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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: okyup on Sat, 26 May 2012, 04:33:11
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Hi all,
I've been considering purchasing a Kinesis Advantage based on all the great reviews it has. One of my main concerns is that the keys might be cramped and difficult/awkward for people with larger hands to use. Can anyone comment on that?
My other concern is that +/= is in a weird spot. I am a software developer so I will be using this key a lot.
Can anyone comment on this?
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Okyup,
I wear xl or xxl gloves (depending on who makes the gloves...) and the advantage works out just fine for me. Feels much less cramped than most conventional keyboards.
I'd agree that +/= is in a strange place. If you use it often, like most programmers, you'll just get used to it quicker. You can always remap the board, though.
Try to get it from somewhere that will accept returns. It's quite a change and it'll take some time to get used to it - give yourself at least a week - pref. 2 weeks.
Let us know what you decide.
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Most common complaint with the advantage is the function keys (and I'd agree). You could always get yourself a programmable numpad (cherry g84-4700 for instance) and plonk it in the middle.
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I've also got large hands (XXL gloves here, too, at least for the width). It took me a few weeks to get used to the key layout, but the keyboard doesn't feel at all cramped now. My only size-related complaint is that if you've also got wide shoulders, you may wish that you could adjust the angles of the keywell and thumb areas.
Despite that, this keyboard has been working out much better for me than the old Goldtouch split keyboard that I used before I got the Kinesis Advantage. The Advantage doesn't have the adjustability, but the mechanical keys, contoured wells, and thumb keys seem to more than compensate.
The function keys are as bad as hoggy says. I go out of my way to avoid using them. The bracket keys are in weird spots too if you're a programmer. There are remapping suggestions in some of the other Kinesis-related threads.
Kinesis offers a 60 day money back guarantee on keyboards purchased from them. They told me when I visited that their return rate is very low. I don't remember the exact number now, but it was in the low single digits.
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Thx for the feedback. I rarely use the function keys so that's no problem.
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Hi okyup, welcome to Geekhack. I rarely use F keys myself, but this keyboard has a 2nd layer, which you can program independently of the first, so what I did was make my number row send the corresponding F key when I activate the 2nd layer.
Which model are you leaning on, the regular one, or the LF with the cherry red (soft / linear) switches?
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Depending on your typing habits the +/= key is in a very weird spot. You cannot reach it when your palms are resting on the board. I also dislike the positions of the lowest row as I can't seem to accurately find back to the other keys from there but I seem to be the only one with that problem.
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I also dislike the positions of the lowest row as I can't seem to accurately find back to the other keys from there but I seem to be the only one with that problem.
You're not the only one. That's one of the reasons that I think the brackets keys are in a pretty inconvenient place (and especially ']'). Hmm... Getting back from that bottom row is only a problem on my right hand. Odd.
On the other hand, number keys are much easier for me to reach on this board compared to a standard one. So overall it's positive.