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geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: Icarium on Wed, 01 February 2012, 04:52:47

Title: Kinesis Advantage Bottom Row
Post by: Icarium on Wed, 01 February 2012, 04:52:47
This is a Call for Pictures.

I'm having trouble getting used to the placement of the bottom row on my Kinesis.
Not only do I find those keys pretty hard to reach, I also (yes, contradictory) press them accidentally when looking for the row between. For example I press <- a lot when trying to press 'c'.

This is why it would be nice if some of you could take a little picture or video that shows your hand positioning. Maybe I'm doing something wrong to make it feel so awkward.

Hope somebody will take the time. :)
Title: Kinesis Advantage Bottom Row
Post by: cactux on Wed, 01 February 2012, 04:56:31
Hope this will help
(http://img.tapatalk.com/7b628202-1a58-dd5a.jpg)

There are several videos in yotube as well. Check this out [url]http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCYQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DSDBA4Z4JVoc&ei=-hspT76YOYWriAeqidzEAg&usg=AFQjCNFUbGXwIaJHzWfpLfpb2lhUwyeyNQ[\url]
Title: Kinesis Advantage Bottom Row
Post by: Lanx on Wed, 01 February 2012, 05:05:58
(http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/65/p1030117.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/862/p1030117.jpg/)

i've flipped my bottom row so that i do not get accidental presses cuz of the way the keycaps are structured, the bottom row doesn't "curve" with the keywell and is almost like it's own separate section, and yea i can move fluidly to it like i'm making a fist action.

be warned if you do this, you'll need to shave a few mm off of the kinesis as the flipping doesn't make it fit, i just used trusty x-acto.
Title: Kinesis Advantage Bottom Row
Post by: boli on Wed, 01 February 2012, 05:28:55
Icarium (nice name BTW, greets from Mappo), you're likely not doing anything wrong, it just takes a little time to get used to a matrix layout. Give it a week or two and you might find anything else weird. :)

Interesting mod Lanx.

Fixed the link cactux provided:
[video=youtube;SDBA4Z4JVoc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDBA4Z4JVoc[/video]

The picture cactux posted looks pretty much how I use it too. You can find hi-res versions at the Kinesis Media site (http://kinesis-ergo.com/media.htm), including a side view:
(http://kinesis-ergo.com/images/kb_cont-blk-side-hands134x108.jpg)
Title: Kinesis Advantage Bottom Row
Post by: erw on Wed, 01 February 2012, 05:57:55
Agree with boli: Give it time. I used to hit them accidentally all the time in the beginning as well, but now I think it's pretty good to have the keys nearby :-)
Title: Kinesis Advantage Bottom Row
Post by: moogatronic on Wed, 01 February 2012, 08:52:25
Agreed. The first two weeks for me were very frustrating, as I make frequent use of the brace and bracket keys, as well as the tilde. Now the row feels pretty awesome, and the arrow key placement is good as well. I hit these keys no problem. As per suggestions of others on this forum, I did swap my UP arrow with the DOWN arrow, as it felt more natural, and reduced a lot of cursor movement mistakes.

My biggest gripe so far is that due to some of the thumb key mappings changed, I accidentally hit home and end once in a while. I need to find a better place for them. They're close to my backspace key, which gets constant use.

How long have you been typing on the Advantage, Icarium?

Quote from: erw;505111
Agree with boli: Give it time. I used to hit them accidentally all the time in the beginning as well, but now I think it's pretty good to have the keys nearby :-)
Title: Kinesis Advantage Bottom Row
Post by: Icarium on Wed, 01 February 2012, 10:01:56
I got it a week or two ago so there is still hope. ;)