You have me sold, I’m ordering a MS Ergo Keyboard as I post, I’ve been eying those keyboards for a while now. Thanks!

I tried this before, but I could never get used to the “split” keyboard idea. Plus, I prefer the normal layout. The only difference I do not mind in new keyboards is the shrinking of the “Enter” key and putting the “\” key on top while elongating the “Backspace” key.

Other than that, the numpad HAS to be the same, the insert-home-pageup & delete-end-pagedown HAS to be in the correct 3×2 order and the arrow keys HAS to be in that way.

I recommend keeping the legs on the elite retracted. That will keep the rest bar in a better position–closer to your typing position. It’s better for your wrists.

I’ve gone through three elites, and I got used to the funny arrow keys and the home/end/etc but I’ve never preferred that layout. I’ve since replaced them all with 4000s.

The 4000 with the front bar on actually raises the wrist rest even higher so it’s nearly the highest point of the keyboard. It’s very comfortable, and it keeps your wrists more straight.

@hdw – actually this can be easily done with the elite just closing the keyboard legs. The front is considerably higher than the back in its natural position. Additionally, the palm rest kinda bulges up in the middle so your hands are kinda arched down and to the sides – as if you were gripping the keyboard to prevent it from falling.

the ergo 4000 is my fav of these 2 split keyboards. the height of it totally surprised me too when I first attached the front lifter but after you use it for a week you get really used to it. normal keyboards feel too flat now, when im coding for hours on end i do notice i feel a lot better at the end of the day… the elite one put me off with the re-arranging of the buttons, and the fact the ergo is black :)

For the best ergonomic positioning, you shouldn’t actually tip the back of the keyboard up, you should tip the front up. It puts your wrists and hands on a more natural position. I actually had a keyboard that did that, but I lost it in a move. I still miss it.

@Craig – I had the opposite problem on the unix boxen. Since I learned to type with Ctrl in the bottom right corner I kept accidentally switching on caps lock on every 10 minutes or so. :)

@Jenn – good question. Probably one for Microsoft marketing department. I think it had something to do with a “more natural” position for your hands, but who knows. Better name is probably “split keyboard”.

Oh, and btw – it took me 2 minutes to adjust my typing style to this one. It looks like it will be weird, but all it takes is few minutes of typing, and your brain goes “ah, I get it” and it’s smooth sailing from there on. As I said – I have more trouble adjusting to the retarded positioning of the arrow keys than to the split keyboard.

Why is that “natural?” I can’t type with those kinds of keyboards – I type like I play piano.

Old habits die hard! I have been using a Sun type 5 for over ten years now. It would take a long time to adjust to a PC style keyboard now. I even use a Sun USB keyboard on my Mac mainly because of the location of the caps-lock. The control key is used so much by UNIX admins that moving it up higher reduces “pinky cramp”. I used to have a Microsoft Natural when it first came out. It had all the keys where you would expect them, even the inverted “t” for the cursor keys. Still might be able to find one of these around if you are stuck on the traditional layout.

Luke,

I second what Latish says. The awkward navigation-key block will fuck you up big time–you’ll be mashing insert and cursing Microsoft while doing so. THe 4000 (http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/ProductDetails.asp x?pid=043) is definitely the way to go.

Nathan