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Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:08 pm
by Jonah Bron
Hello, world!

I'm about to get a keyboard, and I would like to know what keyboards you all like. Up until now, I've only owned laptops, so this is the first time I've had a choice. I'm thinking about getting a slim keyboard, to minimize the adaptation necessary, but I don't know if that's a good idea or not. What brands/models have the best key positioning? How long has yours lasted? Is there such thing as a keyboard that's not "Made in China"?

Thanks!

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:52 pm
by pickle
The only thing I can suggest is an ergonomic keyboard. I've had one from Microsoft for about 4 years & it's still going fine.

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:13 pm
by daedalus__
i seriously want to get those dvorak stickers and use a programmers dvorak layout on my laptop.

there is a brand named kinesis that makes these really crazy ergonomic keyboards.

oh and look at this:

http://www.maltron.com/images/keyboards ... 3-1500.jpg

its really up to you. keyboard is a keyboard. i like logitech keyboard and mouse combinations

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:49 pm
by jayshields
I got a Saitek Eclipse II a couple of weeks ago - based largely on the fact that a lot of keyboard reviewers have it down as one of the best, if not the best, keyboards you can get for gaming and typing. I'm pretty happy with it and would recommend it.

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 3:07 pm
by AbraCadaver

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 3:14 pm
by John Cartwright
AbraCadaver wrote:This one's a bargain at $1,600: http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/9836/

And this one is cool and cheaper: http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/8193/
I wouldn't imagine spending 1600 on a keyboad, especially one that is not ergonomical. I don't see where the added $1,500 comes into play for that product. Whooptidoo, I can change the icons of my keys. I say scotch tape and a marker.

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 4:56 pm
by daedalus__
i think that keyboard is amazing they just need to lower the price about 1200 bucks. i can think of so many things to do with it. i can never remember hot keys as it is.

you could sit there and create your own keyboard layout !!

maann. what if you lock your computer and all the keys say 'f' 'u'

haha

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:55 am
by Jonah Bron
That's a pretty cool idea. If you can sync them just right, you wouldn't need a keyboard :) You have a "touch screen" at your desk!

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:52 pm
by McInfo
The keyboard I have been using for the past five years is an A4Tech RFKBTX-8. I paid $35 for it at a local computer store. It came with a ball mouse, but I prefer the optical IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 (I recently bought a second one after seven years).

The keys have just the right amount of rebound for my taste and it's not too loud. There are plenty of satisfying clicks when my fingers are flying, but I can depress an individual key without a sound if I keep lateral pressure on it. There are multimedia keys along the top that I don't use much except for the browser, volume, and sleep keys.
A4Tech RFKBTX-8 keyboard
A4Tech RFKBTX-8 keyboard
A4Tech_RFKBTX-8.jpg (7.88 KiB) Viewed 3238 times
I found this long forum thread while I was looking around. You might find something useful in it: The best computer keyboards ever made - still
Jonah Bron wrote:Is there such thing as a keyboard that's not "Made in China"?
Unicomp builds keyboards in the United States.

Edit: This post was recovered from search engine cache.

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 3:28 pm
by daedalus__
cool thread this is neat:

http://www.daskeyboard.com/

it'd be nice to get a mechanical keyboard that doesn't look like a microwave

EDIT: SWEET AND LOOK AT THIS:

Image

it would be so cool for each key to be an html tag or to assign snippets of control structures to the keypad

EDIT2: and sweet baby jesus:

http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-tactus/

you could build a crazy midi controller on that. with buttons to swap between keyboard, mixer, drum machine, etc.
:O

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 3:49 pm
by Weirdan
The keyboard I use for last 1.5 years is MS Natural Ergo 4000 - really good for typing, however its coffee resistance certainly could use some improvement :D

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:17 pm
by josh
pickle wrote:The only thing I can suggest is an ergonomic keyboard. I've had one from Microsoft for about 4 years & it's still going fine.
Seconded. I didn't like them until I realized I'm probably not going to like wrist braces either. once i finally got it i got used to it quick

Once you've typed a few hundred thousand lines of code in your career youre going to be hurting for it.

@deadalus - welcome to the internet :lol: that thing is so old, i still consider it vaporware. It took them like 6 years to get to market and then when they did the reviews were horrible and the cost was $500+

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 6:29 am
by kaisellgren
I like the Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, but when it comes to fast development, a custom keyboard layout is a must.

I used this http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/goglobal/bb964665.aspx to create a layout of my own which seems to be better than QWERTY or Colemak after spending some time with it. It has special keys like "q" that types two characters at once: ->

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:34 pm
by josh
Can you provide any examples of customizations you made? Are they just for internationalization? Is it a simplification of dvorak?

Re: Best Keyboard for Developing?

Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 3:26 pm
by kaisellgren
I can provide a screenshot of my favorite layout on Monday when I get my hands on my PC (using EEE now).

If you ever have too much time, I recommend spending some time on making your own layout because it's fun. :)

Just make sure you have some sort of tape (I happened to have a label printer) to hide the original letters and replace them with yours. As the time goes on you will obviously learn to type and you no longer need to see your replaced letters.

EDIT: Ah, It seems I had my "PHP Coding Layout" in Gmail:

Image
and when you hold Shift

Image

This one I had in my Gmail does not seem to be the latest version (It's mission ä and ö at least), but it shows the idea.