[tex-eplain] what keyboard do you use/like

[Dustin Tucker]

Deck 82-key. It's the best small-footprint keyboard with dedicated function keys (that rules out the happy hacking keyboard) that I've found. Some people don't like linear keyswitches, but I get by fine with them. I'm not crazy about the layout, so I remap several keys. (The most important ones for vim and TeX are moving backspace down next to p, putting backslash on the right shift, swapping esc and tab, and putting control in for capslock, but there are several others.)

I like the footprint for at least three reasons: it sits more comfortably in my lap; it's small enough that I can bring it with my laptop; and for those rare times when I need a mouse, it's a lot easier to reach. I don't use function keys very often, but I also don't like having to press something else just to get to them. Especially if I'm in Windows.

The LEDs don't do much for me, but you can turn them off. I do like the blank keycaps they sell; those and a black casing make for a blank keyboard that's a little more striking (for better or worse) than a Das keyboard or HHK. Really, though, it's the combination of small footprint and dedicated function keys (with good keyswitches, but I figure that's a given) that sold me. I've been using these for years now; I doubt I'll switch any time soon. Just convinced a colleague to get one by letting her borrow it for a few days, too.

Okay, enough on keyboards. Back to lurking on the group, since I haven't yet had any problems to ask about here.

Dustin

At 07:30 Fri, 23 Oct 2009, Dorai Sitaram wrote

> I figure this readership must have a particularly intense relationship with keyboards and must have developed strong likes and hates grounded on long usage.  What keyboard do you use or prefer?  If a purpose has to be specified, I'd say typing documents (as opposed to multimedia usage or gaming).
>
> --d