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Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

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Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#61

Post by pimlottc »

kemitchell wrote: post #54

I own or have owned several of these. The Kinesis Advantage 2 is the only one I regularly recommend. It's very expensive, but also refined, thoroughly tested, and highly customizable. It did not take me long to adjust. I'm now as fast on the Advantage as on any mechanical standard.

I’ve got one as well but I haven’t quite managed to make the switch. The normal keys are no problem, but what keeps me from using it full time is all the special keys, i.e navigation (arrows/home/end/etc) and shortcuts (command/option/ctrl).

I’m used to flying through editors by muscle memory so it feels quite painful to stumble on the new keyboard. Half the time I have to look at the old keyboard just to figure out what the actual keys I wanted are.

Any suggestions to get over the hump? I’ve tried some typing games like Epistory but they normally focus on normal keys. I haven’t see one for these special keys.

Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#62

Post by ecopoesis »

CarVac wrote: post #16
salted-fry wrote: post #15

I like the idea of a split keyboard, but I've never been able to go down that road because I sometimes hit keys with the "wrong" finger - most notably, I need to be able to hit B with my right hand because it's down-left in roguelikes (i.e. Nethack). What I'd love to see is a "106% keyboard", where a couple columns are duplicated on both the left/right side. Does anybody make such a keyboard?

The answer to that is to make your own and hand-solder wire to the switches.

You can also build a PCB (or two) pretty easily. That’s what I did when I built my keyboard. You can find the source here: https://github.com/ecopoesis/nek-type-a

Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#63

Post by treeman79 »

I have the Kinesis Freestyle Edge RGB with brown switches.

Use for programming and occasional game.

Amazing help for my inner shoulder pain. Highly recommend.

Keys are squishy and I loath them. Error rate is much higher. Regret brown keys.

Arrow keys are oddly mashed in and unpleasant to use. VIM reduces need, but still.

Going back to non split makes my shoulders tense up again.

Took about about a week to get used to keyboard.

Absolutely recommend split keyboard if you have broad shoulders. I will try a different model on the next one.

Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#65

Post by Mister_Snuggles »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #37

I'm surprised the original[1] MS Natural Keyboard is not listed in the mass-market page. Maybe it's because it's not made anymore. I still have mine, it's years old, but it still works and I still love it, it seems to be the perfect angle for my hands. Even though it is absolutely enormous. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_ergonomic_keyboards#...

I couldn't touch-type until I got a Microsoft Natural Keyboard (the very first version listed). Eventually I got its successor, the Elite, then the 4000. Interestingly enough, the touch-typing skills that I didn't develop until getting the MS Natural Keyboard translate back just fine to regular keyboards.

Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#66

Post by workingonmyback »

I wonder if anyone shares my setup. I lie horizontally with a monitor suspended 3ft directly above. I use a logitech trackball on my right hand at my side. I find this position comfortable for long hours and don't experience the backpain that I did for years.

One wrinkle is the keyboard - it rests on my upper thighs, and I find I'm rolling my shoulders forward to type which is less than ideal. I experimented with split keyboards but haven't found an ideal solution yet. A major problem is switching from the trackball back to the keyboard. Also needing to keep the trackball out wide to allow space for the split keyboard on my right side.

Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#68

Post by eru »

workingonmyback wrote: post #66

I wonder if anyone shares my setup. I lie horizontally with a monitor suspended 3ft directly above. I use a logitech trackball on my right hand at my side. I find this position comfortable for long hours and don't experience the backpain that I did for years. One wrinkle is the keyboard - it rests on my upper thighs, and I find I'm rolling my shoulders forward to type which is less than ideal. I experimented with spl…

A friend of mine cut up her Kinesis Advantage to put a big trackball right in the middle. (There's enough space in the housing, especially if you are not afraid to cut and move the circuit board.)

A similar position might work for you?

I use a standing desk to be in a similar (but upright) position, because sitting is also bad for me.

Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#69

Post by eru »

srcreigh wrote: post #27

Cool site. I didn't notice this much selection last year. I just ended buying a Kinesis Advantage 2. I'm very happy with the advantage 2. I'm curious about boards with smaller keys, more compact layout, or extra keys in the same space. The advantage 2 gives you easy access to the arrow keys with no loss of access to other keys. Eliminates the whole efficient arrow usage problem, or gives you more keys for commands if…

I'm currently migrating from the Kinesis Advantage to the Advantage 2.

The old Advantage has served me well, but it's USB implementation seems to interact really badly with some modern laptops.

Re: Show HN: Split Keyboards Gallery

#70

Post by jrockway »

jrockway wrote: post #44
mholm wrote: post #9

Anybody have the moonlander and enjoy it? I currently have an ergodox infinity, and want something I can swap to Kailh Choc White switches. The layout and programming seems perfect for me, though I'm disappointing that it's still wired.

I switched to a Moonlander from an Ergodox and am liking it. I ended up not liking their built-in tenting mechanism, so 3D printed my own shims that screw to the back, allowing me to tent the keyboard but also tilt the "wings" upwards. Very comfortable! One thing I thought I hated about the Ergodox was how inaccessible the small keys on the thumb cluster were, and I thought I would like 3 big keys better. It turns ou…

I forgot that I use Twitter sometimes and have pictures of another Moonlander experiment: mounting it to my chair! https://twitter.com/petersergeant/status/1356057651931537408

I did eventually get parts for both sides. One of the flexible arm clamp tripod mount thingies was not stiff enough to hold the keyboard up, but the other one was great. Since they were both the same part from the same order... it's kind of a crapshoot as to whether or not it will work. But I will continue to experiment.

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