Prev: Finding a JAR that contains a class
Next: Keyboards
From: Tom Anderson on 22 Apr 2010 18:43
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

--
The world belongs to the mathematics and engineering. The world is as
it is. -- Luis Filipe Silva vs Babelfish
 | 
Pages: 1
Prev: Finding a JAR that contains a class
Next: Keyboards