geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: dougy on Mon, 22 December 2008, 19:08:53
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So I've been thinking about building (mod) my ultimate keyboard and wondering about spacebars. I only use my right thumb, and would be quite happy with a much smaller key, and a much tougher spring. Am I alone with using only the one thumb? Is there a reason the bar needs to be bigger than a double wide key? And last, all the keyboards I've got have a convex spacebar with all the other keys being concave. I think thats the right way to go, but would like to know what others think.
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I think the spacebar is current established size to accommodate the large audience with a mixed use of left- and right-hand action. I use only my right thumb myself (being a rightie), unless I'm jamming out multiple spaces, in which case I use both thumbs, alternating, like a drum roll.
There are also cultural/linguistic differences w/r/t spacebars. Just look at a keyboard with a Japanese layout and you'll see what I mean.
(http://www.pfu.fujitsu.com/hhkeyboard/lineup/images/thumb_pdkb420b_l.jpg)
If you are building a keyboard strictly for yourself, then there's no reason why you can't do exactly what you want.
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I use only my right thumb. I like a medium sized spacebar (from C key to M key). This is because I use the alt keys as hot keys and need to reach them with my thumbs.
THis is an ongoing problem for me in my keyboard search because so many older boards (ibm m's for instance) have a spacebar just slightly too long for me (the right side extends all the way to the ">" key).
This is why I need a modern layout (which then becomes hard to find with the old classical switches). Thats the problem I always face.
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The space bar on my G84-4100 is quite small (55mm wide). I've never minded it. I only use my left thumb. I think it usually hits the space bar under the V and B keys so it could be a little smaller.
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And last, all the keyboards I've got have a convex spacebar with all the other keys being concave. I think thats the right way to go, but would like to know what others think.
I'd prefer a convex space bar, it's the only key I press with my thumb. I've noticed that the whole bottom row on Dell keyboards are convex but I prefer concave, it feels better for my fingers to have that dip.