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Split Keyboard for Professionals

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Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#181

Post by ylbss »

I have used several split keyboards. The matias ergo pro, the ergodox ez and finally the Kinesis gaming k975. Honestly the kinesis so far is hands down the best. Matias was great at the start but the pads are expensive to replace and repairs were difficult. Not only that but the non standard switches meant that as soon as one went I had to buy expensive switches from matias and look at opening up the keyboard myself.

Couldn't get used to the layout of the ergodox even though it was very nice.

The kinesis hits all the marks an is incredibly programmable.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#182

Post by smoyer »

jberryman wrote: post #175
smoyer wrote: post #95

I've got two ErgoDox Infinity keyboards that I believe are about as ergonomic as you can get until you're willing to have only one key per finger. I'm in the process of forming the mold for a chording keyboard (and hacking platform). My intention is to create separate left and right hand molds based on a spherical-section that match the shape of a relaxed hand (think of watching an accomplished pianist). I'm going to…

I'd be really interested in hearing about how that goes

I've been building boats using woven glass-cloth and epoxy resin but this will be my first experiment using carbon-fiber cloth. I should have noted that ideally I'd like these to be both light and tough enough to throw into a laptop bag.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#183

Post by zacharycohn »

zabil wrote: post #172

I use a MacBook pro and I really want to use a split keyboard for better ergonomics. I tried a few, however I feel that I need lift my arm to use a trackpad (external or the one on the mac) or a mouse, whereas on the mac I don't have to lift by hand I can just move my wrist. The trackpad has a lot of nice features missing in a mouse. I use a lot of keyboard shortcuts but I still need to reach for the pad. Does any bo…

Huge trackpad fan here - if you're thinking about switching to mouse-life try the Logitech MX Master 3.

It has five programmable buttons with hundreds of options, a second scroll wheel, is wireless, and is very, very comfortable.

I have my extra buttons set to: (thumb controllable) Expose, Forward, Back (behind the main scroll wheel) click-and-hold-to-pan (scroll wheel click) screen shot

Then the secondary scroll wheel is set to scroll between tabs.

It's all the functionality I'm used to in a trackpad, but with even less motion. I HIGHLY recommend this mouse.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#184

Post by Ataraxy »

stavros wrote: post #132
ashtonkem wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disagree whole heartedly. The benefits of ortho is minor compared to the split, but it’s still there. And if you’re already willing to buy an expensive split mechanical keyboard, what’s the drawback?

The drawback is that you'll spend months learning to type again, and you won't be nearly as fast as you were. That's what happened for me, at least.

Took me like 3 or 4 days to get up to my normal speed of a bit over 100wpm.

This was also going from 60% to my first split/ortho.

Took me another couple of days to get used to chording and these days I use a 36 key split board.

So your mileage may vary, but it's definitely not going to take you months typically.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#185

Post by ealhad »

Kaze404 wrote: post #165
boterock wrote: post #158

If you're looking for keyboards, you may also be interested in keyboard layouts. I've been using Colemak for 5 years now, and I recommend everyone to try it out. https://colemak.com/

I tried learning Colemak at least 3 times now. What is your recommended approach? Grinding online exercises didn't really seem to do much for me.

I learned it in 2016, never went back. I trained with keybr[0] ~1 hour a day for a week, then went cold turkey (with a printed Colemak layout beside my screen), and after another week or so I was at 40wpm (that is, faster than I had ever been before).

It worked for me that way, doesn't mean it will for you. Two things to keep in mind : I wasn't a touch typist before, and I also had to learn all the symbols, coming from a French AZERTY layout.

0: https://www.keybr.com/

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#186

Post by ben7799 »

dkdk8283 wrote: post #15

I used the microsoft natural keyboard for years and now the kinesis freestyle. I don’t know why split keyboards aren’t more popular. Proper ergonomics are important or your career could be interrupted due to RSI.

The MS ones are unsung heros here.

There's way too much emphasis on the mechanical switches among the community.

I got infatuated with mechanical keyboards with Cherry MX switches about 10-12 years ago and gave myself RSI from using them.

I kept trying different ones assuming it was the design of the keyboard.. there was so much non-scientific belief that mechanical switches are better for RSI that I had a huge blind spot. I went through Das Keyboard, Kinesis, Truly Ergonomic, and a bunch of others and it never would go away.

When I finally ditched the mechanical switches it went away... the MS keyboards seem to be the cheapest/easiest to get that have nice non-mechanical switches and work for me.

No problems for years now using the MS ones.

The boutique manufacturers selling mechanical switch keyboards market them as better for RSI without much proof meanwhile for some of us the longer travel on those switches might actually be the cause.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#187

Post by egypturnash »

Ndymium wrote: post #69
ahelwer wrote: post #25

The trackball thumb module is a great idea - being able to mouse without moving my right hand off the keyboard would be ideal (you can buy an actual mouse to use for FPS games if you want that). For anyone who is seeing this and thinking they need to upgrade though, know that you really don't have to spend $300 to get a good-quality ergonomic keyboard. The Goldtouch GTN-0099 can be found in like-new condition for $60…

Regarding mouse usage, the UHK has a mouse keys layer by default and personally I have stopped using a mouse entirely. I did not especially try to drop my mouse, but over time I noticed I didn't reach for it anymore. I can now use the mouse keys for everything, though I don't do any drawing on the computer regularly and I have a mouse for gaming. In fact I don't know if I'll make much use of the trackpoint module whe…

If you drew regularly you'd have a drawing tablet and a stylus, anyway. Mice are not good for that.

(I am an artist and my Wacom drawing tablet has almost completely replaced a mouse for me, the only time I plug one in is when I want to play a game that requires me to move its view by pushing the mouse cursor against the screen's edge.)

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#188

Post by k24883 »

valarauko wrote: post #122

Can somebody compare the UHK to the Ergodox-Ez/Moonlander? I've just started a new job and hope to use the initial downtime to adapt to an ergonomic keyboard. Since I understand it'll be a major adjustment, I've been considering alternative layouts as well. I've never learnt touch typing, so why not start from scratch on a better system? I'm leaning Colmak mod DH for the Moonlander, but I'd appreciate any insights on…

I'm using the Redox (almost the Ergodox layout) for about two years now and I'm a big fan of the ortholinear key layout which (at least for me) was as much of an ergonomic factor as the split. So I would not get the UHK (but every hand is different).

The adjustment is not that bad. Just know that you are forced to learn touch typing (opting for blank key caps helped me a lot with that). When you are forced you usually learn this pretty quick. Just getting fast takes more effort.

If you want to learn vim keybindings, I would stay with the usual QWERTY layout as vim keybindings are optimized around the QWERTY homerow. In my opinion, other layouts like Dvorak or Colemac mess up at least a part of what makes vim keybindings great.

Of cause you could remap some keys like HJKL (left down up right) but you would have to do so in every application you would like to use vim keybindings. And what would you do if you are editing a file with vim on a remote server?

IMO alternative layouts are a bit overrated. An ergonomic keyboard takes you most of the way. If you stick with QWERTY you also won't forget how to use your co-workers keyboard.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#189

Post by codetrotter »

ylbss wrote: post #181

I have used several split keyboards. The matias ergo pro, the ergodox ez and finally the Kinesis gaming k975. Honestly the kinesis so far is hands down the best. Matias was great at the start but the pads are expensive to replace and repairs were difficult. Not only that but the non standard switches meant that as soon as one went I had to buy expensive switches from matias and look at opening up the keyboard myself.…

> Couldn't get used to the layout of the ergodox even though it was very nice.

Different tastes I suppose. Coming from having previously been using a TypeMatrix 2030 USB for many years, the ortholinear key placement of the ErgoDox EZ, which on top of that is also similar in having two big buttons in the middle that I could use as backspace and enter like I had on the TypeMatrix 2030 USB, is the exact reason that I chose the ErgoDox EZ when in 2017 I decided to switch to a mechanical keyboard.

The programmability of the ErgoDox EZ meant that I was even able to create a layout that closely resembled the Dvorak layout of the aforementioned keyboard that I had previously been using. Over time I have made additional tweaks, moving a few keys around to be more comfortable and removing keys that I weren’t using.

My custom Dvorak layout for the ErgoDox EZ is available at https://github.com/ctsrc/ergodox-ez-shine-dvorak

One thing I am still looking to improve is how I do with numeric input. Also my brace keys still have potential for a better solution.

Even if I don’t figure out an improvement for those two things it’s pretty damn good though.

Last time I commented about this someone talked about chording, and I think they might be correct that going that way would be a good way to further improve things. Just haven’t taken myself the time to work out how I want chording to be like and when to set of time for looking into that.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#190

Post by smnscu »

jjkaczor wrote: post #79

Myself, I have been using a Kinesis RGB Edge with the "lift-kit" for about a month. Have never been a perfect, trained touch-typist - so there has been a learning curve, but it is worth it. My wrists feel so much better, and I am almost back to full speed. (Previously, I would just use laptop KB's). The only complaints... Not from me, but when I am on web meetings, I have to be on mute, because everyone finds the KB…

I am on video calls between 3 and 10 hours every day. Krisp is where it's at, I've been promoting their product for free to hundreds of people since last year. Zero issues with mechanical keyboards and most typical noises. It doesn't work with loud sirens or kids, unfortunately, but it destroys any mech keyboard noise without a trace.

https://krisp.ai/

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