Keyboards
in [Java Programming]
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From: Jim on 22 Apr 2010 19:25 On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:43:48 +0100, Tom Anderson <twic(a)urchin.earth.li> wrote: >Evening all, > >In my office, we have several rubbish keyboards. We are going to replace >them with less rubbish keyboards. Does anyone have any recommendations for >keyboards they really, really like, and if so, would they care to tell >them to me? > >(I argue that this is on topic, because this group is about java >programming, and one does not get very far in java programming without a >keyboard.) > >The trouble with reviews i read online is that they're often written from >the point of view of "ZOMG it has fifteen special function keys and a >volume dial and an LCD!!!!", which is of absolutely no value to the >working programmer. I deal with at least three different computers (local, >virtual, and remote) and dozens of apps and tools through that keyboard >every day, all of which already have their own key bindings, and most of >which have no interest in custom keys or LCDs, so those things are no use >to me, but i do spend all bloody day typing (well, on average half of the >day, given that we pair-program), so what i do care about is a keyboard >that makes typing comfortable, accurate, and fast (we have some keyboards >where the case is far too high beneath the space bar, so you can't type a >space with your thumb - how did these ever get built?), and if possible is >resistant to biscuit crumbs (today's keyboard has a crumb under the Z key, >which encourages accurate editing, because it makes it a challenge to undo >things). > >What i want is a keyboard designed according to the old-school unix >philosophy - it should concentrate on being a keyboard, and nothing else. >A keyboard designed for programmers. That doesn't mean bells and whistles; >does a saw designed for professional carpenters have lots of bells and >whistles? No, it's just bloody good at sawing. > >Personally, i really like Apple's desktop keyboards - nice low-travel keys >with a sturdy feel, and good build quality. However, their key layout is >weird, so if we plugged them into our linux boxes, we'd either have to use >a Mac keyboard and have the keys in weird places, or use a standard keymap >and have some keys not emit the symbol printed on them. Neither sounds >good. Also, not everyone in the office likes low-travel keyboards. > >So anyway, rant and ramble (rantble?) over, recommendations welcome. > >tom I've been using the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 (it is wired). Reviews aside, the keyboard is just comfortable. The only nick I'd give it is they added an "F Lock" key that locks out the function keys. Every once in a while I hit it and then things just don't work well. Volume controls are nice. Anyway my $0.02US http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=043 Jim
From: Break Point on 23 Apr 2010 05:10 On 22/04/2010 23:43, Tom Anderson wrote: > Evening all, > > In my office, we have several rubbish keyboards. We are going to replace > them with less rubbish keyboards. Does anyone have any recommendations > for keyboards they really, really like, and if so, would they care to > tell them to me? > > (I argue that this is on topic, because this group is about java > programming, and one does not get very far in java programming without a > keyboard.) > > The trouble with reviews i read online is that they're often written > from the point of view of "ZOMG it has fifteen special function keys and > a volume dial and an LCD!!!!", which is of absolutely no value to the > working programmer. I deal with at least three different computers > (local, virtual, and remote) and dozens of apps and tools through that > keyboard every day, all of which already have their own key bindings, > and most of which have no interest in custom keys or LCDs, so those > things are no use to me, but i do spend all bloody day typing (well, on > average half of the day, given that we pair-program), so what i do care > about is a keyboard that makes typing comfortable, accurate, and fast > (we have some keyboards where the case is far too high beneath the space > bar, so you can't type a space with your thumb - how did these ever get > built?), and if possible is resistant to biscuit crumbs (today's > keyboard has a crumb under the Z key, which encourages accurate editing, > because it makes it a challenge to undo things). > > What i want is a keyboard designed according to the old-school unix > philosophy - it should concentrate on being a keyboard, and nothing > else. A keyboard designed for programmers. That doesn't mean bells and > whistles; does a saw designed for professional carpenters have lots of > bells and whistles? No, it's just bloody good at sawing. > > Personally, i really like Apple's desktop keyboards - nice low-travel > keys with a sturdy feel, and good build quality. However, their key > layout is weird, so if we plugged them into our linux boxes, we'd either > have to use a Mac keyboard and have the keys in weird places, or use a > standard keymap and have some keys not emit the symbol printed on them. > Neither sounds good. Also, not everyone in the office likes low-travel > keyboards. I use an apple desktop keyboard for coding (though I do work on macs), best keyboard I've used so far. I use it for windows (through VMWare) and don't really have too much trouble with the key placements, but then I'm used to it now. > > So anyway, rant and ramble (rantble?) over, recommendations welcome. > > tom > I used to use an old Compaq keyboard for my PC (sorry can't remember the model, but a quick google images search found a picture of it here http://homepages.cwi.nl/~aeb/linux/kbd/compaq_unkn.jpg). Wasn't very flashy at all but it had nice key placement and a nice feel to the key presses. --- BP 00 ---
From: Wojtek on 23 Apr 2010 10:50 Tom Anderson wrote : > Evening all, > > In my office, we have several rubbish keyboards. We are going to replace them > with less rubbish keyboards. Does anyone have any recommendations for > keyboards they really, really like, and if so, would they care to tell them > to me? > > (I argue that this is on topic, because this group is about java programming, > and one does not get very far in java programming without a keyboard.) > > The trouble with reviews i read online is that they're often written from the > point of view of "ZOMG it has fifteen special function keys and a volume dial > and an LCD!!!!", which is of absolutely no value to the working programmer. I > deal with at least three different computers (local, virtual, and remote) and > dozens of apps and tools through that keyboard every day, all of which > already have their own key bindings, and most of which have no interest in > custom keys or LCDs, so those things are no use to me, but i do spend all > bloody day typing (well, on average half of the day, given that we > pair-program), so what i do care about is a keyboard that makes typing > comfortable, accurate, and fast (we have some keyboards where the case is far > too high beneath the space bar, so you can't type a space with your thumb - > how did these ever get built?), and if possible is resistant to biscuit > crumbs (today's keyboard has a crumb under the Z key, which encourages > accurate editing, because it makes it a challenge to undo things). > > What i want is a keyboard designed according to the old-school unix > philosophy - it should concentrate on being a keyboard, and nothing else. A > keyboard designed for programmers. That doesn't mean bells and whistles; does > a saw designed for professional carpenters have lots of bells and whistles? I am using a 20 year old keyboard. It has a DIN plug with a DIN->PS/2 converter. I love this keyboard because it has function keys at the top AND down the left side. It also does NOT have "Windows" keys. The space bar is nice and wide for my thick thumbs. There is a full size cursor key layout (not in the inverted T style), and a built-in calculator with LCD screen, now broken. The only name I can find on it is "5001" I love this keyboard. It has a solid feel to it. I have taken it apart a few times to clean out the contacts. I have tried to so searches for left side function keys, but alas, I have failed to find one. Well there is the Optimus Maximus keyboard: http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/ but it is just out of my price range :-) It would be cool though. Switch to Debug mode in your IDE and have the key-caps change to debug commands... -- Wojtek :-)
From: RedGrittyBrick on 23 Apr 2010 11:07 On 22/04/2010 23:43, Tom Anderson wrote: > Evening all, > > In my office, we have several rubbish keyboards. We are going to replace > them with less rubbish keyboards. Does anyone have any recommendations > for keyboards they really, really like, and if so, would they care to > tell them to me? 1) http://bit.ly/cT701e 2) http://bit.ly/9EdqWU -- RGB
From: Break Point on 23 Apr 2010 11:13
On 23/04/2010 15:50, Wojtek wrote: > Tom Anderson wrote : >> Evening all, >> >> In my office, we have several rubbish keyboards. We are going to >> replace them with less rubbish keyboards. Does anyone have any >> recommendations for keyboards they really, really like, and if so, >> would they care to tell them to me? >> >> (I argue that this is on topic, because this group is about java >> programming, and one does not get very far in java programming without >> a keyboard.) >> >> The trouble with reviews i read online is that they're often written >> from the point of view of "ZOMG it has fifteen special function keys >> and a volume dial and an LCD!!!!", which is of absolutely no value to >> the working programmer. I deal with at least three different computers >> (local, virtual, and remote) and dozens of apps and tools through that >> keyboard every day, all of which already have their own key bindings, >> and most of which have no interest in custom keys or LCDs, so those >> things are no use to me, but i do spend all bloody day typing (well, >> on average half of the day, given that we pair-program), so what i do >> care about is a keyboard that makes typing comfortable, accurate, and >> fast (we have some keyboards where the case is far too high beneath >> the space bar, so you can't type a space with your thumb - how did >> these ever get built?), and if possible is resistant to biscuit crumbs >> (today's keyboard has a crumb under the Z key, which encourages >> accurate editing, because it makes it a challenge to undo things). >> >> What i want is a keyboard designed according to the old-school unix >> philosophy - it should concentrate on being a keyboard, and nothing >> else. A keyboard designed for programmers. That doesn't mean bells and >> whistles; does a saw designed for professional carpenters have lots of >> bells and whistles? > > I am using a 20 year old keyboard. It has a DIN plug with a DIN->PS/2 > converter. I love this keyboard because it has function keys at the top > AND down the left side. It also does NOT have "Windows" keys. The space > bar is nice and wide for my thick thumbs. > > There is a full size cursor key layout (not in the inverted T style), > and a built-in calculator with LCD screen, now broken. > > The only name I can find on it is "5001" > > I love this keyboard. It has a solid feel to it. I have taken it apart a > few times to clean out the contacts. > > I have tried to so searches for left side function keys, but alas, I > have failed to find one. > > Well there is the Optimus Maximus keyboard: > http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/ but it is just out of my > price range :-) > > It would be cool though. Switch to Debug mode in your IDE and have the > key-caps change to debug commands... > I'll have an interesting sleep tonight... Nightmares of the click of each key on the 20 year old one. Beautiful dreams of the ridiculously expensive Optimus Maximus. --- BP 00 --- |