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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Belfong on Tue, 14 January 2014, 04:20:13

Title: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: Belfong on Tue, 14 January 2014, 04:20:13
Radical!
http://goo.gl/bQVeqo
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 14 January 2014, 04:23:55
Everything about this shouts,  GIMMICK....
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: Belfong on Tue, 14 January 2014, 04:30:52
Well, if the corporate users can accept a 60% keyboard, think what this will result in mainstream keyboard trend!

Somehow, Matias' 60% could also
come out at the right time and could capitalize on this bandwagon.
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: terran5992 on Tue, 14 January 2014, 06:34:24
I thought that it would have used mechanical switches
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: tuxsavvy on Tue, 14 January 2014, 07:29:52
I was pointed this link (well similar) out by another person of another forum. All I can say is this:
To switch between virtual terminals under *nix one needs F1-F12. I am sure the function key has other uses such as certain programs may use them for macro. F1-F12 combined with Ctrl+Alt are almost a necessity. On Lenovo, where? gone!
Closely looking at the keyboard layout, ` and ~ are put somewhere on the bottom of the keyboard. That key is handy for many uses including gaming which in certain FPS the ` is to bring down the console menu, on *nix it is needed for escaping certain contexts and/or the ~ is shortcut for things like home directory. I can imagine there will be joys for one to learn a layout like this, it is more radical than HHKB which I can clearly see has two changes but without sacrificing much due to its small size.

Has Lenovo really gone nuts with this design? in a bid to make the keyboard more compact by sacrificing the size of the keyboard and now to this (ugly) layout for a bigger touchpad. I guess time will tell whether or not will I be forced to eat my own words. Certainly I cannot imagine this sort of keyboard layout would be nice for *nix users without re-mapping a whole bunch of keys. It definitely seems like it is more geared towards windows and maybe those who probably wouldn't do much of anything to do with macros/programming or even gaming (FPS).

I personally do not like this layout, and the lack of certain keys along with yet another weird placement of a fairly commonly used key under *nix is just wrong.
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: Belfong on Tue, 14 January 2014, 07:46:33
Lenovo should have just copied the MacBook Air but minus the function keys. I think they would have had better acceptance from the Windows and Unix crowd. The Mac keyboard is pretty functional in my opinion.
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: vivalarevolución on Tue, 14 January 2014, 11:10:34
Uuuuhhhh.  They should have hired one of us to do some keyboard design consulting.  Home/End thing will not stick.  Just put them on the function layer of Page Up/Page Down, at the very least.

And it's ugly.
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: johndavis33 on Tue, 14 January 2014, 20:10:37
I thought that it would have used mechanical switches

I wouldn't be surprised if Lenovo released some sort of thinkpad model with the old layout and some sort of low profile mechanical switch for the enthusiast typists who love their laptops.
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: graboy on Tue, 14 January 2014, 20:36:55
Thanks for the "innovation", Lenovo, that's exactly what we asked for.
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: dorkvader on Tue, 14 January 2014, 20:41:16
"the company is attempting to evolve the keyboard again"
if by "the company" you mean IBM and if by "again" you mean: did it already in the 1970's, then this is mostly correct.
I thought that it would have used mechanical switches

I wouldn't be surprised if Lenovo released some sort of thinkpad model with the old layout and some sort of low profile mechanical switch for the enthusiast typists who love their laptops.
I would; though I hate Lenovo.
Title: Re: New ThinkPad introduced 60% Keyboard - no F1-F12
Post by: eddie on Tue, 14 January 2014, 20:48:05
"the company is attempting to evolve the keyboard again"
if by "the company" you mean IBM and if by "again" you mean: did it already in the 1970's, then this is mostly correct.
I thought that it would have used mechanical switches

I wouldn't be surprised if Lenovo released some sort of thinkpad model with the old layout and some sort of low profile mechanical switch for the enthusiast typists who love their laptops.
I would; though I hate Lenovo.
Why do you hate Lenovo?