[geeks] Ergonomic keyboard styles

[nate at portents.com]

On Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:36:53 +0200, Jonathan Groll <lists at groll.co.za>
wrote:
> Hi there,
> 
> I've recently begun to suffer some keyboard related RSI pain and am
> wondering if anyone on list has experience with the different styles
> of ergonomic keyboards. 
> 
> I'm basically stuck in choosing between the 'split' style ergonomic
> keyboard, like the kinesis freestyle:
> http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/freestyle.htm

Membrane (rubber dome) key switches, like most keyboards these days.

> and the contoured type with key-wells:
> http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/advantage.htm

Cherry MX Brown mechanical keyswitches, sadly not used much in ergo
keyboards (most are cheap rubber domes).  The DataDesk SmartBoard uses Alps
(or clones of Alps) mechanical keyswitches:

http://www.datadesktech.com/desktop_sb.html

Slightly different arrangement (keys are in vertical columns), took me a
bit to get used to, then I really liked it, took me a bit to be able to
switch back-and-forth, but I haven't been using my Smartboards much at home
because I don't do as much typing there as I used to.  At work I use a
Microsoft ergo keyboard (all of Microsoft's ergo boards use cheap dome
switches), don't really like the feel, but, eh, I deal.  Home is standard
layout keyboards most of the time with a variety of mechanical keyswitches.

My personal ranking of keyswitch feel, lowest to greatest: rubber dome <
scissor (notebook style) < buckling spring < Alps (prefer old, true Alps) <
Cherry MX (prefer Brown).  You should try to figure out what you like best.

> I suspect the contoured type is better on the fingers but more
> difficult to mouse with, whereas the split style keyboards may have
> more options with respect to using your thumbs for mousing, like this
> rollerbar:
> http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/rm-free.htm
> 
> For what it's worth, I'm suffering from tendinitis (and on my mouse
> hand doubly so). I blame Emacs chording and bad $work ergonomics, but
> also these small laptop mice don't do much good for the hands.

Consider learning to mouse with your other hand.  Took me a few years, but
I mouse with my left hand at work, left hand trackball at home and then
right hand mouse just for games at home.  My right hand *still* hasn't
quite recovered after 10 years of that, but it's better.

> PS I'm not yet at the point where I'm considering a datahand:
> http://www.datahand.com/

I hear they're winding down their operations these days, sales aren't what
they used to be unfortunately.  I respect what they created, too bad it's
so expensive.  You might want to poke around geekhack.org, lots of people
with experience there with most every keyboard out there (folks there like
to go into lots of detail, including what type of plastic is used in
keycaps, whether there are diodes between keyswitches for true n-key
rollover, etc. etc.)

- Nate