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The CODE Keyboard

codinghorror.com

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Re: The CODE Keyboard

#301

Post by T-hawk »

brianpgordon wrote: post #148
laureny wrote: post #146

While I can understand the appeal of mechanical keyboards (at least appeal for you but hatred from your coworkers), I really don't understand why any programmer today is still using a non-ergonomic keyboard. These straight keyboards will kill your wrists, forehands and tendons eventually. If you intend to be typing on a keyboard for more than the next five years and you're still using a straight keyboard, do yourself…

You can type on a straight keyboard with your wrists turned in like with an ergonomic keyboard.

Absolutely. That's my natural position and I've been typing hours per day for 20 years with no signs of stress injuries at all.

A good way to describe it is that the home keys are not asdf jkl; but rather more like qwdc mkp[ . I don't have any real fixed home position though, my wrists always "float" over the keyboard. Particularly the right wrist spends more time near the brackets and slashes for programming.

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#303

Post by fr0sty »

theboywho wrote: post #228
AhtiK wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These keyboards come with Cherry MX switches. Very hard to find them cheaper than $1 a piece. For a 104 key keyboard that's already over $100 :) In addition to better feel and ergonomics [1], switches also have better maintenance properties. If one goes bad, easy to replace. If something spills, easy to clean. With non-switch keyboards once a key stops working unless it's just a hair blocking the contact, the whole k…

You are one example of people falling into the trap, sadly. $1 a piece is the price you get in the US, and as an individual trying to buy Cherry MX switches from a company that already bought them for a lower price. In china things are different, and when you are a company and buying in bulk, the price can go to as low as $0.2 for a switch. This keyboard is ridiculously overpriced. I am against this because it clearl…

> This reminds me of the beats by Dre headphones.

These are the same price as a standard WASD keyboard. There is no premium for the "Code, by Jeff Atwood" name. Also, they are comparably priced to "Das Keyboard" ($125) which is a comparable product which has been in production for a while.

Finally, if you want a "high-price geek-out" item, look at the "Optimus Popularis" keyboard, only ~$1090!

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#304

Post by catshirt »

abecedarius wrote: post #64
catshirt wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

it's for typing in the dark

Still puzzles me: who touchtypes looking at the keys?

a lot of people.

none the less, i consider myself a better typist than average. i don't touchtype, certainly. still, i find it really difficult to orient my hands with respect to the keys if i can't see them. the backlight is helpful for when i'm putting my hands back on the keys.

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#305

Post by abecedarius »

catshirt wrote: post #304
abecedarius wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Still puzzles me: who touchtypes looking at the keys?

a lot of people. none the less, i consider myself a better typist than average. i don't touchtype, certainly. still, i find it really difficult to orient my hands with respect to the keys if i can't see them. the backlight is helpful for when i'm putting my hands back on the keys.

Thanks. I mostly use the bumps on F and J for that. I guess I do look down when my hands are way off and not finding the right bumps right away; the light from the screen seems adequate then. shrug

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#306

Post by pkamb »

mdkess wrote: post #262
pkamb wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's an easy fix for the "staggered" layout problem: type "Z" with ring finger, "X" with middle finger, "C" with index, etc. It's beyond me why the "Z with little finger" technique is so widespread. It's universally taught, yet you're obviously bending your fingers in an uncomfortable and unnatural direction when you go to press the bottom row. No one's complaining about the staggered layout of the right-hand keys…

I don't think on the right side it matches either. From J if I move down I always hit between N and M. Actually, at least on my keyboard, I think that the right side is worse - I find myself in a position where my thumb is on the space bar, my middle finger and index finger do all of the typing, and my wrist constantly shifts to hit enter. On the left side - if I hit Z with my ring finger. If I wanted to type ZERO, n…

Your hands and forearms should be hitting the keyboard at an angle, due to the way your elbows hang outside your shoulders. Don't bend the wrists to make your hands go perfectly vertical; that's a major RSI concern.

At that angle, the U/J/M and I/K/Comma rows, etc., should line up pretty well with the bending of your fingers. Same with E/S/Z and R/D/X. But Q/A/Z (how most people type) requires a completely unnatural bend!

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#307

Post by pkamb »

the_gipsy wrote: post #252
CWIZO wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You roll the roller for up/down, move it left/right for ... wait for it ... left/right :) It's really intuitive.

What happens when you reach e.g. the rightmost position of the rod? A mouse has "infinite" movement, the rod only has infinite vertical movementent, unless I'm missing something.

There's a "button" on the end of the rod. If you slide the pipe fully over and depress the button, your mouse will continue to travel horizontally.

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#308

Post by reirob »

davexunit wrote: post #158
baby wrote: post #144

I got really excited at first reading this, someone agreeing with me that keyboards nowadays were not evolving. And yes good mechanical keyboards matter, but that's not what we should improve them on. A good keyboard should have : usb 3.0 ports, mic/headphones entries, wheel to control the sound etc...

No. A keyboard should have keys for typing and nothing more. Do one thing and do it well.

I almost agree. I personally though NEED the trackpoint. I agree on that getting of everything else including numpad and windows keys is what will make a good keyboard.

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#309

Post by theboywho »

mattmanser wrote: post #251
theboywho wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are one example of people falling into the trap, sadly. $1 a piece is the price you get in the US, and as an individual trying to buy Cherry MX switches from a company that already bought them for a lower price. In china things are different, and when you are a company and buying in bulk, the price can go to as low as $0.2 for a switch. This keyboard is ridiculously overpriced. I am against this because it clearl…

'The guy'? Interesting choice of words for Jeff Atwood...

In case you thought this was unintentional, it was not. I chose to use these words specially because I am against people like you with this "God worshiping" mentality, wanting to treat people differently because they are awesome.

Jeff is awesome, but don't ask me to treat him any different.

Re: The CODE Keyboard

#310

Post by theboywho »

fr0sty wrote: post #303
theboywho wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are one example of people falling into the trap, sadly. $1 a piece is the price you get in the US, and as an individual trying to buy Cherry MX switches from a company that already bought them for a lower price. In china things are different, and when you are a company and buying in bulk, the price can go to as low as $0.2 for a switch. This keyboard is ridiculously overpriced. I am against this because it clearl…

> This reminds me of the beats by Dre headphones. These are the same price as a standard WASD keyboard. There is no premium for the "Code, by Jeff Atwood" name. Also, they are comparably priced to "Das Keyboard" ($125) which is a comparable product which has been in production for a while. Finally, if you want a "high-price geek-out" item, look at the "Optimus Popularis" keyboard, only ~$1090!

The biases in your reasoning lies in the fact that you are assuming I am considering "Das Keyboard" and the likes to be reasonably priced. I am not. Don't try to justify an overpriced item by showing me another overpriced item in the same category.
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