Keyboards

[Phantom Raspberry Blower 0]

Does anyone here use any fancy keyboard (ie not one supplied with your computer?)

 

eg

 

Any good? Is it something I will never regret and wonder why I hadn't bought a good one earlier?

[indosnm 0]

Fancy, No. But have to pay extra because its wireless.

 

[frannyo 2]

Are wireless keyboards any good now? I had one ages ago when they first came out and it was awful. The cursor on the screen kept on moving on it's own free will and it was a pain to use. I hope they are better now and more reliable.

[rach 1]

I've always looked at some of the snazzy keyboards in the shops and wondered what they were like and if it was worth changing...... never have done though.

[Dims 0]

I tried the newish laser wireless mouse from Microsoft or Logitech, can't remember, and it was amazing. Just so precise and a great feel. If you have the means I strongly suggest you pick one up. It really was that good. As well as a up/down wheel it also had a left/right wheel scroll wheel which I thought was pretty trick. Good for all those World of Warcraft addicts out there

[brett_jackson 0]

I use the Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Pro both at home and at work, which has the 'Natural' Keyboard Shape (heaps easier on my wrists). It works flawlessly so far. The mouse is perfectly shaped for my hand and the batteries haven't ran out in 3 months yet.

 

 

I put the 'Natural' in quotes because it's been found that this shape is actually far from 'Natural'. I still think it's better for the wrists though.

[BagOfCrisps 24]

I use the one in the original post at home. I love it, great keyboard.

 

I tried the "Natural" one when it first came out years ago and didn't like it at all. Felt really strange.

[nzlegend 1]

I have a cheap old keyboard BUT I dont use that awful pig of a layout that is Qwerty! god you couldnt choose a more retarded layout if you tried ( in fact Qwerty was invented for mechanical typewriters to slow typists down to stop key jam!)

I have my keys arranged in Dvorak - it rocks the world speed record for typing is on a Dvorak layout. Dvorak is the only way to go! I bought a 1000yen keyboard, levered the keys of with a bread knife rearranged them and bobs your uncle.

go to your computers control panel and it takes aseconds to change the layout. It took a fews weeks to get up to speed but now I can type way faster.

Do yourself a favour and switch, you can type faster and reduce the chance of getting RSI if you type a lot, plus if you have to use a regular old keyborad its like speaking two languages, your brain can switch easily between, you never forget Qwerty.

 

 

 Quote:

The Dvorak keyboard, named for its inventor, Dr. August Dvorak, was designed with the goal of maximizing typing efficiency. For over a century, typists have been using the qwerty keyboard arrangement, a hack that was implemented to work around the mechanical limitations of early typewriters.

http://www.google.com/search?q=dvorak+keyboard&sourceid=opera&num=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/jcb/Dvorak/

 

 

[Yuki's Passion 1]

thats pretty interesting SG. Never knew there was another keyboard. Guess qwerty is the defacto.

[nzlegend 1]

Yeah it makes sense, all your vowels and the most common consonants d,h,t,n,s are on the home row so you can type thousands of words without moving your fingers off the home keys, with qwerty you can type only 50 or something. Your fingers move far less with Dvorak, with Qwerty your fingers are going all over the place esp. to the top row to hit e,u,o,i.

I will admit you are slow as hell to start with when you convert but after a few weeks and a little practice with a typing tutor software you will soon overtake your qwerty speed.

 

Qwerty pesists out of sheer momentum but for individuals with modern computers changing is a very easy.

[rach 1]

Never seen that before either.

 

I wonder how long it would take to adjust to that after using qwerty since forever.

[Queenie 0]

I've had 2 wireless keyboards - one ages ago when it was new and the other at work now. From that experience I'd say that have become much better, I had tons of problems with my old one (like you said franyo) but the newer one at work is excellent. No cables is a good thing.

[NoFakie 45]

I've used the Natural ones for five or six years. I'm on my second one having knocked the first out of action, though not permanently, with some overexuberant cleaning. The old Microsoft one had a USB hub on it, so I was loathed to replace it, but the new one was a lot cheaper at 5,000.

 

Do you use Dvorak on a Japanese keyboard glider?

 

Another way to reach hyperfast input rates and avoid RSI and eyestrain is to use voice recognition like ViaVoice. The software is really good.

[sunrise 0]

I use an ergo keyboard - same kind of shape, different brand. I like it much better for typing than a regular one. Still using one I've had since '95, plugged into a USB adaptor! Some of the keys have really faded, but it still works fine.

 

SG - good to hear some feedback about Dvorak. I guess I'm one of those lazy ones who touch types and doesn't want to learn a new system, but it does look really interesting and would probably be worth trying out at some point.

[nzlegend 1]

 Quote:

Originally posted by Mr Wiggles:
Do you use Dvorak on a Japanese keyboard glider?

no I bought a US101 keyboard -the stock standard one for sen yen in denden-town Osaka.
I believe there is a Japanese layout for Dvorak on Japanese keyboards but I havent investigated it.

speaking of Japanese keyboards - who here finds the space bar a tad too small when they use a Japanese Keyboard? does my head in!

[scouser 4]

hmmm never really considered getting some fancy keyboard other than the one my pc came with. Some of them look pretty good.

[its-a-clock 0]

You should - won't look back.

I have that black one at the top and it's excellent. Feels good, does the job excellent and looks good.