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Might be a little abnormal for the thread, but - looking at ergonomic keyboards. Diagnosed cubital tunnel syndrome in both arms and hints of carpal tunnel, surgery is in my future but I'd like to both mitigate current issues & prevent this from coming back in the future. That said, I've done some research, and split keyboards seem much more suited to what I'm after - and also absurdly expensive & take longer to get used to than the average return window, so I can't afford to gently caress up. My home keyboard works fine without issues thanks to my overall setup, I'm looking for one for work specifically; I spend pretty much my entire day in Excel or similar environments, some mouse usage and a lot of tenkey use, but I can probably learn my way away from tenkey as needed. Very limited desk space (my work-issued keyboard is a cheap HP SK-2025 and it's on the upper end of what fits), if I can replace the mouse in the process like I've seen some do then that's an extra bonus. Mechanical is fine, but semi-open office plan so I'd rather not have something loud like my home keyboard is. Work computer isn't PS/2 compatible so we're looking at USB (it *might* have Bluetooth functionality but I have yet to test that). I'm really leaning split, and the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard (dumb as hell name) has pretty much everything I'm looking for except the numpad; not a dealbreaker but it's also way outside of my comfortable price range. Likewise with Kinesis and their higher end stuff, though the lack of adjustability isn't great. There's always the cheap options like MS's Sculpt or Surface 4000, but I'd hate to go "cheap" and get something that still isn't going to help and have to sink the money all iver again for the "real deal". I am too poor for the ErgoDox. Trust me, I looked. Does anyone have experience with... any of these, really, to offer some commentary? I'm well out of my depth in this regard, and resources besides paid review sites are a bit thin.
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Dec 30, 2020 20:12
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abraham linksys posted:So, for a cheap and quiet option, I've used the Kinesis Freestyle 2 and thought it had the best membrane keys I've ever used. I just went ahead and measured, and it's roughly a trapezoid 22" wide at the top, ~30" wide at the bottom (wider and I start getting into uncomfortably territory", and about 13" deep to fit a keyboard and mouse into. Boxed in by computer hardware on the edges (and the end of my desk in front). New mouse should mitigate some mouse space issues at least. quote:Also, if you have diagnosed RSI, depending on where you live, you should almost certainly be able to get your employer to cover at least some of the cost.
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Dec 30, 2020 20:30
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Constellation I posted:Is there no option for work to subsidize an ergo keyboard? That would be the most ideal way to go since you could potentially get in on the higher end Kinesis as well. That process is moving. Bureaucracy is slow and end-of-year vacations of crucial people make it slower. Accommodations are in progress. quote:
As far as my budget goes, I can afford most of the mid to upper end stuff, technically. It's more an issue of "how far am I willing to dent my savings before two or three major surgeries that will take me out of commission for a month and a half", which is rather less wiggle room. If it was a miracle machine I could guarantee worked I could push up to the $300 tier of keyboards... but there's no miracle guarantees. In practice, everything has spiked in prices so I don't imagine I'm getting anywhere successfully with less than $100 short of the really cheap tented-and-nothing-else boards, and my hesitance to spend big $$$ spikes rapidly after $200 or so.
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Dec 30, 2020 22:52
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Checking back in several weeks later. Work might fund a cheaper Kinesis after all, the idea's kind of been floated with my boss but we're both in a sort of "this is a lot of fuckin' money for something that may not actually help" scenario. For the one place that it would definitely help, a tangential/band-aid-fix question until a new keyboard actually happens: How the hell do you keep straight wrists with a full-size keyboard while still having a reasonably accessible mouse? I can get a perfect lineup for left hand & mouse, or a mostly fine one for both hands on the keyboard, but putting the mouse in the equation means tradeoffs that just don't have solutions without new hardware. Either the mouse is way the hell off to the side (hello shoulder and elbow issues, the latter of which I really don't need to be any worse than they already are) or, as is the current situation, the right hand has to come way the hell over and bend right, causing even more ulnar nerve issues than I've already got further up the arm. Complicating things with the actual hardware replacement option is that we work on 35-year-old software that expects numpads and consequently has its (non-rebindable) inputs set up for them, so even with a split keyboard it then becomes "where do I put this fourth I/O component". I wish there was an actual ergo thread (in any of the subforums - you'd think TGD would be a perfect place for it) to float all my questions in one block but this at least is a keyboard-related one.
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Jan 16, 2021 20:53
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Unfortunately by the time I get soldering supplies and make it safe to work in my apartment I'd already be over the prebuilds at that point. Definitely on the radar, but not gonna save me much. Programmable layers sound nice right about now though. Also-unfortunately our other software is almost mouse-only (text input for search and nothing else) so I'm not gonna be able to pull away from that one much. Vertical mouse I have is kind of helpful but I can't tell if it's more of an issue to be switching from vertical mouse to horizontal keyboard than it is to just stay flat in the first place. Ergonomics are hell. Especially considering that as soon as I break away from heavy typing and go home, I have next to no pain (only issues there are chair-wise, and that's another case of "I can't afford the really good stuff right now"), and that's with no ergonomic accommodation at all besides a palm rest on my CK550.
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Jan 17, 2021 04:08
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Constellation I posted:I dunno, aren't the cheaper Kinesis Freestyle 2 boards about $100 USD ish? That should honestly be well under "this is a lot of fuckin' money" territory, especially for ergonomics purposes at work. Some offices probably spend more on a single keyboard tray. It's still an improvement over your current situation at least. Yeah, I can find one of them for about $70-80, if my doctor pulls through with "yes this is real" (even though they officially diagnosed me this is still a luck game, they're the least communicative medical staff I've ever worked with but it's the only place with hours I can reach) then a Freestyle 2 is likely where we're going. AbsoluteLlama posted:This really sounds like a loving awful situation. Mouse <-> keyboard motion repetition tends to be bad for a lot of people. A split keyboard in particular is actually immediately, visibly helpful with how hard my right wrist gets angled, but it's a matter of getting that taken care of. About anything that doesn't have me trying to align to straight will do that. (My home keyboard is non-angled, but I did just notice that I subconsciously shifted left to have my wrists mostly straight; that's not possible with my work desk, since it's one of those corner cubicles with a cutout the exact width of my lovely chair. Speaking of which, was supposed to get a new chair years ago along with the rest of the office but that never panned out...) I'm less concerned about all the key alignments and whatnot than I am about being able to keep things in straight lines, and I can tell not being able to is an issue. FWIW, I do get up pretty regularly and walk around, and I try to keep pretty regular stretches/etc breaks going. My current mouse (the vert that I bought) is right-handed, and the work-provided one is smaller than my palm and hence very much uncomfortable to use. None of my other equipment can move at all from where it's at since, again, corner cubicle with exact cutouts... it only lines up to one position. quote:You can look online for specifics but everybody is different and such, so I can't really give specific exercises or anything. In my experience ergonomics 'experts' and such tend to be full of poo poo. I've had experts hired by an employer buy thousands of dollars of equipment that I knew I didn't need when much cheaper solutions existed. You really just need to pay attention to what your body is doing and try to look out for yourself. And things will change over time so you can't really be static. Physical therapy is potentially on the docket after an EMG next week determining whether it's in "oh Christ we need to do surgery" territory. A pain in the rear end to get into pretty much anywhere, and just band-aiding over the causes until those can get addressed. I'm mostly terrified by how rapidly it's getting much worse after being a nearly unnoticeable low-level issue for, probably, years. Especially that adjustments to help are very much not actually helping.
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Jan 17, 2021 08:02
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Saukkis posted:It's sounds like the mouse may be a bigger problem for you, so you might want to ask The Mouse Thread for any advice or alternatives. Appreciate all the insights - going to be a bit brief by necessity, not disinterest, I'm out for most of today. I'm more immediately concerned with the KB over the mouse because a) I have that spare mouse, even if it's crap, b) my left arm issues almost completely disappear when I'm working in the mouse only software. For quick context without providing in-house details (and because my fragmented commentary may be unclear), one of our databases is straight monochrome terminal entry where the only mouse support is for selecting inside already-selected fields, so that's pure keyboard; the other has limited support for tab/enter/arrow selection, but due to bad web design most of the fields require mouse input with just a little typing to ctrl-F search for things. Most of my time is usually spent in the terminal but recently the web interface has been taking up more time. I'm not gonna pretend I'm perfect and cured with the latter, but it's mild at best pain in one forearm/elbow rather than "knife shoved in both arms and unpleasant feelings in my wrists and hands". That's the logic behind the priorities and the use case at hand. AHK is definitely something I've considered, but between interface lag (the terminal has to run on a VM that may not even be locally hosted - I'm not totally sure) and the unpredictable location of elements in the web interface's searches where most of my work gets done, I'm not sure how I'd get it to be reliable enough. Along with needing to figure out trigger mechanisms when shortcuts are already reserved & layers aren't yet in the picture. I'm likely going to try going back to the old mouse for the first few days this week and see what changes. I'll be in the web side for a day or two anyway so it's good time for a test run. Keyboard... Well, I picked up a wrist brace in hopes of using that to help guide adjustments and it turns out rigid wrist braces loving hurt. So I'll be making other adjustments instead, whatever "other solutions" may be. Not really a solution in and of itself but the attempt to do so. Cannot wait for a keyboard that's not this pos. (Of course they want me to see about working from home part time, too, which adds another expense layer... sure, if you pay for a larger apartment than the one I just moved to so there's space for another desk, then I'll be on the hook for equipment and furniture all over again...) May be able to swing a workstation picture if I censor enough sensitive stuff (it'll still dox me instantly to any coworkers, but nobody but my boss is the right demographic for a goon and he doesn't strike me as likely). Might actually have one, just not a very good one... Appreciate the input, guys, especially considering this isn't exactly the nominal subject of the thread besides "ergo keyboard pls". I'm hoping to avoid surgery and be able to just manage things with physical therapy and workspace adjustments. I already have enough long-term, unavoidable QOL-degrading illness/disorders to deal with without worrying about keeping nerve control of 4/10 fingers and chronic pain, too. edit: on reflection I was not brief at all SkyeAuroline fucked around with this message at 21:22 on Jan 17, 2021 |
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Jan 17, 2021 21:08
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Saukkis posted:You might also try F7 caret mode in Firefox. Depending on how the web interface works it just might be more helpful than an annoyance. Having just enabled caret mode on my home browser (same as work, Firefox): I don't see any difference whatsoever and none of the listed controls actually work. hm. The issue with the web interface comes mostly with a specific set of searches - it's a selection window of options (fabrics - this is ecommerce, no beating around the bush) that's unsorted and uses the browser's external search, but doesn't support keyboard selection of the results at all. 2-3 of those per products, each product is a 90-second-ish window of time to work through, for a straight 8 hour day... you get the idea. I did track down a photo I took of the layout (and this awful cheap-rear end keyboard) and removed anything identifying besides... well, the actual desk layout for any coworkers that recognize. It's very bare. I know. 
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Jan 17, 2021 22:52
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Arcturas posted:Is that desktop built into the cubicle walls or is it a standalone? I’m wondering if you could price out an alternative desk top or cubicle options to take it to your boss/HR department as an ADA request, or just buy it yourself and swap it out. Depends how much paper you need to reference but if you could open that up a little it might help. The whole thing is modular, the maintenance guy and I took it down two notches (27" height instead of 29") so I could manage roughly a 90° arm angle (in practice closer to 110 or so since my chair is limited in how far it can come in) without my forearms angling way up and hopefully without my wrists bending back a ton (the latter didn't work out, if a new keyboard doesn't hapoen then a palm rest like my home desk is 100% happening for that part's sake). There are alternate desk tops that round off the cutout instead (so it's just a corner curve), but that pushes me even further from my computer even if it maybe allows more actual positioning, not sure if that'll just do the same "move the problem around" thing. Not sure what else if anything is even compatible. Also not incredibly sure that lowering the desk top was the best idea, it happened at the same time as my heavy-lifting move and after I had started running into problems, but it didn't reduce them much at all and I can't find jack poo poo on actual suitable desk height (and consequences of a too-low desk since so few people have those). Might have to walk it back but that's probably judt going to move problems back to even worse kn my elbows & worsening ulnar issues instead of the current spreading-out...
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Jan 17, 2021 23:39
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Yeah, I was previously using an armless one to make that happen. Somewhere around where my shoulders started screaming from a complete lack of support for my arms, I tracked down this one with arms. Lessened, but not gone, naturally...
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Jan 18, 2021 00:02
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The expense part is definitely in play. We weren't actually expecting to still have our building currently since COVID delayed a move, so I'm assuming that's why chair replacements were put on hold, and things are always tight by nature of the industry (good luck competing with Amazon; only way you can really manage it is name recognition or industries they aren't quite taking over yet). I did ask our IT dept if they had anything in storage, and no, they've just got what they issue out normally; for most people I guess it works (or else they don't notice until it's too late), I'm just at the unfortunate juncture of other health issues compounding it. So I'm pretty sure my personally-owned mouse & maybe someone else's keyboard if they brought their own are the only ergo products in the building. Good luck swinging the money, though maybe this will be a slight eye-opener to have this sort of thing on hand, assuming I don't get quietly retaliated against like I'm suspecting will happen based off past events. At least I'll have a paper trail this time around. As a former university library assistant: ours did a little tech rental for students and staff, but it was very limited for budgetary reasons. Worth asking them about.
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Jan 18, 2021 02:25
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Last followup for the time being: while we're still pending test results on nerve issues, my doctor was able to send over the confirmed medial epicondylitis diagnosis & recommend an ergo assessment & "necessary equipment" to mitigate it. My boss was already willing to pick up a Freestyle 2 as soon as it got the clear to go in the office budget and not someone's personal pocketbook. Looks like it's happening. Thanks for commentary/suggestions/support folks.
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Jan 21, 2021 18:24
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Checking back in a bit later than planned. Work is going to reimburse a Sculpt (or Surface - I don't see the benefit to justify doubling the cost) keyboard after all. Bless. Now just need to find the cheapest place to get it.
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Feb 16, 2021 16:23
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So, Sculpt keyboard comes in this weekend. Any advice on adapting from standard keyboards to ergo? I never learned the "right" way to touch type, so that's going to be a process already, but anything unexpected to account for? (Yes, I know the Sculpt is not the best there ever was, but it's the best that was "free" to me.)
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Feb 19, 2021 17:09
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SkyeAuroline posted:So, Sculpt keyboard comes in this weekend. Any advice on adapting from standard keyboards to ergo? I never learned the "right" way to touch type, so that's going to be a process already, but anything unexpected to account for? haha wow never mind, this didn't end up mattering at all. Plugged in, installed drivers, got to work, half or more of the keystrokes dropped every time I type. Wireless keyboards, never again.
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Feb 22, 2021 16:26
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Depends on where we're measuring to. My work desk's layout has my laptop about 18" to the right, the bottom half of the keyboard probably catches my arms in line of sight but it's never fully blocked when typing. Can't move the laptop. The key feel sucks anyway, Fn and num row keys are split "wrong", and I use the arrow keys too much for how much you have to stretch your hand to them anyway. Just not a good feel. Did appreciate being able to tilt both arms in and still have mostly straight hands, but my right hand (the much worse one that merited getting this) still has to be twisted most of the time so it's not solving the problem. edit  Right edge of the Sculpt was where the arrow keys are, tried the USB piece both in the hub in front (wouldn't even slot into the USB port) and in the open port on the laptop. SkyeAuroline fucked around with this message at 16:49 on Feb 22, 2021 |
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Feb 22, 2021 16:42
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Seconding interest in the split keyboard discussion. Still looking for a substitute ergo... anything, really, since the Sculpt was a bust. Probably going to have a hard time getting work to cover anything much more expensive. Need to at least track down something wired already.
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Feb 25, 2021 20:40
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CyberPingu posted:Sorry all I'll respond to ergo keeb stuff in a bit. Wife was just rushed to hospital. No rush. Hope everything ends up okay.
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Feb 25, 2021 22:10
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CyberPingu posted:So I have an ergodox infinity, a redox and a Moonlander. Appreciate the insights. Moonlander looks fantastic, but ow, that price. I don't imagine you have any recommendations or experience in a lower price band?
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Feb 26, 2021 18:25
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CyberPingu posted:What's your budget? Well, I tried to swing way at the bottom with a Sculpt in the $80 ballpark and that was a complete failure. I'm unlikely to be able to push my workplace's willingness to cover the cost much higher but may be able to chip in some myself. Yeah, I know that's lower than most of the fancy things that get slung around here, but this is also just for me for typing at work, I don't need fancy especially since they'll use "we compensated you for it" as reason to take it away when I leave anyway, even if I pay part. My standards are pretty low. Let me keep my wrists straight while using both hands to type, don't make the F keys unreachable or awful switches, and keep it hardwired and I'm probably happy. I never learned standard touch typing so I can't comment on any particular split point. FWIW the Sculpt layout was also pretty unpleasant for how distant it put the arrow keys from everything else.
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Feb 26, 2021 22:25
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Bark! A Vagrant posted:It might be worth looking at a Kinesis Freestyle (Pro). They're fully split and have mechanical or membrane options (membrane is ~$100, mechanical ~$180). The downsides compared to a more expensive board are that you're limited to Cherry Brown or Red switches, the switches aren't hot-swappable, and it has a standard layout rather than an ortholinear one like you'll see on many of the more expensive ergo keyboards. A membrane Freestyle is currently sitting as the backup option. Just have to find one. Rather have mechanical but surprise, poo poo's expensive and a lot of big ticket things are all coming due. e: went ahead and got one, no addon stuff though. SkyeAuroline fucked around with this message at 03:12 on Feb 27, 2021 |
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Feb 26, 2021 23:06
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, but I think I'm still getting used to it. My shoulders bothered me though, not my wrists, so your mileage may vary.
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Canuck-Errant posted:As someone who use(d) a Kinesys Freestyle at work and has RSI issues - I would strooooooongly recommend getting the tenting kit. My home split keeb doesn't have it and my wrists definitely miss it. That's in the cards if the keyboard itself works. With what work approved for paying for the equipment, the base model was definitely covered but I'd have to fight for the extra $20-30 for an "unnecessary" part. Figured better to get some than none.
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Feb 28, 2021 16:30
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Briefly updating: Freestyle 2 came in and set it up at work. The key split is weird (I never learned to touch type and my left hand usually handles all the letters over to the UJM column on qwerty boards; Freestyle splits between TGB and YHN), but it all seems to work normally and it's not even a bad feel for membrane. Appreciate the recommendation/support, I'll be looking into the tenting kit. e: one additional thought. Would have been nice to have the arrow keys embedded as a Fn toggle or something rather than still out in the corner, there's still the gap between "end of letters" and "start of arrows" (plus the pointless shift key that does nothing but throw me off) that my wrist has to click across every time. A good 2/3rds of the keystrokes I have to make at work are Enter or arrow keys... SkyeAuroline fucked around with this message at 21:48 on Mar 1, 2021 |
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Mar 1, 2021 16:30
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:its kinda wild to me the number of people who don't use function keys or the number pad. the overlap between excel jocks and custom keyboard bois must be low. I'm having similar but not identical issues (though I'm not in full custom territory). Still need some keys that these boards don't like keeping. Mentioned I was getting a Freestyle 2. Came in and using it, and mostly good with a few hiccups (I never learned to touch type "standard")... except for the F row and the arrow cluster. I use two programs for my job (and Excel, but that overlaps in controls with both). One is almost entirely mouse driven with a few numbers and letters per minute, so whatever. The other is... ancient. VT100 terminal navigated exclusively with arrow keys, Enter (forward), and F6 (backwards). This causes issues for the right half of the keyboard, because the Freestyle splits its keys weird and doesn't leave enough space to not have to cram the arrow keys in awkwardly, and if course the standard Freestyle 2 I could actually afford isn't programmable so I can't do an awkward "layer over existing keys" approach. So the keyboard purchased explicitly to stop me from having to twist and bend my wrists so much... forces me to either twist/bend my wrists typing on the arrow key section constantly, or on the letter keys less constantly but at a worse angle and combined with stretching the arm. Already have enough arm and shoulder issues to deal with without overextending. I have no solution yet and I'm not sure there is a solution ("replacing the software" is not on the table). Also whoever decided to put 7 F keys on one half and 5 on the other is a jackass.
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Mar 4, 2021 05:29
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I'm sure there are more unpleasant keyboards to use out there. By God I can't think of one. Side note: christ, half as much for the Freestyle 2's tenting kit (which I mostly just need for the wrist/palm rests thanks to my lovely office desk/chair's forced angles) as for the actual keyboard. Either the kb is underpriced or someone is making an absolute killing on injection molded plastic. e: taking advantage of being the last post. Having an issue with lining up the right half of the Freestyle. Most of the keystrokes my job requires are arrow keys & Enter for navigating an old-rear end terminal interface. If I line up the home row as a "neutral" position I'm constantly bending my hand/wrist outward to use the arrows, which is what caused all these issues in the first place. If I line up the arrows I'm bending and stretching to reach all the other keys and have to just peck (which, unfortunately, is the option that's actually working so far). The latter ends up something like this, making the arrows somewhat comfortable and regular typing uncomfortable rather than regular typing fairly comfortable and arrows outright painful:  How should I be lining this up to minimize how much I have to twist/bend my wrists? Muscle weakness in the outer fingers from nerve issues means I can only reach out so far on the right side. SkyeAuroline fucked around with this message at 21:30 on Mar 5, 2021 |
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Mar 5, 2021 16:47
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Zarin posted:Hare-brained idiot thought from a hare-brained idiot: Not a hare-brained idiot thing at all and definitely something I've considered. To condense it down, the routine at its most basic is roughly: down, shift-home, (numbers), enter (repeatedly until it finally processes), enter fill in a string (arrowing over to where new text needs to begin), 3x enter, fill in another string same way, several dozen enter keys (or just hold the button) f5, fill in a string no arrows, 6x enter, same original string procedure, f12 5 enters, 3 letter code, f12, f9, alt tab to paste the string I scripted F9 to save repeat over and over So it's mostly just a lot of enter and right arrow. It gets much more complicated when I'm not on my current project of "some 15,000 nearly identical entries". I've been tinkering with scripts to automate all that I can of it, but the quirks of three separate layers of software was too much to do it with an external program and I'm fighting my way around terminal/server communication and the lack of signal strings that causes a few steps to lock up. So for now it's still all manual. My fallback is, indeed, adding a third layer through software somehow (the Freestyle 2 has a built in second layer but it's non programmable, the programmable one is another $100-150). Not my ideal for several reasons, not least our software using literally every key to do something, but a fallback.
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Mar 6, 2021 00:30
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Zarin posted:drat, that's a lot Nah, second layer is hardware level. Freestyle 2 is technically an 80% if I have my definitions right, so the numpad and several control buttons are on a second layer with a dedicated control button. And yes, it's a lot. It's telling that on the same hardware I had no issues for the year and a half prior to working on this system, and once I was swapped over things rapidly got very bad. But hey, 40 years of "efficient use of budget" by never updating anything!
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Mar 6, 2021 01:21
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Opioid posted:I joined a group buy for this guy so for the same price I just paid for an entire keyboard I can get six buttons and a dial cool. But why?
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Mar 7, 2021 19:10
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CyberPingu posted:Oh boy you should never look into artisan keycaps... Oh, I'm aware. I'm not really huge on fancy keyboards; my home board is a CM CK550, and as has been mentioned above I've switched to that Freestyle 2 for work. Nothing fancy and nowhere on the level of the people here making custom stuff. I just like the insight and the occasional clarifications on the hardware I'm using. Things like that pad confuse me though. Keycaps, eh, I kinda get it, material matters for some people and I'd honestly consider replacing my own keycaps if I moved to a mechanical split board. I'd actually be quite interested in Braille keycaps for the letters. That poo poo adds up and it's not high demand. Six switches, a dial, and the board to connect it all to... I dunno.
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Mar 7, 2021 20:29
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Llamadeus posted:Some people just want a handful of dedicated keys for very specific functions, it's basically like the mechanical keyboard version of this: https://www.elgato.com/en/gaming/stream-deck-mini Makes sense put that way. I'd rather take a programmable numpad or something and reprogram it, but if that's all you need then I guess it's all you need. Hope it never breaks for $80+.
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Mar 7, 2021 20:35
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Gearman posted:These little pads are also great if you use 3D programs that like to spread keybinds all over the place.
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Mar 7, 2021 20:48
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canyoneer posted:so full of whimsy At risk of broken record, I do like the Freestyle 2 that I use recently, and my only issue with it is weird key arrangements in a few places (mostly I just miss ; vs ' a lot). It's not mechanical but it's a fairly pleasant membrane. $90.
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Mar 8, 2021 18:29
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Bark! A Vagrant posted:I could still take it or leave it, but I never had wrist problems, so YMMV. I find it's easier to hit keys with my pinky and ring fingers, but I get tripped up a little on the keys I hit with my index finger. Really my problem is that I still hit b instead of v frequently enough to be annoying, but I stopped practicing typing after two weeks when typing started to feel reasonably comfortable sooo that's probably on me. I've definitely been getting help from my Freestyle so far. I'm considering a trackball, but haven't found one that seems much good at all, + adjusting back to a trackball after 15ish years without one sounds... not fun long term. I don't know as much about your specific model, does it have tenting accessories/did you end up using anything for tenting? I'm pondering whether it's even necessary for myself still, I mostly just need a palm rest at this point.
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Mar 11, 2021 17:12
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If it's built like some of their old stuff then it's probably worth it. Mouse lasted 7 years of daily use, headset lasted 4 or 5 and only died because the actual cable got damaged. Don't know about going 60% though.
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Mar 16, 2021 16:23
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Rinkles posted:Isn't the prevailing opinion that wrist rests are bad for your wrists (unless you're not actually wresting your wrists on them)? Pretty much. I use a palm rest for my left hand at home and I'm likely to start using one for both hands soon at work, but that's literally "palm resting over it with as much pressure as laying the hand flat on a table", so a whole lot less nerve trouble. It's been helpful at home, at least.
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Mar 24, 2021 21:51
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Framboise posted:Interesting. How hard is it to learn different keyboard layouts anyway? I can tell you for sure that not going in 100% slows it way the hell down. I still have to look at my Kinesis constantly (which isn't great since it defeats the point of my monitor risers or has me looking outside my glasses, neither of which is very good for me...) and not even close to touch typing with it. Though there the main issue is the rearrangement of function keys and the right-side cluster loving me up. And that's still QWERTY even, just in slightly different places.
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Apr 2, 2021 22:24
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Less complaint/question, more observation: Kinesis should probably reopen their storefront at some point. They fully admit to not having control of third party sellers' prices and the VIP3 tent kits are approaching as expensive as or more than the keyboard itself. Wild.
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Apr 6, 2021 15:48
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This is nice and with my current mouse woes I endorse "trackball integrated into the keyboard". I do not endorse $700 of trackball in the keyboard.
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Apr 7, 2021 22:51
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Wishing for Cooler Master's destruction. Second time my CK550 has fallen prey to key chatter, and this time it's the bloody space bar and W keys. Kind of important for literally everything I do. Unfortunately a replacement is kind of a mess as long as I'm dealing with cubital tunnel (so... probably forever), since no standard keyboard will have the right split/angles and no split that I've seen really works for much games...
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Jun 2, 2021 15:17
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Taffer posted:How so? I'm using a split for gaming and have no problem with it. The splits tend to awkwardly break right across where shortcuts would normally work for KB+M for a handful of games (mostly the Y and the inability to reach further number keys/F keys without hand off the mouse). It may work with practice on it & enough reassignment, in practical terms, I'm coming from workplace experience where the shortcuts are written directly into our software and can't be changed, and pose trouble with a split where they don't on standard. redeyes posted:WTF is key chatter? You can always open it up and replace the switches. I was under the impression chatter was the standard name for keys repeatedly striking for one key press. I don't have the tools, workspace, or expertise to replace whole switches, and my only backup if it fails is an even more busted first-gen Blackwidow used heavily enough it has 5 or 6 switches worn to the point of chatter.
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Jun 2, 2021 17:35
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