Keyboard follow-up

In Tools of the Trade: Keyboard I talked about the importance of keyboards as well as some of the models I was looking into.

Shortly after, I ventured out into the wild world of consumerism where I visited Micro Center, Circuit City, and Best Buy trying out the various keyboards. I decided to start with the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. Turns out, that's where I'm going to end too. This is a fantastic keyboard.

It has one flaw: the space bar. If you push the space bar near the top, it gets kind of stuck. It's also the only key that's loud and "clack-y." I was able to get used to it, but it is less than ideal.

I was willing to get used to it because this keyboard has a lot going for it. Its most distinguishing feature is that it is raised from the back and slants down away from you. This is in contrast to most models which have feet in the back causing them to slant down toward you. Having it slant away is actually a lot more comfortable. I find that I rest the back of my hands on the wrist pad and allow my fingers to dangle down onto the keys. This seems to keep some of the stress off my wrists.



I also love the touch and spacing of the keys. They require more pressure and travel distance than some keyboards today, but not enough to make it annoying. Its a good balance.

I bought it from Micro Center. They sold me an OEM model that came in a simple brown unmarked box for half what Best Buy and Circuit City had it for.

Tools of the Trade: Keyboard

As a programmer you spend at least 8 hours a day in front of a keyboard doing a lot of typing. Typing code, emails, design documents, blog posts… That’s a lot of key strokes. So it seems logical that having a good keyboard would be important.

About 6 years ago I shopped around for and bought my first “non-included with the computer keyboard”, a Logitech Cordless Freedom Pro. I still have and use that keyboard at home. However, at work I use the keyboard that came with my computer, a Dell keyboard. Now I’m wondering, since it’s been about 6 years since I last shopped around for a keyboard, if I should take another look.

Of course, the problem is deciding what defines a good keyboard. And also taking the time to actually go select one for yourself instead of settling for whatever came with your computer.

First feature: Ergonomic Design. The options here seem to be classic, split, curve, wave, and crazy (and crazier). Some people swear by the split design while other people either find it annoying or too hard to use. Personally I think I like it, but I’ve never been able to conclusively determine if it really made that much of a difference.

Second feature: Tactile Feel. My dad learned how to type on a type writer, so he prefers a touch that has some real resistance and some pretty long travel distance. He uses an Avant Stellar. However, most keyboards these days are soft and quiet by comparison. My favorite keyboard in terms of tactile feel is the keyboard on my IBMLenovo T60p. It has a very satisfying feel, not too light and not mushy. On the other hand, it’s light enough that I feel I can still "fly over the keys." And the last big point is that it’s quiet. I’m a pretty heavy typist so having a quiet keyboard is important so I don’t annoy everyone around me too much…

Third feature: Accessible Keys. Programmers use the home, end, delete, page up, and page down keys a lot, so it’s important that they’re easy to use. This can actually be kind of hard to find. I’ve seen keyboards where you have to press and hold a function key to use Home and End! On other keyboards that cluster of keys can be “mangled.” My Logitech Cordless Freedom Pro is mangled. I was able to get used it to pretty quickly, but it is definitely a less than ideal arrangement. Another really important key is the control key. The Avant Stellar keyboard swaps the Control key and the Caps lock key by default. I’m a huge fan of this arrangement, so much so that I modified my Windows registry to swap the keys for me on a regular keyboard. I’ll talk more about why I like this arrangement so much in a later post.

Standard Layout

Micosoft Mangled Layout

Logitech Mangled Layout


Fourth feature: Cordless. In college I was very happy I had a cordless keyboard. I would carry it over to my bed with me when I was studying to control Winamp or I’d put it in my lap while I was writing a paper. However, at work, I’ve never felt the need to move my keyboard at all.

Taking all these factors into account I’ve limited my options to the following keyboards:
- My Dell keyboard
- My Logitech Cordless Freedom Pro
- Microsoft’s Ergonomic Desktop 7000
- Logitech’s Cordless Desktop Comfort Laser
- Logitech’s Cordless Desktop Wave

The Dell has very nice tactile feel, not quite as nice as the Lenovo T60p’s keyboard, but I like it. Not only that, but if you watch the credits at the end of this demo of Fogcreek’s Fogbugz you’ll see that the majority of the developer’s pictured with keyboards are using the Dell… interesting.

When it comes to my old Logitech, I’ve simply always been happy with it. I’m completely unsure if the new Desktop Comfort version is any different other than the color and the wrist rest.

Microsoft’s keyboard looks great. It’s non-mangled and split. I have to try to find this one at the store to see how I like its feel.

The Wave is completely different if nothing else. I haven’t had a chance to actually type on it, so I really can’t say anything affirmative about it.

The last question to be answered is, do any of these features really matter? What keyboards do you use? Do you think the ergonomic designs really make a difference? Are they really more comfortable to type on?