OK. Where's the demonstration video? :DHeh, I will try and upload one. I would probably have to have an iPad mounted next to my fingers while typing, as I don't have much help. Will get on it. First I'll upload some pictures, then a video.
I was looking at the TECK's website because of our well known troll 'Architect' and I saw how they advertised their keyboard as better for the hand posture because straight boards have people whose hands are straight. However, I recently had an epiphany, well before I saw this post, that one could simply angle their arms differently to produce the exact same effect as a TECK, minus the rise of the keys in the second dimension. I used to type with my arms angled in and wrists straight, as illustrated in the diagram, but I switched to letting my hands fall diagonally onto the keyboard, which I believe is the optimal position for typing and ergonomics.
What brings me the most wrist pain is reaching laterally or diagonally upwards, because the fingers are by nature hinge joints and thus impossible to move laterally without angling the hand. With a 45-degree angle coming onto the board, one can reach diagonally or horizontally with almost no wrist movement, and the hands themselves are in a more comfortable position. I say this as a 130+ typist, who does a lot of writing and type-testing daily. Before, my hands would sometimes deaden in the middle of a minute long test (I'm still a teenager, so I would think that it is probably not age-related), but now my wrists and hands feel very comfortable. Most notably, the keys that the wrist has to move for is lessened. Normally, I reach for (on QWERTY) T, Y, V, B, G, and H, but using the new hand position, with my fingers resting (again in QWERTY terms) on ASDF for the left hand and NKL; on my right- now I reach for T, Y, B, and G. I would say in theory that JIOP would be better for QWERTY typists, as I use Dvorak, but I can't type above seventy on it so I couldn't be sure.
Just a suggestion for those not willing to get an Ergo keyboard but would like their wrists to feel better after typing. And somewhat to laugh at Architect.
The trouble with the staggered flat layout is the T-Key and Y-Key...
Even with a diagonal hand position, transitions to and from those important keys require a wrist motion lift, or shoulder lift..
This is where something like the ergodox greatly surpasses all other keyboards.
Its ability to "tent" the center, makes the T and Y keys comfortably reachable without lifts.
The best thing you can do, if you're stuck with a staggered physical layout, is a wide layout mod. It's ridiculous how much one column separation helps.
For me, the main reason to go with a symmetric layout is that it's intuitive. I just move my hand forward, and those number row keys are just under my fingers... no more desperate trying to find the right parenthesis or equal sign. BTW that's probably why there are quite a few matrix keyboards marketed towards kids or elderly people—they almost certainly don't touch type, but there's at least some logic in symmetric layout, making it suitable for hunt'n'peckers.
your wrists and arm making a single line is optimal. Moving the wrists down is ok, moving them up is bad.
Typing without moving your arms (typing on a rest) is bad. Period.
Using your pinkies for modifiers is not optimal (or so much pinky work, ask emacs users that had RSI).
your wrists and arm making a single line is optimal. Moving the wrists down is ok, moving them up is bad.
Typing without moving your arms (typing on a rest) is bad. Period.
Using your pinkies for modifiers is not optimal (or so much pinky work, ask emacs users that had RSI).
First part I agree. With this layout. the wrists don't move around, just the fingers.
Second part is irrelevant, but either way I disagree. Users who switch to Dvorak and Colemak without fail report highly reduced RSI, and the loss of movement in arms obviously doesn't bother them. I type nearly without moving my arms at 120-140 speeds with this position and my pain is nonexistent, just finger fatigue from typing from extended periods of time at maximum speed.
Third part, I don't really know the veracity. I don't commonly use modifier keys while typing, so I generally move my whole hand if I want to use alt, and let my pinky/thumb actuate it. It always seemed to be the most comfortable solution, unless I am mistaken.
One of the secretaries at work has the keyboard at a 30 degree angle (flat on the desk, but the left side of the board is close and the right side is further away). The left wrist is straight, but the right hand has the fingers resting on the home keys at an angle. It works for her at least.
The best thing you can do, if you're stuck with a staggered physical layout, is a wide layout mod. It's ridiculous how much one column separation helps.
For me, the main reason to go with a symmetric layout is that it's intuitive. I just move my hand forward, and those number row keys are just under my fingers... no more desperate trying to find the right parenthesis or equal sign. BTW that's probably why there are quite a few matrix keyboards marketed towards kids or elderly people—they almost certainly don't touch type, but there's at least some logic in symmetric layout, making it suitable for hunt'n'peckers.
I wouldn't be too keen on a non-staggered, because my hands are not aligned perpendicular to the keyboard. Therefore when I reach forwards (up) it is not directly up, i.e. north. Symmetrical layouts are only good if they run perpendicular to the hand, like on the ErgoDox. A flat keyboard without staggering would seem very unergonomic to me. The staggering allows me to feel the row and the symbol; although I can touch type, if there was no obvious change between the '/= and '[]', I wouldn't be able to find the number row '[]'. The differing sizes of the keys helps with this a lot, but non-staggered makes your hands reach diagonally in relation to the finger orientation, which doesn't seem effective.
The standard staggering isn't consistent across the board, though.
The keyboards are Access-IS AKC090 (http://www.access-is.com/pdf/AKC090_Programmable_Keyboard.pdf). They turn up on ebay every so often.
The Advantage and the Maltrons are a indeed a step up from the re-programmed pos boards.
Heh, ironic that I'd put up an RSI post and a new hand position. Given that I'd already had minor symptoms, I can't attribute it to the position, and while I feel that it is helpful, I can't be entirely sure.
Heh, ironic that I'd put up an RSI post and a new hand position. Given that I'd already had minor symptoms, I can't attribute it to the position, and while I feel that it is helpful, I can't be entirely sure.
Dude, take care. Do you know about stretch exercises? Thats the best cure for RSI keyboard/mouse related.
And, take it easy with the mouse. It will hurt you even if your injury wasn't mouse related.
Heh, ironic that I'd put up an RSI post and a new hand position. Given that I'd already had minor symptoms, I can't attribute it to the position, and while I feel that it is helpful, I can't be entirely sure.
Dude, take care. Do you know about stretch exercises? Thats the best cure for RSI keyboard/mouse related.
And, take it easy with the mouse. It will hurt you even if your injury wasn't mouse related.
Thank you. I'm going to try an see the doctor this weekend and ask him if there are any solutions for this.
Show Image(http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae356/hoggyboard/Split-both.jpg)
Is that a potato?!
Thanks kaltar, hopefully I'll get everything done by this weekend. I've gotten to where I can't even type ten minutes at full speed..
Is that a potato?!
It's MacGyver's keyboard. It was done with potatoes, a stick of bamboo and the switches are made with real cherries! ;D
I had a dragon fruit in the kitchen last week, I should have re-taken the photo.
I think my intention was to crop the image - but never got around to it...
Is that a potato?!
It's MacGyver's keyboard. It was done with potatoes, a stick of bamboo and the switches are made with real cherries! ;D
I had a dragon fruit in the kitchen last week, I should have re-taken the photo.
I think my intention was to crop the image - but never got around to it...
I had a dragon fruit in the kitchen last week, I should have re-taken the photo.
I think my intention was to crop the image - but never got around to it...
Wait a second, in those POS keyboards, can you place the keys where you want and put blank spaces where you want them???
What keyboard are those? What model? What type of switches are those used?
I had a dragon fruit in the kitchen last week, I should have re-taken the photo.
I think my intention was to crop the image - but never got around to it...
Wait a second, in those POS keyboards, can you place the keys where you want and put blank spaces where you want them???
What keyboard are those? What model? What type of switches are those used?
Pretty much. You can uncover/cover switches and reprogram them. Take a look here - http://www.access-is.com/ and http://www.access-is.com/programmable_pos_keyboard.php#EPOS_QWERTY.
The ones in the pictures are the AKC090 model.