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A Glance At 24 Keyboards & Mice
robyn217 writes "Hey, KBs and mice aren't the most glamorous hardware in your system but there's no reason for them to be dull. I spent the last month testing out a new keyboard and mouse every day; covering everything from strange one-handed KBs to cool gesture-sensing pads to tacky ball-based mice. Check it out if you're thinking about trading up." Strictly one-paragraph blurbs here (I wish she'd talked about each keyboard's tactile feedback, and long-term comfort on the oddball designs), but if you need to do a visual scan of current offerings (many wireless), you can work toward a new mouse by clicking your way through. Update: 01/21 21:58 GMT by T : Errr, Robyn's a He, not a She -- many apologies. That hasn't happened in years!
Seriously the best keyboards are the new Sun Type6 USB keyboards. They are sturdy, have the right "click" and since they are USB work with everything. Plus the control and capslock are in the proper position.
...I used to call it the "mouse clit." Still do.
You know, the real world tests, like how does the keyboard perform after spilling a Red Bull all over it?
..since tacos trip to the glue factory.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
click!
Any one handed keyboards, like the twiddler? They use these for the MIThril wearable project. Some modification required. Location-Based Wi-Fi
Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
The new version of Intellipoint bundled with them (for Windows users) removes the ability to do custom mouse button remapping. You're forced to choose from the options they give you. This is a major disappoint to me as I liked being able to specify specific combinations of buttons.
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Microsoft Natural Internet Keyboard and Logitech Optical Mouse. Both very good annd they both work in Linux too.
Why would anyone want a one-handed keyboard?
Oh... hang on...
In sweden it is really hard to get a hold
of a USB keyboard without wireless mambo jambo. Why are they still hanging on to that lousy PS2 ?
...you're not showering often enough.
As everyone who will read this article will soon find out, it has almost no content. As such I suggest we talk about our own mice/keyboards and experience. I for one really want to know if anyone has tryied the "iGesture" pad/keyboard. It looks cool, but got only 3 circles in this article.
Currently I am working with all standard QWERTY keyboards. I had one that had volume buttons and some hot keys, but found that I never used them. My student informed me he switched to DVORAK under MacOSX just by switching the key binding. He says that it only took him 2 weeks to get used to it, and two months to get to loving it. I may make the switch after I finish writing my thesis.
As far as mice, I have a Microsoft Optical Mouse with the side browsing buttons. This is a very good mouse. At work I have a logitech mouse, and it functions perfectly and was very cheap. If I bought another mouse I would buy from Logitech.
Lastly I have an IBM mobile optical mouse. Do not buy this mouse. Its useless.
covering everything from strange one-handed KBs
:)
There used to be an old joke about this; Build a one-handed keyboard and the world will beat a path to your door.
The joke was interchangeable with `left handed mouse for right handed people`.
And as long as we're in innuendo land, it's appropriate to add that if you build it, they will come.
Seems to me he should have spent a little more time testing his server's bandwidth.
So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
Only a woman would think that was strange...
Any sufficiently well-organized Government is indistinguishable from bullshit.
That image will be going though my mind all day.
Touching my mouse will never be the same.
Here's the print version of the article, a lot easier on the server and nowhere near the clutter on the normal page:
3 ,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/print_article/0,3048,a=11641
Has anyone seen a bluetooth trackball? I'd like to find one if i can and haven't seen any(dont need a seperate reciever though).
I'd like to trade my keyboard up to one with more useless buttons, because my desk isnt cluttered enough. Right now I have the windows key, th scroll lock, and the menu key (next to the right-hand windows key). Maybe one of those fancy Sun keyboard with that patch of keys on the side? What is the keyboard with the most number of less-than-useful keys?
You'd think they'd be set up to handle a proper slashdotting. Stupid razzle frizzen burfy meckers...
That be great for pr0^H^H^H, err reasearch. Yeah, reasearch.
It may be out of subject..
But a couple of years a ago I bought a Reveal Ergonomic Keyboard II.. now the keyboard is old and I want a new one EXACTLY like the one I have.. I have tried Microsoft ergonomic keyboards and I don't like them.. I'd really like to have the same thing I have but brand new.. Anyone know where I can get one.. I have tried searching on ebay or google, I can't find anything..
Anyone is using this keyboard.. what do you think of it.. have you tried other ergonomic keyboard and what do you think of them ?
--Ben (mox@mox.ca - www.mox.ca)
I spotted a grammar mistake in Blurb.
"I wish she'd..."
When the object a pronoun is pointing to is masculine, the s is omitted. She. hahhaha, not on slashdot, buddy...
I can't speak for anyone else, but I think that the best keyboard ever made was the IBM Model M PS/2 keyboard. It's got individual springs for each of the keys, the keys give satisfying clicks, the keycaps are removable, and it's even got a nifty drainage hole on the bottom. It'll even double as a baseball bat in a pinch (steel baseplate). I'm here at work typing on a Dell laptop keyboard which, frankly, is a steaming pile of crap.
All these newfangled keyboards with their plastic membranes and mushy keys. I'll take my Model M any day.
~The log of the limit is equal to the limit of the log.
I've been using a Cherry keyboard for 5 years. Sturdy keys, high-quality plastic, excellent springs. While I did pay more thant 70$ for that keyboard 5 years ago, the new ones are much much cheaper. I got a new one on order.
Microsoft - Poor Software, Great Input Devices!
I mean seriously, first we get taken for a ride by some female reviewer who turns out to be a ZDNet/PCMag employee looking to drive traffic to her review. Then I go to the trouble of actually RTFA only to find NONE of the reviews have pictures of the devices being reviewed?
What a load of garbage. I mean the reviews themselves are bad enough (I need more than "dood its so sw33t!"), but the lack of pictures just makes it eyeball rape.
I've spent years watching TV, my imagination is a shriveled peanut, help me help you exploit me and give me some damned pictures.
-rt
Looks like this guy went to the Tom's Hardware school of article design/layout.
I hate short-life batteries and I hate losing stuff. I can hear it now... "Mommy, where's the mouse?"
Wireless keyboards and mice aren't going to find their way into my den any time soon.
Speak truth to power.
I've been using this setup for about 6 months now, and could not be happier! The bouse has a great "feel" and the charging dock is worth it's weight in gold.
Not sure why this was not reviewed, but I would suggest it to anyone looking to upgrade to cordless.
I am become Troll, destroyer of threads
For carpal tunnel relief try one of the old IBM tumbling-spring keyboards. They're noisy but good!
love is just extroverted narcissism
While I have no complains about Wireless mices (bluetooth, 443Mhz, whatever frequency), I can't get my head around the number of people that purchase Wireless keyboards. Some have better encryption than others, but why in the hell would you want your passwords or credit card number fly though the air using a 40$ keyboard/receiver ? Do people seriously think that those credentials cannot be captured ?
The Logitech Marble Mouse simply has ownage over any other pointing device on the planet. Optical trackball, requiring less frequent cleanings, with the cleanings being easier than similar roller ball trackballs like the Kensington Orbit.
The ultimate test of this is the FPS test. I love using this when playing Unreal Tournament. You can make very quick, flicking movements with this that are great for aiming and firing.
The only thing that a conventional mouse has over the Marble Mouse is in drawing. I am a bit more comfortable with a conventional mouse doing that. Then again, that's not the proper tool for the job, a tablet is.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
Better reviews of keyboards and mice can be found here:
Keyboard reviews
Mouse reviews
-JemHi, I'm the guy who wrote the Bluetooth HID (keyboard/mouse) driver for Linux so that I could use the M$FT Bluetooth desktop. More recently, I've picked up an Apple Bluetooth keyboard. I really like it a lot, and prefer it to the M$FT keyboard. And not just because you can rearrange the keys into a sane layout (Dvorak) without ending up with a mishmash of different key heights; more important, the Apple keyboard actually has an ON/OFF switch, so you won't have to pull out the batteries when you're done using it for the day.
"Skill shows through where genius wears thin." -Wittgenstein || Religion: uniting aviation and architecture.
everything from strange one-handed KBs
It's not like one handed keyboards are exactely a new thing either... One handed Devorak keyboard layouts have been around since before the days of silicon transistors. Of course those are still a normal keyboard, just with the useful keys put into more useful positions.
This is not a review it is just an add for a few products. Wonder if PCMag slipped a little of the $$ towards /. for posting it.
Why do so many PCs come with dull keyboards and lifeless mice when there are loads of better options?
Because people are fucking cheap 'tards who don't want to pay for a single key or button more than they need, that's why!
They say things like "I like that $299 PC over there. How many gigahertzes is it? Uh huh. Okay, are you sure it's got enough RAMs to run the latest Microsoft? Great, I'll take it!"
If someone's happy having the lowest common denominator define their *entire computing experience*, they're not going to cough up for a nice mouse or keyboard. No Yugo ever came off the assembly line with heated leather power-adjustable-with-position-memory seats.
I found out the bluetooth that comes with the less expensive Logitech set and the Microsoft set can hardly be called bluetooth.
The adapters only work with the keyboards and mice, so forget using them with your Palm T3 pda or your Ericsson T68i cellphone or your HP printer. They also don't work with your own existing bluetooth adapter.
Also, the Microsoft set has a host of problems that will have you throwing it against the wall within the first week of ownership. Google on the model name and you'll find the details.
I can't speak on the expensive Logitech set because I haven't tried it.
obviously no deficiencies vs. no obvious deficiencies
yup obviously no freedom of speech in america seeing how that site is up and your comment is here....
Rather than simply add my click through to the PCMag article, is anyone aware of a Bluetooth keyboard that has a USB port for a mouse, so that the whole thing will talk to a 12'' Powerbook? I could buy both the keyboard and a bluetooth mouse, but I have a perfectly good mouse and am feeling cheap....
As you are probably aware, DVORAK is an alternate key layout that is based on statistical frequency-of-use of each letter. The QWERTY layout is a hold-over from manual typewriter days; its design was meant to SLOW DOWN the typist to prevent the metal hammers from jamming in the original typewriters.
I realize everyone has a huge investment of time and training using QWERTY, but we should certainly teach kids the better DVORAK layout. All major OSes natively support DVORAK, and after three years I can attest to its increased comfort and efficiency. Switching takes committment, but it's so much easier to learn and type.
This site has some info about DVORAK keyboard layouts.
I've experienced in my previous company users and secretaries using older Logitech wireless keyboards, seeing other people's text being inserted in their word processing... The persons where even on different floors with about 10 meters distances.
It's amazing how much work goes into the device drivers for human input devices. They have to be responsive, accurate, and supported. If only the same kind of devotion went into every facet of computing.
I looks like the Kinesis Maxim fits the bill.
Anybody try this out? The review is a little scant on details such as feel (cupped keys?, huh?) and clicketyness ...
Slashdotting PC MAG Priceless!
(Sorry, I just couldn't help myself!)
"Can there be a Klein bottle that is an efficient and effective beer pitcher?"
I wholeheartedly agree, I'm using an M$ keyboard here and optical mouse. Both very nice to use. I prefer the older non-UniHand (you know what I mean) mouse design though. As regards new mice, I prefer the shape of my Dell optical mouse in work.
The keyboard has 2 USB ports, handy enough - I use one for my memory card reader. It has hotkeys, none of which I use bar the Email and Web browser startup buttons. I'd love if my Hauppauge WinTV remote fired them up for me though!
Keyboards with a Power Off button for the PC worry me. Whoops, butter fingers me just powered off the machine again in the middle of
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who the fuck cares what some chick has to say about anything anyway?
The worst I ever used (probably the worst there ever was) was the Sinclair ZX81's plastic membrane. You know, from back when 16 kilobytes was called a memory expansion module and dinosaurs walked the earth.
Quem a paca cara compra, paca cara pagará.
I didn't see the Happy Hacking 2 Lite keyboard on the list. This got a lot of positive buzz a while back, and I'de like to see how it has held up. Anyone use this? I'm a big fan of keyboards that require less space.
I use only natural (i.e. split) keyboards, and have spent much time evaluating the various high and low end models. One flaw which is almost invariably present in all of them is that the '6' key is on the lefthand side. Touch typists like me object to this, as it forces you to unlearn correct typing. I was told by a keyboard manufacturer that this is because studies show it's more ergonomic that way. But I don't care - I want my 6 key where it belongs!! Unfortunately, this severely limits my field of keyboard choices. I wish someone made a split keyboard with movable, assignable keys. (Maybe they do, but I haven't found one.)
Could they fit any more ads on that page? Actually, I think I saw a little space on the bottom right!
But, seriously, where are the trackballs??
I have a Kinesis Advantange USB keyboard, replacing an older Advantage PS/2 keyboard hooked up to my mac via an unreliable PS/2->USB adapter.
It's wondrous. I think switching four years ago to Kinesis has saved my hands. I was developing chronic, persistent wrist pain from using my old IBM bucking-spring steel job -- still the best of the flat keyboards -- and was at my wit's end, when the ergo woman at my workplace brought a Kinesis by for me to try.
Heaven! Keeping the wrists straight, even with my monster hands, has taken enormous strain off of them, and as a result, no more pain.
In addition, I use a Kensington Expert Mouse Pro trackball (the USB one with four buttons and a scroll wheel), and switch it from left to right every couple of weeks. When I'm out with the powerbook, I use the Apple Pro mono-button mouse, which I dearly, dearly love as well.
'jfb
To spur "enterprise Linux," Big Bang, the distributed two-phase commit.
First off, I hate the fact there's only a little paragraph of text, then I have to click on "next". What's up with that? I didn't have the patience read the whole article.
So far, I've grown a loyalty with Logitech products. Always have been great for the price.
Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.
Found these on clearance at Microcenter a while back. They are so nice, I went back and picked up two more as spares. Got them for less than $20 each. Nice key action, very solid feel, and with a 4-port hub built right in - very convenient for plugging in that USB keychain drive.
b oa rd-standard-g81-3000.pdf
http://www.cherrycorp.com/english/downloads/key
3 button USB mouse, no scroll wheel or anything like it, non-optical (sorry, just can't get used to them) and kinda chunky, around the same size/feel of the MacAlly cover that went over the original iMac mouse.
It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
So far I have yet to see a keyboard truely optimized for programmers. I don't want all the multimedia and email crap keys. The best keyboard I've used to date is the Sun keyboard (that Front key is extremely useful).
What I want is a keyboard:
1. Get rid or move the fscking capslock key out of the way. It's a waste of prime real-estate.
2. Make another row of keys so I don't have to keep hitting shift for all the symbol keys. This is really useful for C, C++, Java, Perl, and script programming, and probably a bunch of other languages as well.
3. If you split the keys like the MS Natural Keyboard, I think a few additional keys could be moved to the center to reduce stress on the pinky. I.e. shift and possibly Return.
4. Implement keys on the side like the Sun keyboard. Sun has a reasonably good selection of keys to the left where the function keys used to be on old keyboards. Front, cut, copy, paste, and find are quite useful there.
5. Move control back where it belongs, where they now place the CAPS lock key. Caps lock is only good for AOL users and should be eliminated for the most part. Or else, move it somewhere out of the way.
I shouldn't have to keep hitting shift for common keys when programming like () & # - + | ? < > : " { }. As a C programmer I often use the shifted key far more often than the non-shifted (i.e. () {})
I'd pay good money for such a keyboard. Maybe since Logitech's headquarters is next door to where I work maybe I should walk over there and suggest it to them.
-Aaron
This post is encrypted twice with ROT-13. Documenting or attempting to crack this encryption is illegal.
I still miss the IBM keyboard that was made mostly out of steel that came with my 8086 back in the day. That thing was a tank! The Model M that I have now comes in a close second. I hate typing on the new-fangled KBs with squisy keys (no click!) that get stuck and aren't repairable.
I think that your keyboard and mouse are much more important than people realize. After all, they are the primary way you interact w/ your PC, aside from the screen. When I built my new machine recently, I went to the local computer retail shop and walked down the keyboard isle, trying out every keyboard they had on display. I typed a paragraph of text. Did some editing commands in vi. Pretended I was playing my favorite FPS.
Glamor doesn't matter, and I don't care how "dull" my keyboard is -- if I'm going to be using this PC for eight hours a day doing work, I want it to be as comfortable as possible. That's the bottom line.
BTW, does anyone else hate the keyboards w/ the arrow keys not in the inverted 'T', and the Home/End/PgUp/PgDn combo layed out in a 2x3 matrix instead of a 3x2? My keyboard at work has the latter, and I'm forever hitting Delete, thinking I'm going for End. It makes me feel like a pirate w/ a steering wheel in my pants -- it drives me nuts!
I'm a guy albeit with a girl's name. :)
I've been using my MacAlly IceKey USB keyboard for nearly a year now and haven't been happier. It's just like a MAC powerbook laptop keyboard, just full-sized and better looking. http://www.macally.com/spec/usb/input_device/iceke y.html
Why use SGI's... Why NOT!!!!!!!
Phase 1: Submit story referring to my article in PC Magazine to Slashdot.
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: PROFIT!
I got this keyboard about 6 months ago and it does take some adjusting to, but the gestures, the mousing, the relief from constant pain in my hands and arms is amazing!
I would highly recommend it to anyone who types and mouses alternately and frequently (e.g. type, mouse, type mouse, type etc....) but if you are a touch typist expect to lose some typing speed for at least the first 8 weeks. The zero force feedback does take some getting used to.
I still keep a mouse connected (and an old keyed keyboard for visitors) and my mouse of choice is the Logitech Optical mouse.
42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
The best input device is one where you dont have to move your hands to control something. If you can move your hands and eyes/head to control the computer...
Makes me want to continue researching eye-gaze tracking.
http://github.com/gbook/nidb
Ms natural keyboard
caps lock = F15
left windows key = F13
right alt = Super
right windows key = Alt
right 'tasklist' key = F14
right controk key = Hyper
prtscrn = Help
scroll lock = Menu
pause/break = Redo
been using these bindings for years and years, having two additional modifiers available (Hyper and Super) makes it possible to have TONS of extra functionality (Hyper for emacs and Super for the window manager).
Now, if there was a good freeware keyboard remapper for Windows 2000 (that works with the MS natural keyboard drivers) I'd be a happy camper.
-- the cake is a lie
GOOD Fucking LORD! Yet ANOTHER SlashVert! It's a link to (holy mother of geeks) PC Mag! Have you people NO SHAME?
Anyway, I wholheartedly recommend the Logitech MX700 mouse and the cordless keyboard that comes in the MX duo package. I have been working from home, and the mouse can go for 12 hours of hard use without a recharge. It is also extremely precise (great for first person shooters and warcraft). The keyboard is pretty good, but what has amazed me is the battery life... I expected to have to change the batteries in the keyboard every couple of months at least, but I am going on four months now.
The best part is you can now get this combo for around $76 now online (try newegg).
A better question is: what's right about PS/2? Answer: nothing. It's not hot-swappable. The mouse/keyboard ports are physically identical, but logically distinct -- the most shit-stupid design mistake possible. What if you want more than one mouse? Keyboard?
In sum: good riddance to bad rubbish.
'jfb
To spur "enterprise Linux," Big Bang, the distributed two-phase commit.
Seems odd, that many people would spend hundreds of dollars on additional CPU speed, RAM, or graphics card memory that they'll only rarely notice, yet don't spend any money on the mouse and keyboard, which they use constantly... These things are the most important part of your computer experience, no?
Anyone who's constantly moving their scrollwheel to browse websites, might like the Logitech mouses... two buttons at the side you can map up to "slowly scroll downwards" and "slowly scroll upwards"
Mozilla people will like having a middle-button that's different from the scroll-wheel, so you don't scroll as you open links in a new tab... in WindowMaker, this can save you from an awful lot of 5th-button window drags...
Keyboards... are the buckling spring ones best, or the natural keyboards? Does anyone actually trust wireless keyboards to type their passwords on? Does anyone use wireless mouses, or do the batteries make them too heavy?
Guess I have to live with my MX500 (no way to MX700).
IBM type M.
I buy every one I find at a garage sale. If I find an old PS/2 for $20, I buy it, keep the keyboard and dump the PC in the trash.
As a bonus, the old ones don't have Windows keys.
Check out John W. McKowns one-hand keyboard.
My most amusing keyboard incident was while on co-op work placement. (I guess Americans maybe call this Internship). I was working in a division of a large multinational computer corporation. I was asked to go over to one of the innumerable middle-managers offices to help him out.
:o). Amazingly the disk after being dried out had retrievable data.
Turns out he'd spilt coffee on his keyboard. His laptop keyboard. I lifted up the laptop. The coffee drained out the bottom. Not a good sign - it turned out the ENTIRE full cup of coffee was poured into it. (I dunno, maybe he wanted a new laptop
Deary me.
It really was so funny when I lifted the laptop and it all poured out of the bottom. Pretty conclusive cursory examination.
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Around Christmas 2002, Logitech ran a twentieth anniversary contest where they gave away 20,000 wireless keyboard/mouse combos. The contest ran from 8:00AM to 5:00PM on the day of my company's annual christmas party. A friend of mine emailed me the link to the contest about noon. By 12:30, I'd written a perl script that entered the contest and notified me of winning entries, so I could complete the form to mail me the keyboard. By 5:00, I'd won twenty keyboards, but was only able to claim 18 because I ran out of people whose name/address I could use to send the prize to. I still have the screenshot my network admin sent me from the firewall, showing 100,000+ accesses to the contest site. Needless to say, my friends, family, and co-workers recieved cordless keyboards for Christmas!
Blogging Weight Loss, Distance Education, and more at verlin.com
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www.eFax.com are spammers
FYI, pckeyboard.com still makes the Model M. They even have 104 key, a black one, and a Linux version w/ capslock and ctrl swapped. No USB yet though.
Very cool if you can't find an original.
"So all of these blurbs in print add up to around 4000 words. That's a good amount of room."
In print, the 4000 words wouldnt be dwarfed by ads easily double the size of the text.
There is a reason magazines have layout specifications, and the fact that pcmag split your (admittedly well written) article THAT many places made it completely unacceptable to read.
When reading a magazine, people will only generally tolerate a 2 to 1 ratio of ads to text, and the ads generally have to be seperate from the text. (Otherwise the ratio drops to roughly 1 to 1).
Why do your editors think online viewing is so different?
GPL'd web-based tradewars themed space game
and of course nothing like it is in this article.
The fashion keyboard ($60) is really the MacAlly IceKey, reconfigured with PC-style ctrl/alt/Win keys.
The keys are laptop-style "scissor keys"; typing on this thing feels like dancing.
Available in a wide array of colors (hence the "fashion" moniker). Also the keys can be had in black, which won't look disgusting after a year of use.
// I will show you fear in a handful of jellybeans.
For many people, I think that it is much more important to buy a decent keyboard, mouse, monitor, printer and maybe scanner than it is to get a 3Ghz (or whatever the latest is now) processor. Especially for business users who are using it for 8+ hours a day. So get a computer with a 1GHz chip, 256M ram and a 20G hard drive and splash out on a 17" flatscreen and a nice keyboard and mouse, if you're word processing.
SpamNet - a spam blocker that really works
All the really cool modern mice with extra features are lost to me, as I'm one of those freaky left-handed people. Good ol' generic mice are all I can use.
I would love one of the new Microsoft mice, if they would just flip the damn things around and make a left-handed model, even if it was special order to get them and costs more money.
As far as keyboards go, I've got an old IBM Model M keyboard that I hope to be using for the rest of my life.
I bought a Compaq Presario 4770 and it had a keyboard where the space bar was split into a space bar on the right and backspace on the left. I've never seen anything like it since.
100% Insightful
HOLY MOTHER OF ALL TURDS! It's another SlashVert! GOOD GOD! Can't you people do any BETTER than PC Mag?
The mouse doesn't work with Xebian yet, but it works on my other Linux boxes, so it's probably just a kernel update issue.
One very weird note is that the function keys aren't function keys by default, and ditto the scroll lock key. You need to tap a special key to toggle them back into function mode. No big since you do it once and you're fine until your next reset, but wtf -- MS is trying to deprecate the function keys now?
As Dave Chappelle once said in his Apple Switch Ad...
Real Video: Broadband
Real Video: 56k
"I'm a chronic masturbator. I don't know what they make the keys out of, but, whatever it is, it's non stick"
"Things are more moderner than before- bigger, and yet smaller- it's computers-- San Dimas High School football RULES!"
I will never use a normal mouse again. Trackballs are the business
It's the fact that there's no twisting of the wrist involved in moving the pointer.
Scroll-wheels are great at reducing the amount you actually have to move the mouse, but when you still do need to click & drag, I still can't get along with having to twist my wrist to do so. It's not like the direction of motion that your wrist is moving in is the most natural direction for your wrist.
I've got a Microsoft Elite "ergo" keyboard both at home and work and at home I've got a Logitec TrackMan Marble FX and at work I've got a cordless trackman (I take the battery out every night when I go home to conserve the battery :-/ ). Sweet. :-)
I've had weird experience with a couple USB mice that had optical tracking. The two that I used, once and a while (maybe once an hour) would seem to "jump" to the bottom-left corner of the screen, for no reason. Both my Logitech optical mouse and my Microsoft (wireless optical) mouse do this. They're both running the correct drivers. Has anyone else had this experience with optical/usb mice?
I own iGesturePad which replaces the pointing device (not the whole keyboard). I used it for a couple of weeks.
.pros
.cons
My experience:
- my hand is relaxed on the pad (took a while though) - gestures are intuitive, easy to learn and give me a geeky satisfaction every time I use them (no more cut and paste using the keyboard!) - smooth, intuitive
- tense hand in the beginning
- reacts to the smallest hand movements (I can rest my hand on the mous, less so on the pad as I might do something wrong by moving my hand even slightly)
- not as precise as my optical Intellimouse Explorer esp. in Photoshop where I need pixel precision.
- the Intellimouse Explorer driver gets crippled when the pad is connected and I can't use my doubleclick etc. shortcuts. (I use the pad and mouse interchangingly)
- no tactile feedback - "did I "release" that button gesture? Not sure..."
- my fingers get sweaty and the pad gets less smooth so my fingers get "stuck" which results in jerky movements.
If you are mostly coding/writing, it may be more usable for you than it was for me using photoshop.
Right now, the mouse is back on my desk and the pad is back in the box and soon on ebay.
Regards
-- Andre
I have one of the UltraNav keyboards - and it is really very good. It has a trackpoint in it with 3 buttons, and is USB - it works fine with Linux. They key feedback is excellent, and the keys are in the right place. (Even better, there's no Windows key, and it has avoided the "function lock" key that MS seems to have imposed on most new keyboards.) It also has page-left and page-right buttons next to the Arrow Keys. Not sure what I make of these yet. They do the same as Alt_L+LeftArrow, Alt_L+RightArrow.
:-)
w partnum lookup/_31P8953
Disadvantages:
1)It has one of these ghastly touchpads in it that I am always pressing by accident. Well, it did
I opened up the keyboard, and moved the sensor to somewhere inside the keyboard, and put a blanking plate where it was.
2)The trackpoint isn't quite as sensitive as the one on thinkpads, and the tpctl utiltity (to increase sensitivity) doesn't work via USB.
3)IBM have put their 3 buttons in a line (the old design with a wide "middle button" below the adjacent left and right buttons was far superior). This means that the middle button must handle both scroll emulation AND pasting, which it does via tp-scroll. (I can't click the left+right buttons simultaneously with one thumb).
I shall be altering the circuitry soon to add a real scroll button where the touchpad was...
You can see it here:
http://www5.pc.ibm.com/uk/products.nsf/$ww
Summary: it's still great - because you can keep your hands on the keyboard all the time, even when mousing.
Microsoft, making sub-par products and polluting a standard to prevent competing products from working?
I never thought I'd see the day!
As someone who has personal experience with a Kinesis Classic for the last several years, both at home and work, let me say that I'm convinced that it saved my career from repetitive stress injury due to excessive typing. I still type more than I ought, but that keyboard has helped tremendously. Therefore, you get a +1, Informative. Hope there are other moderators with Kinesis experience who follow suit.
thus it is not more than average
Slowly but firmly, Dirk thrusted his gargantuan penis in and out of Laura's tight little pussy. Earlier that evening, Dirk had picked her up hitch-hiking on the interstate, a young little waif ripe for teaching the ways of the world. Laura had never had a man before, though she had played with her pussy and knew what an orgasm was. But her virgin love lips had never before experienced the pleasure that Dirk now gave her. As he built up steam, Dirks thrusting got deeper into Laura's child-like love nest, and she moaned "please, oh God, it feels soooo good!" as Dirks large balls slapped on her flawless ass with every stroke. Dirk was almost at his breaking point as he could feel his load slowly move from his ample love orbs up into his man-root. Laura's eye rolled back as she shuddered in ecstasy with the pleasure she felt in her she-loins. And then Dirk pulled his tool out from her hole, and straddled her tiny breasts, as he jacked his monster anaconda and fired his white creamy load all over her face.
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
CONFIDENTIAL
Please remember, submit all of your stories to Slashdot.org. Even if they only accept half, it will mean huge traffic for our site, and this will lead to increased ad revenue!
-nt-
She is actually a he ...
But, yes, a little more depth would be nice ;)
/dev/random
EEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHHH!
Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
Reason: Don't use so many caps. It's like Dean screaming.
Nuff Said..
And it still comes in PS2
I've been the happy owner of a Fingerworks Touchstream LP keyboard for about 6 months now. It's unlike any other keyboard out there. It's both a keyboard and a mouse, and tracks your fingers/palms sort of like a touchpad on steroids.
/.ers who have these things -- am I the only one who loves his Touchstream?
The result is that there's no force needed to "hit" a key, you just lightly brush the surface and the letter pops up on screen. Want to start mousing? Don't move your wrists out of their happy resting position, just put two fingers together on one of the surfaces and drag them around -- that's your mouse cursor! Three buttons, even.
It's precise and fast. Also totally great are hand gestures -- not just the ones you'll start making at Microsoft Natural keyboards that are clumsy by comparison. Rather, you can rest your four fingers (sans thumb) of your left hand on the surface and move them slightly to the left to get a "home" keypress. To the right yields an "end". Pageup and pagedown are up and down.
There seem to be hundreds of these things, for text-editing, for EMACS, for -- no joke -- programming even (there's actually a programming mode for the keyboard).
I know I sound like I'm selling these, but I'm just a really happy customer. Their customer service is excellent as well, and they offer a money-back guarantee if you don't like one of their products.
I'm sure there are more
Pereant, inquit, qui ante nos nostra dixerunt.
"Confound those who have said our remarks before us."
details here.
Think of the cool macros you could do!
My Logitech Cordless Duo MX has an option for secure mode. This not only would eliminate such things as you describe but prevents someone from packet sniffing your keyboard(tinhat zone).
Robyn Peterson is a guy.
one of my desires is for a silent keyboard. One that reduces dramatically the amount of noise when I hit the key. Sure other factors are nice but right now if I wanted to change keyboard it would have to be because of the noise this one makes.
Yeah, it's strange, but the white Microsoft optical scroll mouse (the one that says "with intelleye") is very comfortable for me as a southpaw, even though it's not supposedly designed for left handed use. The assymetric bulge that is supposed to guide the thumb to a comfortable position seems to work even better for guiding the pinky and ring finger.
Who is John Cabal?
yea what's up with all the fags on slashdot?
/. are latent homosexual transplants from Free Republic. They freeping Act Out their latent homosexuality all over /. forums in a bombastic display of positive gay energy. Be aware, they are not geeks - as geeks are too meek to enjoy themselves like the usual gay freeper. So there you go. Gay Freepers are 'what's up' with all the fags on /. HAND!
Most of the fags on
The upside is, if you buy a decent BT suite, you can start building a network of BT devices (headset, cell phone, etc.). But if you're not planning on building up a network, it's just not worth it.
The best keyboards use mechanical switches. I'm using a Focus 2001 right now and I could keep typing for hours with few mistakes and less pain than with some squishy membrane.
For a while now, I've been wanting what amounts to a laptop-size keyboard for a desktop computer. I'm not an accountant; I've got no real use for this big numeric keypad stuck off to the side of the keyboard. I'd even prefer it if the cursor keys were smaller, or hidden somehow.
With a standard keyboard, when you do what's natural and position it in front of the monitor, the alpha keys (the ones I use most) are positioned slightly to the left of the screen, meaning I tend to swivel to the left to use them. Meanwhile, the mouse is pushed far to the right by all these extraneous keys, causing me to overextend my arm to use it, leading to fatigue.
A nice, small keyboard with none of the bloat would be perfect. If it somehow stuff Mac keys on there (volume control, eject) that would be magical.
Breakfast served all day!
(emph added)
Considering the author is a guy (click on the author link on the article page for his bio and picture), that's pretty painful. I'd be pissed off if someone got my gender wrong...
There is no sig, there is only Zuul.
This is a top notch keyboard. The keys have enough feedback and the regular sized cursor navigation keys make this a great choice over the cheaper, smaller natural keyboard. The small USB hub means I have one less cable snaking down to my host.
:-( I think it's been replaced by some keyboard with way too many of those extra buttons across the top.
Too bad MS no longer makes this product.
Before the this, my weapon of choice was the upgraded Dell keyboard.
I want a three-button mouse, cordless or wired, don't care which. I don't want a mouse where the middle button is a track wheel. I don't use or need a wheel. I want a real middle button. I'm currently using a Logitech Mouseman M-CV46, but those silicon bars on the bottom are starting to wear down. So I'm trying to find a replacement and I can't. Anyone know of any decent non-wheel three-button mice, or am I doomed to haunting eBay?
Must.....resist.....
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
I spent the last month testing out a new keyboard and mouse every day
What some people wouldn't do for a little karma!
The mouse movement would be controlled by tilting the stick.
It's probably not a good idea to include the vibrating feedback system in it though.
I have a pair of Datahands, and they rock. They took about a weekend or so to get used to (the layout is QWERTY-ish, which helps), using gtypist (which I highly recommend as well).
Are they expensive? Yes. But if this is what you do with your life, they're worth the investment, IMO. These aren't your typical stock, mass-produced keyboards, either... they look hand-built, and they're pretty easy to take apart and completely clean out. The keys are optically-driven, so you can't gunk up switches or the like (although you can get the keys sticky, they're fairly easy to clean if you're not afraid to take things apart).
Don't think of it as a flame---it's more like an argument that does 3d6 fire damage
The problem with the latest batch of Logitech Mice is that they all require a much larger activation force on the middle mouse button than on the left or right mouse buttons. You have too really press on that wheel to get it to click, by comparison. This would, admittedly, not be a big problem for most windows users, where the middle mouse button doesn't actually do anything, but any hardcore gamer or unix user would be well advised to stay away from these.
/cordless/ mice from either company suffer some defficiencies compared to the corded versions, however. In order to save power, the cordless mice all have a much lower sampling rate (not sure about the Logitech one with the recharging dock... In theory it wouldn't need to conserve power as much as other cordless mice, but I haven't tried it, so I can't comment on it specifically, but this is true of all the other Logitech cordless mice). The result is that if you whip the mouse across the desk too quickly, it will get confused and your cursor will do wonky things.
(If I am not mistaken, I believe the new Microsoft "tilt-wheel" suffers from the same problem...)
In terms of precision, the microsoft and logitech optical mice are basically equivalent. The
Again, not so much an issue for a non-gamer, but I find in most first person shooters that, with a cordless mouse, I can't set the sensitivity where I want it. If it's low enough that I can aim reliably, then when someone shoots me in the back and I try and turn around, I end up looking at the sky, or my feet, facing some random direction.
I have an iGesture Pad, actually (thank you Santa!), and so far have been very pleased with it. First, though I should mention that the picture they give is not of the iGesture Pad but the iGesture NumPad, which is a bit more expensive, not what I have.
Anyways, the thing is pretty easy to get used to, especially if you've spent any time using a touchpad on a laptop. The much larger surface area makes pointing much more fun than those, too. The gestures are helpful too (and are preprogrammed for Mac, Windows, Linux, and Emacs), and I can now browse the web without the keyboard or using any of the menus or scrollbars (closing/opening tabs, scrolling, back, forward). The gestures are also good for code reorganization or copy/paste work.
What I didn't know until I got one myself is that they are highly customizable. There is Java software (Works on Windows, Linux, and OS X) that allows you to customize what every finger combination does, and even has a few completely blank gestures. The utilities are pretty robust, although I've only used them for a few small tweaks to the gesture set.
Hope this helped a bit.
Thanks for the link, I am thinking of buying one. A $10 PS/2 to USB adapter will take care of the USB issue.
I wish I could find a split keyboard with the same kind of key switches, though. Anyone know of such a thing?
timothy can't tell the difference between a boy and a girl.
I have three trusty Model M's. One is 13 (or is it 14?) years old and they all work like champs. I loathe most modern mushy keyboards. The only thing my keyboards lack is the Windows/Command key so they can work on a Mac (via a USB converter).
Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
I gave my marble mouse away. I never found any way to properly anchor the thing with my palm, and it is so light that it was always shifting around. Plus, I was constantly accidentally clicking the buttons as I tried to keep the damn thing from scooting around. The ball is too small and light to get any of that nice inertia that makes trackballs so great (anyone remember spinning the Centipede trackball when you ran out of quarters?)
I now use the wildly expensive Kensington Expert Mouse trackball. This thing is big, heavy and has a great ergonomic feel. It looks awesome (mostly black with silver, and a fake leather-textured wrist rest).
The best feature of the Expert Mouse trackball is the scrollwheel ring around the trackball that you spin in an orbit around the ball. It is so addictive to scroll with this thing. It has just enough weight to let you really toss the ring around and it will continue to spin just enough on its own--reducing the amount of effort you put into scrolling. Also, since the ring is about three inches in diameter, you have excellent control over how much you scroll. You get so addicted to spinning with it that all other scrollwheels seem inadequate, and you catch yourself going for the ring even when it isn't there. Totally genius. (This is coming from a guy who has spend hundreds of dollars on trackballs in the past two years.)
On a whim, I decided to check the signal-to-noise ratio on this site's content by taking a screenshot of the full page (165x600 pixels, reduced) and measuring the actual content area (93x100 pixels, reduced by same factor).
A little area calculation later, the signal to noise for PCMag.com is: 93:897 (ie: noise factor of 9.645 times the signal). I will never visit that site out of choice again.
--
Isn't anyone getting sick of always gaudy pc hardware designs that take up WAY too much desk real estate? And while I'm at it, where do industrial design people get the idea that I want some wavy-shaped hub - where do these people set their coffee?
I use intel/linux - and I keep waiting for a PC manufacturer with same kind of industrial design sensibilities that apple has - anyone else?
I get great scores in "Zombie Fragfest (on CD-ROM)" with my Logitech trackball. Though, I'm a thumb baller.
Boobies never hurt anyone. - Sherry Glaser.
Ah right.
:o).
My own is symmetrical (or UniHand as I call it) - I prefer the asymmetric ones (well, the right handed ones anyways
-- *~()____) This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds...
that's right, I'm talking about the big solid, HEAVY keyboards that were made before windows was even invented. They're solid enough you could brain somebody with one of these. And they don't have that annoying windows key.
This is the one I have--yes it's US$100.
Opticle keyboard
Though I suppose it lacks tactile feedback it is definatly the coolest looking.
Hate that little wheel. Where is a Logitech Mouseman 3-button ergonomic triangle optical wireless mouse? Where are the Unix mice?
I've been using the Focus FK series for years. They have good "clicky" keys, a built-in calculator, and 12 programmable keys. Those are handy for anytime you have a repetetive keystroke series you have to type in. My current one is about 8 years old (FK8200) and still works well. I highly suggest them to anyone who hates these "mushy" keyboards that PCs ship with nowadays.
I would have to say that the Logitech MX700 is the best mouse I've ever used hands down. I know a lot of people don't like heavier mice, but I like one that doesn't feel like it is going to fly away. The response time is excellent, and I can let it sit on the desk for a few weeks without having to charge it(thanks to NiMH batteries).
The only problem I had was with the accompanying keyboard. Talk about wasted plastic. They could have gotten away with making smaller media keys.
I eventually ditched the keyboard in favour of the smaller, laptop-style keyboard by Gyration.
"People should be allowed to keep midgets as pets."
- Gov. Jesse Ventura
geez trying to get to the end of the review was really painful. how many click did it took? forgot... i had never read pc magazine website before, and probably never will again. how many ads can they cram up in a single page, this is just plain dumb. I hope they don't think the customers will get trough the process of sorting what is an ad and what is information each and every time they want to read an article, we are better off buying the magazine...or maybe this is their point... oh, well :)
I wish someone would release a new series of Space Cadet keyboards.a ceCadet.html
:-).
http://world.std.com/~jdostale/kbd/Sp
Build them as well or better as they did the old ones mechanically, and market it to geeks. If the geek factor isn't enough, the possibilities of the keyboard itself should be quite enticing, particularly for math editing in latex and other such environments (greek character shift anyone? WITH greek symbols visible on the keys?)
Yes it's over the top, but that's the whole point!
"I object to doing things that computers can do." -- Olin Shivers, lispers.org
My friend has an older Razer Boomslang, which uses a ball, but is VERY high quality. Currently Razer offers two different types of their mouse, one for RTS which is much more responsive, and one for FPS, which is supposedly slower to help you play better....doesn't make sense, so if anybody knows which would be better for a FPS (cuz i have a hard time believing that slower would be better) from experience, please post.
Also, if anybody has opinions on what a good gaming mouse is, I'm in the market for the top of the line, best of the best.
Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
If you start out with a nice keyboard you can stay with it. I had my heart set on an IBM Model "M" when they first came out in the 1986 - but they came attacked to an IBM 286 boat anchore back then - so I had to wait until they found their way into the recyclers.
Now they are available in quantity for under $20 bux and they are the best bargain in the world!!!
Check them out folks. None of the new junk even compairs.
ARRRRGH!
I agree fully with the parent. The Natural Keyboard Pro was the greatest keyboard of all time. Ever.
But they stopped making it, and all the replacement keyboards now have the insert/delete/home/end/pgup/pgdwn keys totally fucked up!!
Who does this shit? Why are they arbitrality rearranging the keyboard?
Does anyone have suggestions for a split keyboard with fucking normal key placement? I stocked up on Natural Pros when they were discontinued, but now I only have two left.
I need a new keyboard about once every four months.. will I be selling pencils by the side of the road in August?!
Endurapro 104: a buckling-spring (aka Model-M) keyboard with Windows keys and integrated TrackPoint.
Buckling-spring. There are already numerous other comments on the greatness of Model-M keyboards.
Windows keys. Okay, some of you hate them with a passion. If they bother you that much, pckeyboards sell versions without 'em. Me, I think they're useful. Use an application such as WinKey to assign keyboard shortcuts to Windows-key combinations. (Examples: Win+i to start a web browser, Win+v to open the volume control, Win+c to open the control panel, Win+down to minimize the current window, ...)
Integrated TrackPoint. Some of you hate these things too. "A normal mouse is so much better," you say. The beauty, though, is that you can use it with a normal mouse. I have both a TrackPoint keyboard and a normal mouse hooked up. If I need to do a lot of mousing, I'll use the mouse. If I want to do just a little bit, though, I can use the TrackPoint to move the mouse cursor and never have to take my hands off the keyboard. It's excellent for coding. All keyboards should be like this.
I clicked through ten pages of single-paragraph-per-page advertisement "reviews" and never got to the iGesture. So I've no idea what he says about it.
I'm a happy user of the FingerWorks flagship product, the full keyboard. (Replaces the mouse as well.) The various iGesture pads replace the mouse, and can replace/augment bits of the keyboard. And they all support the really sweet gestures.
Yes, they work with Linux (the keyboard even has special modes for certain programs, including Emacs), and their tech support participates in their discussion forums. Very cool people, very cool products.
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
and it was good. No more looking to see if you completed the keystroke by glancing at the screen. You feel, and hear, that contact was made. People in Bolivia hear that contact has been made. More important, your boss knows you are doing something. If one of your Co-Workers goes postal the Model M makes a handy shield to hide behind. A Model M can easily stop small arms fire. Care should be used when facing an opponent using armor piercing ammunition. The Model M has not been field tested against this threat level. If on the other hand you decide to go postal the Model M makes a handy cudgel. It is quite capable of taking down, Wilder beast, Bison, Administrative Assistants, and other large game animals. Best of all, a Model M can be one of those cherished family heirlooms that can be passed from generation to generation. The Model M is built to last a lifetime, and more. Assuming you never take your Model M to a frat party.
This is for touch-typists. Their site explains it (http://www.keytronic.com/Home/shop/shop.asp?h_ck= T00GIV): "Now shipping with Ergo Technology. Most keyboards use a standard 55 grams of force required to register every key, Ergo Technology has 5 different levels of force. From 35 grams to 80 grams - that correspond to the strength of the finger that touches the keys. The result is more comfort for your hands." I swear by them. I own two, and they are both extended-life keyboards, meant to last longer. But check the product specs before ordering, not all their keyboards have it. How does one hold up? I broke two keyboards typing a 200,000 word novel, before switching to an ergoforce keyboard. It never gave out and my hands stopped aching. I love 'em, and they cost less than $40!
I use a Memorex keyboard, it was $10 at CompUSA and features spill proofing, a soft feel, and a non-standard 3.5mm stroke (I believe 4.1mm is standard, and 1.7 is the norm for laptops). It's done well so far, it replaced my IBM keyboard of 5 years. It has no stupid keys, and it is PS/2. I tried a USB keyboard once, but really USB is the worst idea for a keyboard I have heard. Keyboard MUST work, they CANNOT FAIL. If they do they must be replaceable with NO CONFIGURATION. Non-universal is not a bad thing, universal is. It's a keyboard people, they need to support the PS/2 protocol and come with an adaptor. ;).
My mouse is a Microsoft Optical Trackball. It was like $35 two years ago, and I believe is now going for $25. Mine works perfectly two years later, with excellent precision. It is not made by Microsoft, just endorsed. It is actually a thumb trackball.
A lot of people dislike trackballs for gaming purposes. I play Unreal with it, and my favorite weapon is the sniper rifle, it actually isn't any more difficult for me to aim with it. If it gets dirty though, that sucks
I am always looking for a PS/2 keyboard with less than a 55g force and 1.7-2.5mm keystroke length. I've found them in USB for $40 from Coolermaster, but I want it in PS/2.
I would switch to Dvorak but I have a couple problems with it. 1.) He named it after himself. 2.) Everyone else use Querty and I often need to see the key names to keep my bearings. I would be disoriented using Dvorak on a Querty keyboard. It'd be like switching my steering for a full turn at one half revolution of the steering wheel, it may work easier but I'd prolly kill myself.
I'm really looking forward to someday using one of those projected keyboards that display a layout on a flat surface and detect your finger movements. It's different, but surprisingly takes nearly not time to get used to. Plus, the coolest thing about them potentially, is rearranging the layout with software. You could have a really simple layout with just the keys you need for gaming, a layout for programming with common characters for the current language, quickly switch from qwerty to dvorak, etc. It's probably a couple years out to custom projected keyboards, but I just love the idea.
Here's one random idea I'll throw out- if you're right handed, get left moused. I grew up using the mouse with my left hand, because I'm right handed. Now I can keep my dominant hand on the keyboard while mousing and keep things speedy.
J
I'd also like a bluetooth mouse that can be used with either hand equally well. It looks like all the bluetooth mice in this review are right-hand mice, although it could just be the angle in the photographs.
www.clarke.ca
your ass
I have a PCKeyboard, it's *close* but not quite the same feel as my authentic UK-made IBM keyboard from 1998. Still, it's pretty good.
But the big reason that I bought it is that it comes with a trackpoint mouse pointer between the G and H keys. That means no fumbling for a mouse in a crowded desktop (or server closet) when all you want to do is click a stupid dialog button. (I also do 99% of my work on a laptop with a trackpoint-style mouse pointer, so it's compatible with what I'm used to.)
I'll probably get another one in a while for my other machine because it's too darn handy to have that pointer nubby at my fingertips.
Wolde you bothe eate your cake, and have your cake?
When they pry it out of my cold dead hands.
Its getting ahrder and harder to find truly tactile keyboards that are free of thos fscking windows keys. I might consider a replacement for my lexmark-IBM clicky if they came up with the same keyboard, only in a wireless or USB version.
Is that wise? Is bluetooth (or RF wireless) really secure enough for that? If not, then given a 30 meter (foot?) range, you better trust both your neighbors, and that your enemies can't afford a plane ticket.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Am I the only one who can't stand mice?
Almost three and a half years ago, I replaced my mouse with a Logitech TrackMan Marble Wheel. I still use it today--it's the oldest piece of hardware I still use, and it still works perfectly. I have never used a pointing device that works as perfectly as this. Here are some of its features:
- It can plug into either USB or PS/2--if I need another USB port, all I have to do is shut down, attach the USB->PS/2 adaptor, and plug it into my PS/2 port.
- It's optical. Yes, you heard me, it's an optical trackball. I've never had to clean the bloody thing once in all the years I've owned it.
- It's hand-shaped. IMO, that is the single most perfect layout for a pointing device I've seen in my life. I already said I don't like mice, nor do I like non-hand-shaped trackballs (e.g. Kensington Turbo/Expert mouse...ugh). This, however, is perfect.
And since this article is on both mice and keyboards, I'll say this: where have all the good keyboards gone?
I despise multimedia keyboards. I despise keyboards with funky key layouts (I'm referring to not only very esoteric layouts here, but also keyboards with L-shaped enter keys as well). I'd just like a nice, standard 104-key keyboard.
Thankfully, one company still makes them: IBM. The IBM Active Response keyboard is just about the only keyboard I'll ever use. And most stores try to hide it--last time I bought one, CompUSA only had multimedia keyboards and keyboards with funky layouts on their display shelves. Next to their display shelves, however, was a tall stack of IBM Active Response keyboards. Goes to show you what respect CompUSA has for them--they don't have a display model, they don't even put them on the shelves. They just have a stack of them on the floor. At least they had them, tho--I bought two just in case CompUSA soon decides not to sell them anymore.
Btw, I've not used either new keyboard yet--I'm still using the IBM AR keyboard I've been using for a year or two--I just bought the new ones as my current one was getting dirty, and I thought it'd be nice to have some backups around in case this one goes on the fritz. That was almost half a year ago.
I support the Center for Consumer Freedom
Errr, Robyn's a He, not a She -- many apologies. That hasn't happened in years!
Been that long since a woman submitted a story, eh? Aren't we geeks sad?
SpamNet - a spam blocker that really works
The iGesture tested in that article is *nothing* compared to the full keyboard/mouse; the TouchStream LP.
I have been using the keyboard/mouse combo for 9 months, and everyday I'm still amazed at what it can do.
The list of amazing stuff is too long to even quote here. A few would be:
+ amazing way if editing text, especialy the left-hand cursor gestures to move/select text
+ right hand "wheel" scrolling that also work as an *horizontal* wheel
+ configurable "programmers keypad" that gives you like an extra shift to type programming symbols without moving your hand to reach the [{}]\!= etc etc
+ touch thumb+pinky of the right hand *anywhere* and that does Return. I configured left hand thumb+pinky to do TAB. Imagine that for programing, it's awesome : no more reaching for those keys, they are always underneath your hands.
+ "auto capslock" when you type a uppercase constant for example, it will disengeage the capslock automagicaly when you have finished typing the word.
+ The general gestures that had been very carefuly tought of.
+ The config utilities, where you can reconfigure *everything*. That thing is amazingly powerful
+ They have a SDK to play with the "raw" events digested by the sensors.
It's true the learning curve is hard, but after a month or so you realise that it was well worth the effort!
Best mouse alternative I've found:
http://www.contourdesign.com/rollermouse/
Elimminates moving your hands off the keyboard to use the mouse.
What needs to be made is a usb model M keyboard. Damn I reminisce about that clickety clackety noise. Wish I hadn't sold my old one now.
for some reason I have trained myself to use Ctrl with my left hand only, but I use both the left and the right alt all the time, I'd need an extra 'useless' key to map as meta ;)
-- the cake is a lie
Ibm XT keyboard is king. That's why it is specifically supported in the linux kernel.
chaclick! chaclick! chaclick!
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
It's ust a differernt way to type. I can type near as fast with one hand as i can with 2. I dont do it as much so i do make typos, but with practice, my generic kb would work fine as a 1-handed kb.
i use several keyboards quite like the kinesis maxim one mentioned. only mine are by siemens.
been using them for years.
best keyboard ever.
Product URL here
The EZ-Reach is about 14 inches wide, and can easily be transported in most laptop bags or portfolio cases. It is thin (less than 0.75 inches) and very portable. It has an embedded numeric keypad (similar to what you'd find on a laptop computer) which can be enabled at your discretion, or ignored altogether.
EZ-Reach has a very symmetrical design, with almost equal key layouts on both sides. It can be placed in front of a monitor and you can sit straight-on, without having to twist your body (or neck) during typing.
Since it has no extra numeric keypad, you can place your mouse closer to your typing area - this applies to lefties, and especially to righties (like me).
The key technology feels like a *very good* laptop keyboard. The keys have a scissor mechanism and a thin profile which makes them flat and easy to hit, with a minimum of vertical displacement. I have found the feeling to be very crisp and rich in tactile feedback; normal keyboards feel too "mushy" to me now.
The key layout is patterned in a matrix fashion, without any of the vestigial staggered-key pattern of the (arguably) archaic design of the original typewriter. Motion studies have shown that fingers move more naturally when they move straight up-and-down, and the staggered key layout increases risk of RSI. The TypeMatrix EZ-Reach is one of only three keyboards that I have found which lays out the keys in this fashion. Here are the others:
- DataDesk SmartBoard
- Fingerworks TouchStream
This is perhaps the strongest advantage of using the EZ-Reach; your fingers take some time to adjust to the matrix, but once you get used to it, you'll have a hard time going back. Finger motion for me seems more logical and more intuitive on the TypeMatrix layout than with any other keyboard design. Also, the centrally-placed Backspace, Tab, and Enter keys can be hit by the stronger index fingers, rather than the weaker pinky fingers. This also makes a difference at the end of a long day of coding or document editing.If you ever have the urge to learn the DVORAK keyboard layout, you can switch the layout of the EZ-Reach with a single function-key (Function+F7). This toggles the mode between QWERTY and DVORAK. TypeMatrix sells (at least) three versions of this keyboard, all with the same guts but differently labeled keycaps: one for plain QWERTY, one for plain DVORAK, and a dual-labeled QWERTY+DVORAK version. The operation of all three models is identical.
One of the very few disadvantages of the EZ-Reach is the fact that the Home/End/PgUp/PgDown keys are overlaid on top of F9-F12, and require the Function key in order to be activated. This is somewhat annoying for me, but I've found a way to re-map the keys in Linux (using xmodmap) such that I sacrifice the F9-F12 keys in order to use the text navigation commands. On the other hand, I use a FingerWorks iGesture NumPad for most of my cursor control, so I can access those commands using gestures as well. (TypeMatrix is working a new keyboard design that addresses this limitation. Please contact them directly to learn more about it.)
The other disadvantage (and this one depends on your preference) is that this keyboard only comes with a PS/2 interface. I use all-USB setups wherever possible, so I have to use a PS/2-to-USB converter (which introduces a few quirks of its own), but it generally works very well. I've had several conversations with TypeMatrix customer support, and they do plan to introduce USB keyboards in the near future.
Your mileage may vary. I really love the TypeMatrix design and philosophy, and the keyboard works very well for me.
Disclaimer: I don't work for TypeMatrix, but I love the company and their products.
Super ninja monkeys will one day rule the world!
I just checked the price on the Matias Half-QWERTY, and it is $595.00 (!!) This is at http://halfkeyboard.com/halfqwerty/index.html The matias (patented) theory-of-operation ( use EITHER one or both hands ) sounds very attractive, and while developing software it would be SO nice not to have to lift the right hand from the mouse to hit keys. At this price however I would want to hear from a credible owner of one, that after getting used to it the cost was indeed justified !
I found that for gaming, cordless is bad. Not only did my wife's Logitech cordless stuff interfere with mine. I also found that there were spontaneous lags even when no other set of keyboard/mouse was present. Furthermore, if my mobile happened to ring while I played, mouse and keyboard performance was near zero until the phone stopped ringing.
I now use a Boomslang Razor for playing. It is extremely precise, but I'm not all that crazy about its very low design - it doesn't support the hand very well. On the positive side, the button design is perfect for playing (as well as for surfing the web, with 'back' and 'forward' buttons on the left and right side, respectively. A bonus is also the very flexible cord, which assures that cord tension does not affect mouse movement. A very good mouse, but is it worth the dough? Depends on your pockets, I guess.
I have a Logitech Internet Navigator corded keyboard, whish is excellent except for the hot buttons. The F-keys are toggled between "Logitech mode" and normal mode by a hotbutton, with a difficult-to-discern status indicator, and you're screwed if you need F1 fast and you accidentally hit that toggle lately. Even more screwed you are if you happen to touch some of the web-related buttons, because then helpful IE jumps up to cover your entire game. Apart from these annoying extras the keyboard is fine.
I like my old ABD Apple Extended Keyboard II.
If someone would make a USB version with the same decor as my iMac, I'd be set!
There are a lot of good ideas for keyboards at Halfbakery.com. There are nine sections of ideas, including layout, alternative, illumination, comfort, etc.
I submitted an idea for extra thumb buttons. Here's the text of it:
"Most typing is done by the fingers, and even spaces are generally typed by only one thumb by most people. There could be one or more new buttons under the space bar, doubled for both thumbs. They could be shift or alt or ctrl, and/or a macro key for converting the characters on the keyboard to programming characters ({};", etc) or other application specific characters. Try hold your unused thumb down below the space bar - it's much easier than using your pinkies on the shift/alt/ctrl keys."
There is a fine line between being a cultivated citizen and being someone else's crop. - A. J. Patrick Liszkie
Hey..
Every keyboard/mouse thingie gets a minimum of 3 points or a max of 5. Is the scale 3-5 and what are the two first points about?
And I was looking forward to see the zero pointers, the realy bad ones. Wee have all seen them and all been forced to use em...
Update: 01/21 21:58 GMT by T: Errr, Robyn's a He, not a She -- many apologies. That hasn't happened in years!
;-)
No timothy, all the others never told you they were {he's}
I feel a slashdot bitchslap coming on.
You're right, that hasn't happened in years! How many years HAS it been since a woman used Slashdot?
I spilt rum and coke on a keyboard once. God damn, what a mess that made. Keyboard was electronically fine, but pretty much all of my punctuation keys ( ,./;'[]\ ), plus the right shift and enter key was temporarily fucked. You'd press em, and they'd stay stuck down until you pried it up with your fingernail. Really really sucked, so I yanked the board and popped off all the keys. Ran the whole thing through the dishwasher and let it air dry. I spent half an hour trying to remember the exact layout of a keyboard (What? I didn't know there was gonna be a fucking quiz on it, and its harder than it looks! :P) before getting it all put back together. Plugged her in and tada! She worked :)
Those of us who have to program large programs in C often have the misfortune of having to use complex constant/#define names: FOO_BAR_ENABLE_ON_BOOT, etc. For that, the caps lock key is very, very useful. On the other hand, as and Emacs user, I sure do use Control more than I use caps lock. I'd be fine with moving Ctrl up to where caps lock now sits, but I don't think I'd buy a keyboard without a caps-lock somewhere.
The article seemed interesting, but I gave up only one category in. Come on -- one or two paragraphs and a picture per page? That could have easily all fit on one screen and been MUCH easier to read, and prevent having to wait for a ton of extraneous border material to reload and rerender for each component. You don't make people turn the page of your magazine for each new paragraph, do you???
I think this would make a pretty good keyboard: ;P
Start with the IBM Model M keyboard as a base. Weight + Tactical feedback = A good thing. Then take out the caps lock key and replace it with control. Add in Meta, hyper, Super, Apple, windows, and any other key that works or can be defined to other things. For good measure, make it wireless, so you can use it as a weapon.
XWindows too - http://www.xfree86.org/4.2.0/xmodmap.1.html
There are ways to do this on versions of Windows prior to W2K but I've forgotten how. There is also a keymap for the Linux console too, for you power users.
I was too disgusted to move on after page 3 or so when I just couldn't stand the messy layout any longer.
There are FIFTEEN (15!) banner/text ads on every page (plus one in a popup).
I guess my three clicks alone made them $30...
I've been using one of these since they came out, maybe 8 years ago? It's the first and only mouse I've ever bought (ie, that didn't come with a system). It fits perfectly and it still works exceptionally. I've found Microsoft's version to be very uncomfortable to hold. I do wish Logitech would come out with a wireless version that had more buttons, though (browser back, side scroll, etc.).
Those things look fantastic. And it's perfect timing since I spilt coffee on my keyboard days ago and lost use of the F and number keys.
Is there any way to get one in the UK without getting it shipped from the US?
I had an Outbound notebook for a while (see http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/outbound/ for piccies) and it was the worst pointing device I've ever used. The laptop itself was great and the pointing device wasn't the only weirdness: It used honest-to-goodness camcorder batteries for a mobile power source.
Especially considering that some keyboards, like HP's, can transmit up to 150 meters away... through a couple of walls! Not to fear though, HP has some great advice for users of its products: "don't type anything sensitive".
Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
The MX700 has got to be the most amazing mouse I have ever tryed.
I can pretty much guarantee that you cant tell the difference between a wired mouse and this wireless. It updates 125 times a second..which is the refresh rate of USB.
Also, there are no batteries to replace. It has a cradle, like a cordless phone. Although, unlike a cordless phone, you can put any NiMH AA batteries in there.
The only detriment is really the weight of the mouse. It is quite a bit heavier because of the two AA batteries. Altho, I guess if you cant slide a couple batteries over a smooth surface, time to go to the gym!
It's easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them.
Ya, our first bulk shipment to The BackStore, our UK reseller:
http://www.fingerworks.com/resellers.html#uk
will be going out this week. Just talk to them!
LOVE the MX Duo - just got it for Christmas - with ONE reservation.
The response time is great - I don't even know I'm using a wireless device. I second the comments about battery life - no issue there yet.
The main issue I have is that the mouse has TWO AA batteries. It's therefore a bit too heavy for easy handling. I have to grab it a bit harder than I'm used to doing, when it's time to "recenter" the thing.
I love the buttons scattered around it too; out-of-the-box (no extra drivers beyond WinXP's built-in drivers) they do forward/back on browsing, and continuous-scrolling up/down. The fifth extra button does nothing without extra drivers, but it's too out-of-the-way to use easily anyway.
The keyboard, too, has a great set of useful buttons - like media (opens the default audio program), mute, play, stop, rewind, open email, open web, etc. Even has a rotary volume knob. Again, all these work without any extra custom drivers loaded.
I'll keep it, thank you very much, and my wife already wants one for herself.
--Brandon / Split Infinity Music
So... it feels mushy and smells bad (sure that isn't yourself?) but warms you up on a cold day?
Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks: temporary loans from the Public Domain, not real property ("intellectual" or otherwise)
I feel defiled.
Not bloody likely.
Errr, Robyn's a He, not a She -- many apologies.
Yeah, know what that's called? Wishful thinking...
// file: mice.h
#include "frickin_lasers.h"
I too have this very keyboard, and have had it now for about 6 months. The keyboard I was really after, was a desktop style IBM thinkpad keyboard. The "fashion" keyboard was as close to this as I could find. My first impressions of this keyboard were very favourable. The feedback is a little heavier than I'd like, but overall decent. One thing I should note about this keyboard is its tendancy to stick. I've never had problems with IBM scissor style keyboards on various thinkpads over the years, but I've already had to clean & attempt to lubricate the fashion keyboard several times lately in an attempt to keep it from sticking. If it persists, I may be forced to spend the $$$ for an IBM UltraNav keyboard.
www.brownsauce.org
Update: 01/21 21:58 GMT by T: Errr, Robyn's a He, not a She -- many apologies. That hasn't happened in years!
You know I don't think that's something you should be talking about on a major website.
I stole this Sig
A few months ago, my keyboard of 8 years finally died. Several keys simply stopped working, and no amount of disassembly and cleaning would revive them. I was distraught; there went my primary interface to the world! What was I to do?!? The exact model had stopped being produced long ago...
Know what I did? I bought a $10 keyboard made by GE (yes, the lightbulb people), and I haven't looked back since.
I now realize I made too much fuss over obtaining and preserving the uber keyboard. So long as the thing clicks (or doesn't) the way it ought to and has a reasonable key travel, the rest is superfluous IMHO.
I'll never pay over $10 for a keyboard again (until inflation proves me wrong).
My favourite were IBMs with the track ball in the upper right corner - still have a couple but keeping the tiny balls clean was a chore. Even worse was when my wife spilled wine in my favourite - no workee any more :(
I had a few of the plain (no track-ball) ones I'd picked up at a used computer store for $10 each - so I moved to the Logitech Marble Mouse USB trackball. Now that Linux allows for more than one pointing device to be active at a time my main system has both the Marble Mouse track ball and a "normal" Logitech wheel-mouse - best of both worlds!
Been there, done that, paid for the T-shirt
and didn't get it
whoops- that one is wireless -- but it looks like they have changed the layout -- my ibm point-stick keyboard has the pointing device in the middle of the keyboard
-greg
The best thing about the entire review were the free "Member Ratings" displayed below some of the product sales blurbs they needed to pay an author to write. Hey, anyone can write a review by simply mentioning 24 products!
Besides, I didn't see a single trackball (Kensington Expert Mouse, Logitech Marble Mouse) among the items the author 'reviewed'. Also missing were some very nice curved keyboards like the DataDesk SmartBoard.
JeR
Since the article did not really go into depth, here are my findings.
Having been playing Quake 3 competitively for some time I have found corless mice to have many problems, some of which can be overcome.
The biggest problem is the fact that most cordless mice (Logitech and MS) had a small 'glitch' in transmitting movement information when a button gets pressed. This becomes quite obvious in quake with the left mouse button bound to jump and when you try and do any movement tricks such as circle jumping and strafe jumping.
This can be solved to a large degree by switching jump to the keyboard (spacebar).
Then there is the problem of losing your connection and battery problems.
Secondly you need a mouse sampling rate which is at least equal to your monitor refresh (and also your ingame screen update fps) For most games this would be 80fps (For those who think 25-30 or 60 is fine... read up on this at your own leisure) PS2 mice can be tweaked in win2000/XP to be 120 and USM mice are mosly 100-120. (I run everything at 100-120 if possible).
Then there is also your mouse DPI.
In this field the Boomslang mice range was pretty good at, but it was mechanical, and the ball sometimes sticked. For optical the Logitech is the best when it comes to this, especially the Dual Optical, being around 800dpi per sensor for the latest good ones. (The only thing going for the MS mice is that they are cheap)
DPI makes a huge difference if you are a low or high sens (sensitivity) player. Most people prefer playing with low or no mouse accelleration, to improve accuracy and high sens or with acceleration for movement accuracy. A big problem with MS mice is that a rapid movement to the side will cause the mouse to lose tacking, and may very well point you up and down! This is fatal and irritating. Logitch mice tend to just lose tracking and stop moving. This is acceptable.
Any comments welcome. As a low sens player I may not have encountered most bugs.
Some stats on my Quake (for those who play seriously)... Can complete any Quake 3 level on Nightware (Xaero is a problem but can be beaten) Have a 60% rocket and 40% rail accuracy (OSP/RA). Can do rocket launcer platform to rail gun platform jump (no rocket jump) on DM6.
But I suck at rocket jumping since I switched to space-bar jumping and low sens does not help...
I've used the Comfort Keyboard for years. A rehab specialist monitored what muscles I used in typing and set up the keyboard to minimize typing effort. It's well worth it, and should be covered by Worker's Comp. After it was set up I had much less pain. In the article mentioned above it was listed as: "The Earthquake Keyboard", since it's really in three parts. Check it out at:
http://www.comfortkeyboard.com/
Is it just me, or do you find 250 USD for a mouse and keyboard a tad bit expensive? Common, I can get a whole computer for that money.
Imagine a laptop-alike configuration of two touchscreens folded in a shape of laptop. The upper screen (almost-vertically staying in the usual location of your screen) is mostly for conventional application windows (browsers, editors), while the screen located bellow (horisontally laying down in the place where you keep normally your keyboard) is for onscreen keyboards, dialog pop-up windows menu-bars, tool-bars and desktop panels (like gnome panels).
There are lots of benefits for touchscreen based keyboards in dual-screen configurations:
- no problem with international layouts:
- you can change key-signs dynamically, while on old hard-style keyboard you stick atmost to two languages (otherwise how would you mark every single key with 5 different characters? Imagine: engilsh, cyrillic, greek, arabic, farsi, hindu);
- it's very convinient for Estern Asian languages where the whole keyboard layout would be better different for different languages (Mandarin, Cantoneese, Korian, Japaneese);
- the place of typing alphabeetical and numerical keys is not overcrowded with useless functional and similar keys:
- instead they are going to the place they belong to, like tool-bars and desktop-panels (where they can be displayed dynamically in the current context).
- Keypad can be displayed only when you need it;
- Navigation keys (arrows, page-up and like that) can be displayed only when you need it;
- cleaning the touch screen is much easier;
- dialog pop-ups and tool-bars on the same bottom screen as on-screen keyboard, releasing the top screen for main windows, so again, it has a better screen space management;
- gestures are very easy to add.
Among problems:- it better works when a desktop and window managers know about it. In Linux it must not be a problem (and I saw it with Linux/Gnome);
- Unfortunately it was a home-made experimental model. I still cannot buy it and have to do it myself. hmm... perhaps I should start a business and sell touchscreen-based keyboards specially for linux geeks...
- the cost: I might manage to build it on my own from the second-hand parts within $200, but I can imagine its new cost, perhaps $300-$400. Too expensive.
:(
- Normal (and cheap) touchscreens react only on one touch at a time, while for a good experience (especially with gestures) you need it reacting on multiple simultanious touchings (more expensive touchscreens are required). However, an old-style keyboard typically accept one typed character at a time too, so, it might be ok;
Conclusion: the best keyboard is a touchscreen on a top of a second screen specially dedicated for typing and navigational handwork.Less is more !
Hark, for I bring tidings of the Kinesis Contour keyboard and its wondrous configurability!
1. You can move the capslock elsewhere. I moved it to where Insert is (on the contour) since i never use it.
2. I use the footswitch to invoke a 'punctuation layer' -- thus pedal+d is (, pedal+f is ), and so on.
3. Thumb keys!
4. Actually, the Contour could do with a raft of general purpose keys stuck on somewhere... I use a seperate programmable keypad
5. Control works well on the thumbs -- and that enables me to move the shift keys up onto the home row for much more natural use.
Don't try suggesting it to Logitech, they just make shiny things with an 'email' button nowadays. Get down to www.kinesis-ergo.com right away!
Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
There are a couple of things I'd like to point out on top of the article:
1. A complaint: All the top-of-the-range mice are for right handers only. Being a left hander, I am forced to buy mid-range or cheap-and-cheerful mice.
I'd love to buy and even pay extra for a left-handed (or ambidextrous) version of, say, the Logitech MX700/900 but there simply isn't one.
[evil] A part of me would like to get a left-handed mouse and force one of them mouse designers to use it for a couple of days, to see how it is [/evil]
2. A comment to companies: when you're designing your next new-generation keyboard, PLEASE leave the six keys (Insert, Home etc.) in the classic config, backspace big and no key to the right of right shift.
I believe most of you (who have grown up with this config, and don't look a lot at the keyboard) will have come across this problem with the latest-and-greatest keyboards.
I'm no longer fed up with MS Windows: I go rid of them
See this one for a good, cheap, ergo keyboard. The keys are oriented to allow unbent wrists, yet it's not the MS "Natural" look at all. At the price ($12.49) they sell for, I got several. I've used the one I'm typing on now for about two years so far, no binding, grinding, skips, or issues of any kind. I like the feel; unlike the several MS keyboards I've used, none of the keys bind after long use.
Recommended, at that price, it's worth a try!
John 17:20
Two buttons, with the optical ball centered between them. Lefties and righties can use one without a problem. This is the problem with the thumb-ball version of this device...it's set up for righties.
Also, your thumb doesn't have the same dexterity as your index finger, which is the finger that naturally falls on top of the ball. Actually, come to think of it, I often use both my index and middle finger to move the trackball around. But the index finger is what I use most of the time.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
when I used to play Unreal Tournament on my computer sometimes one key would get locked in the "on" position. I was confused and frequently dead about this issue. Until I realized that the keyboard was USB. USB, being controlled by the CPU rather than a UART, is vulnerable to loosing CPU cycles and getting screwed up.
PS/2 keyboard solves the problem.
who wants to put batteries in your mouse?
lame
The very best keyboards are made by Avant. These are the ones that not only
have full tactile feedback but also are fully remappable and provide full
programmable macros. The remapping and macro programming can be done at the
hardware level as long as you don't need to change any of the three keys that
control the remapping (e.g., right Ctrl, the up arrow, or I forget the third
one), or there's a Win32-based utility that you can use otherwise, which is
what I do since I wanted to remap both the up arrow and right Ctrl. (Yeah,
I'm using a completely custom layout.) With a keyboard this good, you almost
don't need a mouse, except for graphics editing.
Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
some of us vastly prefer the old ones. The Type-M was just too stiff for me and the noise was annoying. I have my Zeos (very defunct computer clone company) keyboard that I got in 1990 and I use it as my primary for 13 years. Needless to say all of my MB's must have a DIN5 connector so my PC is as you can tell a 500mhz K6. Has the function keys on the left where they properly belong (don't bother contradicting me, I'm right), upside-down T, and the cntl key where it belongs beside the 'A'. There was a company that made boards called "Ex..." something that had the absolute best feel. Only thing that doesn't work on mine is the right arrow. have to take it apart and see what went wrong...
Move your hand over the fghj keys of any keyboard (apart form those split natural ones ofcourse) and learn how to type one handard. With some practise I was able to type at ~40 WPM without taking my hand off the mouse. Not only that but all the number keys seem easier to access and it is a lot easier to hit the function keys. I find this very useful for entering urls addresses in explorer/konqueror etc etc, which is what you spend 90% of your time doing on a computer. If you discount those long programming sessions, anyway. It also gives me that uberfeeling when playing counterstrike (although I stick with WASD for stardard/hassle reasons).
If I need to do any serious work I just move my left hand back to asdf and my right to jkl;, switch to dovark (sp?) and knock myself out.
Much better then buying a cording style keyboard which you would have to learn and take with your everywhere and far far better then a full sized tank style keyboard like those old IBM jobs everyone seems to love, which has to be a nerd fetish thing (I know what I'm talking about I used one for years). Although I don't own one myself I think the happy hacker would be ideal used like this. I use a cheap POS I brought from ALDI.
Spelling trolls please be kind mein englisch es nicht gut. plus arrived late posting as AC so the chances of anyone reading this are the same as if I put it in a bottle and chucked it out the window.
I hate to use a keyboard that requires a mouse. All that reaching for the mouse and repositioning on the keys gives me tendonitis, plus CTS. I've used an ALPS keyboard with a Glidepoint touchpad since 1990, and it's still the best I've ever tried. Sadly, they're no longer made. The only new touchpad keyboard I could find was an Adesso contour model, but the touchpad is positioned poorly, and it's clunky: you can't drag and drop groups of things like I can do so easily and adoitly with my old ALPS. I even bought an ADB-to-USB converter plug so I could use it with my new G5.
wags