[Call for nominees] Best ergonomic keyboard/HID 2011

[webwit]

Please suggest nominees for the Best ergonomic keyboard or other human interface device in 2011.

Current suggestions (this list is frequently updated):

• Kinesis Advantage
• Goldtouch
• Cherry G80-5000
• Rollermouse family
• Tipro POS keyboards
• Datahand
• μTRON
• FingerWorks TouchStream
• Maltron 3D Dual Hand Keyboard

[hoggy]

Kinesis Advantage with red switches.

[webwit]

This names the question if we should nominate keyboard types or keyboard families, or both (which it is now I guess). I.e. the Advantage MX Red, or just the Advantage (all switch types). The Majestouch-2 family would be another example. Any opinions?

[fossala]

I think it would get too full. We already have a best switch. It doesn't matter the switch, it is more about the ergonomics of the keyboard and build quality.

[hoggy]

Good thought. I'd be happy to change my nomination to just Advantage to keep things simple. Would be a shame to split the votes.

[nathanscribe]

Goldtouch, but I don't have much experience of other ergonomic keyboards.

[Findecanor]

Kinesis Advantage (the ordinary one, with Cherry MX Brown)

[hoggy]

Goldtouch, but I don't have much experience of other ergonomic keyboards.

No worries, they deserve a nomination.

[cactux]

[Account and posts deleted on request]

[7bit]

Tipro and RollerMouse FTW!

[kbdfr]

Tipro and RollerMouse FTW!

Yes, Tipro and Rollermouse, no doubt.

[cactux]

[Account and posts deleted on request]

[Ekaros]

Tipro and RollerMouse FTW!

Yes, Tipro and Rollermouse, no doubt.

Am I missing something here, that monster does not luck very ergonomic

It is, for two persons ;D

[kbdfr]

Tipro and RollerMouse FTW!

Yes, Tipro and Rollermouse, no doubt.
[lovely monster keyboard]

Am I missing something here, that monster does not luck very ergonomic

I meant more the staggered keyboard together with the RollerMouse,
but coming to think about it:
- function keys where they used to be before you were born, i.e. on the left side instead of over the alphanumerics: allows you to type any shortcut involving Shift, Ctrl and/or Alt and a function key with just your left hand without having to look. That is ergonomic.
- numeric pad with dot and comma. That is ergonomic.
- dedicated keys for letters like those on the right (for transcription of texts in a certain language using non-Latin characters into Latin characters with diacritical marks) instead of getting them from the symbol table everytime one needs them (which, at least in my case, is quite often). That is ergonomic.

Ergonomy doesn't mean something is small. It means avoiding unnecessary moves. My keyboard is perfect for that.

[cactux]

[Account and posts deleted on request]

[mintberryminuscrunch]

dont ask me why, but my first thought when seeing that keyboard was
phantom of the opera
*weird*

[kbdfr]

^^ For sure you have a key assignned for each single thing around your home ( open the door, remote control, air conditioner, etc). Do you touch-typing in that board

Of course. The keys are not placed at random, you know

An example: if you have a look at that bunch of characters with a line or a dot over or under them on the right side of the keyboard, you will notice that three of the keys under them do not have the same height as the others. They allow "touch positioning" of my right hand and touch typing (i.e. controlling input on the screen) when overwriting the original text (which lacks the diacritic marks) to make for example a "t" out of a "t" (it's not just underlined, it is another character) and then proceed to the next character or perform a few other functions needed at that stage.

Perhaps you mean it would be more ergonomic to grasp a mouse, do a few klicks in the menu and then repeat that procedure a few dozen times per page over hundreds of pages?
I've been professionally touch typing for longer than you presumably are living and believe me, I give that kind of things a lot of consideration.

Tipro keyboards are even better for professional typing than the legendary G80-2100 because a) they have far more programmable keys, b) they allow assembling several keyboards and above all c) they can be programmed with far more than just keystrokes.

But of course there are people whose keyboard could be reduced to WASD because that's nearly all they use it for. Really ergonomic. When they happen to type, they could use the mouse to click each desired character from a table.
Or to put it another way: a cyclist will presumably find the instrument panel of a heavy-duty lorry unnecessarily complex

To get back to the topic, my point is that Tipro deserves the award as best ergonomic keyboard because it allows even for such a monster like mine.

[Findecanor]

Hmm... Interesting viewpoint!

There have been several other people who have organized keys on one or more Tipro keyboards in various "ergonomic" layouts. Split keyboard layout, TypeMatrix-like layout, etc.
An ability to adjust a keyboard to your own body and your own typing style is an ergonomic feature in itself.
I think that the nomination should go to Tipro's line of programmable POS keyboards as a whole rather than to any specific (user's) keyboard layout.

[hoggy]

I'd like to nominate the Datahand. I got my first in 2011.

[Jim66]

Can you nominate more than once?

[webwit]

Yes.

[Jim66]

In which case:

Cherry G80-5000
Kinesis Advantage

[HaaTa]

uTron

[sordna]

I'd like to nominate the Fingerworks Touchstream. Got mine this year and it's absolutely amazing

[webwit]

I changed this category so it includes non-keyboard ergonomic devices as well, so the Rollermouse can be nominated.

[Jim66]

Maltron 3D Dual Hand Keyboard