I think having a split keyboard so my mouse can be in the middle would really help my comfort at the desk. Is there a style that doubles up the middle keys? My typing style means sometimes I use my right hand to hit T, left to hit Y, etc.
Is this a style already, or would I need to build my own?
I am completely new to this domain and would appreciate advice from knowledgeable enthusiasts.
Not that I am aware of. However, one thing I learned is that moving to a split keyboard fixes bad typing behavior like tapping T or Y with the wrong hand very quickly.
That’s my experience, too. When I switched to split, I noticed a few quirks in my typing habits. They cleared up quickly with just a little bit of thoughtful practice.
Cool. Maybe all I need is to jump in and it won’t end up an issue I notice. I dont understand the hostility at this quirk from some people. Not everyone is an expert, and being snubby of newbies is very unwelcoming.(not you)
I was really bad about it before I went split. I even found myself moving my left hand to the right split sometimes but eventually my muscle memory remapped itself to respect the split.
This is great! You began a new type of thing. It took a while, but you got the new thing. Now you are great at the new thing.
This community seems more often to bite you and mock you if you are new to the thing. I am dissuaded from going through with the thing at all since the vibes are so rude.
Unfortunately the reality of niche online communities is that the assholes tend to be over represented in them.
Good luck with your ergo journey!
FWIW: when I made the leap I went full in and got a split, columnar stagger keyboard with layers, and switched to colemak at the same time. It was a very rough couple of months relearning to type, but I learned along the way that my typing technique had been atrocious in ways I never realized. I do a much better job now of using the correct finger for each key and my hand pain from typing is basically gone.
I think the “bad” typing behavior for those stretches has a bit to do with PC gaming. In the old days of CS and other games before voip, T was all chat and Y was team chat. So my left hand was used to migrating to that specific key very quickly to open a prompt as my mouse hand transitioned over to the keyboard. As a gamer on a split keyboard, it’s usually fine, but sometimes I wish my left half had an extra column of keys.
Indeed, OP should just switch and quickly learn more ergonomic typing.
This is like asking the internet if they have a diet that can accomodate a lot of sugary drinks.
Just, no.
Accessibility. Most people can use things as they are. A limited amount of people need accommodations.
Your analogy is extreme. It is more like asking for a diet that can accomodate my desire to keep eating a cookie once a week.
Your example would be extreme for a diabetic.
You are moving the context away from a request asking if a keyboard with middle keys exist. I am not trying to push this keyboard on you. Why are you being hostile?
Accessibility is about fixing the issues firstly, and then accommodating them. If you can’t fix it, than you accommodate it. In both of your examples neither of them are anywhere near to fixing nor accommodating an accessibility issue. Both are just things that should never be done.
And wanting to type incorrectly isn’t an accessibility thing for that matter anyways.
And was calling out your example for being facetious for its own reasons. You were just as hostile to the person you responded to. If you want to give it, accept it too mate.
I think you cohld benefit from looking at accessibility features around our society. People should be able to walk normally, why make a wheelchair?
I have no hostility in my intent.
Accessibility features are for people with disabilities, not people who just want to do stuff incorrectly.
People should be able to walk correctly yeah, but you’re asking for a wheelchair with 4x4 while being able to walk.
Two completely different things and you brining up accessibility is quite frankly insulting to people with real issues.
Accessibility features are for people. Full stop.
I see your point. It makes sense, but is framed as a “don’t be stupid just do it how we do”.
Not helpful.
Accessibility is about giving people access disabilities or not.
I love the extra B on my Alice but when using Corne I keep wanting to press B with my right hand, which I shouldn’t 😂
Aw, why call it bad behavior? It’s faster to type T with the
leftright hand when its ready to go and therightleft hand is all the way down where I just hit C. I save a whole microsecond :DMaybe it’s not official typing rules, but it isn’t bad. Different :)
It is a habit i could unlearn though.
Edit: left vs right omg
Some people use a different hand for T depending on whether they also need to hold shift or control. It’s not wrong to want redundant keys. I like the idea of having some overlap in on the halves. (not that I plan to implement it)
Thank you for validating that some people might use redundant keys. For whatever reason, I’ve learned to double up on the keys and I asked if there was something to help that. Did I ask to impale a baby kitten?
So many insults and snobbish behavior for asking if something exists?
If I asked if an automatic door might be possible, what would this attitude of “we’re normal and right and the proper way to so it is turn the door handle” kind of guys say?
Someone might need it, so why fight so hard against that person exploring a possibility? How are you so aggressive and angry about a thought I am having for me and my life?
((Not you) this is me speaking out like everyone is listening.)
In my opinion as an outsider (and one that uses a normal keyboard and doubles up on keys just like you do) many comments here are genuinely trying to be helpful. You’re asking for a layout that fits your current typing habits and based on their knowledge and experience they’re telling you that you might want to drop that habit instead. That’s advice and you’re not obligated to take it. It seems to me that you’re misinterpreting a lot of those comments as criticism.
I see the helpful advice. It was awesome. Idk how to explain it anymore.
Nothing I typed had anger behind it. I was having a conversation and some of it was asking why you’re acting as my habit is so terrible.
You guys make custom keyboards. I wanted to know. People were helpful. Now people are not leaving me alone because i said the way information given to me wasn’t helpful.
I don’t understand how people are reading my words, but oh well. I know myself.
The time saved is irrelevant when compared to the extra strain you put in your body. It seems small but the less you move out of an ergonomic position the better. Stretching your fingers sideways, moving your wrist, etc all add up when you do them hundreds of times a day.
Another note. My finger is moving an extra centimeter. Could it add up? Sure. Does it work for me? Yes.
(There was more, but I realized I was being petty. Apologies. Deleted.).
I understand that. I am not trying to defend my keystrokes. I just wanted to point out that calling someones habits “bad” worhout any attempt to guide them to “good” is not helpful.
Trying to help someone by saying they are dumb about the subject is unkind and discourages cooperation. Why would I want to listen to someone who demeans me?
Kindness is effective. Please use it.
Apologies, I have obviously offended you and that was not my intention. Everyone has bad habits and I didn’t think pointing one out would be hurtful. My intention was only to help.
I never said you were dumb. Frankly, I am impressed with how aware you are of your finger movements. I didn’t realize I sometimes tapped T with my right hand and Y with my left hand until I switched to a split keyboard.
Only using your left hand to type T and only using your right hand to type Y would be considered good/correct form.
I believe I combined a lot of responses to me when I replied to you. I hope we can step back and see neither of us wants to be upsetting. Communicating online is a challenge.
I would like it if the community saw that I have said multiple times that I could work to change the habit. And that the community could accept that I’m doing it wrong without flooding me with almost exasperated feedback.
I wish it was rather:, “hey, it’s better form to keep left and right separate, and a split keyboard would really help with that practice.”
Because RSIs are life changing and you should change your behavior rather than making it more convenient to harm yourself. Assuming you’re getting a split for the ergonomic benefits, adding an unergonomic feature is extremely illogical.
You can do whatever you want obviously, and a lot of the other commenters are doing a terrible job of explaining any sort of reasoning, but the advice is sound. Several members of my family have had fairly severe RSIs, my mother and my sister-in-law have had to have surgery to regain function in their hands due to carpal tunnel syndrome. I have some constant low-level pain due to similar bad habits when I was young.
I got some training and corrected my workstation and behavior as much as I could to limit the damage, but what’s done is done. If you learn from the mistakes of others, you can avoid those consequences.
Is there a scientific data set showing the damage done to the body by moving your finger an extra centimeter a few times a day?
Why are people so focused on berating this harmless quirk?
Your posture makes a bigger difference, but any repetitive strain will cause damage over time. That stretch may not seem like a big deal, and it’s not if it’s occasional, but it can be if you do it consistently over a long period of time.
But really, what data can I look at to improve my ergonomics? I may not be the perfect human, so I might need weird little this-or-thats to help get me there.
And, if it doesn’t feel stretchy at all? Its just hopping my finger a bit over. I don’t strain.
For the critics: training wheels help lead to biking. Stop shaming my training wheel request :(
Stop whining. They’re trying to help give you training wheels. They’re responding with their experience, and you’re being hypercritical about semantics.
If you go to a medical expert complaining about pain, do you get offended when they tell you how to fix it? And for the natural response “they aren’t doctors”, well (a) they may be and (b) if you really want the level of help you’d expect from a medical professional, perhaps don’t ask the internet.
What the fuck is so offensively wrong that I inquired about a keyboard that works for the way I type?
Your altruistic excuses and coming up with fallacious examples as if they are the same thing.
Every example that you “appropriate” insults another group of people.
You’re a terrible human; that’s what’s offensively wrong.
For me, ergonomically at a desk, i have to try like fuck to keep my upper arms as close to downward as humanly possible, elbows about 90° and forearms NEVER more than 90° outward or I will royally fuck this dipshit muscle UNDERNEATH either one of my scapulas that can only be partially reached with a tens unit. I mitigated this with seat height, table height, monitor position, and a short keyboard so going for my mouse doesn’t have me exceeding 90°. As for key overlap on a split keyboard, I say fuck yes. I don’t touch type “the right way” and depending on a word, a hotkey, or some application shenanigan, I might be all over the place.
I also use an mmo mouse at work and I assign all kinds of goodies to it, which also helps reduce repetitive typing+stretching.