[geeks] Compact keyboards

[velociraptor]

On 5/16/06, William Enestvedt <William.Enestvedt at jwu.edu> wrote:
>    I'm a UNIX system admin in a Windows environment so I do a lot of
> terminal sessions, but I also have a GUI for backups (CommVault), lots
> of web surfing, and Outlook for mail & calendar. As a result, I go back
> and forth between keyboard and mouse a lot.

The mouse is a killer--between it and the number pad (nethack back in
the day), the static strain has done a number on my neck.

I didn't have much trouble with the hands until I came out here and
worked on a laptop on top of the desk for a few months too long.

Now I ask for a keyboard tray at the desk (which I position to
actually touch the tops of my legs) on day one.

> Since then, however, I use the
> PowerBook more and more (I am helpless before its allure!) and I'm
> getting the pains in my dominant elbow from no keyboard tray and an
> awful claw from using the verdammt trackpad & keyboard when the laptop
> is up on my desk.

*nods* When my PBook is on my lap it's actually more comfy than my
home desk set up until I type so long that the narrowness incites
other muscles to complain.  Since I do prefer to have the keyboard in
such a low position (compared to other folks), I'm ordering a "Lap
Buddy Gamer's Edition", which is basically a classic lap desk resized
for the keyboard and mouse.  I can't actually put any of the keyboard
trays I've found on my home desk because of the way the structural
supports underneath it are located, so this lap desk will be to
counter that.

>    I think I'm going with a Wacom tablet (the boss's boss's suggestion!)

I've heard a lot of folks prefer this over the mouse.  I tried it for
a while a few years back, but picking up and putting down the pen
seemed unnatural.  This was before the wireless pens, though, so maybe
that was the issue for me.

I'd really like to have the completely split Datahand keyboard
(attaching one half to each side of the chair, with no arms--arms on
chairs irritate my ulnar nerve).  It has low-force toggle switches
rather than keyswitches, but the price.
<http://www.datahand.com/products/default.htm>

In the meantime, I think the best thing to do is keep switching things
up and to get up and stretch, walk around, etc.

I also am going to ask my physical therapist (just started PT for a
patella problem) about these gloves:
<http://www.flextend.com/flextendindex.html>  There are a number of
musicians (drummers, guitarists) who are using them--they seem most
similar to we computer geeks in the type of RSI problems they might
have.

=Nadine=