Hi everyone!

[skitty]

I bought my first mechanical keyboard (Corsair K70) in a Fry's a couple of months ago and ended up falling in love with it. After a while I got kind of tired of the noise from the MX Blues so I spent way too much time reading through different articles about keyboard switches which is how I found this site...

Reading discussions from here made me want to join, so here I am!   

A little about me:
I work as a software developer and spend a lot of time working with code, writing emails, and editing documents so owning some mechanical keyboards has kind of changed my life.
Besides typing, some of my hobbies include running, lifting light weights, gaming, and reading. 

[evangs]

welcome!  my first mechanical was a das keyboard with blues.  I love that thing, but once I got a roommate those blues were just too loud.  ended up getting a wasd with browns and o-rings, then a poker with clears and now I'm in to building custom boards....  Be careful, it's easy to get sucked in.

I am also a software developer 

[skitty]

Be careful, it's easy to get sucked in.

Oh, it's already a little too late for me... I've already purchased three mechanical boards and now I'm looking into making my own.
What kind of custom board are you looking into?

[evangs]

Be careful, it's easy to get sucked in.

Oh, it's already a little too late for me... I've already purchased three mechanical boards and now I'm looking into making my own.
What kind of custom board are you looking into?

I'm getting ready to launch a group by for TheVan 44 a 40% keyboard I designed.  I'm currently validating the pcb and getting quotes for a custom aluminum case that I designed.

[skitty]

Be careful, it's easy to get sucked in.

Oh, it's already a little too late for me... I've already purchased three mechanical boards and now I'm looking into making my own.
What kind of custom board are you looking into?

I'm getting ready to launch a group by for TheVan 44 a 40% keyboard I designed.  I'm currently validating the pcb and getting quotes for a custom aluminum case that I designed.

I love looking at 40% keyboards but I've been hesitant to purchase one. Is there a reason you're designing a 40% over other compact layouts closer to 60%?

[evangs]

I find that the right 40% layout is optimal for me.  I set my layout up to where I can trigger both function layouts with either hand making them way more usable.  The fact that I don't have to stretch my fingers up two rows and guess and instead just activate a function layer means I have less mistakes and need to move my hands less - which for me as a programmer is awesome.  I love the small form factor, easy to travel with. I like the layout so much I applied it to my 60% infinity keyboard XD

[skitty]

I find that the right 40% layout is optimal for me.  I set my layout up to where I can trigger both function layouts with either hand making them way more usable.  The fact that I don't have to stretch my fingers up two rows and guess and instead just activate a function layer means I have less mistakes and need to move my hands less - which for me as a programmer is awesome.  I love the small form factor, easy to travel with. I like the layout so much I applied it to my 60% infinity keyboard XD

Does it take a while to get used to using function layouts? I'm using my first 60% right now and hitting special keys like home and end has been kind of difficult for me so far. I think I would struggle with even less keys.  )

[evangs]

It wasn't for me.  I started using a 40% at work full time and after a week I had more trouble using a regular board.  In the beginning I kept falling off the top of the board as I would reach up there for numbers etc.  After getting used to having those keys on functions layers I actually prefer it.  I can switch between regular and 40 pretty easily now.  The biggest thing for me it having the right keys in the right places and then a good layout and I think I've done that with TheVan44.

[xtrafrood]

Hey, there. Man, I too have looked at these 60%/40% boards for a possible gaming keyboard. Problem is I lean towards mmos that use the F Key row. Well, welcome to GH   

btw TheVan44 looks amazing so far 

[evangs]

Hey, there. Man, I too have looked at these 60%/40% boards for a possible gaming keyboard. Problem is I lean towards mmos that use the F Key row. Well, welcome to GH   

btw TheVan44 looks amazing so far 

Thanks!  The great thing about TheVan44 is a third lock layer that I use exclusively for gaming.  I play cs:go and lol and so have the layer setup for that, but you could setup that layer for mmos

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

What four keyboards have you got?  And what switches have they got?

I've used many different keyboards and switches for typing, programming and gaming, but keep coming back to my HHKB for typing and occasional gaming, and/or SSK for general typing and sometimes gaming.

I was using an SSK at work, but someone complained so now I'm using a CODE with clears.  I do miss the SSK at work sometimes though.  I tried using my HHKB at work, but the editors we use are too heavily reliant on function keys and my productivity dropped enough to bother me.

[skitty]

Welcome to Geekhack!

What four keyboards have you got?  And what switches have they got?

I've used many different keyboards and switches for typing, programming and gaming, but keep coming back to my HHKB for typing and occasional gaming, and/or SSK for general typing and sometimes gaming.

I was using an SSK at work, but someone complained so now I'm using a CODE with clears.  I do miss the SSK at work sometimes though.  I tried using my HHKB at work, but the editors we use are too heavily reliant on function keys and my productivity dropped enough to bother me.

Thanks!

I have a Corsair K70 with MX Blues, a CODE with MX Clears, a KBParadise V60 with MX Clears, and I'm waiting on a Royal Kludge RC930.

I also use my CODE at work but I wish bought the TKL version instead of the full keyboard. I discovered that I rarely ever use the numpad...

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

What four keyboards have you got?  And what switches have they got?

I've used many different keyboards and switches for typing, programming and gaming, but keep coming back to my HHKB for typing and occasional gaming, and/or SSK for general typing and sometimes gaming.

I was using an SSK at work, but someone complained so now I'm using a CODE with clears.  I do miss the SSK at work sometimes though.  I tried using my HHKB at work, but the editors we use are too heavily reliant on function keys and my productivity dropped enough to bother me.

Thanks!

I have a Corsair K70 with MX Blues, a CODE with MX Clears, a KBParadise V60 with MX Clears, and I'm waiting on a Royal Kludge RC930.

I also use my CODE at work but I wish bought the TKL version instead of the full keyboard. I discovered that I rarely ever use the numpad...

I went mostly TKL a while back and haven't missed the numpad.  I use a CODE with clears at work

Actually about the only thing I used a numpad for was entering IP addresses.