Confession of a Model M enthusiast

[jpc]

I am really liking the Kinesis Advantage.

People say about the M: I love it, it's fun to use, it is durable, well built, and manly.

People say about the Kinesis: this keyboard saved my career.

After another episode of pain recently I am back on the Kinesis, typing home row in Colemak (at about 20 wpm...) It is very comfortable.

I am optimistic that this is the answer. Time will tell.

[rantenki]

I am really liking the Kinesis Advantage.

People say about the M: I love it, it's fun to use, it is durable, well built, and manly.

People say about the Kinesis: this keyboard saved my career.

After another episode of pain recently I am back on the Kinesis, typing home row in Colemak (at about 20 wpm...) It is very comfortable.

I am optimistic that this is the answer. Time will tell.

It took a while, and I had to remap it a lot, but I am back up to 80 or so WPM, down from 120 or so on the Microsoft disposable 4000. Be patient, it'll work out.

[Lanx]

model m, so hard on the fingers! Ppl love how the model m feels, but this shouldn't be the case for ergo ppl, it's like that scene in Se7en when kevin spacy made that guy wear that thing, and be with the hooker. might seem like it'll feel good, but it'll scar you for life.
at least this is how i picture how a model m would feel to ppl who need an ergo solution. (i have a model m always plugged in and next to me cuz i need a ps2 keyboard and it's the only one i got handy and it takes so much pressure to activate!)

[Hak Foo]

I suspect 'ergonomic' is a function of typing style.  I never learned to type properly, so I type two-fingered.  This means I pound the keys (albeit at 60 wpm or so), so having a design which absorbs a lot of force probably helps-- I find a buckling-spring or white-alps board marginally less bottom-out prone than the blue-cherry board I'm on now.  OTOH, there's not really going to be any wrist-wear savings by having a different shape or layout, so the split layout means nothing.  For me, the most ergonomic board is probably a Focus 9000 with the programmable keys set up to spare me a few common strokes.

[Tony]

Seconded. Ergonomic keyboards are for typists who type with full hands and see that the wrists angle are too tights and need a more ergonomic keyboard.

Pity that ergonomic mechanical keyboards are quite rare.

[iMav]

Seconded. Ergonomic keyboards are for typists who type with full hands and see that the wrists angle are too tights and need a more ergonomic keyboard.

Pity that ergonomic mechanical keyboards are quite rare.

The selection is minimal, but they are not rare.  Kinesis 'boards are readily available.  

After an awkward several weeks, I now absolutely LOVE my Kinesis Advantage.

[jpc]

Yeah the Kinesis Advantage has been in production since 1992 (under different names) and still is.

The Northgate evolution that seems to pop up on ebay often enough.

I get that data hands and M15s are rare. (Is datahand considered mech?)

What the Kinesis does -- supplementing the cherry brown with an audible click -- is just about perfect. I don't miss BS.

[ironman31]

(Is datahand considered mech?)

I would say so, just because it's not membrane rubber dome. If Topre is considered "mechanical" then the data hand's magnets should be too.

edit: Has anyone tried a Maltron two handed? Or are they supposed to be about the same as the Advantage?

[keyb_gr]

Well, as much as I love my M, using one when you've got wrist problems isn't a terribly good idea - and I was stuck with one in such a situation, with no good alternatives in sight. Awfully glad to be back on blues.

[jpc]

It took a while, and I had to remap it a lot, but I am back up to 80 or so WPM, down from 120 or so on the Microsoft disposable 4000. Be patient, it'll work out.

Any tips on remapping the Kinesis? Are you writing natural language or code?

I am a programmer but mostly my life consists of answering email.