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Multimodal WFH setup: flight SIM, EE lab, and music studio in 60sqft/5.5M²

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Re: Multimodal WFH setup: flight SIM, EE lab, and music studio in 60sqft/5.5M²

#111

Post by frostburg »

nottorp wrote: post #109
gruturo wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the parent poster didn't imply that TKL keyboads are intrinsically superior (on the other hand, unless your task is in the 1% benefiting from a keypad.... they kind of are IMHO, at least they're more portable and don't waste space on a desk), but rather described 2 possible attributes of better keyboards, not necessarily related. On laptops, usually a keypad is an automatic indicator of a terrible product mea…

> don't waste space on a desk That has always baffled me. If you're using a computer professionally you have at least two monitors... and even one is as wide as a full sized keyboard or wider. Not to mention that TKLs tend to also squeeze the arrow keys and the other navigation keys.

You're probably thinking of a 75%, which is a questionable layout, yes. A typical TKL keyboard is spaced like a fullsize, just without the numpad cluster.

Smaller layouts (even 40%) have their advantages in minimizing how much you have to move your hands and fingers but there are tradeoffs (and a learning curve due to the necessary layers in the smallest ones).

Re: Multimodal WFH setup: flight SIM, EE lab, and music studio in 60sqft/5.5M²

#117

Post by mindslight »

nottorp wrote: post #109
gruturo wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the parent poster didn't imply that TKL keyboads are intrinsically superior (on the other hand, unless your task is in the 1% benefiting from a keypad.... they kind of are IMHO, at least they're more portable and don't waste space on a desk), but rather described 2 possible attributes of better keyboards, not necessarily related. On laptops, usually a keypad is an automatic indicator of a terrible product mea…

> don't waste space on a desk That has always baffled me. If you're using a computer professionally you have at least two monitors... and even one is as wide as a full sized keyboard or wider. Not to mention that TKLs tend to also squeeze the arrow keys and the other navigation keys.

The rest of the desk is for things and papers being worked on. Or more realistically, piles of "do this real soon".

But to me the real point of a TKL (87%) is to avoid having a dead space between your right typing hand and the rodent. If I were the type of person who wanted a numpad, I'd get a separate one and either put it to the right of the rodent, or to the left of the main keyboard.

But what I really want is more macro/F-keys. I use them to switch between desktops/windows, and 12 is just not enough. But I don't know if I've even seen a modern keyboard with even one extra row, never mind just stacking several more rows up top.

I'm finally going to try doing something about this. I've got a few of those cheap 4x6 keypads coming, as well as a 75% ortholinear (which is really just a fancy name for a 5x15 keypad, at least the one I'm getting with all 1u keys). I'm thinking the 4x6 keypads up top, and then maybe the 75% turned 90 degrees to the lefthand side of the main keyboard, for one continuous macropad surface? We'll see.

(FWIW I don't rely on the "home row" to touch type, so YMMV)

Re: Multimodal WFH setup: flight SIM, EE lab, and music studio in 60sqft/5.5M²

#118

Post by nottorp »

mindslight wrote: post #117
nottorp wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> don't waste space on a desk That has always baffled me. If you're using a computer professionally you have at least two monitors... and even one is as wide as a full sized keyboard or wider. Not to mention that TKLs tend to also squeeze the arrow keys and the other navigation keys.

The rest of the desk is for things and papers being worked on. Or more realistically, piles of "do this real soon". But to me the real point of a TKL (87%) is to avoid having a dead space between your right typing hand and the rodent. If I were the type of person who wanted a numpad, I'd get a separate one and either put it to the right of the rodent, or to the left of the main keyboard. But what I really want is mor…

> is to not put a dead space between your right typing hand and the rodent

I suppose it depends on what the work is and your style. I tend to drive my IDEs from the keyboard. That of course means I want my PgUp PgDown Home End full size and not cramped.

The mouse is for circle strafing and then my right hand stays on the rodent.

Re: Multimodal WFH setup: flight SIM, EE lab, and music studio in 60sqft/5.5M²

#120

Post by tracker1 »

Nice to see what people put together... I'm hoping to do some custom desk builds etc in the next year or so myself.

My biggest change for my home setup has been moving away from a KVM with work and personal computers on a single desk to multiple desks where I'm physically moved. I prefer to have my feet on the ground, so don't like the drafting chair or barstool foot rests. I've also moved to 45" (U)WQHD displays (3440x1440) for my work spots. I have two Xeneon Flex and another display of the same size that's by LG.

It's kind of like 2x large 3:4 aspect displays glued together mostly pinning apps to half the screen on one side or the other. My vision is pretty bad, so having the larger pixels helps a lot for my visibility and being able to function. It's also worth noting that I didn't pay full retail for any of the screens. The Xeneon goes on sale for about half price every couple months on Corsair's site, and I picked up the LG as a return from BestBuy for about $550, which was a pretty good deal for what it is.

I also tend to prefer physical switch keyboards, currently backlit Das keyboards with Cherry-MX Brown switches. My mouse is a Logitech with a weighted scroll wheel. I do like the Unicomp keyboards more, but they're a bit more noisy so I settle with the browns.

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