i literally created an account just so i can rage in this thread. thank you geekhack.
Same.
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The best layout is Model F AT layout with ISO Enter. "Navpad" is useless since ever, because it's integrated into the numpad.
Cross arrows are better than T arrows.
F keys should be use more often. For example, PrtScr should be removed altogether and replaced with, say, F4.
Especially if you touch type, a 5,5u (on the Chicony I'm typing now) spacebar is not really needed. Touch typists need a 3u spacebar at best.
ISO > ANSI. Do you Americans need a big backslash key right above the Enter?
Pad/silkscreen-printed PBT keycaps should be the norm.
"Modern" pad printing doesn't wear off as fast as people think. Or at least it wears off slower than the plastic on the keycap. Most of the 5+ year old keyboards I've seen have legends almost intact.
The main problem with pad printing is that you can feel the legends on your fingers. And rimmed pad printing looks cheap. Rimless pad printing/silkscreen printing on the other side looks nice.
Curved profile is amazing and should come back, at least on membrane keyboards.
QWERTZ > QWERTY
Multimedia keys over FN are quite useless if you need both hands to make them work. CM's implementation of multimedia controls are the best.
I don't like the Model M. Sure, the build quality is great, the keycaps are great and it (probably) feels nice to type on, but it's really heavy and bulky, is (probably) unbelievably loud and it dosen't sound that nice without floss modding it. That said, the Unicomp Spacesaver with greased springs would probably be an ideal buckling-spring keyboard for me.
Switch durability is marketing hype. Keyboards die because the circuitry inside is either crap or it was treated badly.
Touchtyping is overrated, it doesn't make you faster or make your hands hurt less. Even if you learn to touchtype, your right hand still has to move around too much. I don't have tiny hands and yet I still have to twist my wrist when pressing Enter, let along Backspace.
The ergonomic problems with full-size keyboards and mice are a thing, but not because the keyboard is too big, but because the person relies on his mouse too much.
Trackpoints are amazing and they should be on every keyboard.
Lubed rubber domes are pleasant, even if you use lube totally unusuable for switches (lithium-based). The tactility feels more defined. They feel stiffer right after lubing, but try to type on it for some time and they start giving up a bit.
Unpopular mouse opinion: Mice are too unergonomic for everyday computing.
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Also thread necromancy.