diff --git a/posts/My_new_keyboard.mdwn b/posts/My_new_keyboard.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..60501c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/posts/My_new_keyboard.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,109 @@ +I have been using [GNU Emacs](http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs) for a +few years now, at first only in my spare time, and for about 1.5 years +also for work. Since I've started using it for work my +[init file](http://org.ryuslash.org/dotfiles/emacs/init.html) has +exploded in size and my knowledge of both emacs and emacs-lisp have as +well. + +As a result of using it full time, I have started paying more +attention to what I'm doing and how I can do it faster or more +efficiently. Sometimes this means writing a function, and possibly +hooking it up to some key combination, but sometimes it also means +changing the way you use your PC. + +The first change was trying more and more to leave the mouse behind +and use the keyboard for everything. In emacs this is easy, there are +many window managers that offer this, mostly tiling, and for browsers +this is somewhat more difficult. + +After switching to an almost completely keyboard-based system, I was +starting to feel pain in my left pinkie. It was getting tired of +always having to travel to the lower left bottom of my keyboard in +order to press that darn `CTRL` key that I use oh so very +much. So I switched my `CTRL` and `Caps Lock` +keys, as is suggested by many an emacs user. + +Following that, much later, was the desire to type more +efficiently. I've read a long time ago already that QWERTY was +designed to be slow and that it is unbelievable that we all still use +it. Now, as I don't like mangling my keyboard by using a layout that +it was never designed for and which was never designed for it, like +dvorak, I chose [colemak](http://colemak.com). I've now gotten the +hang of it, for the most part, and I'm happy with it, it types pretty +nicely and still fits well on a QWERTY keyboard. + +At this point, I'm at the stage where a friend of mine commented to +me, once, that he would just love to see a burglar/thief make heads or +tails of the setup I'm using, since my keyboard doesn't show the keys +in the right place, when you log in you're greeted by an empty screen +with no hints on how to proceed, the `CTRL` key is not the `CTRL` key +and the mouse does absolutely **nothing**. + +**But**, after a while of using colemak and paying attention to my +typing and paying attention to tips about how to type, like use the +modifier on the opposite side of the keyboard in relation to the +character you have to use with it, I got frustrated by my keyboard. +Using the modifier opposite of the key you're using with it doesn't +work well if they're hidden away from your hands, all the way down in +the lower right and left corners. So I started keeping an eye out for +keyboards that would better fit my needs. + +After weeks, months, of seeing absolutely nothing that interested me I +finally came across [Xah Lee's](http://xahlee.org/index.html) +[Ergonomic Keyboards Gallery](http://ergoemacs.org/emacs/ergonomic_keyboards.html), +I see my vision has come to life. +[The Truly Ergonomic Keyboard](http://www.trulyergonomic.com/) seems +like exactly what I'm looking for, **finally** a keyboard that has +*big* modifier keys on *both* sides. + +From the moment I saw it I knew I wanted it, but impulse buys are +never a good idea, so I slept on it, talked to some people I respect +and I thought about it, it is €230 after-all. Then after a few days +there I am, ordering it, having just weeks before proclaimed that I +couldn't fathom ever paying more than some €20 for one. + +Unfortunately it was still in production, or at least this batch was, +and I had to wait. I went to pick it up a few days ago, an extra +charge of €64.12 was added by customs. The people that brought me +there were intrigued and surprised by my purchase and didn't really +understand it, but they thought it looked cool nonetheless. + +Now I have it and have been using it for a few days. **Man** is it +different. It's like learning colemak all over again, although +luckily this seems to be going faster. + +The few moments I have where I don't screw up every single word and +have to type everything at least thrice I feel comfortable using +it. Having both the Control and Shift keys near the sides of my hands, +big and high up is convenient. Being able to press `RET` with either +my thumbs or my index fingers is much more comfortable than my right +pinkie. It also makes a nice sound when I'm typing and the keys are +not all that resistant, so I don't have to press hard, on either the +modifiers or the keys, which would be a pretty big downer. + +Of course it's not all perfect. I still have to press `M-x` with just +my left hand, since the right `ALT` key is an `AltGR` key, which is +completely different and doesn't seem to be recognized as a modifier +by any program, instead being a direct switch on the keyboard itself. +But in this case I could look into reprogramming the keyboard's +firmware, which it supports and allows, to switch the two alt keys, or +I could use xmodmap. Having my `Super` key in the top-center portion +of my keyboard is an adjustment, I usually use it as *the* modifier +key for everything window-manager related. And, of course, having +often-used keys such as (back)slashes and brackets/accolades in +far-away places is different. But I'm sure I will overcome these +difficulties once I get a little more used to it. + +Well, writing this post should help, I feel my proficiency has grown +about 10%. + +Anyway, if you're writing a lot on the computer, or you use a lot of +modifier keys with programs like emacs, I won't yet recommend buying +it, but I will recommend taking a serious look at it, it might be +*just* what you are looking for, even if you don't yet know you're +looking for it. In the end it cost me €293,12 and I haven't regretted +it yet. In fact, I already felt completely lost when using my netbook, +to which I did not connect my new keyboard. + +[[!meta date="2012-06-29 18:17:00"]] +[[!tag keyboard emacs life]]