Comment by jakub_g | Hacker News Reader

Comment by jakub_g | Hacker News Reader

Semi-related:

I've had a basic ergo keyboard (MS sculpt ergonomic) for a while and it's much much better than regular keyboards;

However I think all ergo keyboard companies are missing the point those days:

"Just-a-keyboard" doesn't cut it anymore in the world of laptops. I want an ergonomic keyboard with a built-in Macbook-class touchpad, or ThinkPad-class trackpoint + three buttons. (I know it's tricky, especially with split keybord; conceptually it feels it almost can't be done).

Unfortunately most of software those days has pretty limited functionality if you want to use it 100% with a keyboard only. And no matter what best keyboard you have, adding a trackpad or mouse to it is just clunky and slows you down due to endless context-switching.

Are there any examples of ergo keyboard with built-in pointing device? I never found any.

The touchpad is an ergo-killer. It's just bad for your wrists to use it for any significant amount of time. It would be silly to include it in an ergo keyboard. The trackpoint is likely to be still covered by some IBM patents, and nobody uses it anyway.

If you really want a trackpad, get an Apple one and drop it in the middle of your split keyboard. It will still be bad for your wrists though.

I do have external Apple touchpad but dropping it in front of the keyboard sucks hard. It is on lower level than keyboard and ergonomy is much worse than using it with Macbook laptop (I mostly use it for two/three finger swiping). Ideal touchpad would be non-flat and nicely integrated with the curve of ergo keyboard (I know, sounds difficult with split keyboard).

How about a pointing device with a built-in keyboard? IMO it sucks but here you go: https://www.keymouse.com/

I'm adding analog thumbsticks (the style you'd find e.g. on a playstation controller) to my split keyboard. I expect them to suck too but maybe 0.5% less than the nipple on thinkpad keyboards. That one keeps tempting me because it's in a convenient positoin but it just drives me mad every time I try to get anything done with it.

> Are there any examples of ergo keyboard with built-in pointing device?

https://www.keymouse.com/

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