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Split Keyboard for Professionals

ultimatehackingkeyboard.com

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Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#291

Post by Symbiote »

mamcx wrote: post #275
least wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In most cases this is because 1) they're not ergonomic to use and 2) you can create layers to access the function keys.

I know that, but layer (to me) make harder to do stuff, specially if need to do some key bindings that require more than 1 key (like ALTS, TAB, etc). This push to do heavy customizations but that create the issue of work only for X machine and X OS. In my case, a do work inside VMs and customers machines by remote software and also need to work in other laptop, so I prefer to not do keymaps customizations at all...

Most of these custom keyboards run the QMK software. All the customization is within the keyboard's software, so the OS never knows. The keyboard is just a plain USB keyboard, as far as it can see.

That said, I think it's a good idea to keep function keys if you use them. There are some keyboards with them, but it's surprising uncommon.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#292

Post by sjy »

kule wrote: post #161
sjy wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve been using an Atreus split ortholinear keyboard with the Colemak layout for more than a year now, and I have no difficulty switching back to a standard Qwerty staggered keyboard when I use my laptop or someone else’s computer.

Yeah funnily enough I found something similar when my normal Mac keyboard died and I had to use a old dell one. Despite 10 years of Mac usage my subconscious felt the Dell keyboard, remembered my windows usage and started using ctrl instead of cmd automatically! How did you find switching to Atreus& colemak? I was thinking of doing something similar and going to Corne/Colemak...

I think it took about two months before I was no longer tempted to switch back to Qwerty to get my speed back (my original keyboard layout had a toggle). I don’t recall any issues with switching keyboards, just layouts.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#293

Post by Symbiote »

roel_v wrote: post #284
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 used an Ergodox ez for over a year (mayne even 2?) before the uhk came out (ordered them around the same time, uhk was very delayed). Today (so for the last 2 years or so) I use the uhk because it has labels on all keys, ergodox only has the letters and numbers but not symbols which is what you need most. Of course that's because of personalisation but I (although I touch type and have done so for 30+ years) need t…

Depending on where you want the various symbols, you might find a custom set of keycaps that match what you need for the ErgoDox.

They will cost a lot more than you expect (low volume manufacturing).

This is one example, plus others others in the same subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechGroupBuys/comments/iks5r5/gb_ka...

Personally, I bought a set with a few daft symbols, as I can easily remember that the biohazard symbol is Ctrl, and it gave a bit more flexibility.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#295

Post by sendhilp »

oskardenandre wrote: post #23
cliffwarden wrote: post #17

I just picked up a moonlander that i'm really living. https://www.zsa.io/moonlander/

I am on the fence about this one, care to push me over? (I already have the Ez)

I was going to buy an EZ myself but went with the Moonlander because of the smaller size as it felt counter productive to have a split keyboard for ergonomics but have my hands hurt because they keep stretching to reach the thumb cluster.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#296

Post by Symbiote »

alanbernstein wrote: post #223
zaphodias wrote: post #40

I assembled a Quefrency ( https://keeb.io/products/quefrency-rev-2-60-65-split-stagger... ) by myself and loving it. Also it costed me a lot less.

This is a new one to me. The rotary encoder is neat, but what purpose does it serve?

I have two on my keyboard.

One is set to PageUp/PageDown, which I've also set to scroll my terminal.

The other is just the Up/Down arrow, and I don't use that so much.

Both could change what they do if I hold a key, if I wanted volume or similar. Mouse wheel scroll is also an option.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#297

Post by eyeball »

dotancohen wrote: post #255
eyeball wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Upper left key. Remap it to escape. So mod gives you the tilde / tick mark.

Have you a suggestion how to do this on a Linux box? I'm a heavy VIM user and this sounds like a great idea.

Are you asking about the ultimate hacking keyboard in particular?

You would use their agent software:

https://github.com/UltimateHackingKeyboard/agent

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#298

Post by eyeball »

cliffwarden wrote: post #17

I just picked up a moonlander that i'm really living. https://www.zsa.io/moonlander/

That looks awful if you have smaller hands.

They say you can tilt the thumb clusters up, but then you lose the ability to tent the keyboard.

If you tent it, the thumb cluster is doing the work and has to be tilted down making it harder for smaller thumbs.

They should have provided another leg to do the tenting so you could adjust the thumb cluster as needed.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#299

Post by elipsey »

ahelwer wrote: post #267
barumi wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (...) 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.

For _tactical_ use, I rely on my trusty model M, with metal base plate. For home defense, it is without equal. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The rest of time I greatly prefer the ergonomics of the old thinkpad keyboards w/ track-point, but the external ones are expensive and sucky, imo.

I also sometimes move my mouse to the left side of the keyboard so that I can have better, more symmetrical posture. I would really prefer to have a small external USB trackpoint that I could simply place beneath my spacebar, but sadly no one seems to sell this.

This person even hacked their own (https://github.com/feklee/usb-trackpoint), but I haven't found the time or motivation. I bet I'm not the only one who would pay a handsome margin -- business opportunity?

That UHK pointer module would solve my ergonomic problems better than mousing backwards, and might be worth the price by itself.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#300

Post by valarauko »

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've been leaning towards Colemak mod DH with the Moonlander. I'll be new to touch typing and ortholinear + split, so why not add Colemak to the mix?

My concern is vim bindings, which is another thing on my to-list. The vim bindings designed with Qwerty in mind, and I'm unsure how Colemak messes with that.

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