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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:13 pm
by Kieran Huggins
Anyone ever tried the optimus keyboard? Rather expensive piece of kit, but oh so sexy.

I think the thing that would annoy me about it is the group of extra keys on the left. The Logitech G11/15 both have them as well; I bought a G11 and ended up giving it away because I couldn't get used to the extra with. I discovered that I tend to "find" the keyboard by feeling out the bottom corners with my pinkies, then automatically moving my hands into position from there. Funny how you never think of something like that until you're suddenly unable to type. Other than that it was a decent keyboard though.

Thanks for the key-tweak link - I think I'm going to have a go at remapping the Fn key on my laptop - It's squatting where the ctrl should be and it drives me nuts. I'll remap some f-keys as volume buttons on my desktop as well.

What are the default behaviours for the F-keys?

F1 = Help
F3 = Search
F5 = Refresh

and that's all I know!

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:43 pm
by superdezign
Your pinkies?

Am I the only programmer in the world that types with one hand?

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:45 pm
by JAB Creations
Here is how I use my function keys...

F1 - Help
F2 - Rename
F3 - Find
F4 - N/A
F5 - Reload
F6 - Volume -
F7 - Spellcheck
F8 - Volume +
F9 - Previous Track
F10 - Play/Pause
F11 - Fullscreen
F12 - Next Track

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:52 pm
by Kieran Huggins
@SD: likely! But whatever works for you, I guess...

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 7:05 am
by Ollie Saunders
That is a very expensive keyboard. Have you guys seen the new mac keyboards? They are very slim and sexy looking.

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:12 am
by John Cartwright
ole wrote:That is a very expensive keyboard.
Yes is very unusual to see a keyboard marked up higher than the average PC costs. Ridiculos actually.. I don't see a very large market for this product.

Now do I want one? Yes. Will I buy one? No.

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:49 pm
by swiftouch
This is an absolutely beautiful thread. Having been introduced to ' in firefox as being the quick selection tool, I'm in heaven. I've always dreamed of a faster way to surf because using the mouse is a big time waster IMHO. Thanks Ole! I'm going mouseless.(or die trying) :D

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:59 pm
by ReDucTor
I very rarely use the mouse, a few years ago I had a mouse that was screwed, I cbf replacing it so I became very familair with keyboard shortcuts, and quick methods of doing things with out it.

And after spending alot of time working in schools I have worked on lots of computers with out mouse balls, broken buttons, etc. Thank god they have moved to optical mice now (doesnt mean I dont have a box of 50 mice sitting right next to my desk atm for when the kids pull buttons off). I have become use to using the keyboard for everything coz most mice I run into I normally have to replace, either too much <span style='color:blue' title='I&#39;m naughty, are you naughty?'>smurf</span> in it, broken buttons, broken balls, and the biggest pain in the arse, an optical mouse with a glossy desk (some prick here decided to pain all the desks in two labs, now mice are screwed)

Plus using alot of laptops with pads or those anoying little pin things, assisted me in becoming a keyboard junkie, If I can avoid using the mouse I will avoid it. The biggest pain in the arse I've had with keyboards is three things.

- Adding those stupid power on, power off buttons
- Laptop keyboards dont have proper num pads, and have anoying keys added
- Where the hell is my backslash now? Is it above enter? is it before the back space key? -- Probably the most anoying of them all when working on multiple computers.

Another very common thing I'm known for doing is being a start->run junkie on everything I do on windows machines. I hate finding <span style='color:blue' title='I&#39;m naughty, are you naughty?'>smurf</span> in windows start menu, Its quicker to just type in the app name if in %PATH% or type the full path. Plus it has auto complete, and lists most common items, Start->Run or Windows+R for the win.

The only time I'll buy a new mouse again is if I get back into First Person shooter gaming, which I stopped doing about 2yrs ago.

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:36 pm
by Ollie Saunders
Another very common thing I'm known for doing is being a start->run junkie on everything I do on windows machines. I hate finding smurf in windows start menu, Its quicker to just type in the app name if in %PATH% or type the full path. Plus it has auto complete, and lists most common items, Start->Run or Windows+R for the win.
For a while, before I started PHP programming I went around my local towns doing domestic computer repair work. You very quickly learn to live off of windows+R because it's the only reliable, fast way to launch programs. Everything else can be moved or changed by the user quite often involuntarily. The average Joe's computer is in a complete mess, and is un-usably slow. The first thing I did was hit windows+r type "msconfig" click the startup tab, turn everything off and reboot the machine. Only then can you actually get anything done.

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:52 pm
by swiftouch
ole wrote:The first thing I did was hit windows+r type "msconfig" click the startup tab, turn everything off and reboot the machine. Only then can you actually get anything done.
hahahaha

I hear ya. Every time I am asked to fix a family members computer I want to sit down and cry because of how slow it is. First thing I tell people is if you haven't used a program in the last 3 months, uninstall it. And uninstall NORTON for *#(!*&@ sake! (i apologize to anyone who may work there).

After learning of the merits of the windows+r sequence I've been using it more often.

I once tried using strokeit. There's merit that program in that you dont have spend those extra moments trying to hit the right button. But it wasn't for me. Using the keyboard shortcuts have greatly helped me move away from the mouse. It's just learning all the shortcuts that takes time.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:07 am
by Kieran Huggins
I use a program called launchy, but it has it's annoying moments.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:04 am
by n00b Saibot
I think each has its own place... there are times when keyboard is super-fast than mouse, and there are times when mouse will be a faster option... and of course there is that drawing/design aspect...
say you are at the top of the page, you can either hit Ctrl+End and go to the end.. or end up scrolling from mouse...
then there is another case, suppose you are using those tabbed documents (like that on My Computer Properties)... i, for one, would go on tabbing next until I reach the tab I want to go to... just click and you are there...

not to mention, fastest performances come from using combination of both... if you know what you are doing, that is.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:12 am
by mrkite
Everah wrote:I use the mouse only as I need to. I find it particularly difficult to draw using only a keyboard.
When I was an ascii artist back in the mid nineties, I found drawing using only a keyboard rather easy :)

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:20 am
by RobertGonzalez
mrkite wrote:
Everah wrote:I use the mouse only as I need to. I find it particularly difficult to draw using only a keyboard.
When I was an ascii artist back in the mid nineties, I found drawing using only a keyboard rather easy :)
Sweet. Post some stuff.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:12 pm
by mrkite
Everah wrote:
mrkite wrote:
Everah wrote:I use the mouse only as I need to. I find it particularly difficult to draw using only a keyboard.
When I was an ascii artist back in the mid nineties, I found drawing using only a keyboard rather easy :)
Sweet. Post some stuff.
I have a small collection of stuff here. I'd have to go through old Remorse and ACiD artpacks to find the rest of it.. and I just haven't bothered.