I love split keyboards but had to return this one because after using it for a week my brain was still unable to adapt to the different key placements.
A week isn't quite long enough. I think it was about a month before I got proficient, and you have to unlearn some bad typing form, like typing Cs with your index finger.
If you (meaning you speak to onlookers more than you here OP) want a more radical split, buy a dactyl manuform. They're tough to get, but worth it.
Anecdotally it only took me a day to get used to the columnar layout. Getting used to other changes such as the position of modifiers,backspace, etc was much harder for me, personally.
This was never an issue for me. In fact I like to change the key bindings so often like emacs users like to tweak their config (I used to do that too but there is no time for so much customization in my life).
I've made so many radically changes in the last year that I think my brain got used to the constant changing and I now gain muscle memory faster. I've also gone from the QWERTY layout to Engram[0] and become fully productive(55wpm) after a month of 30 minute exercises a day on keybr[1]
At the moment I am sitting on this moonlander[2]. Is it worth your time and money? I don't know, I know it is for me. At the least the shoulder pain went away and I've made a fun for me keyboard customization.
Same. Turns out don’t know how to touch type, so in addition to the learning curve of the new layout I also had to learn which fingers were even supposed to type each key. It’s much more difficult and counterproductive to cheat with an ergo keyboard.
I've been using Ergodox EZ for 2 years now and I love it. It has a certain learning curve due to columnar layout, but I used this opportunity to change my keyboard layout to Colemak. It took a while to get used to it, but not only I find typing more comfortable now, it's also healthier for my wrists - I used to feel pain quite regularly, and changing from Apple Magic Keyboard to Ergodox helped a lot
hah, I changed to the EZ and to something called "Norman" at the same time. Not sure if it was the best or worst decision I've ever made. It took me a solid month to get to where I could be productive again.
This is a great entry point to split ortholinear keyboards. Build quality is great, its well supported, and its very easy to set up and get using it. The moonlander they sell is also pretty good. I like the ergodox style thumb cluster better, but the moonlander is super portable, so that helps if you are moving around a lot.
When I converted to split ortholinear it took me about a month to get back to the same proficiency that I had with a standard keyboard, so if your looking to make the plunge make sure you set aside time to practice the new layout. I would set up two keyboards so I could switch back after a few hours and still be productive for the day while I was getting used to the new layout.
If you’re interested in ergo, I recommend visiting the ergo keyboard comparison tool [1] to get a sense of how deep this rabbit hole goes. And you can now use YAML to prototype custom layouts via Ergogen [2].
I wish there was a showroom or something I could visit to try them all out and see what fits my hands. I don't mind dropping $300 on a keyboard once, but I don't want to buy 10 different keyboards just to try them and then have to sell the ones I don't want.
FWIIW friends and I have used, bought, and built a lot of these but the build quality and comfort of the Moonlander surpasses everything. Yet to hear anyone that has tried one that switched away from it. It is also the most expensive, but in this case you get what you pay for IMO.
I haven't tried the moonlander. In which ways do you find it superior to the Ergodox EZ? What made me go for the EZ over the moonlander was the extra thumb buttons. Admitted, I do not use those too often, however, they are still quite useful.
I thought I would miss the extra thumb cluster buttons but the firmware improvements on long-press vs short-press to get different keys have made them needless. I much prefer having the big modifiers.
Build quality is also much higher, and the attached wrist rests really help after standalone ones floating all over my desk for years.
I find 6 thumb keys is all I need for all day typing. I use home row mods, so Ctrl, Alt, GUI and Shift are all accessed via holding down a home row key.
For anyone else reading this thread- FWIW I bought a Moonlander a few months ago and I haven't been able to switch to it. It's missing just enough keys that I haven't been able to figure out a layout that seems good enough to stick with long enough to get used to it, and so when I use it it's still painfully slow.
There are some extra keys, but some of them seem hard to use well (the big red triangle keys at the top of the thumb clusters) and other things that sound great in practice, like "hold" = modifier but "tap" = insert some character, in practice have turned out to have more annoying rough edges than I had hoped.
It's very well-made though, the configurator works good, etc. Seems like a high-quality gadget, but I wish I thought a bit more about what I would do for arrow keys, special characters, modifiers, etc.
I found the Kinesis thumb clusters a lot more usable when I used to have one, but I really wanted to try a split keyboard this time.
I agree. However, I find that you can find a few used off of ebay. And also, they seem to hold their resale value pretty well. So you can buy one and see if it works for you and then sell it if you regret.
I think the problem with a showroom is that you really need to invest at least a week or two to get used to the split keyboard. But for me, it was totally worth it.
I have long wished there was a keyboard rental service. Trouble is that an ortho layout can take months to get used to. I am still 20% slower on an ortho board than I was on a laptop keyboard, but the comfort is worth it, especially for shoulder pain.
I’d guess that a reduction in shoulder pain is a result of switching to “split”. I know that my posture improved by switching to split. It’s one of the biggest changes you can make in keyboarding I think (from the perspective of total muscle activation). In the end it all comes down to what you like, though.
I have an Ergodox EZ. IMO this product type is a tough sell. I agree, a showroom would be helpful. I stumbled upon a Meetup group of mechanical keyboard aficionados, but it was after I bought my Ergodox. I was a bit of a hero when I did mention what I had.
I had mine for 6 to 9 months and it just didn't feel like it was for me. I didn't have all the keys a normal keyboard had, I couldn't remember how I mapped the keys, etc. So I went back to my ergonomic Microsoft keyboard. It only took a couple of days to realize how much better the Ergodox is. I remapped all my keys and started using it with a new found passion. There are still some tradeoffs, but every once in a while I 'feel' a keypress and I think about how cool my keyboard is.
It is worth the journey. If nothing else to realize that it isn't for you. If you spend a reasonable amount of time in front of a computer, it behooves yourself to make the tools as fine as possible.
It's only the tip of the iceberg w/r/t the number of keyboards out there but they're the most polished products and they cover a lot of your more exotic bases (split, key wells, thumb clusters, etc.)
If you’re technically inclined (and a hobbyist tinkerer), you could invest in a 3D printer and get to playing with tweak-able keyboards like the Dactyl Manuform. There’s a whole world of 3D printable ergo that lets you adjust columns, thumbs, etc. such that it perfectly matches your hands. I haven’t dabbled personally, but I think a capable printer can be had for your mentioned $300.00 albeit a lot of labor is required to see a keyboard to fruition.
Right. It is strange that there are no good keyboard shops at least in major cities. There are so many parameters involved in finding the right keyboard, testing is so important here.
I've had an Ergodox EZ for 4 years and it's awesome. Once you learn to type on it and take advantage of the multitude of macros, it's almost telepathic.
But I end up using an inexpensive bluetooth keyboard most of the time because I work between a macbook (that doesn't like USB-A without a dock or dongle) and a windows desktop.
I've thought about getting a USB switcher hub or a bluetooth dongle for the ergodox, but at that point I'm adding way too much bulk to my desk or bag if I decide to travel with it. I'm already pushing my luck when I try fitting it in my carry-on suitcase.
I wish there was a bluetooth Ergodox with MX low profile keyswitches+caps.
Software sharing solutions create a lot of attack surface and mean giving a personal laptop full control of a work laptop or vice versa. This pretty much violates every security team policy at every company.
I can only recommend such solutions between things like test automation or QA machines that have no security impact if compromised.
I curate more mobile ergonomic setups at https://www.reddit.com/r/ErgoMobileComputers/ . After a year of looking at different designs I'm starting to explore something based on the Atreus but with about half the keys being chopped down a bit.
Very happy owner of a moonlander. Can't recommend it enough.
Let's say you want to get into split keyboards but are worried about the learning curve.
The best thing you can do to prepare is ensure you can touch type correctly. "Crossing", or typing a key with the wrong hand, just simply won't be possible anymore.
Once you can get that down, your keyboard will have shipped and you can start practicing the thumb cluster once it arrives.
Don't bother with the fancy stuff, like layers or custom layouts, until you've mastered the two fundamentals above.
I recently purchased their newer keyboard, the Moonlander MK I. I've been very happy with it so far! This is my first ortholinear layout, so it's taken some getting used to, but I've been very happy with the customizability and the programming process.
ZSA provides a webpage that lets you remap your key layout and flash it to your keyboard right from browser, without downloading any other software, which has been super convenient.
I was looking at the Dygma Raise when I discovered ortholinear layouts. That led me to the Moonlander, but now Dygma has the Defy which is a more premium gamer look to it. If anyone is curious it starts at $350 USD to preorder.
$354 seems pricey when compared to a keyboard.io Model 100, that features custom keycaps for improved ergonomics and hopefully starts shipping this week.
I have the Moonlander and am a big fan. I haven't taken real advantage of the open-source firmware other than customizing the layout so that is is as close to a traditional layout as I could make it, given the physical layout of the keys (this mostly has to do with where you put the backspace, delete, enter, |\, control, arrow, and other keys, not the actual letters).
It's well built and looks super cool, but the real reason I got it is because it encourages a more upright, shoulders-straight/non-hunched over position. I think regular split keyboards do a good enough job of taking care of wrist issues / carpal tunnel, but only these can really help with overall back/shoulder position.
I have two Moonlanders and three Ergodox Ez keyboards from ZSA, and all have been great (one of each for the office, one for home usage). The build quality and software tools are very good: flashing a new layout from a browser is so much easier than needing extra tools.
Had an issue with one of the Moonlander halves with a key suddenly not working and got a replacement half immediately, without further discussion with support.
Been using for 6 years, bought used off ebay so keyboard is actually older. It's great but also a bit a rabbit hole that ends up with modifying code in QMK because none of the ten thousand layouts already in existance are quite right.
Each time I see this I really want to buy it, but I can't justify the price tag. Especially since I already have a 'regular' Ergodox from Falbatech. I recently bought a Keychron Q1, because I was also craving for just a regular keyboard with QMK support.
If you do any type of programming or heck even just regular office work for a living, I think it should be easy to justify the cost. Think of how many hours you are spending on your keyboard. This is a tool that you use to earn a living. The cost is trivial when you think of it this way.
Think of how much you spend on, say, shoes. What does Ergodox EZ cost? The same as two pairs of shoes? It is easy to justify cost of shoes as you use them many hours every day and bad shoes hurt your health. Same can be said about a keyboard if you use it professionally. Keyboard will definitely outlast two pairs of shoes.
The Ergodox design itself is also open source. The EZ has some nice extra features such as backlighting and you can get a fully assembled one, but if you wanted to build your own Ergodox you absolutely can.
I bought and use two Moonlanders. I’d like future versions to integrate a small trackball and to be wireless. That said, this helped my shoulder and wrist pain tremendously. I recommend it for those with injuries and unique needs. This year, I’m trying the Halmak layout to type even more efficiently.
Pair it with an Evoluent mouse or similar vertical mouse for a great setup.
Since switching to Moonlander+Colemak I went from daily shoulder neck and wrist pain to the point I could not work... to it being basically nonexistent.
YMMV but getting those hands spread apart to push the shoulders back and getting 30% less finger travel were major helps for me. My wife made the same switch and says similar.
I’d extend this comment further to eliminate your use of the word “trivial”. I don’t have a mouse anymore. Mouse keys are “better overall”, in my experience, for everything except gaming. That being said, I left the EZ’s configurator a long time ago. The tweaking to get mouse keys working optimally probably requires diving into the actual firmware. For example, you definitely need MK_COMBINED to combine basic acceleration with forced speed control. I also put a lot of thought into making it VERY easy to navigate to and from the mouse layer (dedicated and easily-accessible thumb keys) and to be able to tell if I’m on the mouse layer.
This is really interesting: I'd love to hear more about how you have the mouse key layer set up and how you've managed to make it work as well for you as a mouse or trackpad.
You've asked for an explanation of one of the things I love talking about!
TLDR: I think the most important part of my setup is that it's easy to navigate to and from the mouse layer. The EZ has two large thumb keys on each hand, and I use one on the left hand to get to the mouse layer and one on the right to get to the home layer. I don't use these keys for anything else, so there's nothing confusing about this. With this as the foundation, the muscle memory to tap each one depending on which layer you need to be on quickly becomes second nature. The mouse layer is central to my configuration, not an afterthought!
I'll list a few of the strategies I use:
- Have the mouse navigation keys basically on the home row or WASD-like configuration on the mouse layer.
- Have a dedicated mouse wheel layer with the same navigation layout (getting to this one doesn't have to be as serious as the mouse layer itself; I use a TO on the mouse layer).
- Make sure you can apply modifiers to mouse clicks and wheel movements. You'd be surprised how often you do this.
- As far as configuring acceleration, speed, etc.: It's a balancing act of tweaking. The defaults are a good place to start. Don't forget to include the operating system's speed configuration in your tweaking. It helps a lot if you can read code. The corresponding file/section in the QMK firmware is short.
- Make use of speed-clamp-acceleration-keys for detail movement and high-speed monitor switching. MK_COMBINED makes the slowest acceleration key as slow as possible.
Ultimately, I think it's "better" than a mouse because you don't have to context switch between the keyboard and a mouse. There's a split second of cognitive load replacing your hands on the keyboard that breaks down whatever mental architecture you've built to solve your problem-of-the-moment. Avoiding this load is a compounding benefit. I used to keep a mouse around in case I needed it; this has never happened.
I have one, I love it, the only complaint i have is that there's not yet another enveloping row of keys across the top and down the outer sides of each half.
I had an EZ a few years ago. It took a few weeks to get used to it but I grew to like it quite a bit. I didn't have issues switching between traditional keyboards and it.
The build quality was questionable, and judging by the pictures it doesn't look like a whole lot has changed. Mine failed after approx 25 months. I believe the Mini USB (!) port failed, and unfortunately it couldn't be replaced due to the way the shell is injection molded into the PCB. They also wouldn't sell me a replacement half because "we're not sure if it will be compatible with your older half and the switches will feel different." Also, the cable/port connecting the two halves (mini audio style) was fidgety out of the gate.
At ~$320, this product was something that I expected to last at least a few years (and receive support for failing that.) I won't be buying anything from them again.
By contrast friends and I have beat the hell out of our EZs and never had a problem. Way more durable than any of our hand-built Ergodox.
That said, I switched to the Moonlander a couple of years ago and can attest the build quality is much higher though. I could hardly see myself using anything else now.
The typing experience itself was pleasurable and solid (although the tenting arms were a little weird.) It wasn't abused/sat on my desk and always had an issue with the cable connecting the halves (I had to play with it sometimes to get one half to be recognized.) Then eventually the right-angle mini USB cable started winking out and requiring me to re-seat it.
Maybe I just got a bad unit. Regardless, I was really disappointed in their support options.
Never seen these issue on an EZ but they are common issues on Ergodox in general and I have had to resolder the mini-usb connectors a number of times on DIY units as they just do not have a lot of structural support. You do have to baby the connector a bit but everything else takes considerable abuse.
I have no doubt this is why they went with a recessed USB type C on the Moonlander which would take significant force to break.
I've had one since 2017 and have used it literally every work day, and have experienced no issues. It's been a great keyboard. I wish I could justify the slimmer Moonlander. I also wish somebody would make a compelling wireless version of a split ortholinear mechanical board.
Alternate data: been using my Ergodox EZ (original, not shine or anything) for six years with heavy use, no problems. And I bought the thing used six years ago.
I agonized over my moonlander purchase, I really had my eyes on the UHK with the trackpad, but I got tired of waiting, my shoulder and wrist pain was getting to be too much, so I bit the bullet.
I regret not buying a keyboard like this earlier. Or building one. It's actually made me a better typist on regular qwerty keyboards, as I switch to colemak and basically relearned how to type.
I have an Ergodox EZ sitting collecting dust these days. I got a great deal of use out of it and before long I was compiling my own firmware and making use of various advanced QMK features that were not available through the online visual layer configuration tool.
The keyboard has great build quality, the customer service is great (I got a free replacement for the right half after an issue with one of the keys), the ortholinear layout isn't that difficult to get used to, but ultimately the issue for me was that my hands aren't big enough to use the keyboard comfortably or to type as accurately as I'd like / as I'm used to typing.
I'm now back on my Apple Magic Keyboard and happier than ever, though with a few tweaks and improvements taken from my time using the Ergodox EZ.
I am now using kanata[1] which allows me to have multiple QMK-style layers on my regular old keyboard. This is already a huge step up from my pre-Ergodox days! I also like that I can have my layer configurations version controlled in a plain old git/dotfiles repo.
Since the layers are handled at the software level, I wrote my own integration with kanata, called komokana[2] to switch keyboard layers programmatically based on different state events emitted from my tiling window manager[3].
What that means in practice is that my keyboard can automatically switch to an app-specific layer when that app's window is focused, or to a workspace specific layer, or to a browser tab-specific layer, or really just switch on any event emitted by the window manager or any specific window manager state.
For me, this is really the killer feature of my setup now, and one that I don't think would be anywhere near as easy to implement with QMK which sits at the hardware level.
The jump from having to trigger layer changes via key presses or holds to having my keyboard automagically switch to the layer I want for a given application is almost as big as the jump from having no layers to having layers. There is just no going back once you've experienced it.
I've been using split keyboards and the Dvorak layout for many years. Currently using a UHK[1], which I love.
I'm curious about the Ortholinear layout though, and how much benefit that confers by itself if you're already using a split keyboard and/or optimized layout. It seems like most people switch all three factors at once, which makes it hard to isolate which ones are the most beneficial. Anyone have any experience switching no factor besides the ortholinear layout?
So I’ve been into mechanical keyboards for about two and a half years now. Here’s how I would roughly rank layout changes I’ve tried
1. Split or unibody split
2. Moving to a smaller form factor (40% keyboard) so that my fingers don’t move nearly as far from the home row)
3. Ortholinear on a non-split board
I’ve tried ortholinear alone, ortho on split, and row staggered on split. I feel like split is the most improvement in comfort for me in general. But, on a split board I do prefer ortho, if that helps. On a non-split board, I’m not sure ortho has a huge effect for me, I use both regularly and don’t notice a big difference.
I honestly may even rank 40% boards as number one, because of how useful having numbers and symbols so close to or on the homerow is for comfort.
So anyway, those are my two cents from my experience
Thank you, that's interesting to know! I've seen non-split ortho boards before and it just looked like it would be weird. Split is the only case I've ever been curious about them, so I'm happy to hear that confirmed!
I was previously using split staggered ergo keyboards before I switched to the Kinesis Advantage 2. I feel like ortholinear (well columnar staggered or whatever technically) is an improvement. Not as much as thumb clusters/full programmability though. One place where it is super nice is using uiojklm,. as a number pad. With staggered that just feels SUPER weird. I did also stuff a Japanese in my Thinkpad to get extra thumb keys and as close to the layout I'm using on the Kinesis as possible (thanks to software like keyd/kmonad making layering an option) so I do have some comparison there.
I'd learned Dvorak years before trying these keyboards. (Eventually gave up, probably by not making the effort to switch the layout back from US).
One minor benefit: the nice thing about external keyboards is the OS layout can be US layout, and you don't have to worry about switching the OS settings.
IMO, being familiar with Dvorak means ortho is an easy transition, since your fingers will already follow a column-discipline. (Whereas, my QWERTY remain hunt & peck; I use ortho with Dvorak, qwerty with row-stagger).
I'd say ortho almost universally goes with with "multiple thumb keys" (2-3 each). This helps a lot with "reduce pinky finger usage, increase thumb usage", since you can move the backspace, enter, escape, tab keys to within reach of the thumb, alongside space. -- Thumb keys also allow for layering, to reduce hand movement from home row.
I think the advantages of asymmetric row-stagger are availability/cost, and its history as the typical keyboard layout. -- If you don't need to share your keyboard with anyone, and can afford a keyboard with straight columns, ortho is nice.
Thank you, I appreciate the thoughts! I really enjoy the layers on the UHK, mouse-mode means not taking my hands off the keyboard at all, but I can totally see how being able to have a few extra layers by reaching thumb buttons more easily would be beneficial. Now I'm even more curious to try one. :-)
Does anybody know something similar, with a trackball?
I got interested in these split ergo keyboards when I saw the new Kinesis models [0] but unfortunately they don't ship to my location.
I came across the Charybdis [1] and I loved the idea but I'm not capable enough to assemble it myself and the guy making them has a many week lead time, so I'd love an equivalent.
CST trackballs use a billiard ball sized trackball which seems silly until you try it for a while. Super smooth and smaller movement to get a lot more travel.
Honestly though I consider mice and trackballs a crutch and really only for design work or gaming.
I ditched a mouse at my last office entirely favoring mouse emulation mode on the ergodox, a tiling window manager like i3, and the keyboard driven qutebrowser.
As a fellow mouse keys enthusiast, I recommend checking out the extra configuration that available if you open up the actual firmware (if you’re looking for some fiddling to do). MK_COMBINED, for example, allows you to use the basic mouse acceleration and then clamp the speed to specified levels if required (for detail work, jumping monitors, etc.). You have to program, compile, and flash the firmware the “hard” way to do this, but the EZ’s configurator lets you download your current source as a great starting place.
I've had my EZ split keyboard for 2.5 years now. I do not like it! But since I've paid a lot for it, I keep forcing my self to use it. I constantly switch back n forth with my 8 years old Code Keyboard.
I tried a friend's new Kinesis 360 keyboards and it felt more ergonomic and comfortable, not that I could type smoothly but I realized should've invested my efforts on Kinesis's style rather than Ergodox's.
If you do not like it and have tried getting used to it for 2 years, you might want to consider selling it on ebay. Used EZs are seemingly keeping a lot of their resale value.
The movement of custom split-keyboards is a godsend. And that now companies have appeared who supply this market with high quality-products is awesome for people like me, who can't build custom keyboards themself. I have an ergodox from FalbaTech and a Dygma raise, and I really love them, their layout and the programability. I hope we will receive more love for this industry, so prices for split-keyboards will go down, and more people are willing to invest in these tools.
Another alternative is the kyria from splitkb.com (they are from the Netherlands)
It also runs on qmk.
Their stuff is really good, and a perfect/easy solder project. Their discord and support staff is super friendly. (Not to mention you get a sticker and stroobwaffle with each order)
I'm rocking two of them, one for work and one for the home office.
My first one took around 4-5 hours to build, and second one was around 2 hours.
Moved to Ergodox EZ with highly customized Colemak layout half a year ago. The first weeks weren't easy but now it is a breeze and I can highly recommend. Much more relaxed typing and the customizing together with Karabiner and Rectangle allows me to have the same hotkeys on macOS as I have on Windows.
Kids are loving it too with the backlit keys and animations :)
176 comments
[ 5.4 ms ] story [ 252 ms ] threadIf you (meaning you speak to onlookers more than you here OP) want a more radical split, buy a dactyl manuform. They're tough to get, but worth it.
I've made so many radically changes in the last year that I think my brain got used to the constant changing and I now gain muscle memory faster. I've also gone from the QWERTY layout to Engram[0] and become fully productive(55wpm) after a month of 30 minute exercises a day on keybr[1]
At the moment I am sitting on this moonlander[2]. Is it worth your time and money? I don't know, I know it is for me. At the least the shoulder pain went away and I've made a fun for me keyboard customization.
[0] https://engram.dev/
[1] http://keybr.com/
[2] https://configure.zsa.io/moonlander/layouts/7B45Y/latest/0
After 8 years I'm happy, though moving back to a normal keyboard often comes with a few typos .
When I converted to split ortholinear it took me about a month to get back to the same proficiency that I had with a standard keyboard, so if your looking to make the plunge make sure you set aside time to practice the new layout. I would set up two keyboards so I could switch back after a few hours and still be productive for the day while I was getting used to the new layout.
[1] https://jhelvy.shinyapps.io/splitkbcompare/
[2] https://ergogen.cache.works/
As far as I can tell, the list of keyboards seems dated and does not include the Ergodox EZ
Build quality is also much higher, and the attached wrist rests really help after standalone ones floating all over my desk for years.
Some folks make do with 4 thumb keys.
There are some extra keys, but some of them seem hard to use well (the big red triangle keys at the top of the thumb clusters) and other things that sound great in practice, like "hold" = modifier but "tap" = insert some character, in practice have turned out to have more annoying rough edges than I had hoped.
It's very well-made though, the configurator works good, etc. Seems like a high-quality gadget, but I wish I thought a bit more about what I would do for arrow keys, special characters, modifiers, etc.
I found the Kinesis thumb clusters a lot more usable when I used to have one, but I really wanted to try a split keyboard this time.
I think the problem with a showroom is that you really need to invest at least a week or two to get used to the split keyboard. But for me, it was totally worth it.
I had mine for 6 to 9 months and it just didn't feel like it was for me. I didn't have all the keys a normal keyboard had, I couldn't remember how I mapped the keys, etc. So I went back to my ergonomic Microsoft keyboard. It only took a couple of days to realize how much better the Ergodox is. I remapped all my keys and started using it with a new found passion. There are still some tradeoffs, but every once in a while I 'feel' a keypress and I think about how cool my keyboard is.
It is worth the journey. If nothing else to realize that it isn't for you. If you spend a reasonable amount of time in front of a computer, it behooves yourself to make the tools as fine as possible.
ZSA does 30 day returns: https://ergodox-ez.com/pages/shipping-returns
It's only the tip of the iceberg w/r/t the number of keyboards out there but they're the most polished products and they cover a lot of your more exotic bases (split, key wells, thumb clusters, etc.)
I wouldn't buy this board, it's a wannabe kinesis advantange but flat. Makes the reach too hard imo.
Still want it and the moonlander https://www.zsa.io/moonlander). I look forward to full wireless options for these so I can just give them my money.
Wired is the way to go if you do not want to be easily wirelessly implanted with malware or keylogged.
https://media.defcon.org/DEF%20CON%2024/DEF%20CON%2024%20pre...
But I end up using an inexpensive bluetooth keyboard most of the time because I work between a macbook (that doesn't like USB-A without a dock or dongle) and a windows desktop.
I've thought about getting a USB switcher hub or a bluetooth dongle for the ergodox, but at that point I'm adding way too much bulk to my desk or bag if I decide to travel with it. I'm already pushing my luck when I try fitting it in my carry-on suitcase.
I wish there was a bluetooth Ergodox with MX low profile keyswitches+caps.
I can only recommend such solutions between things like test automation or QA machines that have no security impact if compromised.
https://www.n00py.io/2017/03/compromising-synergy-clients-wi...
Let's say you want to get into split keyboards but are worried about the learning curve.
The best thing you can do to prepare is ensure you can touch type correctly. "Crossing", or typing a key with the wrong hand, just simply won't be possible anymore.
Once you can get that down, your keyboard will have shipped and you can start practicing the thumb cluster once it arrives.
Don't bother with the fancy stuff, like layers or custom layouts, until you've mastered the two fundamentals above.
ZSA provides a webpage that lets you remap your key layout and flash it to your keyboard right from browser, without downloading any other software, which has been super convenient.
https://dygma.com/pages/defy
That said, I’m happy with my Moonlander using it with a Dvorak layout. Had it for about 2 years now. Only issue is that it slides around when tented.
It's well built and looks super cool, but the real reason I got it is because it encourages a more upright, shoulders-straight/non-hunched over position. I think regular split keyboards do a good enough job of taking care of wrist issues / carpal tunnel, but only these can really help with overall back/shoulder position.
https://docs.qmk.fm/#/getting_started_introduction
Think of how much you spend on, say, shoes. What does Ergodox EZ cost? The same as two pairs of shoes? It is easy to justify cost of shoes as you use them many hours every day and bad shoes hurt your health. Same can be said about a keyboard if you use it professionally. Keyboard will definitely outlast two pairs of shoes.
[1] https://github.com/tzarc/djinn
Pair it with an Evoluent mouse or similar vertical mouse for a great setup.
YMMV but getting those hands spread apart to push the shoulders back and getting 30% less finger travel were major helps for me. My wife made the same switch and says similar.
Maybe you are aware, but it is possible to configure a layer to include mouse controls directly on the keys: https://i.imgur.com/5x3YTg6.png
I use this a lot and this prevents me from having to reach for the mouse to do trivial stuff.
TLDR: I think the most important part of my setup is that it's easy to navigate to and from the mouse layer. The EZ has two large thumb keys on each hand, and I use one on the left hand to get to the mouse layer and one on the right to get to the home layer. I don't use these keys for anything else, so there's nothing confusing about this. With this as the foundation, the muscle memory to tap each one depending on which layer you need to be on quickly becomes second nature. The mouse layer is central to my configuration, not an afterthought!
I'll list a few of the strategies I use:
- Have the mouse navigation keys basically on the home row or WASD-like configuration on the mouse layer.
- Have a dedicated mouse wheel layer with the same navigation layout (getting to this one doesn't have to be as serious as the mouse layer itself; I use a TO on the mouse layer).
- Make sure you can apply modifiers to mouse clicks and wheel movements. You'd be surprised how often you do this.
- As far as configuring acceleration, speed, etc.: It's a balancing act of tweaking. The defaults are a good place to start. Don't forget to include the operating system's speed configuration in your tweaking. It helps a lot if you can read code. The corresponding file/section in the QMK firmware is short.
- Make use of speed-clamp-acceleration-keys for detail movement and high-speed monitor switching. MK_COMBINED makes the slowest acceleration key as slow as possible.
Ultimately, I think it's "better" than a mouse because you don't have to context switch between the keyboard and a mouse. There's a split second of cognitive load replacing your hands on the keyboard that breaks down whatever mental architecture you've built to solve your problem-of-the-moment. Avoiding this load is a compounding benefit. I used to keep a mouse around in case I needed it; this has never happened.
Yes I need to move my hand to it, but much less so than with a traditional mouse on the side setup.
I second this. Although, I find this is mitigated fairly well by having extra layers. But I would really love an additional row above the number row.
https://keeb.io/products/bfo-9000-keyboard-customizable-full...
The build quality was questionable, and judging by the pictures it doesn't look like a whole lot has changed. Mine failed after approx 25 months. I believe the Mini USB (!) port failed, and unfortunately it couldn't be replaced due to the way the shell is injection molded into the PCB. They also wouldn't sell me a replacement half because "we're not sure if it will be compatible with your older half and the switches will feel different." Also, the cable/port connecting the two halves (mini audio style) was fidgety out of the gate.
At ~$320, this product was something that I expected to last at least a few years (and receive support for failing that.) I won't be buying anything from them again.
That said, I switched to the Moonlander a couple of years ago and can attest the build quality is much higher though. I could hardly see myself using anything else now.
Maybe I just got a bad unit. Regardless, I was really disappointed in their support options.
I have no doubt this is why they went with a recessed USB type C on the Moonlander which would take significant force to break.
I regret not buying a keyboard like this earlier. Or building one. It's actually made me a better typist on regular qwerty keyboards, as I switch to colemak and basically relearned how to type.
The keyboard has great build quality, the customer service is great (I got a free replacement for the right half after an issue with one of the keys), the ortholinear layout isn't that difficult to get used to, but ultimately the issue for me was that my hands aren't big enough to use the keyboard comfortably or to type as accurately as I'd like / as I'm used to typing.
I'm now back on my Apple Magic Keyboard and happier than ever, though with a few tweaks and improvements taken from my time using the Ergodox EZ.
I am now using kanata[1] which allows me to have multiple QMK-style layers on my regular old keyboard. This is already a huge step up from my pre-Ergodox days! I also like that I can have my layer configurations version controlled in a plain old git/dotfiles repo.
Since the layers are handled at the software level, I wrote my own integration with kanata, called komokana[2] to switch keyboard layers programmatically based on different state events emitted from my tiling window manager[3].
What that means in practice is that my keyboard can automatically switch to an app-specific layer when that app's window is focused, or to a workspace specific layer, or to a browser tab-specific layer, or really just switch on any event emitted by the window manager or any specific window manager state.
For me, this is really the killer feature of my setup now, and one that I don't think would be anywhere near as easy to implement with QMK which sits at the hardware level.
The jump from having to trigger layer changes via key presses or holds to having my keyboard automagically switch to the layer I want for a given application is almost as big as the jump from having no layers to having layers. There is just no going back once you've experienced it.
[1]: https://github.com/jtroo/kanata
[2]: https://github.com/LGUG2Z/komokana
[3]: https://github.com/LGUG2Z/komorebi
[1] https://keeb.io/collections/iris-split-ergonomic-keyboard
I'm curious about the Ortholinear layout though, and how much benefit that confers by itself if you're already using a split keyboard and/or optimized layout. It seems like most people switch all three factors at once, which makes it hard to isolate which ones are the most beneficial. Anyone have any experience switching no factor besides the ortholinear layout?
[1]: https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/
1. Split or unibody split 2. Moving to a smaller form factor (40% keyboard) so that my fingers don’t move nearly as far from the home row) 3. Ortholinear on a non-split board
I’ve tried ortholinear alone, ortho on split, and row staggered on split. I feel like split is the most improvement in comfort for me in general. But, on a split board I do prefer ortho, if that helps. On a non-split board, I’m not sure ortho has a huge effect for me, I use both regularly and don’t notice a big difference.
I honestly may even rank 40% boards as number one, because of how useful having numbers and symbols so close to or on the homerow is for comfort.
So anyway, those are my two cents from my experience
One minor benefit: the nice thing about external keyboards is the OS layout can be US layout, and you don't have to worry about switching the OS settings.
IMO, being familiar with Dvorak means ortho is an easy transition, since your fingers will already follow a column-discipline. (Whereas, my QWERTY remain hunt & peck; I use ortho with Dvorak, qwerty with row-stagger).
I'd say ortho almost universally goes with with "multiple thumb keys" (2-3 each). This helps a lot with "reduce pinky finger usage, increase thumb usage", since you can move the backspace, enter, escape, tab keys to within reach of the thumb, alongside space. -- Thumb keys also allow for layering, to reduce hand movement from home row.
I think the advantages of asymmetric row-stagger are availability/cost, and its history as the typical keyboard layout. -- If you don't need to share your keyboard with anyone, and can afford a keyboard with straight columns, ortho is nice.
I got interested in these split ergo keyboards when I saw the new Kinesis models [0] but unfortunately they don't ship to my location.
I came across the Charybdis [1] and I loved the idea but I'm not capable enough to assemble it myself and the guy making them has a many week lead time, so I'd love an equivalent.
[0]: https://kinesis-ergo.com/keyboards/advantage360/
[1]: https://bastardkb.com/charybdis/
Honestly though I consider mice and trackballs a crutch and really only for design work or gaming.
I ditched a mouse at my last office entirely favoring mouse emulation mode on the ergodox, a tiling window manager like i3, and the keyboard driven qutebrowser.
I had the CST between the halves for almost 8 years but recently went back to putting it on the right side.
My conclusion is that there are general principles of ergonomics but in the end you need to listen to your body and adjust if you feel pain.
https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/product/trackball
I tried a friend's new Kinesis 360 keyboards and it felt more ergonomic and comfortable, not that I could type smoothly but I realized should've invested my efforts on Kinesis's style rather than Ergodox's.
It also runs on qmk.
Their stuff is really good, and a perfect/easy solder project. Their discord and support staff is super friendly. (Not to mention you get a sticker and stroobwaffle with each order)
I'm rocking two of them, one for work and one for the home office.
My first one took around 4-5 hours to build, and second one was around 2 hours.
Kids are loving it too with the backlit keys and animations :)