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Stop Trying To 'Innovate' Keyboards, You're Just Making Them Worse

Posted by Soulskill on from the we've-randomized-the-keys-for-your-convenience dept.

FuzzNugget writes "Peter Bright brings the hammer down on the increasing absurdities of laptop keyboard design, from the frustrating to the downright asinine, like the 'adaptive keyboard' of the new Lenovo X1 Carbon. He says, 'The X1's Adaptive Keyboard may have a superior layout to a regular keyboard (I don't think that it does, but for the sake of argument, let's pretend that it does), but that doesn't matter. As long as I have to use regular keyboard layouts too, the Adaptive Keyboard will be at a huge disadvantage. Every time I use another computer, I'll have to switch to the conventional layout. The standard layout has tremendous momentum behind it, and unless purveyors of new designs are able to engineer widespread industry support—as Microsoft did with the Windows keys, for example—then their innovations are doomed to being annoyances rather than improvements.' When will laptop manufacturers focus on perfecting a standardized design rather than trying to reinvent the wheel with every new generation?"

4 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Isn't just the keyboards by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Most monitors these days can do 1440 x 1080 if you want 4:3

  2. Re:Isn't just the keyboards by TWX · · Score: 4, Funny

    *cough*laptop*cough*

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    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  3. Re:Isn't just the keyboards by Immerman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yeah, and I love 16:X monitors in portrait-mode, but trying to type on a laptop balanced on edge is a real PITA.

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    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  4. Re:There is only one keyboard by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    A keyboard should be sturdy enough to beat a man to death with. And then use to write his obituary.

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    Have gnu, will travel.