Why are the keys on the keyboard not in columns?

[oskda]

... on my normal keyboard I think Esc is too far away and my Caps Lock is already Ctrl.

Lots of people puts ESC key where `-key is in normal keyboards (i.e. above tab key).

You should try ortholineal real-programmable keyboard: you can put each key where you want

With real-programmable I mean you can do what you want, not only assigning macros to same keys. I.e. you can create keyboard as you want, even with different profiles/modifiers/etc. And like all keys are the same or integer-multiplication size, you can change them as you want (in normal staggered keyboards, there are keys with 1.5, 1.25 and more sizes, so you can't change them so free as in ortholinear keyboards (and you can't find keycaps for all symbols for that 1.5/etc sizes, although there is people who prefer blank, without printed symbols, keycaps).

 

[Silent-Hunter]

to really big like this
View attachment 35982

What keyboard is that? I want one.

 

[netcat]

What keyboard is that? I want one.

whoa. I could code with my fists. finally!

 

[oskda]

What keyboard is that? I want one.

Really I don't know. I think it is an abomination to scare kids and real programmers too

I founded it here: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=75111.0

If you want to look for it in a search engine you can try something like "ortholinear keyboard (big,full size.....)".

 

[oskda]

I know that regular keyboards have staggered keys so ...

In a previous post I wrote «most of them are arranged like mechanical typewriters for historical reasons and because people got used them», but I am in doubt now, and I must correct my previous answer.

I am thinking about assembling my own TKL or 60% ortholinear keyboard (keys in columns), but I have been thinking about staggered keys vs keys in columns (ortholinear way), and now I think there is a justification for staggered way in front part of keyboard.

When you have a normal keyboard in front of you, for use, your forearms and hands are not in right position but angled so your hand can type in a keyboard in front of you. In this position, it may be staggered keys are better, because your hands are not in right angle. When you use numerical pad in a normal keyboard your forearm and hand are in right angle (numerical pad is not in front of you but more in front of your shoulder), so there keys arranged in columns/ortholinear are better.

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

That's an interesting thought but in that case the staggering only works for my right hand because it forces my left hand to bend outwards even though it would naturally be bend inwards. Also the staggering is inconsistent, it's a half key length shift from the number row to the qwerty row and then going further down it changes to a quarter shift and then half again. That makes perfect sense for a typewriter but not for ergonomic reasons AFAIK.

Post automatically merged: Apr 24, 2020

If you want to look for it in a search engine you can try something like "ortholinear keyboard (big,full size.....)".

Or do a reverse image search. There are plenty of sites that can help with that.

 

[Silent-Hunter]

Really I don't know. I think it is an abomination to scare kids and real programmers too

I founded it here: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=75111.0

If you want to look for it in a search engine you can try something like "ortholinear keyboard (big,full size.....)".

I bought the opposite, a Planck. Can't wait for it to arrive!

Post automatically merged: Apr 25, 2020

Also it's a Tipro KMX-128, I found it the other day.

 

[oskda]

... the staggering only works for my right hand because it forces my left hand to bend outwards even though it would naturally be bend inwards.

You are right. It may be normal keyboard staggering is better for that hand position than ortholinear, but not ideal, and less good for left hand than right hand. It may be specially designed staggering, more ergonomic, keyboard would be better.

On other side I found ISO keyboards, used for most Europeans, are worse than ANSI keyboards (for example used in US): it stress little fingers much more and you must move your hands more often because of small left shift key and more distant return key. I live in Europe but I use US keyboard with US-International configuration.

By the way I found this image about ulnar deviation:

 

[oskda]

I bought the opposite, a Planck. Can't wait for it to arrive!

I love those small ortholinear Plack keyboard,

but I am worried if it is bad for hand position (if they force hand position and implies ulnar deviation).

I think split ortholinear could be better:

 

[oskda]

That's an interesting thought but in that case the staggering only works for my right hand because it forces my left hand to bend outwards even though it would naturally be bend inwards. Also the staggering is inconsistent, it's a half key length shift from the number row to the qwerty row and then going further down it changes to a quarter shift and then half again. That makes perfect sense for a typewriter but not for ergonomic reasons AFAIK.

This type of split ortholinear keyboard

could be a good solution as you can keep hands-forehands in much better position.

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

I love those small ortholinear Plack keyboard,

It looks great. But what is the "Rekt" button on the left supposed to be for?

 

[oskda]

It looks great. But what is the "Rekt" button on the left supposed to be for?

I don't know "Rekt" meaning. In German it seems to be "rect", but it may be other language and/or an abbreviation for other word (like "ESC" or "CTRL").

I was thinking it is ESC key, because red is a usual color for that key (in customized keyboards) and for its upper left position (although interchanged with TAB, because if user uses Vim, it could be he press "ESC" key much more than "TAB").

I have looked some other more standard keyboards and I have seen a few of them with same "Rekt" key in normal ESC position:
https://i.redd.it/ybvvagew6dq21.jpg
https://i.redd.it/3eq1z31w14gz.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f6/f4/d0/f6f4d0a5af31476f36bec1f2783904c0.jpg
so it is clear it is ESC key.
Here https://i.redd.it/i4c8q4fif1q41.jpg we can see normal red ESC key in same position in same type of keyboard.

It may be sometimes it is better to use only symbols, like this https://i.redd.it/brdrz9nxgaq21.jpg but it is too much cryptic for me, so I prefer English abbreviations as they are universally known (although English is not my natural language), and I like seeing HYPER META SUPER keys, I got excited with them not with Windows® keys

These small ortholinear keyboards are totally programmable, you can assign scancode you want to each key, even you can assign modifiers keys where you want (in some standard keyboards you can't do this because modifier keys are specially routed so you can press them with other keys), .i.e. you can change function completely, not only keycaps like in normal mechanical keyboards. In this way you can assemble your very own custom keyboard.

 

[comradekingu]

To my knowledge it is because anchoring down the halves is done with screws, and the top half has the threads molded in.

 

[spud42]

no idea what the REKT key does. but the term is usually a slang gamer term meaning "wrecked". used in the context of "get REKT" meaning to destroy /kill another player..