Author Topic: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards  (Read 11320 times)

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Offline Rmafive

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ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« on: Fri, 06 May 2016, 13:54:50 »
I've been thinking about joining the Massdrop Infinity ErgoDox drop, but I have a quick question.  Do ErgoDox users (or other ergonomic keyboard users) find that they can't use "regular" keyboards alongside the ErgoDox as easily as before?  I would love to try one out, but I don't want to buy multiples and ignore my other keyboards! 

Offline Data

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 06 May 2016, 14:39:38 »
Yes, you just learn two sets of muscle memories. The closer your Dox is to your other layouts the easier it is to swap between them.

Offline yinzer

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 06 May 2016, 14:56:38 »
When I say I can't use a regular keyboard, I'm usually just being snobby.

As Data said, the closer you keep the Ergodox keymap to whatever standard keyboard you're using, the easier time you'll have switching between the two. For example, on my ergodoxes, I have my LCTRL key mapped to where Caps Lock is on a normal keyboard, so, I mess that up quite a lot on a normal keyboard. But that's the only real issue I run into.

Actually, I'm typing this reply from my fiancee's macbook (with an awful rubber skin cover on the keyboard, it's so sad) and I'm typing probably typing about the same WPM. I've had an Ergodox for my daily driver for a year, maybe two at this point and I very much doubt I'll ever go back to a normal keyboard for two reasons, 1) staggered rows are gross, 2) A normal keyboard neutralizes your thumbs. I use my thumbs for 16 keys on my Ergodox. On a regular keyboard, you use them for one.

Offline Khuya

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 06 May 2016, 14:58:23 »
I used ergodox at work, and normal one at home, don't really have trouble.  I do wish I have money to get another ergodox though.  But it did took me 2 days to get used to the ergodox, a bit of a learning curve.

Offline Rmafive

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 06 May 2016, 15:19:01 »
When I say I can't use a regular keyboard, I'm usually just being snobby.

As Data said, the closer you keep the Ergodox keymap to whatever standard keyboard you're using, the easier time you'll have switching between the two. For example, on my ergodoxes, I have my LCTRL key mapped to where Caps Lock is on a normal keyboard, so, I mess that up quite a lot on a normal keyboard. But that's the only real issue I run into.

Actually, I'm typing this reply from my fiancee's macbook (with an awful rubber skin cover on the keyboard, it's so sad) and I'm typing probably typing about the same WPM. I've had an Ergodox for my daily driver for a year, maybe two at this point and I very much doubt I'll ever go back to a normal keyboard for two reasons, 1) staggered rows are gross, 2) A normal keyboard neutralizes your thumbs. I use my thumbs for 16 keys on my Ergodox. On a regular keyboard, you use them for one.

Haha I always see those posts where people say "I can't use a regular keyboard anymore" and then I wonder if it actually is difficult switching.  Thanks for the feedback!

Also, those rubber skins on MacBooks are just terrible, way too many people use them.

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #5 on: Wed, 11 May 2016, 18:52:19 »
I can do both..

But I dislike using my regular flat keyboard.

My wrists hurt after only a short while.

Offline xtrafrood

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 12 May 2016, 16:09:33 »
I can't seem to straighten my wrists while typing on a normal board so the ergodox I think would be a logical choice. I'd imagine the transition to a normal board would be on par with switching to a different keycap profile. I guess it would mostly depend on the duration of time spent with traditional keyboards.

Edit - Straighten my wrists horizontally is what I meant here. I naturally bend my hands inward when I type, kind of the opposite of the 'handcuff' wrist positioning.
« Last Edit: Wed, 08 June 2016, 00:07:21 by csmertx »

Offline Piotr Dobrogost

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #7 on: Wed, 18 May 2016, 15:16:37 »
I can do both..

But I dislike using my regular flat keyboard.

My wrists hurt after only a short while.

What's not flat in ErgoDox if I may ask?

Offline davkol

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 19 May 2016, 10:15:01 »
Tenting.

Offline redesigndavid

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 05 June 2016, 04:54:37 »
I use my thumbs for 16 keys on my Ergodox. On a regular keyboard, you use them for one.

Do you really use all keys for the thumb?  I find that the bottom three thumb keys are easy to reach and all the rest require an extra joint in the thumb.

Offline davkol

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 05 June 2016, 05:08:24 »
I use 5-6 thumb-cluster keys and 2-3 lowest-row keys per half on my 80key ErgoDox, that makes it 14-18 total… or 10-14 on the regular ErgoDox w/ 2u thumb keys like on Kinesis Advantage. I don't think the top row of thumb keys is actually usable while typing… maybe if you have huge hands.

Offline Zustiur

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 08 June 2016, 00:00:17 »
I have no trouble switching back to flat regular keyboards. Switching back to qwerty can be a problem some times.

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Offline algernon

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #12 on: Wed, 08 June 2016, 01:51:00 »
My ErgoDox layout is very different than the layout I have on other keyboards, because I put a lot of good stuff on the thumb cluster (like, all the modifiers, along with space, enter and backspace), not to mention putting some common symbols into thumb- or index-accessible locations. On a regular keyboard, achieving a similar layout is nigh impossible. I also do not want to learn two layouts, I have better things to keep in my head, so for me, using a regular keyboard is incredibly annoying, awkward, and slow.

It used to be better while I was getting used to the ErgoDox, and while my layout showed more resemblance to what I have on the regular keyboards. Not anymore. Now, when I type at home, where I do not have a split keyboard yet, I end up tapping the table with my thumbs rather often...

Offline phoible

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #13 on: Fri, 10 June 2016, 01:29:56 »
I just switched back from my Ergodox to my Novatouch (I run blank keys on both boards). I found that the letters were no problem, but for some reason I'm having trouble with the numbers and symbols. I  got used to the columnar layout.

Also, for the first day or so, I found myself trying to use my left thumb to backspace...

Offline Questengine

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #14 on: Mon, 01 August 2016, 07:33:01 »
I've used a MS Natural 4K at home and work for several years and going back to a flat, standard keyboard brings me discomfort immediately and then pain very quickly.  I've had an Ergodox at home only for a few months and going between it and my MS Natural at work is occasionally a little weird, but never painful or uncomfortable.

Offline yasuo

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #15 on: Mon, 19 September 2016, 10:36:05 »
I love that called pathetic ergonomic is like ms natural 7000/kinesis advatange maltron not kinesis evolution with chair or datahand legend but my fav is kinesis model  01/classic and maxi ergo and my lovely  is a kinesis evolution wt chair and ms natural or old ergodox key64 wt narrow thumb and pyramid tenting swap around there depends on me im setting all wt same layout and few my special kb was unswitched
« Last Edit: Mon, 19 September 2016, 10:49:20 by yasuo »
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Offline Jesse36m3

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #16 on: Mon, 03 October 2016, 10:46:02 »
I just built my dox over the weekend and have been trying to switch back and forth between that and my regular board often. it's such a weird learning curve and trying to break 20 year old muscle memory is going to be a challenge.  :)

Offline tp4tissue

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Re: ErgoDox alongside "regular" keyboards
« Reply #17 on: Mon, 03 October 2016, 16:13:45 »
I just built my dox over the weekend and have been trying to switch back and forth between that and my regular board often. it's such a weird learning curve and trying to break 20 year old muscle memory is going to be a challenge.  :)

Gotta get tented..