Posted by
chrisd
on from the click-smack-click-smack dept.
graymalkn writes "My wife has repetitive stress problems and prefers typing on old-fashioned mechanical typewriters. For Christmas, I converted a mechanical typewriter to work as a computer keyboard. My favorite feature: slap the carriage return for Enter."
There's different kinds of RSI
by
JaredOfEuropa
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
Some people will feel pain in their fingertips when striking the keys because of the hard stop. Using a clickety IBM keyboard doesn't help and in some cases makes it worse. The impact on the fingers on a mechanical typewriter is much more gradual, with a soft stop at the end of the key travel.
You're right though that the keys on such a typewriter are harder to press, possibly leading to a different kind of RSI, which can be alleviated by switching from a typewriter to a regular keyboard, as some people working in a typing pool have found in the past.
The typewriter is an interesting solution, but I wonder if this woman might be off just as well with one of those rubber keyboards like the ones that came with those IBM PS/1 systems.
-- If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
Re:Obligatory
by
stevejsmith
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
Uh, I hope that you were kidding, but I can't help but fear that you weren't. Keyboards are operating system agnostic. You can use the same keyboard (with some different connectors for the older and more obscure, of course) with DOS, Windows XP, TiVo Linux, RedHat 8, OS/2, BeOS, a $100,000 IBM mainframe, a Sun SmartCard terminal, or anythign else that you use a keyboard to interact with. There is no need (and none that emplow it, to my knowledge) for a CPU, much a less an operating system, for a keyboard. It's simply circuitry.
The human side of it
by
andyring
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
All technobabble and RSI talk aside, everyone seems to have overlooked a big part of this. Be honest, people. How many of you would be willing to put this much time and effort into a project simply for the purpose of making your wife/husband/boy/girlfriend happy? I read the article (yes, I'm actually a/.er who reads the articles, a shock I know) and while I found it interesting and intuitive, the thought at the back of my mind was, "Dang, this guy must really love his wife to undertake a project like this just for her."
Way to go, sir! You sound like a great husband, a guy your wife was lucky to snag!
Re:I had a wonderful old IBM like that...
by
Inthewire
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
FYI: Ctrl+Esc has the same function as the Windows key
Just so you know, CTRL+ESC + L doesn't work the same as Window Key + L in Windows XP Professional.
--
Writers imply. Readers infer.
switching to Kinesis keyboard IS a good solution
by
shadowhillway
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
Some years ago when I was in high school, I suffered a complete meltdown with my wrists. Since then, I have learned about the Dvorak layout and the Kinesis Contoured keyboard. Both have made a tremendous difference for me.
Quite simply, flat keyboards and the qwerty layout suck. Posture is not going to make much difference when the hands are doing so much extra work on keyboards which are not designed for the human hand and with an inefficient key layout.
The Kinesis Contoured keyboard is designed for the proportions of human fingers, and also takes advantage of the thumbs.
Naturally, if someone is in serious pain from typing, then he should stop everything immediately. After recovery is the time to think about switching to a better keyboard and better layout.
she finds old-fashioned mechanical typewriters much easier on her fingers because they offer gradual resistance rather than the feeling of moving through air then hitting a wall
It's true that mechanical one has better feedback than those you find in computers, but don't ignore the extra straint that would be exerted after prolong use.
Your wife need a better keyboard. Some serious manufactured computer keyboards offer proper resistance and a 'click' feedback before you hit the button so that after some use your fingers can change key when feeling the 'click'. All old keyboards you found in IBM terminals offer such mechanism. Very old Acer keyboard, like one I'm using, has similar design. They are much better than mechanical one, as they've less resistance and no chance of jamming.
However, in order to lower cost, most newer keyboard behave just as you described. Not even Microsoft's Natural keyboard could offer the same feeling as in terminal keyboards.
Re:fundamentals of RSI
by
MuValas
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
I have the worst posture, and do everything "wrong" when it comes to RSI, and have almost never suffered from it. The only time I did is when I decided it would be a good idea to try assuming a "correct" posture. My wrist and hands started hurting within a week.
I'm constantly shifting around in my seat, changing postures, and therefore the angles of my hands/wrists. The big thing for me is that if it starts hurting, or feeling uncomfortable, shift around until I find the pressure is relieved. If nothing's working, take a break and stretch out my wrists, arms, and fingers. Half the RSI sufferers I know seem to get into this masochistic mode where they just keep typing away even when things start hurting.
C'mon people, if it hurts try doing something a little different. Don't just rigidly sit in the same posture trying to work through it. Move around a little!
Slashdot Mirror
Some people will feel pain in their fingertips when striking the keys because of the hard stop. Using a clickety IBM keyboard doesn't help and in some cases makes it worse. The impact on the fingers on a mechanical typewriter is much more gradual, with a soft stop at the end of the key travel.
You're right though that the keys on such a typewriter are harder to press, possibly leading to a different kind of RSI, which can be alleviated by switching from a typewriter to a regular keyboard, as some people working in a typing pool have found in the past.
The typewriter is an interesting solution, but I wonder if this woman might be off just as well with one of those rubber keyboards like the ones that came with those IBM PS/1 systems.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
Uh, I hope that you were kidding, but I can't help but fear that you weren't. Keyboards are operating system agnostic. You can use the same keyboard (with some different connectors for the older and more obscure, of course) with DOS, Windows XP, TiVo Linux, RedHat 8, OS/2, BeOS, a $100,000 IBM mainframe, a Sun SmartCard terminal, or anythign else that you use a keyboard to interact with. There is no need (and none that emplow it, to my knowledge) for a CPU, much a less an operating system, for a keyboard. It's simply circuitry.
Way to go, sir! You sound like a great husband, a guy your wife was lucky to snag!
FYI: Ctrl+Esc has the same function as the Windows key
Just so you know, CTRL+ESC + L doesn't work the same as Window Key + L in Windows XP Professional.
Writers imply. Readers infer.
Some years ago when I was in high school, I suffered a complete meltdown with my wrists. Since then, I have learned about the Dvorak layout and the Kinesis Contoured keyboard. Both have made a tremendous difference for me.
Quite simply, flat keyboards and the qwerty layout suck. Posture is not going to make much difference when the hands are doing so much extra work on keyboards which are not designed for the human hand and with an inefficient key layout.
The Kinesis Contoured keyboard is designed for the proportions of human fingers, and also takes advantage of the thumbs.
Naturally, if someone is in serious pain from typing, then he should stop everything immediately. After recovery is the time to think about switching to a better keyboard and better layout.
My ergonomic typing story is detailed on my Explorations in Ergonomic Typing page.
she finds old-fashioned mechanical typewriters much easier on her fingers because they offer gradual resistance rather than the feeling of moving through air then hitting a wall
It's true that mechanical one has better feedback than those you find in computers, but don't ignore the extra straint that would be exerted after prolong use.
Your wife need a better keyboard. Some serious manufactured computer keyboards offer proper resistance and a 'click' feedback before you hit the button so that after some use your fingers can change key when feeling the 'click'. All old keyboards you found in IBM terminals offer such mechanism. Very old Acer keyboard, like one I'm using, has similar design. They are much better than mechanical one, as they've less resistance and no chance of jamming.
However, in order to lower cost, most newer keyboard behave just as you described. Not even Microsoft's Natural keyboard could offer the same feeling as in terminal keyboards.
I have the worst posture, and do everything "wrong" when it comes to RSI, and have almost never suffered from it. The only time I did is when I decided it would be a good idea to try assuming a "correct" posture. My wrist and hands started hurting within a week.
I'm constantly shifting around in my seat, changing postures, and therefore the angles of my hands/wrists. The big thing for me is that if it starts hurting, or feeling uncomfortable, shift around until I find the pressure is relieved. If nothing's working, take a break and stretch out my wrists, arms, and fingers. Half the RSI sufferers I know seem to get into this masochistic mode where they just keep typing away even when things start hurting.
C'mon people, if it hurts try doing something a little different. Don't just rigidly sit in the same posture trying to work through it. Move around a little!