Moving from fullsized to smaller keyboards

[sakai4eva]

What do you guys miss?

I'm using an ergodox now after moving from fullsized and TKLs, and I'm wondering what keys do you guys usually miss when moving from bigger boards to smaller ones.

Would be great if you can include what you usually use the board for and maybe some layout history as well

As for me, I usually game, work (accountant), and well, make extensively irrelevant writeups on forums, and I miss my function keys (F2, and everything else for dota...), numpad (compensated with a GHpad), and arrow keys + nav cluster(if I ever move to an actual 60%).

[Lpwl]

Moving from an old Steelseries 7G to my CODE keyboard was pretty disturbing at the beginning.

Steelseries 7G :
   - Size : 105-key (full size)
   - Physical layout : ISO
   - Logical layout : French AZERTY

WASD CODE :
   - Size : 87-key (tenkeyless)
   - Physical layout : ANSI
   - Logical layout : French AZERTY

As long as I do not look at my CODE keyboard, I can trust it !

I'm really missing my key for "<>".  When I need it, I have to use this accessibility feature called "On-Screen Keyboard" - it's kinda funny 

[divito]

While I own a Poker II, I haven't used it for daily purposes as of yet, so I can't speak to that yet. However, knowing my habits, I use arrows and the 6-keys a ton, so that would be quite hampered without changing and adapting a decent amount. And from moving to TKL from full-size, I sort of miss my num pad, just because it's so much faster and convenient than the alternative.

[sakai4eva]

While I own a Poker II, I haven't used it for daily purposes as of yet, so I can't speak to that yet. However, knowing my habits, I use arrows and the 6-keys a ton, so that would be quite hampered without changing and adapting a decent amount. And from moving to TKL from full-size, I sort of miss my num pad, just because it's so much faster and convenient than the alternative.

Yeah... missing those keys on my ergo... kinda forced to map certain keys to it although I know they could be used elsewhere

Moving from an old Steelseries 7G to my CODE keyboard was pretty disturbing at the beginning.

Steelseries 7G :
   - Size : 105-key (full size)
   - Physical layout : ISO
   - Logical layout : French AZERTY

WASD CODE :
   - Size : 87-key (tenkeyless)
   - Physical layout : ANSI
   - Logical layout : French AZERTY

As long as I do not look at my CODE keyboard, I can trust it !

I'm really missing my key for "<>".  When I need it, I have to use this accessibility feature called "On-Screen Keyboard" - it's kinda funny 

Was wondering why you are having troubles with those keys, then I saw AZERTY.

[coeurdefilou]

Moving from an old Steelseries 7G to my CODE keyboard was pretty disturbing at the beginning.

Steelseries 7G :
   - Size : 105-key (full size)
   - Physical layout : ISO
   - Logical layout : French AZERTY

WASD CODE :
   - Size : 87-key (tenkeyless)
   - Physical layout : ANSI
   - Logical layout : French AZERTY

As long as I do not look at my CODE keyboard, I can trust it !

I'm really missing my key for "<>".  When I need it, I have to use this accessibility feature called "On-Screen Keyboard" - it's kinda funny 

You could switch it with the ², I don't think you need it anyway.

[epzy]

Nothing. '^'

[rowdy]

Moving from 108 key Ducky to TKL, I missed the numpad for entering IP addresses, and at first I missed the numpad Enter.

Moving from TKL to HHKB I miss the arrow keys.  I'd probably miss the function keys too, if I did much that needed them.

[infiniti]

Full-size to TKL.  I immediately missed the numpad.  However, at the time I was doing A LOT of work in Excel.

TKL to 60%.  I missed the F row and arrow keys but after customizing the function layers and macros, it's all gravy.  Mmm...gravy...

[mashby]

I've been primarily a laptop user since 1996 and I think that helped condition myself to use smaller keyboards. When I made the switch to the Mac, I ended up trying the Apple BT keyboard and found it to be an easy transition.

After switching to mechanicals a couple of years ago, I ended up landing on the 60% layout and never looked back. I did find the F row and Arrow keys a bit of an adjustment, like infiniti said previously, but I don't even think about it now.

Granted, most of my day is spent typing e-mails, proposals, presentations, etc. HTML and CSS is done in a text editor, so I don't feel like I'm missing any keys. Your keyboard usage may be different.

[CPTBadAss]

For my work, I have to have a numberpad. At home, I don't need one so I don't use full size boards at home. I don't have any issue switching between a TKL/60% and a Full Size. It might also be due to the fact that I've got the boards in different places so it's easier for me to keep them separate in my head.

[sakai4eva]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

A side question about ergonomics; if you aren't using the keypad to navigate around, do you move your pointing hand a lot from the keyboard to mouse? Otherwise, how do you navigate your cursor around?

[D01]

From a full size to a tkl I miss nothing.  From a tkl to a 60% I miss the arrow keys.

My favorite layout is to have a tkl keyboard, mouse on the right, number pad on the left.

[mashby]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

A side question about ergonomics; if you aren't using the keypad to navigate around, do you move your pointing hand a lot from the keyboard to mouse? Otherwise, how do you navigate your cursor around?

I use the arrow function row (WASD) on my Poker quite a bit and the tab key as much as possible. However, I have a trackpad right next to me that I use quite a lot.

In fact, that was one of the appeals of 60% -- that the mouse/trackpad could be closer to the keyboard. I was starting to have should issues having to reach past the number pad to reach it.

[D01]

^^ That is why I now loath a full size keyboard.  I used a tkl at work for a few weeks, and until I brought in a full size again I didn't fully realize how nice it is to not reach for the mouse.

[Fnzzy]

Kind of the other way around. I am using a Poker 2 for months now and before I used a Pure Pro. I really miss having the Esc key on the number row whenever I am using a bigger keyboard. It feels so wrong when it is all the way up there.

[Dubsgalore]

Whenever I move from 2100/100%/TKL -> 60%, I only really miss the navigation cluster getting the entire function row and prt sc, scroll and pause via FN doesn't bother me at all, just sometimes I find myself reaching for home or end and there's nothing there  )

[Kraksx]

I just moved from a full keyboard to a Poker II and I miss nothing. The functionality and program-ability of this board makes everything a breeze.

[davkol]

I use 75% (TypeMatrix 2030, Noppoo Choc Mini, thinkpad keyboards) and symmetrical ergonomic keyboards (ErgoDox, my 120key Access-IS keypad).

I usually miss dedicated Insert and Menu keys, because I prefer to use Control/Shift + Insert for copypasta (GNU/Linux user) and Menu is nice, when I don't want to reach for a pointing device, but can't remember some hotkeys/shortcuts.

I sometimes miss quotation marks, brackets and similar symbols present on the "cropped" keys that aren't present on my symmetrical ergonomic layouts (on ErgoDox or the POS keypad). It's only a matter of getting used to pressing a modifier to access an extra layer though, and then it's actually much nicer than reaching for those keys, and especially much nicer than reaching for the other frequent keys like Shift or Esc.

Nothing to do with moving to smaller keyboards, but I occasionally use some vintage keyboard, usually full-size, but winkeyless. Then I miss AltGr in the spot right under my thumb. As a Colemak user, I miss Backspace in the Caps Lock spot on ordinary QWERTY keyboards too.

[aicrono]

I'm making the transition from fullsize to a TKL and the thing I miss the most if the number pad enter. I am a pretty huge gamer so I've learned how to be proficient enough with my left hand for most typing/shortcuts/etc that it has always been more comfortable to do the majority of the typing with my left hand and just hitting enter with my right thumb either still on the mouse or on its way back to the mouse. I'm hoping this Phantom I am in the process of building will let me have the best of both worlds. I also miss the rest of the number pad for IP entry, extra keys to bind shortcuts/macros to in game, and changing numeric values in games/config files. It was super convenient to be able to swap between the arrow keys and the number pad for.

[cribbit]

15 minutes a day of small changes makes switching over easy. I'm currently switching to colemak.

[sakai4eva]

Hmmm... although the consensus is that having a smaller keyboard is a small adjustment, is there anyone that moved to a smaller keyboard, didn't like it and returned back to a larger keyboard?

[taylordcraig]

Hmmm... although the consensus is that having a smaller keyboard is a small adjustment, is there anyone that moved to a smaller keyboard, didn't like it and returned back to a larger keyboard?

I loved my 60% for a while, eventually I didn't like the layout. I'm back on tkl until I get my lightsaver. MX Mini looks like something in my future.

[cribbit]

Personally, the only advantage of 60% is portability. If you're not actually carrying it anywhere, there's no real point. Since I plan to take mine between classes, home and work, I'd need the 60%.

[taylordcraig]

Personally, the only advantage of 60% is portability. If you're not actually carrying it anywhere, there's no real point. Since I plan to take mine between classes, home and work, I'd need the 60%.

That's why I got a jd40.

[teedotohhh]

Personally, the only advantage of 60% is portability. If you're not actually carrying it anywhere, there's no real point. Since I plan to take mine between classes, home and work, I'd need the 60%.

I've heard it's also a bit more ergonomic not having the extra keys (numpad) in between the keyboard and mouse. I'm looking into getting into the Mechanical Keyboard game with a TKL and maybe picking up an external numpad. Just in case i really miss it.

[dustinhxc]

I game, do graphic design, and type on forums.

Went from using full size my entire life to only 60%s.

I miss arrows because it takes me an extra half second to hit fn but I'm used to it.
I miss having a print screen button but I always figure the fn command out.

60% is worth the switch. The size is perfect and the look is amazing and cute.

[EpicSNES]

Switching from Fullsize to TKL was easy.

I just switched to a 60% (Poker 2) and honestly I'm missing the F keys. I know I can do FN+1 (etc) but I'm not used to it yet. I'm sort of thinking I made a mistake but maybe I just need more time with it. Also, I really wish arrow cluster was on IJKL instead of WASD.

[Quardah]

Nothing. Seriously nothing at all. All of the keys that exists on fullsize are bound to FN layer on the Poker II, and for the little-to-no use they have, i can summon their funcitons using the FN layer. Once you get the trick, it's faster to FN-summon these keys rather than moving your right hand to the rightmost section of your board, for a single key like home or delete. F-row keys are bound to number so, that is perfect for the little time you get to use them.

Only thing i'd say could be missing is a numpad, just because numeric-heavy operations are faster when skilled with it. Also, using WinSplitRevolution, numpad shortcuts are real fast, but they can be rebound so whatever.

Getting a 60% totally changed the way i work with computers and it's simply a never look-back for anything that a fullsize can bring up versus a 60% can simply be programmed (Poker II advantage here).

Honestly, i believe it's a flawless adaptation to a newer era where 40% of the board as been rendered "obselete" for newer operating systems favor users that doesn't use these keys at all. Even with the newest Linux such as Arch, 60% still works flawlessly and i don't feel like the workflow is being crippled by the missing keys, even tough you could be using a very F-row-heavy workflow.

Long live 60%.