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Split Keyboard for Professionals

ultimatehackingkeyboard.com

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Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#311

Post by Symbiote »

heresie-dabord wrote: post #231
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…

It's kind of you to compile this list. Please add this very good product: https://www.goldtouch.com/ergonomic-keyboards/ I am a very satisfied user. I have used ergonomic keyboards for long time. Some have been passable, such as one or two models of Adesso and Microsoft keyboard. Nothing has offered the combination of qualities that the Goldtouch offers. Comfort, robustness, adjustability, cost.

I've not added "normal" (traditional layout, non-mechanical, mass-market) keyboards, since there are plenty of other sites that gather reviews etc.

I have added a link at the very end to one such site, http://xahlee.info/kbd/ergonomic_keyboards_index.html , where the Goldtouch is listed and reviewed.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#312

Post by heresie-dabord »

Symbiote wrote: post #311
heresie-dabord wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's kind of you to compile this list. Please add this very good product: https://www.goldtouch.com/ergonomic-keyboards/ I am a very satisfied user. I have used ergonomic keyboards for long time. Some have been passable, such as one or two models of Adesso and Microsoft keyboard. Nothing has offered the combination of qualities that the Goldtouch offers. Comfort, robustness, adjustability, cost.

I've not added "normal" (traditional layout, non-mechanical, mass-market) keyboards, since there are plenty of other sites that gather reviews etc. I have added a link at the very end to one such site, http://xahlee.info/kbd/ergonomic_keyboards_index.html , where the Goldtouch is listed and reviewed.

Hmm, that author likes the Microsoft Natural more than the Goldtouch. Too opinionated to see clearly.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#313

Post by jwalton »

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…

> I wish people would just copy the MS Natural Ergonomic 4000, but with better keyswitches.

I replaced my MS keyboard with a Kinesis Gaming Edge - it's a pretty good replacement, and I've found being able to separate the two halves of the keyboard and put them about shoulder width apart makes for a very nice typing experience. No numpad, and I'm not a huge fan of the home/end/pgup/pgdown placement, but you can add a numpad in a second later if you want to.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#314

Post by Symbiote »

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…

> most of them miss one or more of F keys, symmetrical meta keys, standard navigation cluster layout, volume buttons, and so on

This is why I made the gallery -- it's an easy way to compare a lot of options, even if not all options have filters.

I have just added the C989 Ergo, which was mentioned elsewhere in the discussion. That seems to be the closest mass-produced, mechanical keyboard to the MS Natural: https://c9ergo.com/

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#315

Post by Symbiote »

Nition wrote: post #258
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 wish there was something readily available like the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 but with mechanical keys. Change the spacebar into two pieces to avoid the need for custom keycaps if you like. Most/all of these fancy split keyboards are missing something, like this Ultimate Hacking Keyboard has no numpad or multimedia keys. I'm currently using a Varmillo 110% mechanical keyboard that has all the fancy…

Elsewhere in the discussion is mention of the C989 Ergo, which seems to be the closest mass-produced, mechanical keyboard to the MS Natural: https://c9ergo.com/

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#316

Post by jjkaczor »

JeremyNT wrote: post #285
chrisBob wrote: post #282

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The wrist rests do make the prices closer. I hadn't noticed that the esc key is moved which is kind of interesting. I actually decided that RGB would attract too much attention for me: One of my office mates is a 5-year-old right now, and I didn't want to distract from online kindergarten class too much.

> I actually decided that RGB would attract too much attention for me: One of my office mates is a 5-year-old right now, and I didn't want to distract from online kindergarten class too much. I also avoided the RGB for this reason (at work, where I have the pro) - but when I got my own RGB (for home), I learned that the LEDs are just as customizable as the keys, and are only as distracting as you wish them to be :)

Exactly - you can pick one boring color and not have any flashy/animated/cycles.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#317

Post by Nition »

Symbiote wrote: post #315
Nition wrote: post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish there was something readily available like the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 but with mechanical keys. Change the spacebar into two pieces to avoid the need for custom keycaps if you like. Most/all of these fancy split keyboards are missing something, like this Ultimate Hacking Keyboard has no numpad or multimedia keys. I'm currently using a Varmillo 110% mechanical keyboard that has all the fancy…

Elsewhere in the discussion is mention of the C989 Ergo, which seems to be the closest mass-produced, mechanical keyboard to the MS Natural: https://c9ergo.com/

Thanks, that actually looks great!

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#318

Post by smnscu »

tomtheelder wrote: post #226
smnscu wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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/

> It doesn't work with loud sirens or kids, unfortunately What do you use for a microphone? I have a Shure SM57, bought to record guitar, that I have repurposed into my PC mic, and the reduction of background noise vs laptop/webcam mic is _enormous_. You can't hear my mechanical keyboard at all, and it's sitting about a foot from the mic. The SM57 isn't really a vocal mic, but it works great. I'm sure a more purpose…

Blue Yeti with their "Yeticaster" boom arm + shock mount. I tried feeding its audio back into my headphones with software (as I type this I realize I could've simply connected my headphones to the mic) to play with its settings, but the pick up patterns and gain level made a negligible difference to its mediocre performance at both sound quality and ability to not pick up background noise. My next mic will definitely be condenser/XLR, for now this is fine. I've neglected adding acoustic foam for a long time, I understand that can also help improve the sound.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#319

Post by ashtonkem »

AzzieElbab wrote: post #289
Ataraxy wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Ease of adaption may depend on users age. No point to argue about this imho

Also, people can have different preferences and that’s ok.

Re: Split Keyboard for Professionals

#320

Post by barumi »

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.

> Tactile, not tactical.

Potato, topato.

> Mechanical keyboard users I've known

It's your own personal anectode and all. If you see plenty of people using the same el cheapo keyboard until it breaks apart from all the encusted breadcrumbs and hair and dust and microecosystems, I don't see what's hard to understand about how people who spend more on keyboards also do the same.

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