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Comment by dirtyid | Hacker News Reader

Anyone have experience with 50% keyboard with numpad on left side and spit space/backspace? It seems very functional, especially for frequent number entry in CAD.

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So-called "left-handed"[1] keyboards intrigue me, and I've always wanted one. I use the numpad heavily, but it gets in the way of the mouse. Plus, as you mentioned, it would mean you could nicely enter numbers with the left hand while mousing with the right hand for CAD programs.

This[2] is my dream keyboard. Totally standard layout, except the number pad is moved to the other side. Unfortunately, no one makes these, and I came across this one after the group buy was already done.

[2]: https://switchplate.co/collections/southpaw-full-size-group-...

[1]: Really, they should be called right-handed keyboards. Left-handed mouse users can already use a regular full-size keyboard without the numpad getting in the way.

Could you simply have a keyboard without a num pad and then a separate independent num pad that you place to the left of the keyboard? Both fairly standard items you could get at low cost without having to do anything too crazy and expensive.

I've tried that, and didn't like it. The separate numpad that I have (it came with a Microsoft Sculpt keyboard) has different keys than the rest of the keyboard and always slid around. I like a nice heavy keyboard with mechanical switches, and I like to move it to suit my seating position, so it's never on the same spot on my desk.

That looks very handsome.

My preference is quiet butterfly keys when it comes to numpads for cad use, at least in shared spaces.

Looks like there's not many options out there. This "accounting" keyboard with ergonomic keys is... very intriguing as well. Just wired, and aggressively fugly.

https://www.amazon.com/Ergoguys-Handed-Keyboard-Wired-Black/...

Looks like Microsoft Sculp with separate numpad might be worth a try before custom options.

I saw that one and immediately dismissed it because it's ugly, huge, not mechanical, and has a weird navigation key cluster.

I tried the Sculpt keyboard with separate numpad and didn't like it.

This one is very "gaming", but the numpad detaches and can be attached on the left side: https://www.asus.com/us/Keyboards-Mice/ROG-Claymore/

I have one without the numpad actually.

I'm not sure if the official name for this is 50% but I included it because, as a lefty, I love the idea of it. no experience using them however.

Did you design it yourself or come across the design somewhere? I follow mechanical keyboards on and off but never seen this design before. I guess it's missing multiply/divide but generally it makes a lot of sense, especially for how compact it is.

the design was based on the candybar (https://thekey.company/collections/candybar) but there are a lot of similar boards as well.

I've been keeping my eye out on the subreddit for a long time for something like your 50% - except with a function row. Really wish it were more popular

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