Current keyboard design favors left-hand mouse users

[Veridis]

Being the majority, right handed people really screwed themselves over with the design of the keyboard and mouse. In the past there was no mouse, so the navigation cluster and numpad were put on the right. Now that we have the mouse, why are these keys not moved to the left?
The way keyboards are designed currently really favors people who use a mouse on the left side.

I use the mouse with my right hand, and even with a TKL keyboard, it is so awkard to have to move my left hand all the way to the right just to use the navigation cluster (and the keys above it) and the mouse at the same time.

People are resorting to small form factor keyboards to avoid this problem, at the cost of losing functionality. And for small keyboards that still have the arrow cluster, they are still put on the right.

The only way to fix this is to get a smaller form factor keyboard and a separate numpad.

[divito]

Not sure I can totally agree here; and besides that, you move your left hand to the 6-key?

Mice are used for navigation purposes, which is on my right-handed side. And the 6-key and arrows are also on the right side, which are for navigation purposes. Rather than scroll with my mouse, I can use my right hand for PgUp, PgDn/Home, End. Rather than clicking for cursor position, I can use the arrow keys.

[swathe]

The mouse came after the keyboard anyway so I feel the current design is the best (for right handed people anyway re numpad location).

I try to limit the amount I have to use the mouse which is why I'm a fan of tiling window managers.

[Veridis]

Not sure I can totally agree here; and besides that, you move your left hand to the 6-key?

Mice are used for navigation purposes, which is on my right-handed side. And the 6-key and arrows are also on the right side, which are for navigation purposes. Rather than scroll with my mouse, I can use my right hand for PgUp, PgDn/Home, End. Rather than clicking for cursor position, I can use the arrow keys.

Hmm, when just doing work (programming, querying databases, looking at logs etc) I find it very helpful to use the mouse together with arrows/home/end/page down/page up.

In order to use the mouse and 6-key/arrows at the same time, I have to move my left hand to the right.

[frosty]

But left handed find it annoying to use wasd.

[Veridis]

But left handed find it annoying to use wasd.

Wasd can be remapped to other keys on the right side for most games.

[FoxWolf1]

In order to use the mouse and 6-key/arrows at the same time, I have to move my left hand to the right.

This is why I think that the Focus FK-7000P layout might be advantageous:


Mouse and arrow/navigation keys accessible simultaneously, all the time.
Mouse and arrow/navigation keys accessible while also using the numberpad with the right hand, which is usually dominant.
Mouse and main key cluster close together.

[Oobly]

That's why 60% rocks. Especially if it's programmable. Can use navigation on either left or right, depending on your own preferences.

I use arrows and edits with my right hand, but it's always either mouse for navigation or keys, not together, so a normal TKL works for me. I prefer 60%, though because I can have the mouse closer and centre the alpha keys to the screen.

If you want to use navigation and mouse at the same time you could get a left-handed keyboard: http://www.dsi-keyboards.com/dsi-left-handed-keyboard-usb-with-cherry-mechanical-key-switches.aspx

[davkol]

That's why symmetrical layouts rock. Embedded tenkey without losing anything, more space on both sides.

[jinq-sea]

I use arrows and edits with my right hand, but it's always either mouse for navigation or keys, not together, so a normal TKL works for me. I prefer 60%, though because I can have the mouse closer and centre the alpha keys to the screen.

For me, even as a southpaw, left hand does typing and shortcuts and mouse does navigating - I also never use mouse and keys together for nav

[Veridis]

I use arrows and edits with my right hand, but it's always either mouse for navigation or keys, not together, so a normal TKL works for me. I prefer 60%, though because I can have the mouse closer and centre the alpha keys to the screen.

For me, even as a southpaw, left hand does typing and shortcuts and mouse does navigating - I also never use mouse and keys together for nav

Looks like I'm just weird! 

[jinq-sea]

Not at all! It wouldn't do if we were all the same, anyway!

[Data]

I'm a righty.  Doesn't bother me.  If I need to switch to arrow keys / nav cluster I just move my hand off the mouse.  I've never needed to use both at the same time.

[dusan]

Absolutely. Small form factor, num pad under left hand, nav pad under left hand, and any other support for one-hand, any-hand keyboarding (without sacrificing comfort of both-hand keyboarding) are the primary ergonomic requirements of enterprises nowadays.

Unfortunately, such keyboards do not exist (yet).

A typical small form factor keyboard (e.g. Filco Minila or Matias Ergo Pro) works like a tank, with two drivers: even pretty simple combination such as Ctrl+Backspace requires two hands to complete.

The standard keyboard works like a taxi: the only driver (the right hand) controls everything. With the right hand, even Ctrl + Alt + Delete is possible.

But, for the sake of productivity, modern enterprises need something like a commercial airplane, which can be controlled by both, or either of the two pilots.

That's why I've proposed these:

http://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=62339.0;attach=81543;image
http://geekhack.org/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=64580.0;attach=81546;image

[E TwentyNine]

Absolutely. Small form factor, num pad under left hand, nav pad under left hand, and any other support for one-hand, any-hand keyboarding (without sacrificing comfort of both-hand keyboarding) are the primary ergonomic requirements of enterprises nowadays.

No, they're not.  And there's very little reason to believe they ever will be.

[jinq-sea]

I'm a righty.  Doesn't bother me.  If I need to switch to arrow keys / nav cluster I just move my hand off the mouse.  I've never needed to use both at the same time.

Actually - just thinking about that, I would move my left hand to the arrow block if I wanted to move between cells in Excel or something like that, while using the mouse to change options. I reckon an arrow block on the LHS would feel well odd for me though...

[quake4mhg]

Veridis, you're not alone. I'm 100% agree with your title
I'm right handed, but use left hand enter numbers & keyboard shortcuts (thanks for G19).
Right hand never leave my mouse (thanks gaming). FYI, I'm using naga with 12butons.
Below are my current setup.



numpad+Race or DSI left hand Cherry MX red.
I guess we're not weird ?

[Liar]

Looks like DSI was thinking on your wave length

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=25

Layout seems doable

(Edit: Beaten by seconds)

[fohat.digs]

The only way to fix this is to get a smaller form factor keyboard and a separate numpad.

What?

I assumed that this thread was about why it is better to mouse with the left hand.

I made the switch a few years ago and was delighted, even though my right hand is very strongly dominant.

As I later discovered the joy of the Wow Joy Pen mouse, available only in right-hand configuration, I added it.

Now I keep mice on both sides and use whichever one is most convenient at the moment.

[divito]

Looks like DSI was thinking on your wave length

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=25

Layout seems doable

(Edit: Beaten by seconds)

I kinda almost want 6-key and arrows on the left side, 10-key on the right, just to try it out.

[Liar]

I kinda almost want 6-key and arrows on the left side, 10-key on the right, just to try it out.

Edit: I misread your post and you will find these are not the keyboards you are looking for, left links for any interested parties

These have Numpad on Left, Arrows on Right

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EMC1HY/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_i4?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1X0FA29VR69ZNRB1V5SV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007YW7Z0U/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_i5?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1X0FA29VR69ZNRB1V5SV&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846

The latter has oddly shaped keys however

[quake4mhg]

Looks like DSI was thinking on your wave length

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=25

Layout seems doable

(Edit: Beaten by seconds)

I kinda almost want 6-key and arrows on the left side, 10-key on the right, just to try it out.

Maybe this?
http://www.ione-usa.com/ione-scorpius-32-cherry-mx-mechanical-key-switch-numeric-keypad.html

OR similar topic about Ducky Legend
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45685.0

[divito]

OR similar topic about Ducky Legend
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=45685.0

That would have been awesome if it had gotten released.

[dusan]

The left side tenkeys are not left-hand. They're just right-hand tenkeys put on the wrong side.

For most users, this is a mistake.