Unpopular Keyboard Opinions

[zslane]

Ergonomic Truth #1: If you're hurting your fingers using a conventional keyboard, you're doing it wrong. 

[_haru]

Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the HHKB was a relatively modern keyboard 

It is "modern" in that it's still produced and popular, but it does have a pretty lengthy history for a production board. 

In addition to davkol's points, I'd add that from an ergonomic/usability perspective, keys in the bottom corners of a 60% board are often hard to hit and require some contorting/re-positioning of the hand.  I don't really feel like I lose any functionality with an HHKB, I'm just not hurting myself to reach ctrl anymore. 

Good point. I prefer to have control where the left winkey is, each to their own I guess.

far out the hoffman replied to me

[ideus]

Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the HHKB was a relatively modern keyboard 

it is a fork of the old Unix Sun 5 keyboard's main typing area.

[_haru]

Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the HHKB was a relatively modern keyboard 

it is a fork of the old Unix Sun 5 keyboard's main typing area.

Show Image

I see. The more you know!!

[dante]

Scissor switch best switch.

[davkol]

Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the HHKB was a relatively modern keyboard 

it is a fork of the old Unix Sun 5 keyboard's main typing area.

Show Image

Sun Type 3, actually.

[Lepidus]

Random crap written above the arrow keys kills all the aesthetics of a custom.

[PollandAkuma]

SA is too high.

I definitely agree with this one.  I love how SA sets look, but I've sold all of mine because I just don't like the way they feel.  I sometimes get the sense that the SA hype started from pictures and most people haven't tried them yet to really know how they feel. 

I disagree with your other two comments though. 

Though I say that, I'm starting to fantasise how it feels on linears... And the nice pictures aren't helping :-(

[ideus]

Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the HHKB was a relatively modern keyboard 

it is a fork of the old Unix Sun 5 keyboard's main typing area.

Show Image

Sun Type 3, actually.

Show Image

Uh! This one is even closer to the HHKB layout.Considering the evidence, all that buzz on Wada's involvement seems just like a legend.

[GGat50]

Just joined so Hello. I hate Corsair keyboards. Bitten twice now have a pok3r.

[DALExSNAIL]

Random crap written above the arrow keys kills all the aesthetics of a custom.

I can see why every TKL looking the same in another color would, in fact, be an unpopular opinion.

[DALExSNAIL]

Just joined so Hello. I hate Corsair keyboards. Bitten twice now have a pok3r.

Pretty popular opinion here that corsair Boards are pretty ****, good on you for the pok3r though. Was my 2nd mech and loved it.

[obviouslygene]

Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the HHKB was a relatively modern keyboard 

it is a fork of the old Unix Sun 5 keyboard's main typing area.

Show Image

Sun Type 3, actually.

Show Image

Uh! This one is even closer to the HHKB layout.Considering the evidence, all that buzz on Wada's involvement seems just like a legend.

as I was an ex Sun engineer, I feel right at home on the HHKB.

[Niomosy]

My distaste for the Sun layout has lasted longer than Sun Microsystems given Oracle's recent gutting.  Pity what happened.  Still not going to use Oracle Linux though.  Hell with that.  I'll gladly stick with RHEL. 

[obviouslygene]

My distaste for the Sun layout has lasted longer than Sun Microsystems given Oracle's recent gutting.  Pity what happened.  Still not going to use Oracle Linux though.  Hell with that.  I'll gladly stick with RHEL.

I agree with you on that, but i'll like to not pay for mine. CentOS please!

[Niomosy]

My distaste for the Sun layout has lasted longer than Sun Microsystems given Oracle's recent gutting.  Pity what happened.  Still not going to use Oracle Linux though.  Hell with that.  I'll gladly stick with RHEL.

I agree with you on that, but i'll like to not pay for mine. CentOS please!

I don't pay for mine either.  Work pays for it.  I just support it.

At home, sure, it's CentOS for server VMs and Fedora for desktop VMs these days. 

[obviouslygene]

My distaste for the Sun layout has lasted longer than Sun Microsystems given Oracle's recent gutting.  Pity what happened.  Still not going to use Oracle Linux though.  Hell with that.  I'll gladly stick with RHEL.

I agree with you on that, but i'll like to not pay for mine. CentOS please!

I don't pay for mine either.  Work pays for it.  I just support it.

oh, im running centos at work too.
open source culture here...

At home, sure, it's CentOS for server VMs and Fedora for desktop VMs these days.

[Niomosy]

My distaste for the Sun layout has lasted longer than Sun Microsystems given Oracle's recent gutting.  Pity what happened.  Still not going to use Oracle Linux though.  Hell with that.  I'll gladly stick with RHEL.

I agree with you on that, but i'll like to not pay for mine. CentOS please!

I don't pay for mine either.  Work pays for it.  I just support it.

At home, sure, it's CentOS for server VMs and Fedora for desktop VMs these days.

oh, im running centos at work too.
open source culture here...

For us at an OS level, it's not happening if there's no support.  Though we do have some documentation you can sign to get software installed that isn't supported nor provided by Red Hat or your app vendor.  It's not often that those docs get used.  Most of the requests for the non-standard software are by individual developers that want something non-essential.  Once they get told of the procedure, it's often the last we hear of it.

[Zobeid Zuma]

These are my cranky opinions, and I reckon this thread is the place for them.

Cheap-ass gaming keyboards:  Youtube is flooded with videos trying to sell the latest “cheap mechanical keyboard” to gamers.  They’re all pretty much alike; it’s all about creaky plastic and dazzling RGB lights and a race to the bottom on price, and each one is amazing and you gotta buy it (according to the reviewer).  They make me sick.  OK, I know I was never the intended audience for those products and videos, but still I get sick and tired of seeing them.

Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches:  A lot of keyboard manufacturers and, apparently, keyboard shoppers (those cash-strapped gamers?) seem to think Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches are the bomb, and cheap ass Chinese clones like Gateron and Outemu and Kailh are for losers.  I just saw a reviewer on YouTube griping about a cheap keyboard that came with Kailh switches instead The Real Thing.  Gaaaah!

Artisans:  Especially the big, lumpy, bizarre looking artisans…  I do not get them.  I mean, I guess there must be some reason for them to exist.  I see a lot of them around.  But I haven’t figured it out.  From where I sit they just make a keyboard ugly and more difficult to use.

Arrow keys:  It seems like there’s an ongoing trend to ruin compact layouts, especially 60%, by cramming and scrunching in arrow keys to the bottom right.  The result is always awkward and unpleasant; the bottom row modifiers are compromised, and sometimes the right shift key as well.  I do understand the conundrum, though.  60% is so small and cool and elegant, but losing the arrow keys is a pain point for a lot of folks.  I am working on a solution to this, but it'll be at least a couple of months before I can show off the prototype.   

Windows keys:  Expensive GB keysets with the Microsoft trademarks and no alternative provided, I'm looking at you.  Then I'll have to beat the bushes looking for replacements that don't clash with rest of the set.

Winkeyless boards:  With no place for the Command keys or the Fn keys.  How can you even use something like that?

Base weights:  Elaborately machined piece of steel or brass slots into the bottom of the case, running up the cost and weakening the structure.  They do look sort of cool, if you spend a lot of time looking at the bottom of your keyboard.

Split spacebars:  It seems obvious to me that every keyboard should have a split spacebar.  I've wanted that for many years, and I could never understand why keyboard manufacturers don't make them.  (I've heard a rumor that patents and trademarks were involved.)  Give us the split spacebars already, dammit!

[digi]

Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches are the bomb, and cheap ass Chinese clones like Gateron and Outemu and Kailh are for losers.

I agree!!!

[iFreilicht]

These are my cranky opinions, and I reckon this thread is the place for them.

Cheap-ass gaming keyboards:  Youtube is flooded with videos trying to sell the latest “cheap mechanical keyboard” to gamers.  They’re all pretty much alike; it’s all about creaky plastic and dazzling RGB lights and a race to the bottom on price, and each one is amazing and you gotta buy it (according to the reviewer).  They make me sick.  OK, I know I was never the intended audience for those products and videos, but still I get sick and tired of seeing them.

Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches:  A lot of keyboard manufacturers and, apparently, keyboard shoppers (those cash-strapped gamers?) seem to think Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches are the bomb, and cheap ass Chinese clones like Gateron and Outemu and Kailh are for losers.  I just saw a reviewer on YouTube griping about a cheap keyboard that came with Kailh switches instead The Real Thing.  Gaaaah!

Not unpopular in this community, I believe almost everyone here thinks like that.

Artisans:  Especially the big, lumpy, bizarre looking artisans…  I do not get them.  I mean, I guess there must be some reason for them to exist.  I see a lot of them around.  But I haven’t figured it out.  From where I sit they just make a keyboard ugly and more difficult to use.

Quite divisive, though there is now a trend of artisans (like two-tone modifiers) that have normal profiles and only change the aesthetic of the board.

Arrow keys:  It seems like there’s an ongoing trend to ruin compact layouts, especially 60%, by cramming and scrunching in arrow keys to the bottom right.  The result is always awkward and unpleasant; the bottom row modifiers are compromised, and sometimes the right shift key as well.  I do understand the conundrum, though.  60% is so small and cool and elegant, but losing the arrow keys is a pain point for a lot of folks.  I am working on a solution to this, but it'll be at least a couple of months before I can show off the prototype.   

KLE link, please? Sure, arrows on IJKL or WASD or ESDF or vim arrows on HJKL work, but there is certainly an advantage to not having to press two keys for navigating. An additional advantage about dedicated arrows is using Fn+Arrow for PgUp, PgDn, Home and End. Extremely intuitive and many know it from compact laptops, which are very similar to 60%-75% boards. All other solutions where these navigation keys were clustered around an Fn-activated arrow cluster on the alphas can be quite hard to learn. Quite a few people don't use right shift either, especially those that learned playing FPS on keyboards before proper typing.

Winkeyless boards:  With no place for the Command keys or the Fn keys.  How can you even use something like that?

Certainly agree when somebody is productively using Windows. Win+Arrows for docking and moving windows are so very useful, and Win alone for starting programs as well. However, when you're on Linux, there's a lot to customise, and you can have all that same functionality using Alt and other modifiers. Also, when moving Ctrl to Caps Lock, you can put Win where Ctrl was before and make a winkeyless build.

Base weights:  Elaborately machined piece of steel or brass slots into the bottom of the case, running up the cost and weakening the structure.  They do look sort of cool, if you spend a lot of time looking at the bottom of your keyboard.

I don't think any board with a weight like that shows weak structure. They are built like bricks anyway, insert or not. If you want to give people a choice about how heavy the keyboard is, weights make sense, and it is much cheaper to only put a brass insert inside an aluminium board instead of making the whole board from brass. And yeah, it does look pretty cool. Details don't only count where you see them, especially when talking about perceived quality.

Split spacebars:  It seems obvious to me that every keyboard should have a split spacebar.  I've wanted that for many years, and I could never understand why keyboard manufacturers don't make them.  (I've heard a rumor that patents and trademarks were involved.)  Give us the split spacebars already, dammit!

Absolutely. Though keycap sizes are a problem here, and profile as well. The typical convex spacebar profile is not commonly found for 2.75 or 2.25 keycaps.

[zslane]

Artisans:  Especially the big, lumpy, bizarre looking artisans…  I do not get them.

I don't either. Most artisans look like those little toys you get from a Cracker Jack box. Why anyone would want to ruin the aesthetics of a perfectly good mechanical keyboard with those things is beyond me.

[Zobeid Zuma]

…seem to think Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches are the bomb, and cheap ass Chinese clones like Gateron and Outemu and Kailh are for losers.

Not unpopular in this community, I believe almost everyone here thinks like that.

Not the impression I've gotten?  Most of the buzz I pick up is about Zealios or hybrids like "Gatistotles" or those new Kailh switches.  From my own experience, I find Outemu blues pleasing, and I was impressed by the Kailh BOX samples I've examined.  As for Genuine Authentic Cherry MX, they are high quality but also pretty difficult to distinguish from the better grade of clones now.

KLE link, please? Sure, arrows on IJKL or WASD or ESDF or vim arrows on HJKL work, but there is certainly an advantage to not having to press two keys for navigating. An additional advantage about dedicated arrows is using Fn+Arrow for PgUp, PgDn, Home and End.

I sense a contradiction here?

However, you are right in noting that it's a tough problem.  I'm not sure I want to show off my solution now and subject it to the Internet Peanut Gallery when nobody (including myself) has had a chance to actually test and use it.  Maybe it'll live up to my hopes, or maybe not.  I'm gonna build it just as soon as I get the components in hand.  I'll get back to you.

Quite a few people don't use right shift either, especially those that learned playing FPS on keyboards before proper typing.

Well, I learned to touch type by the book, and I'm not in the mood to re-learn now.  (Same reason I'm not getting a Keyboardio, even though they do look fantastic.)

Absolutely. Though keycap sizes are a problem here, and profile as well. The typical convex spacebar profile is not commonly found for 2.75 or 2.25 keycaps.

They do exist.  And if they prove too hard to source, they can be made.  3D printing has come a long way.

[DALExSNAIL]

Yo, **** RGB.

[Waateva]

Yo, **** RGB.

Very unpopular opinion here, someone stop this madman!

[DALExSNAIL]

Yo, **** RGB.

Very unpopular opinion here, someone stop this madman!

Yo, **** Waateva.

[iFreilicht]

KLE link, please? Sure, arrows on IJKL or WASD or ESDF or vim arrows on HJKL work, but there is certainly an advantage to not having to press two keys for navigating. An additional advantage about dedicated arrows is using Fn+Arrow for PgUp, PgDn, Home and End.

I sense a contradiction here?

However, you are right in noting that it's a tough problem.  I'm not sure I want to show off my solution now and subject it to the Internet Peanut Gallery when nobody (including myself) has had a chance to actually test and use it.  Maybe it'll live up to my hopes, or maybe not.  I'm gonna build it just as soon as I get the components in hand.  I'll get back to you.

Ah yeah I worded that badly. Point is, I don't need a second key for the arrows, and if I wanted to have the same system with Fn+Arrows I'd need to press three, and if I then want to use End, shift+Pos1 to mark a whole line, I'd actually need four.

Cool, I'm always interested in novel keyboard layout ideas!

Absolutely. Though keycap sizes are a problem here, and profile as well. The typical convex spacebar profile is not commonly found for 2.75 or 2.25 keycaps.

They do exist.  And if they prove too hard to source, they can be made.  3D printing has come a long way.

True, but then you're starting to have problems with texture and finish. For me, an SLS print would be too rough, same goes for non-finished FDM (though printing direction and material might help), and I'm pretty sure acetone-vapor finished ABS FDM prints would be way too shiny for my taste.

But yeah, they do exist, especially XDA has a good selection already. I guess this sort of thing will become more popular in the future

[Niomosy]

Arrow keys:  It seems like there’s an ongoing trend to ruin compact layouts, especially 60%, by cramming and scrunching in arrow keys to the bottom right.  The result is always awkward and unpleasant; the bottom row modifiers are compromised, and sometimes the right shift key as well.  I do understand the conundrum, though.  60% is so small and cool and elegant, but losing the arrow keys is a pain point for a lot of folks.  I am working on a solution to this, but it'll be at least a couple of months before I can show off the prototype.   

Compact layouts are already ruined.  What's a little more between friends with some arrows crammed in?  Honestly, though, I think when the 60% boards started catching on, people jumped in only to realize later that they make a lot more use of their arrow keys than they originally thought.  At least, I recall seeing some comments on such.  Now the goal is to get at least some of the nav cluster back; hence the increase in 65% boards. 

Winkeyless boards:  With no place for the Command keys or the Fn keys.  How can you even use something like that?

Seems to at least partly be gamers that have a tendency to hit the Win key frequently or those that for some reason don't like the aesthetic and are willing to sacrifice added functionality for aesthetic.  Fortunately these groups are mostly harmless, finding their niche builds and old keyboards that suit their needs.

[zslane]

...I think when the 60% boards started catching on, people jumped in only to realize later that they make a lot more use of their arrow keys than they originally thought.

I'm the exception, I guess. I only use 60% boards with my iPad(s), and I don't use the arrow keys more than I expected. And for the limited use I get out of arrow navigation, FN+IJKL works quite well. My hands don't move from the home position, unlike arrow keys on a TKL or full-size board, which makes mixing arrow navigation with typing even more efficient.

[Zobeid Zuma]

Seems to at least partly be gamers that have a tendency to hit the Win key frequently or those that for some reason don't like the aesthetic and are willing to sacrifice added functionality for aesthetic.  Fortunately these groups are mostly harmless, finding their niche builds and old keyboards that suit their needs.

I've been using primarily Macs here for a long time, so to me a proper bottom row is:

[control] [option] [command]   [space]   [command] [option] [control]

You may notice that the space bar is the only one of those that does anything when pressed by itself.  The rest are purely modifiers.  The idea of having something down there that will kick me out of the program I'm in just seems completely crazy.

I use Second Life a lot, with the Firestorm viewer running full-screen.  The camera viewpoint is controlled with the mouse and Option and Control.  If I'm running on Windows (and the Win key is where Option should be) then as soon as I reach for those familiar keys, BAM!  I was just kicked back to the Windows desktop.  It's infuriating.  Which is why I now have a vintage IBM XT keyboard on my gaming rig, and the Win key is mapped to Scroll Lock where I'll never hit it by accident.  (I also remapped Control to F10, so now Control and Alt/Option are roughly where they would be on a Mac, and it's all good.)

I do love me a fully programmable keyboard.

[jerue]

Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches:  A lot of keyboard manufacturers and, apparently, keyboard shoppers (those cash-strapped gamers?) seem to think Genuine Authentic Cherry MX switches are the bomb, and cheap ass Chinese clones like Gateron and Outemu and Kailh are for losers.  I just saw a reviewer on YouTube griping about a cheap keyboard that came with Kailh switches instead The Real Thing.  Gaaaah!

I will only use Cherry MX switches. Way too many problems with just about everything else either with consistency, housings, etc. I'm a geezer with this sort of thing but I don't really care. I wouldn't really "rip" on a keyboard though for having something else than Cherry MX, it's not like a bait-and-switch or anything.

Winkeyless boards:  With no place for the Command keys or the Fn keys.  How can you even use something like that?

The layouts are from before Windows 95 was a thing and you had a real GUI to interact with. The main reason winkeyless boards are a thing is for compatibility with original Cherry corp keycaps. In mine (and the opinion of many others) they are the best around; GMK in a close 2nd. It also helps that aesthetically, custom winkeyless keyboards are just beautiful, e.g. 356CL. You might like Tsangan layout which is winkeyless but with 1u keys in between control/alt. With most keyboards being fully programmable it's easy to remap a windows key elsewhere. I only use winkeyless layout (or HHKB)

Base weights:  Elaborately machined piece of steel or brass slots into the bottom of the case, running up the cost and weakening the structure.  They do look sort of cool, if you spend a lot of time looking at the bottom of your keyboard.

The opposite should be true (except for cost), and if done correctly can change the typing experience of the keyboard (with or without it).

[DALExSNAIL]

Base weights:  Elaborately machined piece of steel or brass slots into the bottom of the case, running up the cost and weakening the structure.  They do look sort of cool, if you spend a lot of time looking at the bottom of your keyboard.

In what world would a steel or brass weight compromise the "structure" of a mostly solid hunk of aluminum?

It changes the weight of the keyboard and the typing feel, it isn't just for looks usually. 

Do you own any KBs with a weight?

[pabile]

Arrow keys:  It seems like there’s an ongoing trend to ruin compact layouts, especially 60%, by cramming and scrunching in arrow keys to the bottom right.  The result is always awkward and unpleasant; the bottom row modifiers are compromised, and sometimes the right shift key as well.  I do understand the conundrum, though.  60% is so small and cool and elegant, but losing the arrow keys is a pain point for a lot of folks.  I am working on a solution to this, but it'll be at least a couple of months before I can show off the prototype.   

totally agree. 60% & 40% are cool and elegant but those dedicated arrow keys ruins it. spaceFn + IJKL easily solved the need for arrow keys on my daily partnumber-excel-copypaste workload.

Split spacebars:  It seems obvious to me that every keyboard should have a split spacebar.  I've wanted that for many years, and I could never understand why keyboard manufacturers don't make them.  (I've heard a rumor that patents and trademarks were involved.)  Give us the split spacebars already, dammit!

+1

no [2.25] [1] [2.75] split please.

[Duckyreddy]

I don't like backlighting, no thanks.

[domsch1988]

Seems to at least partly be gamers that have a tendency to hit the Win key frequently or those that for some reason don't like the aesthetic and are willing to sacrifice added functionality for aesthetic.  Fortunately these groups are mostly harmless, finding their niche builds and old keyboards that suit their needs.

I've been using primarily Macs here for a long time, so to me a proper bottom row is:

[control] [option] [command]   [space]   [command] [option] [control]

You may notice that the space bar is the only one of those that does anything when pressed by itself.  The rest are purely modifiers.  The idea of having something down there that will kick me out of the program I'm in just seems completely crazy.

I use Second Life a lot, with the Firestorm viewer running full-screen.  The camera viewpoint is controlled with the mouse and Option and Control.  If I'm running on Windows (and the Win key is where Option should be) then as soon as I reach for those familiar keys, BAM!  I was just kicked back to the Windows desktop.  It's infuriating.  Which is why I now have a vintage IBM XT keyboard on my gaming rig, and the Win key is mapped to Scroll Lock where I'll never hit it by accident.  (I also remapped Control to F10, so now Control and Alt/Option are roughly where they would be on a Mac, and it's all good.)

I do love me a fully programmable keyboard.

While i agree on the position argument, you do realize that the Win key is indeed a modifier, do you?
First of all, in Desktop mode its a lot like Mac's Spotlight and Launchpad in one.
Tons of Functions are accessed with it. From opening apps from the taskbar to window managment. When you want to mainly use the keyboard in Windows, it will be used more than Alt or shift.
Caps Lock is a much better spot for it.

[DALExSNAIL]

I don't like backlighting, no thanks.

 

[Joey Quinn]

I don't like backlighting, no thanks.

It's fun to have for pictures but 99% of the time my backlight is off

[Duckyreddy]

I don't like backlighting, no thanks.

It's fun to have for pictures but 99% of the time my backlight is off

Exactly.

[Zobeid Zuma]

While i agree on the position argument, you do realize that the Win key is indeed a modifier, do you?
First of all, in Desktop mode its a lot like Mac's Spotlight and Launchpad in one.
Tons of Functions are accessed with it. From opening apps from the taskbar to window managment. When you want to mainly use the keyboard in Windows, it will be used more than Alt or shift.
Caps Lock is a much better spot for it.

I don't use Spotlight and Launchpad on my Mac either, they're pretty much worthless.

Anyhow, I only have Windows installed on my gaming/VR rig, which means to me Windows is primarily something I use to launch Steam.  To do anything productive it's either Mac OS or Ubuntu MATE.

[Niomosy]

Seems to at least partly be gamers that have a tendency to hit the Win key frequently or those that for some reason don't like the aesthetic and are willing to sacrifice added functionality for aesthetic.  Fortunately these groups are mostly harmless, finding their niche builds and old keyboards that suit their needs.

I've been using primarily Macs here for a long time, so to me a proper bottom row is:

[control] [option] [command]   [space]   [command] [option] [control]

You may notice that the space bar is the only one of those that does anything when pressed by itself.  The rest are purely modifiers.  The idea of having something down there that will kick me out of the program I'm in just seems completely crazy.

I use Second Life a lot, with the Firestorm viewer running full-screen.  The camera viewpoint is controlled with the mouse and Option and Control.  If I'm running on Windows (and the Win key is where Option should be) then as soon as I reach for those familiar keys, BAM!  I was just kicked back to the Windows desktop.  It's infuriating.  Which is why I now have a vintage IBM XT keyboard on my gaming rig, and the Win key is mapped to Scroll Lock where I'll never hit it by accident.  (I also remapped Control to F10, so now Control and Alt/Option are roughly where they would be on a Mac, and it's all good.)

I do love me a fully programmable keyboard.

Honestly, boards that allow you to disable the Winkey are pretty nice in this regard.  That way the functionality is there when needed and disabled when not needed.

In my ideal config, either the Fn key is to the left of the space bar - Ctrl, Win, Fn, Alt, Space, Alt, Win, Ctrl - or they've got dedicated media keys accessible with the left hand so I can adjust/mute volume while gaming.

[Kavik]

I think winkeyless looks better, but I also learnt to adapt to it because I like my Model Ms. With autohotkey, I just remap all the winkey shortcuts to ctrl + alt + whatever. Then I use Ctrl + Esc for the start menu and Shift + F10 for the context menu. The only annoying thing about that is setting the autohotkey scripts to run automatically on boot up for every computer, and the autohotkey scripts don't work in RDP sessions.

[YoshiCaps]

Torpes are mush.

[pixelpusher]

Got my first ever keycap set out of the closet today.  Thick Ducky OEM PBT.

Remember these?


They still feel great!  I think OEM might be my favorite profile for typing.

Makes me excited for the cubic set coming soon.

[zslane]

Feh. Cylindrical is so boring. We hates it, Precious! 

[Duckyreddy]

Got my first ever keycap set out of the closet today.  Thick Ducky OEM PBT.

Remember these?
(Attachment Link)

They still feel great!  I think OEM might be my favorite profile for typing.

Makes me excited for the cubic set coming soon.

Ducky PBT's, beautifully caps aren't they?
 I find OEM as my favourite profle for typing too, you either love it or hate it. 

[typo]

I was a (original) deck fanboy. They could not sell it for $300. It got to $160 and they ceased production. Topre RGB quickly heading the same direction. List is $269. It sold for that. A few days ago there was a code for $179 but right now it is already $199. You would think these companies would think this through. I have a feeling the Topre RGB will cease production within 8 more months or less. My prediction. Yey I loved the Decks and dig the Topre as well. I guess I am the odd man out. More unfortunately I originally paid full price for both. I hoarded more of both but then at discounted prices. The Topre is GMK but as far as ABS goes it is not bad. They are switching all production to this case,switches and key caps. The end of Topre?

[pixelpusher]

Got my first ever keycap set out of the closet today.  Thick Ducky OEM PBT.

Remember these?
(Attachment Link)

They still feel great!  I think OEM might be my favorite profile for typing.

Makes me excited for the cubic set coming soon.

Ducky PBT's, beautifully caps aren't they?
 I find OEM as my favourite profle for typing too, you either love it or hate it. 

I really do like every profile keycap I've ever tried.  Something about OEM is just comfortable though.  I think it's the cylindrical profile... its so comfortable you just want to leave your fingers on the home row

I still think fully sculptured SA is the bee's knees.  Especially on a nice smooth switch like these new Kailh switches (pro purple, box pale blue, and bronze), Gaterons (oooh, thick SAs on my gat greens are lovely), and the newly tooled Cherry blacks.

[kurplop]

Ergonomic Truth #1: If you're hurting your fingers using a conventional keyboard, you're doing it wrong. 

I agree that many issues related to typing comfort can be solved by changing technique. However, unless your arms are naturally tucked in like a kangaroo’s, the textbook style technique is uncomfortable for many people. If you had rsi, ra, cts, or similar, you’d understand. I admit that I can two finger hunt and peck better on a conventional board than my customs. I think if I could type with my hands floating above the keyboard like many do, I’d have less trouble. Unfortunately, my hands have lost much of their sensitivity and need to be pretty much anchored to home position for reference when touch typing.

I think I can safely say that people generally don’t spend many times as much money on an “ergo” keyboard to be trendy or special.

[clappingcactus]

HHKBs and Novatouches feel identical to me.

Realforces, FC660Cs feel different and better.

[Azmodan]

I still do not understand the usefulness of a 60% keyboards, I at least need arrows. Also the excuse of space saving simply is invalid for me. If you do not have space for at least a ten-keyless, where is your monitor?