geekhack
geekhack Community => Ergonomics => Topic started by: weazen on Tue, 02 September 2014, 14:40:34
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Long long ago, I purchased my first Kinesis Advantage right here on geekhack http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=15340.0
Since then, I've been using it as my daily keyboard as a Software Engineer and absolutely love it. I want to buy another ergonomic keyboard for home now, and I thought I'd come back and take a look at my options. I noticed that the ErgoDox has become pretty popular, and I'm interested in giving it a try. Putting it together shouldn't be an issue for me, but I'm wondering about the comfort of using it compared against my Kinesis. The Advantage is curved, which makes the distance between my thumb keys and my other fingers reasonable. The ErgoDox looks like the keys are much closer, simply due to the fact that it's not contoured like the Advantage.
Has anyone gone from using the Kinesis Advantage to using the ErgoDox? What are your thoughts on the switch?
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I switched from ErgoDox to Kinesis Advantage and then back.
My complaints about the kinesis were:
- poor remapping capabilities (I need layers, appreciate dual-role modifiers and don't want weird bugs with keys not registering half of the time)
- bulky, curved case (The area in the middle wasn't flat, the fixed angle&width didn't really fit me and I didn't like how it forced me to use the palm rests, but the bottom/front wasn't exactly easy to elevate without a ghetto solution.)
- lack of modifiers (The bottom row couldn't be pressed with thumbs or palms; 1x thumb keys were hard to reach.)
ErgoDox is a much better keyboard for my needs, although the thumb cluster leaves quite a bit to be desired. Nowadays, I'd rather wait for the Axios (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=44940) or watch vvp's Katy (http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/katy-keyboard-or-k80cs-key80-contoured-split-t8524.html) though.
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I'm kind of in the same boat. I'm currently using an Advantage and looking to get an Ergodox. I really enjoy the Advantage, but the split design, more modifiers, real function keys, etc with the Ergodox is very appealing.
I have no idea when the Axios is coming out, so in the meantime the Ergodox looks like the best alternative.
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Nowadays, I'd rather wait for the Axios (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=44940) or watch vvp's Katy (http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/katy-keyboard-or-k80cs-key80-contoured-split-t8524.html) though.
Thanks for pointing me at the Axios. That's a really interesting looking project!