The Best Keyboard Ever - $8.99

Giles Orr gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
Tue Jul 20 14:28:32 UTC 2010


On 19 July 2010 17:38, Lennart Sorensen <lsorense-1wCw9BSqJbv44Nm34jS7GywD8/FfD2ys at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 05:32:38PM -0400, Andrej Marjan wrote:
>> Indeed, they're pretty lousy. I'm a big fan of the Datadsk Smartboard
>> layout http://www.datadesktech.com/desktop_sb.html -- it's not totally
>> esoteric like a Kinesis, say, but the layout of the split, and the way
>> the keys fan out and grow in size as you get farther out from your
>> palms, is very smart. I wish all split keyboards did that. This is the
>> first keyboard on which I actually used my pinky finger for the P key
>> (qwerty layout).
>
> Wow, not only is the split wrong in the same way as the microsoft,
> now the key angle is messed up.  How awful.
>
>> Also, it's one of the few keyboards that can do a negative incline out
>> of the box.
>>
>> Unfortunately, their build quality has declined over time (cheaper
>> switches, fewer key chord combinations supported...). I seem to abuse my
>> keyboards heavily, and given the build quality of my last smartboard, I
>> don't see myself buying another one. I expect a certain amount of build
>> quality for the prices they charge, irrespective of layout cleverness.

Microsoft puts the number "6" with the left hand.  The Smartboard puts
the "6" on the right hand where it should be, so I believe their
layout is "correct."

I'm a big fan of both the split between the hands and vertically
straightening the rows: standards are wonderful, but slavishly
adhering to them when the reason for them died years ago (ie. the
typewriter) is foolish.  Especially when changing the layout is
ergonomically better.  And if you're going to keep the keyboard flat,
then fanning they keys as they get farther away makes sense to me.

Personally, I own two Kinesis keyboards - one for work and one for
home, they're the ones I use most.  They took a long time to adjust to
(weeks), but are fantastic.  I imagine that the Smartboard would take
a couple days to adjust to, but the improvement in comfort would be
noticeable.  Making the adjustment to either keyboard is unlikely to
significantly damage your ability to type on a normal keyboard, so I
don't think it's a problem.  However, I wrote Smartboard off years ago
for much the same reason as Andrej: I had one of their hard-wired
Dvorak keyboards and the build quality didn't match the price.  I
think it died in less than two years.

I also own several IBM Model M keyboards, and prefer that key feel
over anything, including my expensive Kinesis keyboards.  I wish the
Kinesis had buckling springs ...  <sigh>  But ultimately the Kinesis
layout wins over key-feel, and the Kinesis keys are still quite good.

If you're shopping for deviant keyboards, take a look at
http://www.ergocanada.com/ - their selection is possibly the best in
the world.  Their prices aren't the best (but aren't bad), but they're
Canadian and their support is excellent.  I bought both my Kinesis
keyboards through them and will do it again if I need another.

I hesitate to recommend it at this point, but there's also the
"altkeyboards" mailing list:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/altkeyboards/ , meant for this kind of
discussion.  I'm hesitant because, while it was a hotbed of activity
in the late 90s and early 2000s, it's currently stagnant and near
death.  But the archives may be of interest.

-- 
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
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