Do most coders prefer 60.65% boards and why?

[typo]

I can be caught coding on a 65% Korean or HHKB. I just follow my co-workers. I never really knew why coders are all using them? It does seem to be the norm amongst us. not even for portability. although I think that is what started it. I was just wondering if you folks(coders or not) feel most coders prefer 60,65% or HHKB and why you think that might be? I like HHKB because for some reason I get higher WPM as long as I do not have to use FN keys. Which I usually don't. Otherwise going to a full size Topre is like a breathe of fresh air to me. Many people actually really prefer them though? I am wondering what the allure is other than portability? You will find most very high end kits are 60,65% too. I am honest, I do not understand why they are so coveted. I would think bigger is always better. For the record, the reason I brought this up is because I am typing this on a high end Korean 67 key I received a few hours ago. Although compared to my full size Realforce it just feels wimpy in size. I will say the case and workmanship blow away s stock HHKB though. It even came with a USB cable that can tow a 25,000 pound truck. all that aside I was just wondering why so many people actually do prefer these if given a choice? Thank you for listening

[Sup]

Ergonomics. You don't have to lift your arm for a function just FN+The key for the function. Also more mouse space and your arms are closer what is also better when using your mouse.

But if i was a coder i would have probably bought a kinesis advantage or something.

[typo]

OH, I really do not like ergo boards. I do tend to mistype more on 65% and I am already known as "typo". I write hundreds of lines of bad code I do not get paid for as it is. I do agree with what you said. Do not move arms as much is much healthier. Less likely injury. I do tend to also get much higher WPM which I guess is also explainable. Due to everything being closer together. Although with more typo's. Until I start using FN. Luckily I do not need FN much for my work. I guess that is the secret. Since in our line of work we tend to type much more we are concerned about injuries and longevity of jobs. do you think if I keep logging hours typo's will go down?

I really only have maybe 5,000 hours on 60 to 87 key and HHKB. That is not much if you know coding. It is juts discouraging me with the mistypes. I really love the Korean and the HHKB though. Maybe even more than my customized Topre RGB. The Korean is honestly the best built board I have ever seen. It was a kit. I am not sure who made it. I got it unassembled second hand. The bottom brass plate just has a dollar sign and says "make money". It is hot swap. I put Halo true's in it. I might even like it better than the HHKB. it is as close as an MX can get to Topre but never bottom out that I hate. It has 67 keys and separate arrow keys! you could not even think of twisting it. So I am just saying I really want to get the hang of it. Do you think I eventfully will or does it work for most people the very first time? OH, btw I use a trackball and like it 10" away from the board. just feels natural to me. Sill the compact board reduces arm movement which should be a big deal. I juts cannot use a ergo board though.

Sup, I really wanted to thank you for being nice this time. Maybe you could just tell Wallie I have some issues but I mean well. I do not know why he hates me so much. So I do not convey my thoughts very well. I try my best. Thank you

[yuppie]

I've been on a 65% for a long time and recently branched out to 60% (Alice) and WKL just to mix things up.

WKL gives me more "breathing room" and feels really nice lately. My 65%'s are feeling a little crammed in comparison.

Ergonomics comes into play big time, because the one WKL I have right now is a very relaxed angle. 3.5 or 4 degree? (KFE).

The Alice is also very nice for extended typing sessions too.

I think it's whatever feels best to you after 10 hours of typing.

[el_murdoque]

For coding, as for most other things, I prefer the classic 100% layout. It might be because I've too much experience on those and became too old to adapt to something new quickly.
It might also be that I more or less have my things optimised for my personal taste and don't see too much advantage in using a smaller keyboard.
At work, I also will have to do a lot of spreadsheet work and for that, both the nav cluster and num pad are essential. Those keys often prevent me from reaching for the mouse.
When I code, I use keyboard commands for nearly everything and the main job of the mouse is to shift the window focus, which is set to whatever window the cursor hovers above.
So I often just give the mouse just a small shove into a general direction without properly touching it. I pivot my right arm around the point where it rests on the table, so it swings back to the home position on the keyboard without using any unnecessary muscles or taking my eyes off the screen.
 

[M3SS3NG3R]

^^^ This. I code for a living and I do it with either TKL or 100%. 100% is useful because I also work with databases on the side and having no numpad is annoying when you have to input primary keys by hand. For pure coders I can understand it if they are very proficient with working in a VIM-like environment so they don't need things like Home or End when programming. Otherwise using a 60% keyboard is just gimping your own productivity that far outweighs whatever ergonomics benefit a small keyboard may provide IMO. If someone really needs the ergonomics he should be getting a split keyboard with tenting anyway. Personally I will always choose functionality over form for a work setup.

[mode]

I write code all day long and still prefer fullsize given the option, but am fine tkl as tbh the only thing I like about the numpad is numpad enter. Staying in one position long term is uncomfortable, I've no desire to enable a total lack of movement.

[typo]

I knew it. See I am torn. By far my nicest and really expensive Korean board is 67 key. I much prefer 105+ key. I program everything from C#-VBS to Java, It is a pain. I keep mistyping. This is why all the bad code. It is not funny because I am losing money here. Why do I find all the fanciest boards are 65% though? I want a killer kit that is 105+. Yes, the keyboard matters to me. That is the entire theme of this site!

[yuppie]

Time to bust out that full-size Topre Realforce

[mode]

Fanciness be damned, is it nice to use? if not, it's worthless to you.

[heyitsqi]

As I started to code more and got more into mech keyboards I got more into the fully customized software side. Now with programmable keys and layers I do just fine on a 60% in my day to day coding. Best mappings?

Space Cadet Shifts
Control/ESC + HJKL arrows

[benfrain]

I’m a front end dev. 65% my current favourite layout.
ESC a row closer than TKL (I use Vim), as is backspace.
Never use F keys so don’t miss them. Still keep an arrow key cluster but with 65% in a more accessible place than HHKB

Topre switches still great though. An aluminium FC660 with QMK support would be pretty special for me!

[Findecanor]

Depends on what editor you use. I wouldn't survive in MS Visual Studio without at least a tenkeyless.

[typo]

I want to stick with my Korean 67 key really. It is a dream. nothing is built like this. If I dropped it I would break my foot. It is completely solid very thick Titanium, anodized. It has an external brass plate. It does not have feet. The whole board bottom is curved! The only downside is it is hot swap but I crimped the legs after install. I used Drop Halo True switches. You really just need to try them before you can speak. closest MX to Topre ever but never bottom out. No wobble at all. 80-100 million MTBF. Perfect for me. I actually like them better than my longstanding Topre addiction. I have been using it all weekend and already getting more accurate. I think the key is just keep using it. It is RGB. I have PBT doubleshot keys. Even the spacebar! Plus they are German not Chinese.

I just wish I knew who made this board. The brass plate has a $ symbol and it reads "Make Money". I paid $3,250 for the unassembled kit. I do not know if it was worth it but there were 24 bids and it took that to win. So it must have been.  You can tell this board just oozes quality. I am not at all bragging. I am just saying why I am trying so hard to like 65%. Ordinarily I would use a Realforce full size. Always have, The layout suits me fine. the issue was mistypes. I am getting much better though. It looks like it is a tossup now. Some like the mini's others full size. Plus this is a very small sample. It seems across the board most coders prefer 60-65% these day's. If you look on Amazon they are selling more of those than anything else. I figure that would kind of speak for itself. I am not really partial to any format board. The issue for me on this was the mistypes. I think I just typed this entire post without a correction though! Practice makes perfect. I mean once I had to learn to type to begin with. Then as time went by I got better at it. It was about 7 years before I was exceptionally proficient at it. I appreciate all of your input here.

[mode]

Depends on what editor you use. I wouldn't survive in MS Visual Studio without at least a tenkeyless.

Same with intellij. I very regularly use 3-4 key shortcuts, adding layering into the mix would be awful.

[Surefoot]

Same with intellij. I very regularly use 3-4 key shortcuts, adding layering into the mix would be awful.

Same here. I need a 75% at least, as there are multi modifier shortcuts already. Using function keys is frequent too in web development.

[typo]

I don't really have a issue with t. I code Java too. It just slows down my WPM. I forgo to mention though that this board is highly programmable for that very reason. Any key can do up to 512 key level macros. It has a 64 bit 4 core 8 GB processor. This is not n inexpensive off the shelf board. So it really is no issue. My issue was mistypes. After a weekend of use that problem is all but gone and I really like these switches. Maybe even more than Topre! I am not kidding. Thy were designed for people that like Topre but do not like to bottom out(me). No, they do not feel just like capacitive but they grew on me. I really wanted to like this board due to the build quality and now I guess I actually do finally. The construction of this board dwarfs an HHKB. Which BTW, HHKB is more popular with coders than the 104UB. The HHKB is more akin to 60-65% than is the 104UB of course It is just Topre's answer to it. Actually I think it is even smaller? I have 5 of the various versions.

To me this board takes the cake. I wish I knew whom made it and if I had paid the right(very high) price. If anyone has any idea I would appreciate a clue.  As I said the shiny brass plate on the bottom only has a $ symbol and states "Make Money".  it weighs 12.2 pounds! has a detachable USB C and came with the nicest red Paracord I have ever seen. The actual USB C connector it says is platinum. It came with a cheat card for the built in 1,000 stock shortcuts. Including all RGB. You could pick from many key sets. Mine are a black and gray combination. The sides of the case go all the way up the sides of he keys which is kind of odd. You would never twist this though. Camera and phone are in car right now.  I am naked LOL. Okay, too much information   I am just describing the board in  case anyone can say AH-HA! I know what that is.

Anyways the only thing keeping me from liking this board was not the format but rather my ability to reliably type on it. It looks like I have now mostly solved that problem. I imagine by next weekend it will be completely solved. So I am a happy camper now. Even though I have mentioned before that my own customized Topre RGB that some feel does not even exist is my grail this is simply a much better board. I would honestly rather use this. For the switches alone. coming off of Topre and not just the RGB I think that says a heck of a lot about these switches. Of course YMMV on that. Many may still feel Topre is outright superior.  My big deal is bottoming out. Which is unavoidable with Topre. These fix that. So right there these win for me. It is not like comparing a MX brown. these actually do feel very close IMO. Which was thought to never be done with a MX switch. So everyone prefers the format they do. Me, I was not partial to any format.  Given that, and that I really wanted to make use of this board I am quite pleased. Others might even find this particular board useable given he macro ability. I am not trying to sell anyone on it though. It is all mine! I am quite pleased now. You guys actually did help me. It is because I opened this thread that I can now make use of it. In fact I have not even scratched the surface of what this board is capable of. So far I only have 8 very simple macros,templates setup.I guess the software for this board is that QMK or whatever it is. Browser editor. I have done everything on the board it self though. It was easy. For me at least.

I do not think I am the odd man out because right now 60-65% seem to be the biggest seller amongst everyone not even just coders. Well I mean on Mechanical. So I would say gamers and coders mostly. I found it odd so many of you prefer full size. It may just be the nature of this thread that attracted you. Not sure. Right now I am very pleased! there is but one caveat. With the RGB on lowest to save the LED's it is much better at night than during the day. I had mentioned I feel more confident if I can see the legends even though I touch type just fine. During the day, due to the color scheme some are almost impossible to see with the lighting on low. I would rather not ramp it up just for the day. Anyways, I am tickled pink. Thank you guy's!

[typo]

I see it depends on the store. Some heavy on one, some the other. Korean is all mini. It seems mini is associated with coders. I think Happy Hacking is self explanatory. I just want to justify it really. I am now proficient on it. I am glad because it is my "finest" board. At least I feel that way. AFAIK there is no full size built like this. For a 67 key of Titanium to weigh nearly 13#,,,,,,

[treeleaf64]

I see it depends on the store. Some heavy on one, some the other. Korean is all mini. It seems mini is associated with coders. I think Happy Hacking is self explanatory. I just want to justify it really. I am now proficient on it. I am glad because it is my "finest" board. At least I feel that way. AFAIK there is no full size built like this. For a 67 key of Titanium to weigh nearly 13#,,,,,,

Yes, the HHKB is great. My father likes the layout (he wants one) because of the placement of the Control, and Backspace. More ergonomic.

[typo]

I would go so far as to say some Korean's are even better! The HHKB is plenty good enough. Almost all of my co-workers use it. Plus when I go to other large companies 300 people in a room are using it too. I think that speaks for itself. I gather most coders prefer a mini. A full size is for like accounting, Lawyers. Some coders have a keypad though. I have no use for it. FN is fine with me.

[treeleaf64]

I would go so far as to say some Korean's are even better! The HHKB is plenty good enough. Almost all of my co-workers use it. Plus when I go to other large companies 300 people in a room are using it too. I think that speaks for itself. I gather most coders prefer a mini. A full size is for like accounting, Lawyers. Some coders have a keypad though. I have no use for it. FN is fine with me.

Yep, also you have to remember coders work in a cubicle usually, so they don't have a lot of desk space. An HHKB is small and will serve them well for that kind of space.

[mode]

I would go so far as to say some Korean's are even better! The HHKB is plenty good enough. Almost all of my co-workers use it. Plus when I go to other large companies 300 people in a room are using it too. I think that speaks for itself. I gather most coders prefer a mini. A full size is for like accounting, Lawyers. Some coders have a keypad though. I have no use for it. FN is fine with me.

Yep, also you have to remember coders work in a cubicle usually, so they don't have a lot of desk space. An HHKB is small and will serve them well for that kind of space.

This isn't true in the west, my wife and I both work together in tech, she uses an IBM model F122  and still has space for the rest of her stuff! I've never even seen a cubicle in person.

[el_murdoque]

When I was coding more professionally (as in going into the office multiple times per week) the coders were using mostly old school gear, for some reason the old Apple keyboards were very popular and every office had at least one model M or F clacking happily all day long. TKL was a thing, as was blacked out keycaps, but 60% was near to non existent.
I look at these super compact boards and it somehow tickles something inside.
I want one, but I could not tell why. I once replaced a keyboard because the comma on the num pad was broken.
   

[zslane]

I don't know how anyone could possibly answer this question. There are, what, millions of coders out there? I would even venture to say that the coders in this community don't necessarily reflect the coding population at large, at least in terms of keyboard preferences. In fact, I'd say that "most coders" have no preference at all.

[typo]

Very good answer!

[trashpanda]

I would go so far as to say some Korean's are even better! The HHKB is plenty good enough. Almost all of my co-workers use it. Plus when I go to other large companies 300 people in a room are using it too. I think that speaks for itself. I gather most coders prefer a mini. A full size is for like accounting, Lawyers. Some coders have a keypad though. I have no use for it. FN is fine with me.

Yep, also you have to remember coders work in a cubicle usually, so they don't have a lot of desk space. An HHKB is small and will serve them well for that kind of space.

and a lot of coders (yours truly, for example) work in open-concept offices. My small team has accepted my keyboard as one of my amusing quirks, but if I tried anything louder than a cherry brown I think I'd be pulled aside and given a stern talking-to.

[treeleaf64]

I would go so far as to say some Korean's are even better! The HHKB is plenty good enough. Almost all of my co-workers use it. Plus when I go to other large companies 300 people in a room are using it too. I think that speaks for itself. I gather most coders prefer a mini. A full size is for like accounting, Lawyers. Some coders have a keypad though. I have no use for it. FN is fine with me.

Yep, also you have to remember coders work in a cubicle usually, so they don't have a lot of desk space. An HHKB is small and will serve them well for that kind of space.

and a lot of coders (yours truly, for example) work in open-concept offices. My small team has accepted my keyboard as one of my amusing quirks, but if I tried anything louder than a cherry brown I think I'd be pulled aside and given a stern talking-to.

Cherry brown isn't the quietest switch, but I understand your predicament. The best thing to do in a "silent" office is to use silent tactiles so you know when the actuation point is, and you can at least reduce some of the downward force it takes to bottom out.

[trashpanda]

I would go so far as to say some Korean's are even better! The HHKB is plenty good enough. Almost all of my co-workers use it. Plus when I go to other large companies 300 people in a room are using it too. I think that speaks for itself. I gather most coders prefer a mini. A full size is for like accounting, Lawyers. Some coders have a keypad though. I have no use for it. FN is fine with me.

Yep, also you have to remember coders work in a cubicle usually, so they don't have a lot of desk space. An HHKB is small and will serve them well for that kind of space.

and a lot of coders (yours truly, for example) work in open-concept offices. My small team has accepted my keyboard as one of my amusing quirks, but if I tried anything louder than a cherry brown I think I'd be pulled aside and given a stern talking-to.

Cherry brown isn't the quietest switch, but I understand your predicament. The best thing to do in a "silent" office is to use silent tactiles so you know when the actuation point is, and you can at least reduce some of the downward force it takes to bottom out.

thankfully we're a "headphones on" kind of office so I can get away with browns for now :-)

[trashpanda]

speaking of work keyboards though, i'm so envious of people with sexy keyboard cases and switches, as I just can't get by without a full keyboard with a numpad at work. going super custom would get so so expensive.

[ElectricKaibutsu]

Generally full size since I work in Visual Studio and so end up using the function keys a lot. Also my company uses ID numbers often, although it doesn't really matter when writing code, when looking into issues I end up using the number pad a lot to enter these in. But, saying that, I just moved into a role that involves less writing code and ended up picking up a 65%. I'm still going to have to grab a separate num pad though. A buddy of mine at my company is a DBA and also has a 65% with a separate num pad.

[grantus]

speaking of work keyboards though, i'm so envious of people with sexy keyboard cases and switches, as I just can't get by without a full keyboard with a numpad at work. going super custom would get so so expensive.

I'm 100% the same. I have a full-size realforce R1 at work. Most people think it looks like I've brought out something from the 1980s even though it's brand new. I have a 60% at home that I like to use but given that I work with numbers and Excel all day (finance) it would be a joke to my productivity if I tried to use a 60% or even a TKL at work.

Ideally I would like a compact fullsize keyboard (must have F keys, arrows, numpad, remove all the other stuff like home button, pageup/down etc) with a Lenovo trackpoint on it. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that so it would need to be a custom job and I don't know who does something like that.

[walie]

speaking of work keyboards though, i'm so envious of people with sexy keyboard cases and switches, as I just can't get by without a full keyboard with a numpad at work. going super custom would get so so expensive.

I'm 100% the same. I have a full-size realforce R1 at work. Most people think it looks like I've brought out something from the 1980s even though it's brand new. I have a 60% at home that I like to use but given that I work with numbers and Excel all day (finance) it would be a joke to my productivity if I tried to use a 60% or even a TKL at work.

Ideally I would like a compact fullsize keyboard (must have F keys, arrows, numpad, remove all the other stuff like home button, pageup/down etc) with a Lenovo trackpoint on it. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that so it would need to be a custom job and I don't know who does something like that.

Maybe our friend Typo here can hook you up with the people who made his one-of-a-kind keyboard that nobody else has.

[typo]

Very funny Walie. It is not a joke. Sure, they will do it for you. It is Tecnova in Gurnee IL. It will cost you plenty. It is for real. They hate one off's. They will do it though. Mine went through the roof because I wanted the dies destroyed which is why I am also not posting it. Like I said though this one is way nicer.

I have so many boards I am at no loss. I can swap anytime. I now love this 67 key though. Since at first I could not even use it, now I am hitting obscene WPM on it.

I think the best setup would be a 65 or 80% and a numpad. I don't need a numpad at the moment though. I am enjoying being close to the trackball. I was a bit worried keys were missing but FN honestly has every key on a full-size. I am digging the keycaps I got yesterday. Vintage Japanese theme on Korean Board LOL.

[sypl]

I've found the numpad on a 100% mostly useless (I don't do data entry) but have found an excellent use for it. I'm currently using two external monitors and so (with laptop) have three screens total. Switching between apps can be a bit of a pain, whether with cmd+tab or a mouse (even set to highest sensitivity). Solution? Assign each app to a numpad key. Really speeds things up a lot I find. You could also do this with a 40%, but you'd really have to find some free combination, and my experience has been that small keyboards already have a lot of them occupied.

[typo]

Mine is setup that mouse just jumps right across all three 4K displays. No KVM. Just 12 outputs of video cards utilizing only 3 displays. It is software allowing this. I do not have to press anything on keyboard to switch displays. I too find an external numpad much better.

[trashpanda]

OK here's a tangential Q that's been bugging me --- I get the layer thing with function keys, but how to HHKB people function without ARROW KEYS??? having to press two keys for "down" or "up" would drive me bananas.

[Maledicted]

OK here's a tangential Q that's been bugging me --- I get the layer thing with function keys, but how to HHKB people function without ARROW KEYS??? having to press two keys for "down" or "up" would drive me bananas.

Same

[shadowku]

Most coders I know just use whatever keyboard they already have. I'd say only about 25% of them have "mechanical" keyboards, and of those, 90% of them are full size or TKL.
Then you have the enthusiasts who range all over the place from splits, 60%, 65%, etc.

Quite a few coders at my workplace just use the super-flat keyboard on their MacBooks even when hooked up to a monitor (monstrous, I know).

I just use a HHKB. I don't find the ergonomics that different from a 65% or even from a TKL.
Sometimes I'll switch to my FC980C if I need to do more number stuff or if I need more F keys for some reason (usually for gaming).
I do not have an issue with switching keyboards, even mid workflow though.

[Maledicted]

Quite a few coders at my workplace just use the super-flat keyboard on their MacBooks even when hooked up to a monitor (monstrous, I know).

Those "keyboards" are abominations, which must all be cleansed from the face of this earth for the good of humanity.

[depletedvespene]

Quite a few coders at my workplace just use the super-flat keyboard on their MacBooks even when hooked up to a monitor (monstrous, I know).

Those "keyboards" are abominations, which must all be cleansed from the face of this earth for the good of humanity.

Those abominations must not even be called "keyboards" — flatboards is a better term.

[TheNajin]

I write code all day long and still prefer fullsize given the option, but am fine tkl as tbh the only thing I like about the numpad is numpad enter. Staying in one position long term is uncomfortable, I've no desire to enable a total lack of movement.

cant agree more

[Maledicted]

How's this for coding?



Apparently a Toshiba TEC TKB 1-A "progamming" "keyboard"

Better or worse than a modern Macbook Pro's wet kardboard?

I couldn't imagine. I hope it was for some quick strings in some sort of manufacturing machine.

[Riverman]

Most coders I know just use whatever keyboard they already have.

Same here.  My company has about 20 old school COBOL programmers, and every single one of them uses whatever cheap-ass Dell keyboard the company provided.  They're horrible, and I don't know how they use those things every day, but they all do.  We used to have one guy who brought in some kind of backlit MX keyboard, but he was the only one.

[Sintpinty]

How's this for coding?

Show Image

Apparently a Toshiba TEC TKB 1-A "progamming" "keyboard"

Better or worse than a modern Macbook Pro's wet kardboard?

I couldn't imagine. I hope it was for some quick strings in some sort of manufacturing machine.

Its best to either leave that job or that keyboard where it belongs : the trash

[depletedvespene]

How's this for coding?

Show Image

Apparently a Toshiba TEC TKB 1-A "progamming" "keyboard"

Better or worse than a modern Macbook Pro's wet kardboard?

I couldn't imagine. I hope it was for some quick strings in some sort of manufacturing machine.

Its best to either leave that job or that keyboard where it belongs : the trash

It's not just that this chiclet flatboard is bad enough as it is... check out the "international" layout. Horrendously designed... plus the fact that they separated upper and lowercase forms (Ö/ö, Ñ/ñ, etc.) indicates this thing wasn't even intended for typing anything other than short words.

[heyitsqi]

OK here's a tangential Q that's been bugging me --- I get the layer thing with function keys, but how to HHKB people function without ARROW KEYS??? having to press two keys for "down" or "up" would drive me bananas.

This is easy to answer.

Map Control to be a modifier that combined with hjkl acts as arrow keys.

So Control+HJKL = arrow keys

[foxtrap614]

HHKB the control and delete key are well placed. I love the fn arrow keys since my hand does not leave the home row. also the small form factor is good to carry to the office, home and on the road. I also sometimes take it to meetings or presentation when i have to do code reviews or think tanks.

[Maledicted]

OK here's a tangential Q that's been bugging me --- I get the layer thing with function keys, but how to HHKB people function without ARROW KEYS??? having to press two keys for "down" or "up" would drive me bananas.

This is easy to answer.

Map Control to be a modifier that combined with hjkl acts as arrow keys.

So Control+HJKL = arrow keys

Respectfully, that's just further describing the reason he gave for why he doesn't like that idea. Neither do I. Did you mean IJKL? That would be more like the arrow keys people are used to. HJKL would be like one of those terrible old Apple keyboards, and others, before ANSI standardization.

IJKL makes some modicum of sense, if you literally only need arrow keys, and don't need to use them as part of hotkeys. You often do in spreadsheets, and there are some handy ones for navigating and highlighting text without the use of a mouse as well.

HHKB the control and delete key are well placed. I love the fn arrow keys since my hand does not leave the home row. also the small form factor is good to carry to the office, home and on the road. I also sometimes take it to meetings or presentation when i have to do code reviews or think tanks.

That location for control always throws me off on AT keyboards. It is the one thing that bothers me the most, and I still manage to use them daily, weeks straight ... with difficulty, so it isn't like I didn't give it a chance.

[typo]

You can't really make the argument the argument I do not need a full size board because I do not do "X". since eventually you will find yourself doing it. murphy's law. Plus not all full size boards have exactly the same keys. so even then you must choose what you want. Otherwise a real "Full size" board is maybe 140 keys!

[Maledicted]

You can't really make the argument the argument I do not need a full size board because I do not do "X". since eventually you will find yourself doing it. murphy's law. Plus not all full size boards have exactly the same keys. so even then you must choose what you want. Otherwise a real "Full size" board is maybe 140 keys!

The only thing I am certain that I never use, at least in the existing modern layouts that I am aware of, is a number pad. I never use it. My fingers are really long though, so alphanumeric only may not be as efficient for everyone. To a lesser degree, the f keys, but that's seldom enough, and usually isolated enough from long hotkeys, for relegating to layering. Most of everything else that modern layouts like to hack off willy-nilly is useful in quite a few hotkeys that I do end up using almost every day.