mouse hand away when I'm using my left hand for commands. I almost never have to use the mouse while typing numbers. It makes sense to me to have a quick one handed way next to the mouse to type numbers. It feels a lot more ergonomic that way then using both my hands to type numbers spread out across a line at the top of the keyboard.

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#286

Post by AWildC182 »

6gvONxR4sf7o wrote: post #267

What's everybody's preferred "shit I'm developing RSI and need to make ergonomic changes" keyboards? Wrist and thumb is unhappy, if that's happened to any of you.

1) Learned to type correctly by switching to dvorak. Nothing to do with the supposed benefits of the layout, just forces you to relearn from scratch the right way.

2) Mechanical keyboard (doesn't have to be mechanical specifically) with very light actuation force

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#287

Post by boring_twenties »

dangus wrote: post #7

Call me cynical, but I think a lot of the small style keyboards I see around the office are more of a fashion trend than anything. I remember when the insistence was on number pads, and how dare they be removed from our laptops and desktop keyboards. Fast forward a few years and I was made fun of at a programming job for preferring a full keyboard with a number pads. I guess programmers are too cool to enter in dolla…

My understanding is that it's not a fashion thing, but to make it easier to alternate the right hand between the keyboard and the mouse.

I prefer a full keyboard myself and view every single incident where I have to use the mouse as a UI design failure, so can't confirm. But it seems to make sense.

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#288

Post by AWildC182 »

the_gipsy wrote: post #223
Yizahi wrote: post #98

People like to talk a lot about KB ergonomics, reducing carpal syndrome and there is a reason for it, but I don't understand why almost nobody does the one thing that contributes the most for improvement - inverted KB stand. This thing on the bottom - https://imgur.com/a/yne4lPR . People fiddle with layouts, key travel, key shape, switches etc. but that doesn't really matter if your wrists are crooked. If your wrists…

Anything to back up these "facts"? There are many, many activities that require your wrist to be not straight. Playing musical instruments, sports...

Do you do any of them for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year?

Used to row about 20 hours a week for a few years. It does the same thing if you're not careful.

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#289

Post by tenebrisalietum »

I want to go the other way. I want a 200% keyboard. I don't want to have to type SHIFT for capital letters or symbols and I want extra keys for diagonal cursor movement. The SHIFT key is an artifact of the physical limitations of a typewriter and is no longer needed.

Re: The 40% Keyboard

#290

Post by ReC757 »

tenebrisalietum wrote: post #289

I want to go the other way. I want a 200% keyboard. I don't want to have to type SHIFT for capital letters or symbols and I want extra keys for diagonal cursor movement. The SHIFT key is an artifact of the physical limitations of a typewriter and is no longer needed.

I want a key for each finger with no movement required. :)
Post reply on HN