geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: wfaulk on Fri, 27 August 2010, 17:28:47
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I don't know what to call this, so I may have failed to find a previous thread on this exact subject, but does anyone have a survey of the curves of the key layouts of various keyboards?
I know I'm doing a terrible job of explaining what I'm talking about, so maybe some pictures will help.
See how this image of a Matias TactilePro 3 (http://matias.ca/tactilepro3/viewer/?p=2) shows that the rows of keys are set at different heights and angles?
I've previously been too lazy to swap out my crappy OEM keyboards at work, until I got this new Dell POS keyboard (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/I_O_Devices/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=330-5317). (Not "Point of Sale".) I kinda like the design of the case — very minimal — but the keys are absolutely flat to each other, despite being normal membrane switches, as opposed to a scissors laptop-like mechanism, and the feet are uselessly short. It's the most miserable typing experience I've ever had.
I'm going to get a decent keyboard of some nature; I haven't decided on the mechanism yet. BS is probably too loud for my office, but right now my biggest concern is whether my hands are going to be crippled or not.
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Thanks, that was helpful. I don't suppose anyone has a list of what keyboard has what layout, do they? Probably easier to come to a decision and then ask to make sure it isn't something I'm going to hate.
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I took this from signature plastics website, it shows basic types.
(http://keycapsdirect.com/images/faq/FamilyProfilesLG.jpg)
http://keycapsdirect.com/faq.php (http://keycapsdirect.com/faq.php)
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Sorry. I took "most" to mean "more than half", not "nearly all".
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Taken to its logical extreme, the keyboard with the most curve is a Kinesis Contoured/Advantage.