System76 Launches The Launch Configurable Keyboard

[royce]

It looks really cool, but I'd wish they'd develop an ergonomic version of it. After 20 years of typing code daily, straight keyboards are an absolute no-go for me.

[extremesquared]

This post certainly highlights why the majority of computer keyboards are still designed around mechanical typewriters. Imagine a company trying to force a staff to use an ergodox. Employees would riot.

[Zan Lynx]

I would like to give this keyboard a hands-on try. Keyboards are just so personal, I think. Some people will like it and others won't.

I happen to love mechanical keyboards with Cherry Blue switches. The loud ones. They're great. Which is why I own three Das Keyboards.

Weirdly, I also like Apple Macbook keyboards and Thinkpad keyboards. They aren't the greatest, but not bad. I also like my Logitech MX Keys, but mostly because it is wireless and connects to three devices at once.

All of these do have a thing in common. They're a flat, standard layout. I've tried some of the ergonomic layouts and I just don't like them.

I find it strange that other people cannot adapt their touch typing to new keyboards. It only takes me a few minutes, usually. The only ones that give me trouble are the keyboards designed for children or other people with small hands. Like on those netbooks. I just cannot squeeze my fingers into such a small layout.

[Vistaus]

All split keyboards and ergonomic keyboards split the spacebar key.

And I get extremely frustrated with laptops where the sides of the spacebar don't respond to presses. That is where my thumbs are, damnit. I should not be forced to move my thumbs to an awkward position just to insert a space.

Same here. I never touch the middle of the spacebar - only the sides. So the sides need to be responsive. I truly wonder how Leprechaunius manages to type otherwise.

[Vistaus]

Wow, what an absolute nightmare of a keyboard.

• No numpad
• Ultra tiny Enter
• Arrows cramped near the rest of the keys
• Left Alt waaay too much to the left. How are you supposed to press combinations like ALT + SHIFT + F with your left hand???
• Two small space keys? Really? With the division right in the middle, where you actually press it the most?
• PgUp/PgDn... I don't even know what to say - wtf is that abomination?
• Why TF aren't Shift, Ctrl and Caps aligned with the Tab?
• Where is Insert? And PrtSc?

I never use a numpad, I only touch the spacebar on the sides and I use PgUp and PgDn sometimes. Some of your other complaints can be solved by swapping and remapping keys.

[ssokolow]

Keyboards are just so personal, I think. Some people will like it and others won't.

Agreed. From membrane to Cherry MX Blue to pre-2013-layout 104-key Unicomp Classic, my life has sort of been a slow attempt to approximate what I really want... a standard US104 keyboard with the IBM Model F switches I remember from my early childhood.

Because the Model M introduced the US101 layout, the closest that exists is this terminal keyboard which I just haven't been able to justify spending $400+ on when units show up on eBay.

[Mez']

No numpad, no glory.

You can get the best configurable thing, if it doesn't have a numpad for easy number typing, it's just lacklustre. It might appeal to geeks/developers, but anyone else will just dismiss it.

[pal666]

This is very cool, but isn't the point of keyboard backlighting to see the keys at night?

it means you use keyboard in darkness, which is harmful to your eyes(looking at monitor with widened pupil that is, but without monitor you probably don't need a keyboard). people have invented lighting for looking at stuff at night

[pal666]

I guess you've never had to type in low light/darkness.........

i didn't. i use regulated lighting. but even if i had, i wouldn't need leds, my keycaps are not printed anyway and i don't look at keyboard when i type

[pal666]

All touch typing does is to provide a false sense of confidence that immediately disappears as soon as the keyboard is switched out.

don't switch keyboards then