From Humble Beginnings

[Kad]

Hello all! I've been looking for a mechanical keyboard for a while now to start my collection, unfortunately for now I'm using a generic HP keyboard (model SK-2885) and have been for probably about 5-7 years. This is the keyboard that I learned to touch type on and I can average about 100-110WPM using it. While doing some research I found a fellow geekhacker that thinks that it is one of the worse keyboards he's ever used (ouch!).

HP's silver and black keyboards vary a lot. Certain ones are decent as far as rubber domes go (the sole SK-2880 I've used, another one whose name model number I can't recall), and others are terrible (KB-0316, SK-2885).

I'm hoping to graduate from rubber dome soon but first I am trying to decide what's necessary for me, can anyone convince me that tenkeyless is a good idea?

Bad quality phone pic:

I'm glad to be here and I hope to get to know some of you in the future!

[absyrd]

Do you need the numpad?

What you using this keyboard for mainly? Secondarily?

[njbair]

Do you need the numpad?

What you using this keyboard for mainly? Secondarily?

You don't need a numpad unless you are an accountant or statistician. Everyone else just hasn't learned how to properly use the number row.

[Kad]

Do you need the numpad?

What you using this keyboard for mainly? Secondarily?

I use this keyboard as a daily driver, and I'm a student so everything from writing essays to web browsing to gaming. I find the keypad useful for binding macros and the like but I'm not sure if that functionality is worth having one. I feel like I use the numpad a lot for number entry as opposed to the number row, but I can touch type the characters in the number row just fine. I don't think it would be hard to adjust for a keyboard without a keypad but of course I won't know until I have one (unless I do something dorky like physically cover the numpad with cardboard or something).

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

My boss was looking for a new keyboard a few years ago (before I found Geekhack) and I ended up getting him something similar to that.  It was fine for a while, but now a few years later is looking very much the worse for wear.

As the others have asked, do you need a number pad?  If you are doing accounting, or otherwise entering many numbers, you may find it useful.

About the only thing I used the numpad for was entering IP addresses and the Enter key, which I could tap with my right thumb without removing my hand from the mouse.

I have learned to do without a numpad.  I can have the mouse closer to the keyboard, which has helped with my shoulder pain, which has decreased considerably.

Also you can purchase a wide variety of separate numpads and have the best of both worlds!

[Snowdog993]

I'm hoping to graduate from rubber dome soon but first I am trying to decide what's necessary for me, can anyone convince me that tenkeyless is a good idea?

I'm glad to be here and I hope to get to know some of you in the future!

I'll be honest with you and tell you that I use my full sized keyboard with the numpad.  I use my numpad all the time, and since the keyboard is a whopping 4" wider, I am sacrificing that much desk space.

It's not a question of what other people think.  It's what works for you.

[user 18]

I'm a fan of the idea of using a tenkeyless and a separate numpad. That way, you can have the space-saving benefits of a TKL in most situations, but have the flexibility to place the tenkey pad on either side of the board, or anywhere else you would find it useful.

[Snowdog993]

I'm a fan of the idea of using a tenkeyless and a separate numpad. That way, you can have the space-saving benefits of a TKL in most situations, but have the flexibility to place the tenkey pad on either side of the board, or anywhere else you would find it useful.

Unless your tenkeyless has a numpad function.  It will switch it on when you use the numpad, making your keyboard useless.  My SSK is a good example of that.

[user 18]

I'm a fan of the idea of using a tenkeyless and a separate numpad. That way, you can have the space-saving benefits of a TKL in most situations, but have the flexibility to place the tenkey pad on either side of the board, or anywhere else you would find it useful.

Unless your tenkeyless has a numpad function.  It will switch it on when you use the numpad, making your keyboard useless.  My SSK is a good example of that.

Fair point, although I don't believe that many modern TKL boards have that functionality.

[Kad]

I'm a fan of the idea of using a tenkeyless and a separate numpad. That way, you can have the space-saving benefits of a TKL in most situations, but have the flexibility to place the tenkey pad on either side of the board, or anywhere else you would find it useful.

I actually love this idea and didn't think of it. I think this right here justifies a tenkeyless because they look so much more elegant in my opinion then bulky keyboards with numpads and tonnes of blank space.