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Review: Ergo Interfaces Evolution Keyboard

I've been using the deskmount Evolution keyboard from Ergo Interfaces on my main work machine for a couple of months now. I've been doing so both because of some chronic wrist pain, and to try actually using the split-keyboard approach to things. What follows are my own personal tribulations and truimphs using said technology.

The keyboard itself, as seen in this older photo, is split and angled, with the touch pad in the upper-left corner of the right-hand section. As you can see from the image, it's a full size keyboard -- complete with numkey area, real function keys, and all that.

The primary difference between the version I tested and this older one is that rather then being mounted on arms of the user's chair, a la the older Evolution, the new keyboard sits on the desk.

There's a whole steel/metal mounting system that you have to install on the underside of your desk. Luckily enough, I use the TJ series desk from Herman Miller, which came with the appropriate mounting system already installed. Otherwise, it'd be a remove-everything-from-desk, flip-over (because the mounting system is heavy) and careful-work ordeal. You need to hold the mount perfectly still while you drill in the eight screws that hold it in place.

However, since I already had a keyboard/mouse mounting tray installed, the tray for the new keyboard fit right in place -- no fuss, no muss. I suspect that it's a standard size, so if you have an average-looking mounting system in place, you may be able to just use that.

Again, the only big difference between this and the other Evolution keyboard is that it's made for the desktop, rather than chair mount. Doesn't sound like much, does it? Believe me, it is. One my big complaints with the chairmounted Evolution was that you couldn't roll your chair over to another part of the room, because of the length of the cables hooked to the computer. And moving the arms of your chair loosened the screws holding the keyboard in place. Over the six months or so of Rob using it, the screws slowly stripped till they could barely hold the keyboard up. The desk mount with this version makes a big difference in this department -- far less hassle.

My other big complaint about the keyboard, though, hasn't gone away: the mouse sucks. It's a small touchpad surface, and the mouse buttons are horribly non-responsive. It's also a two-button mouse, so you have to chord for the 3rd button, and having non-responsive buttons means that cutting and paste becomes a difficult process, under any *nix. And because the pad is so small, you really have to turn up the sensitivity to be able to move around at 1024 x 768. There was software included with it, but for Win9X only, so that didn't really help out much.

So, the mouse is frustrating. The desk-mount fix is good, but I'm switching back to a more regular setup, until the mouse situation gets better. But if you have do wrist problems, or want to take an ergonomic approach before they appear, this keyboard is well suited for that. And if you are running mostly Windows, then the mouse issues become less of any issue -- no need for the 3rd mouse button, and the software on the disks will mean better support.

You can find more information out from:
ErgoInterfaces
Evolution Keyboard

48 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I bought a Kinesis Ergo.... by Ian+Bicking · · Score: 3
    Here here, the Kinesis Essential keyboard is great. I can touch type numbers with ease, and it has a nice subset of a keyboard just including the actually useful keys. There might be a couple problems for some people, though:
    • My girlfriend hates it. She never uses it enough to really learn it, so it's just annoying to her
    • It really feels best when I type with it on my lap. I don't know if you'd get the same benefit if you have it sitting on your desk.
    • It has a really wimpy Escape key. I find this really annoying. And I don't know what it is about xmodmap, but every attempt to map the Insert key or other not-so-useful key to Escape ends up failing.
    • The function keys are all little and wimpy, but that's pretty appropriate since I use almost no function keys during the day. The windows keys are almost inaccessible (some random keys when in keypad mode), which would be annoying on Windows since you won't be able to use all the keyboard shortcuts that will make your hands happier. But I'm sure there's some xmodmap-like program for Windows you could use to fix this.
    • You still have to hit shift with your pinkies, and so my pinkies are the first fingers to get tired. But Control, Alt, space, delete, backspace, and enter are all done with the thumbs, so it's still a lot better.
    • While there is a button to put the keyboard in keypad mode (where the right side acts like arrow keys or a number pad), it's rather lame. Worst part, the space becomes a zero, so if you want to type spaces with your arrows or numbers, you'll have to switch back and forth (which would be too annoying to bother). This usually isn't a problem, but when using certain games that don't allow you to remap keys it is very very annoying (I have another normal keyboard sitting around, though).
    • OTOH, with games that do allow you to remap keys (first person shooters, particularly), it's really nice -- you have reliable access to quite a few keys from one hand, much better than a normal keyboard (especially because of the numerous thumb keys).
    Still, highly recommended. I think it's definately a step up from the MS Natural-style keyboards, and is fairly non-intrusive. While it takes a little while to learn (less if you already practice proper touch typing), it's entirely worth it if you type a lot (and who here doesn't?) I'd choose the Essential over the Maxim or similar conservative split-keyboard design any day, and it's entirely worth the money.

    The keyboard is pretty good quality, but after several years mine is starting to have some problems with some keys repeating too much (like I hit the backspace once and the computer gets two signals). Still, good quality.

  2. Re:soutions and a better idea... by Zachary+Kessin · · Score: 3

    What I would love is some place that has a large number of these setup and for a modest fee you could go try them all. The problem is that what is perfect for me may suck for you and vice versa. It would be very nice to be able to test drive keyboards first.

    --
    Erlang Developer and podcaster
  3. I bought a Kinesis Ergo.... by Malor · · Score: 4

    Based on recommendations from a prior Slashdot article, I bought a Kinesis Ergo. At the time they were in Fry's for about $200 (the cheapest model). Fry's doesn't seem to have them anymore; you may have to order them from Kinesis.

    The Ergo is shaped like a Microsoft Ergo keyboard in reverse; instead of a RAISED section for each hand, it has two SUNKEN sections, a bit like you took an ice cream scoop to a regular keyboard. Each key is at a slightly different angle and height. This makes it very difficult to type on at first. It took me probably about a week and a half before I was back up to acceptable speed with it, and probably most of a month before I was back to 100%. But, I kept improving -- the design of the keyboard makes it easy to feel mistakes. At this point, I make fewer typos, type faster, and experience much less wrist discomfort. It is a thoroughly superior solution. And I have no problem at all switching between standard 'flatties' and the Ergo. I don't even notice it.

    I bought mine two years ago. At the time they still all used the older, large keyboard plug. I don't know whether or not they have been updated.... if not, you will need an adapter cable to use it with any machine that is less than 3 years old.

    Yes, $200 is a lot to spend on a keyboard, but it's a lot less than it costs to fix your wrists. And these seem very well built.

  4. Ergonomic solution? No such thing. by PCM2 · · Score: 4
    Of course, if people were a little more aware of ergonomics, maybe we could prevent the injuries in the first place.

    Well, it's actually not as simple as that. What's "ergonomics"? There's a ton of definitions, but basically, it's the science that studies how people work. How does being aware of that science prevent injury?

    I think what you're getting at is that more people need to go out and buy "ergonomic furniture," but really there is no such thing in the sense that you imply. That is, no one chair is going to be perfect for everybody to prevent injury. The real key to ergonomic furniture is to find furniture that will let you adjust its positioning in as many ways as possible. That's about it.

    Yes folks, what I'm saying is that you can buy a Herman Miller chair and still end up with RSI. Awareness of ergonomics is not so much the issue. Awareness of the potential for injury is. Far and away the #1 factor in preventing RSI, and even in reversing some level of RSI, is not new furniture -- it's change in work habits.

    And, in the event you feel like reading about some folks who probably aren't much older than you (and may be younger) who have indeed already developed what may be permanent injuries, read on.
    --

    --
    Breakfast served all day!
  5. I had one bolted to an Aeron... by otis+wildflower · · Score: 4
    ... and while I found myself typing as fast or faster than I did with a normal kybd, I ended up chucking it for a few reasons.
    • The trackpad is HORRIBLE !!! This keyboard, more than any, really needs a touchpoint. The whole point is to NOT extend your wrists, and moving to the trackpad always had me looking down at it and throwing off my typing. I ended up just buying a M$ mouse and not connecting the trackpad.
    • The keyboard itself is pretty tough, but the fastener to the armrests was lame (part bad fastener design, part flimsy armrest), and one of the "keypads" fell off after about 3 weeks. The hole it was bolted into had stripped and I needed to buy a nut/bolt combo to refasten it. Oh, also the palmrests were pretty shoddily glued on, and they fell off after about 3 weeks of constant use.
    • Its mounting location means you often cannot push your chair under your desk. In a space-constrained office, this is murder.
    • Obviously, you have to type everything into your computer or get out of your chair and let someone else hunt-and-peck. Not necessarily a bad thing (nor insurmountable once USB was solidified) but quite inconvenient at times.
    • It has some complex internal macro capability, which ended up freaking out on me at one point, and I could not get the kybd to reset satisfactorily. I was using it under Linux only at that point, and they didn't have linux support for the macros.
    • It wasn't available in USB at that point, and now that I'm a USB nerd (Linux/Mac component sharing) I find that to be sadly limiting. I bet a USB kybd/mouse would work on one of the new USB Sun workstations, though I would still want my Type 5..


    It's a really cool kybd, but there are some pretty big caveats IMHO and I would definitely not recommend it except in very particular circumstances..

    HTH, HAND... (omigod, Tube Tunes strikes again.. The Punky Brewster theme just popped up in iTunes... :ppp)

    Your Working Boy,
    - Otis (GAIM: OtisWild)
  6. DVORAK information by Luke · · Score: 4

    Dvorak International

    Makes you wonder why we even bother with QWERTY anymore..

  7. Re:xmodmap is your friend by tuffy · · Score: 3
    Here's what I've placed in my .xsession/.xinitrc (yanked from the xmodmap man page):

    xmodmap -e "remove Lock = Caps_Lock"
    xmodmap -e "remove Control = Control_L"
    xmodmap -e "keysym Control_L = Caps_Lock"
    xmodmap -e "keysym Caps_Lock = Control_L"
    xmodmap -e "add Lock = Caps_Lock"
    xmodmap -e "add Control = Control_L"

    And this is working for me right now. (GNOME/KDE users might need to place these in a different file) If that doesn't work, try adding:

    XkbOptions "ctrl:nocaps"

    to the keyboard segment of your XF86Config file. And if that doesn't work, you might have an oddball hardware-caps-lock type keyboard (which some Powerbooks use, and probably others) that might not be bind-able. In that case, try another keyboard, perhaps.

    --

    Ita erat quando hic adveni.

  8. Happy Hacking to the rescue by tuffy · · Score: 4

    These guys make non-Windows keyboards with pride. And the best IBM ThinkPad lines ship without Windows keys to this day. So yes, fortunately for all of us, somebody still produces MS-free keyboards :)

    --

    Ita erat quando hic adveni.

  9. Good Posture Ridded me of Wrist Pain... by Saono · · Score: 3

    At one time I was experiencing pretty severe wrist paint that would last for days or weeks at a time.

    I tried wrist rests, had ergonomic keyboards (which I still use) etc. etc. but to no avail.

    After experimenting for quite awhile I was talking to one of my coworkers who had had similar problems. She had went to her doctor who had suggested she try making sure she had a good chair and was sitting up straight rather than slouching.

    Worked like a charm for her and for me. I normally don't experience computer related wrist pain at all anymore unless I let myself start slouching - then within hours I'll notice the pain start up again.

    Just kind of figured I would throw it out there for everyone who slouches in their computer chair and experiences wrist pain..

    -Alan

  10. Tried 'em, can't deal with 'em by Zico · · Score: 3

    It's not claustrophobia, but that's the way they make me feel having to keep my hands and arms in the same position all the time. I've got to switch up at times and put my feet up with the keyboard in my lap, or other things which vary it up every now and then. I do use the big one-piece split keyboards, like the Microsoft Natural keyboards, because the finger positioning is so comfortable, but when they're stuck in one place, it drives me nuts.


    Cheers,

  11. Re:Happy Hackers and other "Evolutions". by Teferi · · Score: 3

    My room contains boxen with the following keyboard layouts:
    Sun Type 5c
    Old IBM XT/AT (F-keys on side, good ctrl key, etc)
    NeXT non-ADB
    Standard 101-key with big backspace and little \
    Standard 101-key with little backspace and big enter
    Old Mac (pre-PPC) PowerBook
    Oddball PC laptop
    Apple Extended II
    And you think -you- have problems? :P

    --
    -- Veni, vidi, dormivi
  12. It's all in the wrists... by Pope · · Score: 4

    (with apologies to Jack Burton)

    One of the biggest problems I've seen are people who type while resting the heels of their hands ON the damn wrist wrest things! That's the exact opposite of what you're supposed to do!
    While I miss my recently-departed Apple Ergonomic Keyboard, the two biggest things I've done to help prevent this sort of thing from happening are:
    a) get a Tensor bandage for my right wrist for mousing, and
    b) type correctly! Your hands should not be resting on anything while you type, but in a neutral position with the fingers bending down.

    You can spend a fortune on fancy keyboards and desks, but learning how to type properly is cheaper and more effective in the long run.
    Hell, take a typing class.

    Pope

    Freedom is Slavery! Ignorance is Strength! Monopolies offer Choice!

    --
    It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
  13. Ergonomic? For who? by MsWillow · · Score: 4

    While the angled, split keyboard may be "ergonomic", that only works if you're a fully-functional typist. I never really did learn the "proper" way to type, and for me that turned out to be a good thing, too.

    After I came down with multiple sclerosis, my whole right side stopped working, and now I'm typing everything left-handed only. It's hard enough using a "normal" keyboard, but anything like this, especially with the mouse-equivalent touchpad on the right side, would be very hard for me to use, carpal tunnel or not.

    I rather suspect the unit would be equally annoying to anybody who is left-handed, too. *sigh* Until the designers start to realise that we're not all 6' tall, fully able-bodied right-handed people, we'll keep seeing these gadgets touted as "easy-to-use", when for quite a few people, they really are a step backwards on that front.

    --

    Lemon curry?
  14. Here's the thing by Levine · · Score: 4

    I tried that keyboard awhile back - while it was still the chair-mounted version. Apart from the hushed oohs and aahs of my visiting friends, it was terrible. I was constantly rolling too far from the computer and snatching the cables out of the machine.

    Live and learn...

  15. Great keyboard - you gotta try one! by SeanAhern · · Score: 4
    I've had one of these keyboards, the chair-mounted one, for about two years now on five different computers. I love this thing. In fact, I'm typing this comment using one.

    I had some pretty bad numbness in my left arm, culminating in shooting pain from my elbow all the way up to my shoulder. After going through an evaluation of my workspace by an engineer, I did some research on the net and decided I needed a better keyboard.

    This keyboard, while not perfect, has been the primary reason that I have not had any numbness or pain in my arm for about two years now, I believe.

    Yes, the mouse is kind of annoying. But I don't find that it has the lack of sensitivity that the original poster mentioned. The lack of a middle mouse button is very annoying. On a Linux box it's not so bad, since I can chord. But on an SGI it's just a royal pain. Luckily I can use a combination of tools to map a middle mouse button to the "Windows" key. Heck, with the right window manager, I even move the mouse around using VI keys plus a modifier!

    I haven't experienced the problem that the original poster did about the range of the chair. My experience has been that the cable is pretty darn long. I haven't had it constrain my chair at all when wheeling around my office. The two portions of the keyboard swing down next to the arms of the chair, and hitting the Scroll Lock key four times makes accidental hits of the keyboard not get sent to the computer.

    Hooked up to a KVM switch so I can run 2 or 3 computers makes this thing a blast to use.

    As for cost...a couple hundred dollars is chump change compared to the cost of physical therapy. If your employer is serious about ergonomics, he shouldn't even blink about getting you something like this. The seriousness of repetitive stress injuries and the shortage of computer scientists means that he should jump at the chance to keep you happy and healthy.

    -Sean

  16. 3M Renaissance Mouse, _Repetitive_Strain_Injury_ by bcaulf · · Score: 3
    I have experienced some significant wrist and hand pain for about two years. My best finds so far:
    • 3M Renaissance Mouse

      This joystick-shaped mouse is the most comfortable pointing device I've ever used—better than the Marble FX Trackball or the Wacom pen tablet. It was formerly sold as the Anir Mouse until 3M bought the rights. I hope they sell millions of them. They are about $45.

    • Repetitive Strain Injury : A Computer User's Guide

      This book has useful things to say about workspace design, posture, stretching and breaks.

  17. It's called KINESIS by lushmore · · Score: 5

    This keyboard is made by Kinesis Corporation, maker of other excellent ergonomic products like the Maxim keyboard I'm using right now. I've coveted the Evolution for some time now, but as the reviewer says, the trackpad sucks, and because the keyboard is so wide, your mouse is far enough away to become an ergo issue in itself. My Maxim doesn't have a pesky numeric keypad, so my trackball can snug in close where I don't have to reach to far for it.

  18. Due Credit by tjackson · · Score: 3

    ErgoInterfaces didn't make that keyboard. Kinesis did. Give them the credit. Kinesis Made it, ErgoInterfaces is just distributing it. Kinesis is the King of countour keyboards. You shouldn't be surprised that they made this one.

  19. Slow news day, perhaps? by n8willis · · Score: 3

    For some reason, reading this article reminded me of the NewsRadio episode where Dave berates Bill for putting off work on his "Real Deal with Bill McNeil" commentaries until the last minute, whereupon he always ends up complaining about the inadequacies of various objects in the booth....

    Bill: Well, I for one thought last week's piece, "Microphones, Why Do They Have To Be So Close To Your Head?" helped a lot of people!

    I probably have that quote all wrong, though....

    Nate

    --
    -- Watch the REAL Jon Katz.
  20. Re:You may not need a new keyboard... by theaphila · · Score: 3

    i found that my qwerty typing did not seriously suffer after learning dvorak. there's about 1 min. of lots of backspacing when i first try to switch over, then i'm fine. I have a mouse binding on my background to switch maps for admins, and nt even has a button on the taskbar.

  21. Microsoft Natural by 0xA · · Score: 3

    I started having some issues with wrist pain about a year ago. I did some reading on the different types of wrist problems you can get and came to the conclusion that my problems were mostly realated to muscle fatigue in the wrists.

    I went out and bought a Microsoft Natural Elite (USB without the extra idiot buttons) and started using it at work 100% of the time. My problem actually became worse for a couple weeks, I had to take more breaks in order to shake out my wrists and relax. After I got used to it though, wow. Not only do I rarely get sore from typing but my speed and acuracy has increased quite a bit as well.

    Anyone having trouble with this type of thing should really give one of the MS keyboards a try first. They're not for everyone but compared to the other stuff on the market they are really cheap.

    One thing you might want to keep in mind, once you get used to one of these keyboards you will absolutely hate anything else. I can't type on a standard keyboard at all anymore, it just doesn't feel right. I had to buy one for home and I also bought an extra one a little while ago because the the ones without the idiot buttons are getting harder to find.

  22. You may not need a new keyboard... by LynchMan · · Score: 5

    When I started to get the mentioned wrist/hand pains, instead of buying a funky keyboard, I just switched layouts. DVORAK as worked wonders for me, typing is no longer painful and is actually easier....

    But then, the learning curve is greater than just buying a new keyboard. Hm.

    1. Re:You may not need a new keyboard... by Speare · · Score: 5

      I'm not trying to sell you on either layout, but there's lots of misinformation out there on the QWERTY/DVORAK issue.

      One, QWERTY was not designed to slow you down. It was designed to alternate between areas of the striker array, so that it wouldn't jam. A well-oiled qwerty Underwood would allow typing speeds to exceed 100wpm. Of course, electronic keyboards have no striker swing time, so they can allow higher speeds, but that doesn't prove the qwerty was designed to slow you down.

      Two, it's an urban legend, unproven, whether the QWERTY layout intentionally put all the letters of the word 'typewriter' on the top row. The theory is that this was for untrained salesmen showing off the new device. This may just be a coincidence, same as the word 'stewardesses' can be typed using just the left hand.

      Three, the DVORAK layout won't save you from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Two things affect it: the constriction of the carpal tunnel itself, through flexion of the wrists to unnatural angles, and the force applied to carpal tendons by your typing strength. Keep your wrists straight and off the work surface (not resting on those dumb wrist rests!), type at a natural sustainable rate, and take 30-second breaks now and then to exercise your eye muscles and rest your hand tendons. Few jobs require you to type every moment of the day.

      Four, the DVORAK layout has no conclusive evidence of speed advantage. There are fast typists on either layout: whichever layout works for you is the one that's best for you. If you touch type less than 60wpm, you probably shouldn't look for a new layout to improve your accuracy.

      If you're looking to improve your typing speed, this is the training technique that works for almost any mental-physical activity: find a way to exercise the skill without thinking about it. Your medulla oblongata is easier trained when the cerebrum doesn't get involved. Learn to catch by socializing with Dad, not by watching the ball. Learn to type by typing in MUDs or chat-rooms; the need for speed to do or say something in a timely fashion will force your hands to train themselves, in a way that conscious effort never will.

      --
      [ .sig file not found ]
    2. Re:You may not need a new keyboard... by iso · · Score: 5

      My solution to wrist problems has been to get up and walk away every 15 minutes or so. I don't code at 10hrs at a stretch like I used to.

      that's what i've started to do. now i take a 45 minute break every 15 minutes. my wrists feel great and i'm a lot more relaxed ;).

      - j

    3. Re:You may not need a new keyboard... by (-)eretic · · Score: 4

      Your QWERTY typing won't "devolve" if you learn a different style. You might learn to hate the extra work involved with typing QWERTY versus Dvorak, but I have found it very easy to switch between the two. I learned the Dvorak layout after 10 years of typing QWERTY. It really is easier, and makes more sense. I find that I do much less reaching and can even type some words faster, since there are something like 2,000 English words that can be typed using only the keys on the home row. QWERTY home row A S D F G H J K L ; ---- A O E U I D H T N S DVORAK home row I have had crippling RSI for several years now, so please save your hands and consider learning Dvorak -- and always take regular rest and stretch breaks!

      --
      ~~+++ATH0 . . . END OF LINE
  23. Re:Opposing viewpoint by Miles · · Score: 3

    My previous post seems to have been lost so:

    http://www.mwbrooks.com/dvorak/dissent.html

    Here's a link that looks at some of the arguments
    against the Dvorak layout.

    Andrew.

  24. Laptops? Portables? by jackal! · · Score: 3
    Anyone know any manufacturers making laptops with ergo keyboards?

    What about folding/portable/travel ergo keyboards?

    J

    --

    Who moderates the meta-moderators?

  25. Re:soutions and a better idea... by Sc00ter · · Score: 3

    What about security? I know the range is short but those logictech's use radio frequencies. No need for the key copy program, just pluck the keystrokes from the air!
    --

  26. Re:You will, and you'll be glad to do it by NearlyHeadless · · Score: 3
    And if you were to investigate the options, you'd stop using a QWERTY keyboard immediately, because the RSI is caused by non-home-row stretching. I'm actually surprised that a lawyer hasn't won a large class-action using OSHA laws - since the DVORAK keyboard has been proven to be a safer keyboard to use over the long term.
    Is there any good evidence for either of these statements?
  27. Wanton advertising by Isldeur · · Score: 3



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    The "Wampom Band-dangle super-chute fruit dispenser" is one of today's most modern and efficient fruit cutters. I often wonder how I could have lived without it!!! I bought one for each of my friends! Buy your's today by calling 1-900-212-WAMP or by ordering with the toll-free service(*2) listed below. This offer is not availabile in stores!!! Act now!

    Prices may vary see actual store photo for details this has been a paid advertisement and actors involved may(*3) have been awarded monetary compensation.

  28. Ergo is about all I use by HerrGlock · · Score: 4

    Takes a couple days/weeks to really get used to it, but once you do it's difficult to go back to the 'standard' keyboard. I would like one in the chair that is IR run instead of wire run, that would eliminate all of the stopppage due to cable running out at other side of room stuff.

    Now I'm going to have to try the Cpt Kirk chair with keyboard installed.

    DanH
    Cav Pilot's Reference Page

    --
    Cav Pilot's Reference Page
    UNIX - Not just for Vestal Virgins anymore
  29. There is no way... by smack_attack · · Score: 4

    No way I'm spending $300+ for a friggin keyboard, I'll hire someone to type for me first.

    ---

  30. Typing Injury FAQ by pemerson · · Score: 4

    There is a wonderful FAQ at www.tifaq.com which has a lot of info about alternative keyboards and such. There are lots to choose from, including chording keyboards (a la Infogrip's BAT) and split keyboards etc. One thing to keep in mid is that the keyboard alone is not a solution. You need to practice good overall ergonomics, and this includes a good desk and chair, as well as taking breaks and repositioning yourself.

  31. DVORAK KEYBOARD by fantom_winter · · Score: 3
    If you want to reduce your wrist pain, look into the dvorak keyboard. Your fingers will move alot less, and it will reduce the strain, as well as make you a faster typer in general. Here are some links.

    www.dvorakint.org

    www.catskill.net/evolution/typing

    http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~whuang/misc/dvorak.html

  32. Re:Laptops? Portables? by sulli · · Score: 3
    It would be difficult. IBM tried a "Butterfly" keyboard a few years ago but it didn't sell well so they discontinued it.

    I use only laptops (one at work, one at home) since I'm one of those marketroids. For me the Apple PB G3 (Bronze) is super comfy; my Toshiba Portege is only okay; and my previous Toshiba Satellite was a disaster. I actually prefer the slightly smaller size of a laptop keyboard (I hate the MS Natural Keyboard and others that split the hands), but I really prefer the extra springiness and depth that the Apple has.

    (Not to turn this into a "Buy a Mac" post, but...)

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  33. Yet another keyboard with Win95 keys by blamario · · Score: 4
    Why, o why, must every keyboard have those annoying three keys I never use, and in the worst possible place too? I tend to use Alt keys a lot because I use Brief-compatible editors. My keyboard at home is (at least) 15 years old IBM, weighing about 4 kg. But whenever I'm forced to work on some other place and on a newer keyboard I lose half of my time struggling with those damn Microsoft-devised productivity killers.

    Does anybody produce MS-free keyboards any longer?

  34. What I did so I could type again (long) by helixblue · · Score: 5
    In June of last year, I ran into a scary situation. After a long programming binge, I found myself unable to type for more then 20 minutes without having pain for the rest of the day. I had switched to a Natural Keyboard in 98 which let me off the hook for a while, but..

    The pain around my knuckles and center of the top part of my hand got bad enough that I had to have an intern read/write e-mails for me at work. And rather then being a senior systems admin, I did staff training for various technical topics. Yippy. I took two weeks off of typing, and did a lot of research. This is what I ended up doing:

    1) Kinesis Contour Keyboard . I was highly skeptical of this keyboard, being $250... but my hand pains were enough that I would try anything. I got it for home, the one with dual-dvorak/qwerty caps. I now swear by this keyboard so much that I would rather give up my Athlon and go back to a 486/33 if it was the only way to keep this keyboard. I then had work buy me one. It's hard to learn a new keyboard if it changes depending on where you are :) The primary advantage of this keyboard is no matter what keys you hit, your hands never move. Things that don't move, don't get stressed. I've also got some good photos of it's inards and some closeups.

    2) Dvorak Keyboard Layout . I took the dive when I bought my Kinesis and immediately began learning Dvorak. Having my keyboard labeled with dual-dvorak/qwerty keys helped me a lot. Un-learning 12 years of QWERTY was by no means easy, but worth it. It was very rough to learn (took about 3 weeks to get back to normal speed), but because your fingers don't have to move as much for english words, my fingers are under a lot less stress. Doesn't help much with perl though, but Ruby's nicer syntax means my hands contort less anyways. Oh, you don't lose your qwerty skills. Whenever I type on a normal keyboard, my hand things qwerty. It associated Dvorak with the Kinesis keyboard.

    3) Contour Systems Perfit Mouse . This was almost as important as the keyboard. It amazed me what a difference this made. These mice are custom to your hands. I got two 3-button mice for 7-inch hands, one lefty and one righty. I use the left handed mouse at home (my natural hand), and the right handed at work. It took some training on my right hand, but the balance makes it much less hurtful. I still get pains going to Microsoft mice or trackballs. I can't stress how excellently designed these are for your hands. Rather then pushing the end of your finger to click, you apply a very light pressure in the middle of your fingers. Less movement is less stress is less pain.

    4) xwrits . This is software to remind you to take keyboard breaks. You can install it straight from /usr/ports/deskutils/xwrits in FreeBSD. This is the .xsession command line I use:

    xwrits typetime=50 +finger=japanese +clock +mouse +beep +breakclock +multiply +top &

    I'm going to have to set it so that locks me out of my workstation soon. I often will type "killall xwrits". Anyways, that's what I ended up doing for my situation. I can now type again quite happily, though I still get pains on normal qwerty keyboards like the one I'm on ATM at a friends house. Hand damage really sucks, I miss being able to use laptops without pain. Now I have to drag this Kinesis around.

    IF YOU FEEL PAIN - STOP - TAKE BREAKS - FIX YOUR SITUATION! SEE A DOCTOR!. I cannot stress this enough. Not fixing this earlier has cost me.

  35. you CAN go a bit more extreme than that by Kraft · · Score: 4

    I happen to suffer from serious wrist pain and being an input freak I decided to take it all the way. Yes, I'm convinced that the Evolution keyboard is better than an old clickety-clack keyboard, but if you want to see some real damage reduction, you have to go extreme.

    I decided to go for a Datahand, and at around 1500 bux I think it's the most expensive keyboard out there. I'm very happy about it, but I only type at max. 95% of my old typing speed. A little bit frustrating, but worth it. If I use a regular keyboard for more than 20 mins, it's hell. I have also tried the Kinesis Essential keyboard, which is much cheaper, but a very good ergonomic keyboard.

    For a while I used a Foot switch, also from Kinesis, but this was a real waste of money. You have to always have your feet in the same place to use it, and it's waaaay too small - I kept hitting two buttons at the same time.

    Since I still have some problems with my arms, I decided to go for some armrests. These are movable and kinda cool looking together with the datahand, and although the product is good quality, I don't really feel that they that much. They give a marginal improvement at best.

    Oh, the built-in mouse on the Datahand sux, so I ordered a head tracked mouse (after seeing it on /.) from Eyecontrol, but it still hasn't arrived.

    I personally think that the mouse is the biggest culprit when it comes to wrist problems, but I am still considering using some kinda speech recognition software. Ok, I'm a bit geeky about this, but I'm 23, and I need these hands for many more years.

    -Kraft

    -Kraft

    --

    -Kraft
    Live and let live
  36. Need more convincing? Here. by Icephreak1 · · Score: 5

    For those among you not easily convinced by simple Dvorak testimontials, here's a Java applet that hands out the breakdown for any sentence or paragraph pasted in,

    http://www.acm.vt.edu/~jmaxwell/dvorak/keyboard.ht ml

  37. Re:Ergonomics are unnecessary by mbessey · · Score: 3
    As long as you learn to type/use the mouse correctly, you shouldn't need them.
    What a load of crap. The recent epidemic of wrist injuries isn't the fault of the people sitting at the keyboards.

    I mean, really. Some 90% of all the computer keyboards out there tilt in the wrong direction! That's unequivocably the manufacturer's fault.

    Employers have to share a lot of the blame, too. Why don't they buy ergonomic keyboards for everybody, instead of just for those that complain, when it's already too late? Is $200 too much to pay to ensure an employee's good health?

    Yes, it makes a difference how you use the things - sit up straight, take regular breaks, stretch your muscles from time to time. But don't overlook the importance of having the right equipment.

  38. You will, and you'll be glad to do it by mbessey · · Score: 5

    If you ever do get CTS or some other RSI, you'll gladly pay whatever someone asks for a device like that. Of course, if people were a little more aware of ergonomics, maybe we could prevent the injuries in the first place.

    Folks, if you spend any significant amount of your workday typing, you owe iut to yourself to investigate your options.

  39. As for the mouse... by gus+goose · · Score: 3
    The best ergonomic upgrade which could be made is to convert from a mouse to a trackball. My two favourites are the Kingston "Expert Mouse" and the Logitech Trackman Marble FX (poor link really.).

    Regardless, Trackballs are always in the same place, require far less movement to get accross the screen, are much more precise and accurate, and never get "lost" on the desk. Further, there is no need for a mousepad, and there is less risk of injury. Problem with some trackballs, the same as mice, is that some are right/left hand incompatible.

    --
    .. if only.
  40. Happy Hackers and other "Evolutions". by gus+goose · · Score: 4

    I am thr proud owner of a Happy Hacker keyboard. I must admit that got used to it in a hurry, and my productivity in most activities increased.

    Unfortunately, not everyone has a HHKB, and moving from one machine to another introduced huge amounts of frustration. The unix commandline became a pain, vi is a nighmare with me regularly trying to hit ctrl-D to go down a page, but instead hit CAPS-LOCK then D and effectively delete to end of line. Issues like this are a serious drawback.

    Bottom line is that I have retired my HHKB, and endure the less ergonomic but more standard full keyboards.

    If you work in a closed system where you have only one computer, or all your computers have the same keyboard, then go for it. Otherwise, it may become too comfortable, and then yu will not be able to smoothly interface with other keyboards.

    A further example is that I have a laptop with a UK Layout keyboard, and my desktop has a US Layout. I have hat fo install a US keyboard on the laptop otherwise I go mad with @ instead of ".

    --
    .. if only.
    1. Re:Happy Hackers and other "Evolutions". by Telek · · Score: 4

      You think the UK keyboard is a hassle, try the French! I had to have my natural keyboard shipped here because I couldn't stand the French layout. To use the numbers you need to use the shift key as well, A,Q,Z,W, and M are in slightly different places, you can't use the right alt-key because it's used to give special characters, but yet it looks just like a normal keyboard so it's impossible to adjust! Why can't we just all get along with a standard? (yeah I know why, but it's more fun to rant)

      --

      If God gave us curiosity
  41. Opposing viewpoint by moronga · · Score: 4

    Disclaimer: I've never use a dvorak keyboard. But there are some studies that refute the superiority of the dvorak keyboard. There's an entry about the dvorak at http://www.urbanlegends.com/misc/dvorak.html. There are links at the bottom of the page to some articles. Also, for you Straight Dope fans, Cecil has handled the topic as well: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_248.html

  42. whatever works by janpod66 · · Score: 3
    Since nobody really fully understands the mechanisms by which RSI happens, the best you can do is to use whatever works for you.

    However, I would distrust the ergonomic judgement of a company that puts a touchpad on a system designed for RSI sufferers; I think touchpads have many problems. It seems to me that a large mouse with foot pedals for buttons would be preferable: you'd get a regular break from typing (as you move your hand to the mouse), and you give your fingers a break (as you can use your arm to move the mouse and your feet for clicking).

    But if you suffer from RSI and have tried a variety of pointing devices, it would be interesting to hear your experience. It might help others avoid similar problems.

  43. soutions and a better idea... by Telek · · Score: 5

    as a solution to the cable problem, use wireless!

    and as a solution to the screw problem, use better screws!

    seriously though, I've been using a normal Logitech wireless "natural" keyboard for months, and I used to have hand problems, now I don't! It's great, I have a comfy chair and a lap-desk thing, so I can move all over the place, free of cables. I attached a gel pad to the front of the keyboard (it came with a ?! stupid hard plastic wrist wrest) and it's my saviour. Heck, I even brought it to France with me. Don't need $300USD either, this setup cost me just under $100.

    However, I'm still interested in getting a lazy boy setup! Hook me up with one of those, mounted dual keyboard, computer integrated into the base and a LCD screen that can be moved (via an arm of course) to anywhere in front of my view (i.e. so if I'm laying down I can move it to be in front of me), and I'd pay $$$$$$ for that!

    -- Telek

    --

    If God gave us curiosity
  44. But can you.... by D-Cypell · · Score: 3

    Fit one to a bean bag? I wouldnt do my coding from anywhere else!