The issue with kinesis and all those nice small symmetrical keyboards is that not every alphabet is as short as English.

Russian, for example, has 33 letters.

So if you’re someone like that, you really want that ordinary macbook-like number of keys = larger non-symmetrical right half.

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As for the ortholinear keyboards, I spent a few months with the latest kinesis but sold it eventually: not that comfortable.

Just clench your fist and you will see that not all your fingers are moving in straight parallel lines. I don’t buy the ortho logic at all. I would argue that left half of the ordinary keyboard is even more ergonomic in this sense.

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Also don’t bother with dvorak, qwerty is 80/20 pareto stuff. Just isn’t worth it compared to returns.

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Tdlr; split, traditional layout https://uhk.io/ is my best purchase: use it for almost 5(?) years. Modded it for swappable switches, lubed, what have you.

Don’t waste money for uhk riser, not worth it. Small plastic built-in legs are more than enough.

Wooden palm rest is a must though.

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Previously was a big fan of microsoft split ergonomics (2nd gen and sculpt later)

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BTW if you use multiple OS, map the ctrl key on windows/linux to the same place where command is on mac. Shortcuts will be the same physical keys, also it is much more comfortable to have this pressed with a thumb instead of a pinky.

Though you would want to buy a rounded key cap (like a spacebar) of you use a mechanical keyboard — it is painful to press the keycap corner with a thumb if it is not rounded.