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Comment by scholia | Hacker News Reader

Seems a little strange to concentrate so much on keyboard layouts rather than switching to a split or ergonomic keyboard....

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Why wouldn't you want both? An efficient layout means that your figures move less. You can remap most keyboards to get a more efficient layout, even the $20 keyboard. You can analyze the distance your figures travel for a given text here:

http://patorjk.com/keyboard-layout-analyzer/#/main

I've got resources for the various keyboard layouts on Github:

https://github.com/melling/ErgonomicNotes/blob/master/keyboa...

Some information on split and tenting keyboards can be found here:

https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/the-model-01-an-heir...

Yes, it's fine to have both -- no objection from me.

However, switching keyboard layouts tends to be difficult for most people, and the gains are generally rather small. Many if not most users would be better off devoting the same amount of time to improving their touch-typing on QWERTY than to switching layouts.

Or even better, do both. Someone recently posted a new layout for the Ergodox Keyboard which looks quite efficient (generated by a programm written in Rust). [1]

[1] https://xsznix.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/introducing-the-rsth...

I used to use a split keyboard but now I just stick with Apple's flat keyboards. I don't buy it anymore that they're more ergonomic. The "extra rest space" on my MS split keyboard I've actually found to be detrimental for me.

Besides, people also use laptops and may not want to swap their keyboard.

Well, they're more ergonomic because you can align your hands with your arms, instead of twisting your hands at an angle. This is a matter of fact. You are entitled to prefer a flat keyboard -- that's entirely your choice -- but it doesn't change the ergonomic reality.

> Besides, people also use laptops and may not want to swap their keyboard.

Laptops are not ergonomic, and nobody who knows the facts will use them for long periods for precisely that reason. However, you can make them less damaging to your health by putting the laptop on a riser and using an external keyboard.

Out of curiosity I google searched ergonomic keyboards, found Wikipedia page, saw it stated they may reduce risks of injury but that there is no clear evidence of benefit.

My own reality is I used a "ergonomic" labeled keyboard that I felt caused me more discomfort.

Of course there are convenience trade offs somewhere and laptops to me fall under convenience.

Apple's keyboards are also easy to rearrange and don't get lumpy looking afterwards. This includes their laptops, whose keys are trivial to pop off and scramble.

Yeah personally, I like my split keyboard. Until, I got a split keyboard I couldn't really touch type. I think the problem is the arrangement of keys for the left index finger on traditional keyboards. So now that I have a split keyboard, I can touch type. Though, I'm still slower than I would like.

All that said, I fully encourage any mucking about with keyboard layouts. There are quite a few variables that can be tweaked.

I certainly find my ergonomic keyboard (MS Nat Ergo 4000) much more comfortable to type on than a regular keyboard. Arms are much more relaxed, elbows out further from the body.

When I use a regular keyboard, I feel hunched up in the shoulders with elbows held tight to my abdomen, by comparison.

You can split QWERTY up all you like, but it carries its problems along. Way too much finger motion off the home row.

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