In Search of Compact Keyboard That Doesn't Suck?

dlaur asks: "I am a right-handed programmer who doesn't use the numeric keypad. While some may appreciate it, I find that it forces me to place my mouse too far away and I would prefer a more compact keyboard. I depend upon easy access to the navigation keys (arrows/ins/del/home/end/pgup/pgdn) while programming, and I find that, while compact keyboard layouts do eliminate the numeric keypad, they also cram the navigation keys into unnatural places. Does anyone manufacture a 'standard layout' keyboard sans keypad? Tip for entrepreneurs: I'll pay a lot for one."

Comments

Many choices

[eyeball]

Behold. The Happy Hacking Lite 2 keyboard at the bottom of that page may be your best bet.

Just switch to left handed mousing!

[brianmf]

Did you try switching your mouse to the LHS of your keyboard?

I did this about six months ago, and havent looked back since. Typical setups put too many common functions on the RHS. Having the arrow keys, pgUp, pgDown, numeric keypad, del and mouse all in a small area is crazy. Switching the mouse to the LHS (and reversing the buttons) is the way to go. It allows you to use the mouse and the keyboard at the same time.

Just takes about a week to get used to it...

IBM Model M Space Saver

[BitchKapoor]

Dude, I use the IBM Model M Space Saver keyboard, and it's totally awesome. It's just like a regular Model M high-durability buckling-spring keyboard, except minus the numeric keypad. Here's a page with a picture comparing the Space Saver to a full M and a Happy Hacking. This other page depicts the more typical beige Model M Space Saver, albeit retrofitted for Dvorak. BitchKapoor, over and out!

Re:Logitech dinovo laser

[obi]

I agree with parent.

I've got the dinovo for a while too (with the MX900/bluetooth), and been very happy with the keyboard especially. I hardly use the keypad (the screen would be nice if only it worked under linux, and the integrated calculator is ok, but a bit limited) The MX900 mouse is a bit heavy and doesn't always recharge properly - I'll probably buy a wired mouse soon.

But the keyboard is top notch. Feels like it's very good quality (for the price, it better be). I prefer the soft/shallow keys of this keyboard, over the typewriter heavy/deep/IBM keys, so that's something you might want to consider. And it's bluetooth, so I can use it with my laptop too, and probably even with my Nokia 770 (haven't tried this yet though)

Re:Learn vi!

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

I use Vi -- and I still need a mouse.

How very nice for you.

Too bad this thread is about keyboards that lack arrow keys - not going mouse-free. Please save your comment so that it can be recycled in a future slashdot posting that is actually on topic.