I'm really looking forward to trying this keyboard;
polycounter lvl 11
Normally I don't really care about keyboards, my current one is just a basic 104 key one with nothing fancy on it and even though I'm a huge fan of hotkeys for everything, I was never really interested in the gaming keyboards that had a bunch of useful macro-able keys.
However I just stumbled upon this!
Razer Anansi Keyboard
It has 7(!) modifier keys, and most importantly, they are moved to the thumb area!
I've always hated using my pinky finger for ctrl/shift/alt, especially when doing combinations like ctrl+g or even the very commonly used ctrl+c and ctrl+v. Look at the way your hand bends when you press those keys, it just looks wrong (and feels wrong to me, even though I've been doing it for 10 years).
It feels even more uncomfortable when either held down for longer than a couple of secs (for example, 3d viewport navigation and sprinting/crouching in FPS, which is why I boud those movement functions to my mouse's thumb buttons) or when rapidly used in combination (for example micro and macroing in RTS)
I guess some people would consider this cheating... well I'm not good enough at any RTS to play competitively anyway and don't have the necessary time/motivation to do it, so who cares
Also alt+anything but q or 1 is really awkward no matter which fingers you use (which is why I've remapped alt to caps lock key using another program).
I'm surprised I never thought about having the modifier keys below the space bar before.
Your thumb is barely used in regular hotkeys, aside from pressing the space bar and performing certain modifier+key actions. But every one of them thumb-modifier actions involve moving or twisting your hand out of place and the space bar is never used with a modifier key (well, at least I don't have any modifier+space keys, and if I did I'll just change them to something else with the 7 modifier keys)
Which takes me to the next point... 7 modifier keys means I won't ever need to hotkey anything past the 4-r-f-v line, which means I can always leave my hand around the WASD position at all times (applies to working with 3d, photoshop and games). In 3D max I have every key on the keyboard bound to something (Anything past the 4-r-f-v line are things I rarely use or only have a 1 time usage, but still bound to something nonetheless).
The extra macro keys on the left will also come in handy I guess but thats just the cherry on the cake. Oh and the fact that I'll get 3 more decently-positioned hotkeys for where ctrl/shift/alt used to be is another bonus!
Now I just hope it feels comfortable to reach all 7 of those modifier keys with my thumb, here's hoping!
The keyboard ain't coming out till next month, I'll buy it asap to try and then update this thread with my findings after I've gotten used to it.
Also, I don't care about the price, I buy the best things I can find when it comes to making my life using my PC more efficient/comfortable! Especially considering the hours I spend on my PC.
However I just stumbled upon this!
Razer Anansi Keyboard
It has 7(!) modifier keys, and most importantly, they are moved to the thumb area!
I've always hated using my pinky finger for ctrl/shift/alt, especially when doing combinations like ctrl+g or even the very commonly used ctrl+c and ctrl+v. Look at the way your hand bends when you press those keys, it just looks wrong (and feels wrong to me, even though I've been doing it for 10 years).
It feels even more uncomfortable when either held down for longer than a couple of secs (for example, 3d viewport navigation and sprinting/crouching in FPS, which is why I boud those movement functions to my mouse's thumb buttons) or when rapidly used in combination (for example micro and macroing in RTS)
I guess some people would consider this cheating... well I'm not good enough at any RTS to play competitively anyway and don't have the necessary time/motivation to do it, so who cares
Also alt+anything but q or 1 is really awkward no matter which fingers you use (which is why I've remapped alt to caps lock key using another program).
I'm surprised I never thought about having the modifier keys below the space bar before.
Your thumb is barely used in regular hotkeys, aside from pressing the space bar and performing certain modifier+key actions. But every one of them thumb-modifier actions involve moving or twisting your hand out of place and the space bar is never used with a modifier key (well, at least I don't have any modifier+space keys, and if I did I'll just change them to something else with the 7 modifier keys
)Which takes me to the next point... 7 modifier keys means I won't ever need to hotkey anything past the 4-r-f-v line, which means I can always leave my hand around the WASD position at all times (applies to working with 3d, photoshop and games). In 3D max I have every key on the keyboard bound to something (Anything past the 4-r-f-v line are things I rarely use or only have a 1 time usage, but still bound to something nonetheless).
The extra macro keys on the left will also come in handy I guess but thats just the cherry on the cake. Oh and the fact that I'll get 3 more decently-positioned hotkeys for where ctrl/shift/alt used to be is another bonus!
Now I just hope it feels comfortable to reach all 7 of those modifier keys with my thumb, here's hoping!
The keyboard ain't coming out till next month, I'll buy it asap to try and then update this thread with my findings after I've gotten used to it.
Also, I don't care about the price, I buy the best things I can find when it comes to making my life using my PC more efficient/comfortable! Especially considering the hours I spend on my PC.
Replies
I don't really understand the needs for having extra button on my keyboard, IMO once someone get used to ctrl+c & ctlr+v regular basis, it's hard to go the other way, probably keep those extra buttons remain untouched.
I can't imagine why would anyone swap capslock to alt position :P, that means now ctrl alt tab is in the same row, how can i press ctrl + alt + anything -or- alt +tab that way ? but in the end it's just matter of preference i guess..
Also, if i'm going to spend a hundred bucks on a keyboard, it's gotta be a Filco
Same, and more then once for myself... I like to stick to logitech, and steelseries.
Althought i do have a razer megalodon headset, its pretty amazing although i havent used it enough...
alt tab is easy with the caps lock as tab... ring finger for caps lock, middle finger for tab. Still gotta move 2 fingers either way (usually you move thumb from space to alt, and finger from whatever key to tab). I think it feels better if the thumb remains at space bar position.
ctrl+alt+tab has always been an awkward combo regardless of where alt is. What is ctrl alt tab for anyway?
And you're not meant to press ctrl+alt+anything at the same time, except delete. Holding 2 modifier keys at the same time is a very stupid idea in my opinion. Actually even ctrl+alt+del isn't very smart, but it's 'difficulty' of accidently pressing the 3 keys is good for being noob-proof.
And yes I do realize many shortcuts in photoshop involve using 2 modifiers. And yes they all do suck, which is why I've customized them
If you really need those extra modifier combos that 2 modifiers held at the same time give, the 7 modifiers that the anansi has will be able to help you on that.
Getting used to doing something bad is a bad thing. I'm very eager to change my bad habits if I see or feel why they are bad.
@ joshua; For typing, maybe, but primarily for hotkey usage I don't feel much difference between "ergonomic" keyboards or normal ones. And any benefit that curve does give has surely gotta be negated by the awkward ctrl/alt/shift combos... But I might agree that an ergonomic keyboard with extra thumb keys is win.
I'm not a big fan of razer products myself... but I don't see anyone else making thumb modifier keys (until I found out about roccat just now
@ Blaizer; I don't know who or what your post is directed at, but please enlighten me, show me what you think is good.
/rant
Never got the need for quicklaunch buttons :X never used mine, then I got a Saitek Eclipse 2, and loved that it had glow, so I could see things at night...
Hmm.. more on topic, anyone have any REALLY good keyboards they'd like to recommend?
MS Natural ergo 4000
Seriously though, the idea of having some buttons in an easier to reach place would mean moving my hand less when working, which would be nice. Doubt I would buy one though.
Not really a fan of razors products...they look too ugly, and cost too much.
It even sounds like a keyboard!
If only it could satisfy my sexual needs.. hmmmmmmg
Edit: Weirdly... it does in a way.
3 pounds of pure awesomeness
For those on a tight budget I think remapping your keys with AutoHotkey could be acceptable alternative. See here for more ideas on what to do with it.
It seems like it would be pretty trivial to remap Ctrl+C,V, and Z (or anything) to left shift+C,V, and Z or Spacebar+C,V, and Z which would make them much easier to press.
I'm also tired of pressing Ctrl+anything so I think I'll give AutoHotkey it a try tomorrow. I bet the changes to various viewport navigation schemes using Ctrl is going to take some getting used to...
I wouldn't recommend the Wave to anyone not even if it were free.
pro
it even has next and pause buttons for media players.
I got me one of these at work, killed the first one in a week by pouring black coffee in it.
The only thing it lacks is a second windows key, so you can't do single keystroke workstation lock lol, so not good at work if you have got colleague who'll grief you.:D
One thing I'd love to see is a keyboard with single stroke Copy/Past etc, that's the reason I got RSI in the first place, hence work sending in a workstation ergonomics dude to assess me and get the new keyboard/mouse.
(it's not a keyboard even!)
I've had this keyboard for about 2 years now. I wouldn't want to use anything else. Seriously, it is wonderful.
Dont ever want anything else, I should probably stock pile a few in case they get scarce.
Along with Logitech MX518, which i feel is just about the most comfortable mouse ever made, they really help reduce wrist pain.
Are the keys that nice mechanical clickly kind or the shitty puffy padded kind. Dont really know what its called but its the softer key press I guess. Hate that.
S/N: 2514160
Date: 13NOV87
for the uninformed: i'm not joking.
Which is very unfortunate considering the rate technology advances. Oh well, I'm just glad I'm not like that
I'm not saying that newer is always better, I'm just simply excited to try new things and see for myself.
The backlit keys were nice, but I never used any of the functions keys or the LCD screens.
So I "Downgraded" to just a basic sensible keyboard. I chose the apple keyboard/They keys are soft, and very responsive. Very good usable keyboard.
After countless orange soda, root beer, Cheeto, etc from teenage gaming days, physical abuse (had friends that thought if you punch a keyboard the computer will understand your anger and thus respond by behaving) it still works like the day I got it with my original pc.
Thats what I was saying with my short post.
Edit: Hah, thats an awesome mouse eld. My previous bit about my mouse was way off point :poly141: it was more about brand than mechanics.
Benq A800.
allthough I can only recommend the MS keyb/mouse. Good quality nice on the wrists(Do not slam the mouse into the desk, the mousewheel axle will break). Allthough I never use the extra added buttons except for the calculator and volume.
btw, what's the point of not having inscriptions on the keys? It seems rather like an un-feature to me unless you need to type texts in suaheli, mongolian, english and russian all the time...
I have Tarantula keyboard and Coperhead mouse. Mouse is just great . Have one at home and one at work . 1.5 year and no glitches or broken parts . Same for keyboard . Its bulletproof and very comfortable .
MS keyboard is great too but fragile . One cup of coffee will broke it.
unless you want to show off your geekyness. after all, if you can blind type, those inscriptions are useless anyway.
Although, I'm probably going to get that super slim apple keyboard. I had that one for a while and it was the best keyboard I've ever used!
this is pretty much what I have. Keeping shit classic.
Laser keyboard is the way to go, you can put that bad boy on your kitty and it'll be purring all day.
currrrrrrr purrrrrrr
I'd love a silent mechanical switch version.
You should specify which one, especially since most of Logitech's mice aren't particularly ergonomic.
I have the perfomance MX and I am very happy with it.