i love my 60% keyboard. i rebound the caps lock key to be a modifier key that swaps the functions of several keys on the keyboard. i basically have two keyboards stacked on top of each other that i can switch between at will. e.g., when caps lock is held: the number keys turn into Fn keys, WASD turns into the arrow keys, and N, M, < turn into the volume down, mute, and volume up keys, respectively.
i also changed the rgb colors on the keyboard so this is all color coded in case i forget.
One of my many 60% boards has a split spacebar which I use as modifier / layer toggle. Been using 60% since the original KBC Poker; I should really design some printable cases now that I think of it.
I spent 30 years thinking someday I’d start using the number pad and then finally gave up. I like having the typing part centered more.
Tkl/80 is my preferred size
I’m a full TKL man myself. I don’t mind the space, just don’t like using space for stuff I never use.
The number pad only ever became relevant to me after decades when I began playing video games that have more keybindings than I have brain cells. Caves Of Qud makes use of basically the the whole number pad just to manually move in 8 different directions.
Caves of Qud annoyed me with that, but I got vim-ish movement keys worked out instead. Normal hjkl, bnyu for diagonals, took a bit but now it’s second nature
Exactly. For me it’s closer to 40 years and I don’t think I ever used the number pad more than ten times. Tenkeyless is just better, unless you’re an accountant.
Or if you use different language keyboard layout. I mostly use Czech layout and if I wanted to type numbers without a numpad, I would need to hold shift+number to type them, or change the layout. So for me it’s more convenient to just use the numpad. Also I grew up with full sized keyboards so it’s also a habit.
I’m a fan of TKL as well, but one annoying place where the numpad is missed is games and software that hardcode numpad keys
Do you people never do any actual work on your computers?
I have body parts that are less important to me than my numpad.
We just don’t work as accountants ;-).
Or programming. Or sysadmins. Or sales orders. Or order picking. Or…
You need to type a number quickly?
You need a keypad.
The end.
I was a Unix sysadmin for years and never once used the num pad. I’m in sales now for 25 years and still don’t use it. I mean, it’s always been a goal of mine but I just never think of it when it’s time to use it, and it’s slower for me to use it than not use it. And I don’t enter enough numbers to get enough practice to be good at it.
I’m kind of intrigued by this one… What’s it called??
That’s the DataHand, one of the few novel text-entry devices in the last few decades. It’s sadly no longer made but ifyou want a modern one, check out the Svalboard.
The Svalboard is made by one guy in California with FOSS firmware based on QMK/Vial. He took it on because his DataHand, which had enabled him to keep working with a wrist injury, broke and no parts were available.
I got one myself after near disabling wrist RSI. I don’t type as fast as I used to (yet) but I am able to work with a lot less pain.
Thanks for that. It’s nice to see an assembled option. The lalboard looked a bit intimidating. I’ve been starting to develop daily wrist pain after working for a few hours and I’m looking for a decent option that lets me keep going without ending up crippled.
DataHand, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DataHand
Thanks! I’m gonna go check that out.
If you want a modern one, check out the Svalboard.
I use the numpad a ton at work. But pretty rarely outside that. Same with the function row I use it a ton at work.
That’s why I got a nice 96%. And to save money I carry it to work and back instead of getting two.
Your work won’t furnish a good one? Or offer some nominal “personal tech” budget for things like that?
lolno
They provide keyboards but crappy membrane ones that are communal and what pushed me over the edge to buy one was discovering the amount of gunk built up under the keys…
I don’t need the numpad. But no function keys? That’s insane.
They just become like laptops with a Fn+# key. It’s not like they are ‘gone’. Same thing with home/end/etc.
I’m not a fan of that, personally.
I went up to a comfortable 110 WPM.
What is this beautiful thing and where can I purchase it
It’s the Neo Ergo by qwertykeys. Should have regional vendors with either stock or preorder, although the mech market has slowed a lot.
Oh, it’s a build it yourself keyboard… I can’t count on vendors beacause I don’t live in the US
Pretty sure the manufacturer is in China. You just need to find a vendor closest to you. It will never go through the US.
Yey, found one in europe ! Ty !
How was the assembly ? I’ve never put a keyboard together and I’m a bit confused by if you need to solder anything, or buy anything else (are the switches and keycaps included ?)
You will need switches and keycaps. Stabilizers are included. Get the tri-mode or hot swap PCB to avoid soldering.
Assembly is super easy.
Ok, thanks a lot !
Look up Microsoft ergonomic keyboard. Best thing they ever made to date.
Excluding numbers.
Number pads are obsolete. If you need to type more than one number at a time, you should be asking yourself “What am I doing wrong such that I have to type all these numbers out?” We live in an age where every document is digital, and number pads are exclusively useful for transposing numbers from paper in bulk.
They’re not even a good design, there’s no tab, only enter, so they don’t even support putting numbers into a spreadsheet super well.
Enter is on the pinky. Use your left hand to press tab.
If I am using two hands anyways, surely having one set of numbers above the keyboard is sufficient?
I literally will not ever daily use a keyboard if it doesn’t have a number pad.
Any time I’m forced to temporarily use anything without a num pad I feel like I’m driving a car that’s missing half it’s steering wheel or something. It just feels wrong.
Amen.
I’ve been using a wireless mechanical 100% keyboard for years. Love it so much I bought a duplicate, so I have a spare when it’s time to run one through the dishwasher!
The…the what now?
You’ve never cleaned your keyboard in the dishwasher?
Hot water, don’t use detergent, and let any washed electronics dry completely before use is the method I use.
At the same time you charge your iPhone in the microwave oven at 10% power.
i reckon one can only do this with very soft water?
What, you don’t want your keys to crunch when you press them?
It needs to be ≥ 100% for me
just map it to a layer bro
Not the same. A functional num pad needs to be in a strict grid pattern to work. The keys need to be column aligned so they can be felt and the num pad used without looking at it.
get an ortho then
I downsized a while back due to switching to a smaller desk, and it does feel weird.
I can input lots of numbers very fast without looking down with a num pad. I cannot do that with the number row. I have to look down at some point and it’s much slower.
I just learned how to type numbers quickly without a numpad. It’s truly a skill issue if you need a numpad lol
96% gang. Best of both worlds, compact to just slightly wider than a TKL but without any sacrifice.
I have a split 40% because I type for a living and normie keyboards destroy my wrists.
I love my Moonlander. I’ll never go back.
I tried but then I was bad on all the other keyboards.
I kept most of my bindings the same as the normal QWERTY keyboard, so I don’t have much of an issue swapping between them. I had debated a lot about changing to other keyboard layouts and I’m really glad that I didn’t.
The best keyboard I managed to find from all keyboards I’ve ever used (including high end mechanical ones) is… 96%, keychron q6. Embrace mental disability, it feels so incredibly good
based
I was looking to get a mechanical keyboard. 8bitdo seemed to be recommended by some folks, but they don’t have the full-sized one with the 10-key here in Japan. Looks like I’m waiting.
34 keys is all you need. But it’s nice to have a few extra.
Do get a full-sized keyboard if you love bumping your mouse into it and misfiring when the game gets intense, though !
Joke’s on you, I use a trackball.
Upvoted… But I am stuck at 36/miryoku and can’t go less.
This is why I wish “southpaw” keyboards would become more mainstream. If you’re right-handed, having the numpad on the left makes way more sense ergonomically.
I’m too new to upload so look up 5 column corne keyboard
https://images.app.goo.gl/tauZ
Huh, not my preferred method. I wish I learned typing on Dvorak, but I use a 96% ANSI keychron and I’m pleased with it.
you can link external images like so
Yep, typing this on a Corne-ish Zen. Funnily enough saw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bTI6WUJxD4 yesterday and my first thought was “No. ALL my keys get to work hard!”
