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Split Keyboard for Professionals

ultimatehackingkeyboard.com

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Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#261

Post by Pawka »

phonebucket wrote: post #238

I hardly ever use a mouse, so having a fantastic keyboard appeals to me. But I have two main concerns: 1) I have no desire to own multiple of these for each of my working environments (home, work, and occasional remote from elsewhere). And no desire to always carry one around. 2) I fear making myself too attached to something which may go out of production. In case it breaks, I'd be sad. To those who use these keyboa…

1) UHK without the palm rest is pretty small keyboard to carry. Mine is with palm rests (because I've started feel pain in wrist so invested at the max). But had no problems bring it back home with latop from the office while commuting on bike. I've used old padded sleeve of 14" laptop as a case.

2) That was the reason why I've picked UHK - it is open source. Parts can be easily replaced. Though it does not seem it is going to break soon.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#262

Post by reddit_clone »

phonebucket wrote: post #238

I hardly ever use a mouse, so having a fantastic keyboard appeals to me. But I have two main concerns: 1) I have no desire to own multiple of these for each of my working environments (home, work, and occasional remote from elsewhere). And no desire to always carry one around. 2) I fear making myself too attached to something which may go out of production. In case it breaks, I'd be sad. To those who use these keyboa…

>2) I fear making myself too attached to something which may go out of production. In case it breaks, I'd be sad.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. These good quality keyboards will last for a long time. By the time it breaks, the state of the art would have advanced , you wouldn't want the same thing again.

Go for it.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#263

Post by bitbckt »

api_or_ipa wrote: post #198
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…

The big difference between the Ergo/Moonlander and UHK is ortho vs staggered layout. Ortho (rather, "ortholinear") is an increasing common layout where the keys are arranged in straight rows and columns. The jury is out on whether it's useful, but legions of OLKB fans swear by it. Also, UKB hasn't shipped yet, where the Ergodox has been out for years, and there's excellent support for flashing using QMK. The Moonland…

> UKB hasn't shipped yet

Huh? I ordered one on 19 Sept. and had it on my desk in California on 24 Sept.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#264

Post by reddit_clone »

_fat_santa wrote: post #73
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.

I've been using split keyboard my entire career. Started to get pain in my hands during my internships so I bought an MS Ergo keyboard and never looked back. Used the sculpt for a while which I adore but I had to go back to MS's wired keyboard because the dang thing just doesn't want to stay connected to my Mac.

For me it was the the dropped keys.Suddenly all the keys I was typing would go into ether.

Finally I read somewhere that the USB dongle needs to be close to the top right side of the keyboard.

So I got a USB extender and stuck it close to the right side of my keyboard. No dead keyboard anymore !

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#265

Post by ZeroGravitas »

Symbiote wrote: post #84

I'm maintaining a gallery of split mechanical keyboards, including the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard. Hopefully it's helpful for a quick overview of the options that exist. Many of these keyboards are DIY (available as a kit, or sometimes just a PCB and case plan), but some are available assembled. https://aposymbiont.github.io/split-keyboards/ (There's also https://jhelvy.shinyapps.io/splitkbcompare/ for direct comparis…

Only at pre-order stage but one I learned of recently is:

https://trulyergonomic.com/ergonomic-keyboards/

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#266

Post by selftest »

tom_ wrote: post #236
Symbiote wrote: post #84

I'm maintaining a gallery of split mechanical keyboards, including the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard. Hopefully it's helpful for a quick overview of the options that exist. Many of these keyboards are DIY (available as a kit, or sometimes just a PCB and case plan), but some are available assembled. https://aposymbiont.github.io/split-keyboards/ (There's also https://jhelvy.shinyapps.io/splitkbcompare/ for direct comparis…

What a great site, thanks. Really brings home how strange this corner of the market is. Every split keyboard with nice keyswitches has a different layout from every other, and most of them miss one or more of F keys, symmetrical meta keys, standard navigation cluster layout, volume buttons, and so on. Quite extraordinary, considering how much this type of device relies on muscle memory to work. It's like their design…

If you’re already typing correctly, you’re relying on muscle memory. Adding some layers into the mix isn’t too much of a leap. I would argue that a good split keyboard is much more useful than a standard keyboard; better positioning for ergonomics or desk space, easily stowed when not in use, truly programmable (firmware not software) that works between systems with little or no setup and a keymap that works for the user instead of against.

I like having all my often used keys in the home row. I don’t have to move my hands to use arrow keys because I use vim bindings on a layer. Hyphen,underscore, grave and tilde are on the home row, too. I can program a key to be a combination of key presses, too. My workflow is much improved using my own custom keymap and keyboard.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#267

Post by ahelwer »

barumi wrote: post #203
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…

> (...) I've had a mechanical keyboard before and can tell you the tactile novelty wears off within a couple of weeks. I'm not sure I follow your reasoning. As a mechanical keyboard user, "the tactical novelty" doesn't even register in the "pros" column. As a professional software developer I use mechanical keyboards because they are far easier to clean and maintain, and are actually repairable and don't become trash…

Tactile, not tactical.

Mechanical keyboard users I've known all became obsessed with them and never stayed with the same model for long, rendering their longevity irrelevant.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#268

Post by WordSkill »

ahelwer wrote: post #247
atoav wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see it like this: if there is anything you use more than a an hour a day, get a thing that feels good, is functional and makes you happy. Just like different guitars play differently, just like different shoes feel differently, different keyboards feel differently too. If you are fine with a non-mechanical one, no need to defend yourself. Some people like clicky mechanical keyboards, some like linear ones, some wan…

People talk a big game about how durable these pricy mechanical keyboard are, how they can be repaired and last forever, etc. I don't think it works out that way. Looking through these comments you can see people with the Ergodox EZ asking whether they should "upgrade" to something slightly newer. Once you start chasing keyboarding perfection, the journey is endless. Minutae loom large; you're never quite satisfied.…

After 3 years, I heartily recommend the Advantage2. Using it is simply more fun. I use mine with a trackpad sitting in the space between the two wells.

Creating those wells is, apparently, a tough engineering challenge, which is why so few commercially available keyboards have them, but they are what makes it so comfortable and effective. I consider the flat split keyboards to be pointless.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#269

Post by least »

phonebucket wrote: post #238

I hardly ever use a mouse, so having a fantastic keyboard appeals to me. But I have two main concerns: 1) I have no desire to own multiple of these for each of my working environments (home, work, and occasional remote from elsewhere). And no desire to always carry one around. 2) I fear making myself too attached to something which may go out of production. In case it breaks, I'd be sad. To those who use these keyboa…

I use a kinesis advantage. For the first one, that's a perfectly valid concern. These are not small keyboards and they are not easy to carry around. However, there are many split keyboards that are open source that are very compact and would be easy to transport between work and home and anywhere else.

The second fear for kinesis at least is largely unwarranted as the company has been around for nearly 30 years [1]. For something like the ultimate hacking keyboard, its future is less certain. Sticking to an open source keyboard where you can order your own PCBs is probably the most reliable in terms of longevity.

[1] https://kinesis-ergo.com/about-kinesis/

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