Ergonomic Mechanical-Switch Keyboard?

dotancohen writes "As wear and tear on my hands builds up, I find that I need an ergonomic (split) keyboard. It seems the vast majority of available ergonomic models are either crippled with dome-switches or have unusual designs, which place many critical keys under the thumbs (I cannot use my right thumb). The one normal-appearing contender, the Northgate Ergonomic Evolution, seems to be noisier than even the Model M — in fact, it echoes! Programmers and hobbyists geeky enough to be here today: what do you type on?"

Comments

Great Forum for Input Devices

[slifox]

I hate to point you elsewhere rather than provide an answer, but the GeekHack forum is a very rich source of information and reviews from people who know what to look for in a keyboard (or any input device), and they've probably reviewed every keyboard out there (and modified them). I don't use ergonomic keyboards, but I am very adamant about mechanical-switch keyboards that have just the right amount of tension and tactile/audible response.

Check out the forum here:
http://geekhack.org/forumdisplay.php?f=31

There are also some interesting vertical keyboards like the SafeType and the Kinesis Freestyle Ascent, but they're kinda expensive and might take a bit of relearning.
Here's a survey of ergonomic keyboards: http://nsx.underbase.org/db/kbd/keyboard-survey.htm

Personally I use a DSI ASK-6600 and a Scorpius M10, and I like them both very much. The DSI keys need a bit more force to push, and it has the large "Enter" key I like from old Keytronix keyboards (as opposed to a large Backspace key and a repositioned backslash character, like the Scorpius and Model M have).

These two keyboards probably don't appeal to you because they're not curved/natural keyboards. I avoid wrist problems while using a regular (straight) keyboard because I have a custom typing style, wherein my wrists are not angled when they rest on my "home row" (e.g. index fingers rest on V and N instead of F and J). This limits my upper bound of typing a bit (under 100wpm), but fast continuous typing will only get you so far in programming and sysadmin work, whereas wrists that don't hurt are quite nice... I also remap my CapsLock key to be another Ctrl, for easy one-handed reach to Ctrl+F1-F5/etc.

While you're at it -- upgrade your mouse too! I found all my wrist problems went away when I moved to a Logitech Cordless Trackman (wish it was corded, but whatever). This has a finger-operated trackball and a thumb-operated left-click, which I find MUCH more accurate and comfortable than a thumb-operated trackball (e.g. most trackball mice on the market now). Trackball mice are usually considered to be more accurate than regular mice anyways. One of the big benefits here is the fact that your wrist isn't as twisted as with a regular mouse... if that's your main goal, there are also some expensive ergonomic vertical mice that might be comfortable.

Re:Great Forum for Input Devices

[Fluffeh]

While you're at it -- upgrade your mouse too! I found all my wrist problems went away when I moved to a Logitech Cordless Trackman

I can't agree with this part of the post more. I generally find that in my work, I spend a great deal more time thinking and reading other documents rather than just typing - and while I am doing those things, I find that almost all of my interaction with the PC is done via mouse, with the occasional ALT-TAB etc. As a result, I use a Logitech MX Revolution which is very comfortable, accurate and supports my hand nicely.

Unless you do actually type non-stop, I would say a good mouse is just as important as a good keyboard.

Ergonomic Model M

[raving griff]

Ergonomic Model Ms exist, but are incredibly hard to find. You may want to ask around, though. An old workplace of mine had one sitting around in the storage.

Re:Ergonomic Model M

[Dogun]

Actually.

So it turns out that one of the major injuries typists get is called RSI, and one of the major causes is that people leave their hands on the keyboard, and wind up tensing their wrists in order to keep their fingers from depressing keys. Without rest, this causes injury. One of the majorly GOOD things about these buckling spring boards is that they can support more weight.

There's a couple of things going on with this 'ergo' idea - one part is visual, reflecting the key layout. Another part to do with the support of the hand and discouragement of behaviors that cause injury. It can be very easy to confuse the two.

If you want to avoid injury, it seems like while some accessories like fancy chairs may help, the behavioral aspects are far less mystical:
1) be healthy-ish to begin with
2) avoid keeping your hands in a fixed position, and certainly not a strained one.
3) move around from time to time, whether that means a new posture or talking a break.

I used the Unicomp keyboards for a few years, but I've been through a few of them - the design simply does not adequately protect the board from spills, and if I ever buy another one I'm going to modify it before use to isolate the keywell from the circuits.

Re:Ergonomic Model M

[Low Ranked Craig]

I have a Unicomp Model M, and while it's not "ergonomic" it is most definitely easier on the wrists and the hands. I type faster, more accurately (though it doesn't help with spelling), and more comfortably than with most other keyboards, and at $80 I found it to be quite a bargain, since they seem to last for about 20 years or so...

Life is too short to use a crappy keyboard, sit in a crappy chair or sleep on a crappy mattress. having items of high quality that work well will materially improve your life. If you sit all day at a computer, having a good keyboard and a good chair that is properly sized mean that at the end of the day you just feel better. Also having a good monitor that is sharp and clear will leave your eyes less strained. Sleeping on a good mattress means you will sleep deeper and will have better days. Life is also too shore to drink shitty coffee or eat crappy ice cream, but that's another post.

Ditch the shitty keyboard that came with your Dell or your Mac and get something that works well. You won't be sorry, and besides, you'd just waste that $80 on strippers or something anyway...

Keyboard love

[Anonymous Coward]

Natural Ergonomic keyboard (from Microsoft)
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=043

The best a man can get...

Text To Speech

[cosm]

I use text to speeches you looters. It is the rest! No worrying about miss-wiping the wrong bird and spit is always 1000 percent immaculate!

Re:Text To Speech

[cvtan]

That's the best description of a Salvatore Dali painting I've ever read!

It's all about the Negative slope!

[virtualXTC]

If you really want an ergonomic keyboard get one with a negative slope, I find this does more to relieve strain than just splitting the keys. Years ago Logitech use to resell one that you could get as various off brands that had flop tabs under the hand rest. These days, the only thing I can find in the microsoft natural series of keyboards. I have the wireless one at home, but the mouse is a bit clunky and I've already had to replace it once (one drop on the floor is all it took to render the scroll wheel unusable). I have the wired USB one at work, and just wish they'd make one without a faux leather wrist wrest as it can get a bit grimy.

truly ergonomic

[Tsiangkun]

It sounds like you are looking for this. Truly Ergonomic Keyboards

Microsoft 4000

[Gohtar]

I like the Microsoft 4000 keyboard. I use it at home and work. I do get a lot of pinky finger cramps from a lot of copying and pasting. My only real gripe with it is that the 1-5 buttons across the top are not fully programmable. You can pick from a list of actions on what you want them to do.

Re:Microsoft 4000

[pookemon]

I agree with this. I have used one of these for a couple of years on my primary PC at home. I also use a Logitec Wave on one of my other PC's. Both are quite comfortable and I have no problem using them for hours on end (though the Wave does annoy me because of the stupid layout of the Del/Insert/PgUp etc. buttons - but you get used to that). IIRC the 4000 allows the "negative slope" that one other poster has mentioned. Re: the programmable buttons, I'm pretty sure you can change them to run whatever app you want - which is what they are for. With Win 7 though I don't use them (just pin what I want to the task bar. Not sure why the type of switch matters (dome/mechanical). If a keyboard is comfortable to use, then it's comfortable to use.

Kinesis Advantage

[Chaostrophy]

http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/contoured.htm

Granted, by default they have stuff done with your right thumb, but I believe the keyboard is fully remapable, so you can fix that. They don't say what kind of switches they use, but they are very clicky, with a nice feel. I have used them for years, and really like them.

Amiga 4000 keyboard?

[Twinbee]

I liked the feel of the Amiga 4000 keyboards back in the day. I wonder what key mechanism that used. I'm pretty sure it was responsive and tactile, but mercifully quiet.

fix your health not the keyboard!

[lkcl]

i know this is going to sound strange - you asked one question but get an answer to another, but the root cause of the problem isn't the keyboard, it's the fact that you're hunched over it, tensed up, locking out the blood supply from your arms and screwing up your hands.

to fix that, you should AT LEAST be doing the overarm stretch: stick hand straight up, bend elbow so that hand goes behind head with elbow still up in air, then take other hand onto elbow, pull and lean geeeently sideways so that entire side stretches

you should also be doing "horse stance" from tai-ji, which is really quite complex to describe, but imagine that you're sat on a horse: your legs are apart, knees bent, and hands outstretched imagine holding reins _but_, the actual tai-ji "horse stance" has some quite complex and specific positions and purpose. the primary purpose is to stretch tendons on the *underside* of your arms and in fingers (forearms as well) as well as elevating the heart-rate.

so, you have to push your elbows outwards so that your upper arms are 45 degrees from vertical, but forearms are absolutely horizontal. hands you have to imagine that you are holding two basket-balls, one in each, palms down but slightly elevated a fraction, fingers splayed as far wide as you can go.

get it right and you should feel loots of tendons stretching under your armpits, at your elbow-forearm _and_ wrists _and_ the thumb and little finger tendons! and that's exactly what you need - to stretch out that which you've utterly cramped out and damaged.

the horse-stance itself results in quite seriously elevated heart rate: you're bending your knees and staying there, so you should be breathing deeply and fully. stay there for as long as possible, increase until you get to 5 minutes. you will be surprised: horse stance for 5 minutes is one hell of a long time.

the other one is the yoga position where you sit on the floor, put one leg bent into your crotch and the other straight out, then lean over and grab ankle (or as close as you can get it). with each breath out, go down a little further. DO NOT "shake". if you feel yourself shaking, BACK OFF.

what i do with this yoga position is, rather than stay going down straight is i roll _sideways_ after a while, so that i get more stretch on the insides of my arms and side, which is exactly where you need the circulation increased, to get bloodflow back to your arms and fingers. repeat on the other side but come up SLOWLY - don't just try to jolt yourself out because you _will_ pull a muscle that way, especially at full stretch.

all of these exercises are designed to increase the circulation on the _underside_ of your arms (at the top) as it's here which is actually causing the blood flow to decrease, toxins to build up, tension to happen and damage to occur.

so - yeah. fuck the keyboard - get your health sorted out.

Re:Bad technique

[hairyfeet]

I have to go with this. I have been typing since the 80s and despite having a crippled finger on one hand just by using normal typing techniques and not the "hunched over the keyboard" posture my hands work just fine. If given a choice I prefer the older "clacky" keyboards, and have a fondness for older Compaq and MSFT keyboards. The fat lip at the bottom of the keys make them comfortable to rest your wrists on and the clack lets you know you've hit the key without having to constantly look up.

If he is gonna go for one of those awful ergonomic keyboards he is gonna find that most of the choices suck, simply because most folks hate them. I frankly couldn't give those things away here at the shop and hated when I got a machine in that had one. Better to just use good posture and take the occasional break when needed IMHO. I've found watching people type on ergonomics they tend to try to "force their speed up" which ends up giving them just as much trouble than if they'd have just used a regular keyboard and took breaks. And I have yet to see anyone that could type half as fast with a split keyboard than they could with a regular keyboard. Give me an old Compaq, IBM, or MSFT standard keyboard any day!