Your mouse is closer so you don't have to move your hand as far.
Not if you use a mouse left-handed ;)
But more seriously, I grew up being trained to touch type in the classical way complete with ten-key exercises. I strongly prefer having a full numpad and I actually prefer the extra distance to the right for mouse usage. I've found over the years that the more I move my hands, the less likely I am to have discomfort.
Another option (the one I have at home) is Microsoft's current highest end gaming keyboard the Sidewinder X6 has a detachable numpad that you can move to either the left or right as you see fit (including on-the-fly; the connector is magnetically guided and swapping can be crazy quick).
Not hard to learn to use the mouse with your non-dominant hand. It's just a couple of days of practice. And then switch between your left and you right every other day. Don't even have to flip the buttons, just learn to use the index for secondary and middle for primary clicks.
I am right handed but use my mouse left handed because growing up my Dad always had the mouse on the left side of the keyboard (because he is lefty). I used to move it to the right side, but gave up because the way our desk was basically required you to rerun the cable.
My thinking was, hey if I can learn to fret my guitar chords with my left hand, than I can learn to use the mouse. I also hold the knife in my right and fork in my left.
> I also hold the knife in my right and fork in my left.
That's the usual way for Europeans.
I never realized Americans did it differently, until we gained an American colleague at lunchtimes, and ... well, it just looked a lot more complicated.
I didn't know there was a standard, but I have seen people do the switch before, and it looked inefficient.
I guess I am a reversed-European, despite being right-handed. Fork in right hand and knife in left hand.
It's always a bit awkward at first when taking up the cutlery because I have to switch at that time.
Funnily enough, there's also a standard when putting down cutlery on the plate, and I have remarks for this while never for the way I eat (they probably assume I am left handed).
I'm left handed but always used the mouse right handed, but my standing desk's keyboard tray flexes too much with the mouse on the far right. It was incredibly easy for me to switch my mouse to the left side, centering my keys to the middle of the tray eliminating flex and bounce. I still use the same mouse button orientation, I found that switching the buttons makes it incredibly difficult to shift back to right handed at home or in public.
I'm ambidextrous so it doesn't matter for me. But since I am, I tend to observe who is left and right handed around me since I'm pretty aware of ergonomic shifts between using either hand for certain activities.
Out of left-handed people, around 80% use the mouse exclusively with their right hand. In fact I can only think of one other than you that exclusively uses the mouse with their left (a bookkeeper a few doors down from my office).
Actually, a programmable keyboard is great for lefties, you can have a numpad on a layer on the left part of your keyboard. Ah, and move the WASD and gaming keys to the right of the keyboard without having to modify all the games each time you play.
But the best mouses are tailored for one hand, like the MX Master. I used to switch mouses when I used generic mice, but I'm never going back to those.
Oh wow I didn't know about the G903 (not sure how I missed that for almost 3 years), I think I should try it. Although my wrist does like the slight slant of the MX Master. I used to switch between hands 10+ years ago, but gave it up once I got better mice that didn't need me switching - but I had never found one that was ambidextrous.
at some point I went all in on having a fully functional setup that didn't need a mouse, I had a laptop with a broken track pad and it didn't bother me at all. Then my first kid was born and it was impossible to do things with one had while I held them with the other. Everything needed chords. the machine required two hands and no less to operate. It was only a week in before I ordered the part to fix the track pad. Now, all my machines can be operated with one or two hands (just like everyone else's)
"The best way to have a numpad if you really need one, I have found, is to have a separate one like how the Microsoft Sculpt keyboard does it. "
The way I do this, is by having an 'Ultimate Hacking Keyboard' (ugh I loathe that name, how can anyone take you serious with a name like that? but at least the product itself is the best there is available (at the moment)) and then have a numeric keypad in the middle (between the two halves). I got one off Ali Express with mechanical keys, it's backlit with obnoxious blue leds, but once you let that go - it's quite a good setup.
If you have a keyboard flashable with QMK you can make a key activate a layer that has a numpad on it. If you really like customizability and a split layout, a keyboard flashed with QMK is going to serve you much better, IMO.
I've had my eye on that one for a while. How do you like not having an escape or function keys? That's the biggest thing holding me back from getting it.
I just got an ergodox ez keyboard, it has all the features of the UHK diverging on modules (as the UHK only has one atm, they are on par / ergodox has more keys), a more versatile tenting kit, and an ortholinear layout.
I've changed from the default map and restored the esc key and it doubles as a vim like 'leave layer'. It feels very natural.
As for tilde, I dropped the caps lock key and moved tab downwards to place tilde under esc.
Another option is to layer the key (ie, you have a special modifier key that changes the keys) so mod+tilde = esc. I do this to map my square brackets onto one key.
Overall I'm very happy with it. I've had a steeper than expected learning curve because I used to type with an over dominant wasd centric left hand (FPS gaming), which will apply to some but not most people.
I've remapped the top left button to be escape in the normal mode ('layer' I think it's called in the UHK), I use shift to get the tilde, and I hardly ever use the backtick - I think I have it mapped somehow but not sure.
I've been a hardcore vim user for 20+ years and this is the least of all potential problems, so if this is what you're worried about, don't be.
Function keys - it took me a while to get the keycombos into my muscle memory, basically it takes the extra modifier that the UHK has to access them. What I used to use them most often for was in Visual Studio (start debugger, run, build, that sort of thing), but what I ended up doing was basically hard-coding all those commands into a custom 'layer' of the UHK, so that (even with standard key bindings in the software) I have more logical (less chording) keys to do all those things. The main advantage is that I no longer have to contort my hands to do things like shift ctrl f5. I haven't had to re-learn bindings or manually remap keys in software for years.
For things like 'rename' in explorer.exe (F2), so things that I do really a lot, it only took a couple of days of practice to get used to the extra modifier. I did spend the time to set up AutoHotKey to do some other types of global hotkeys (open keypass or other often used software, some accented characters, that sort of thing) but that wasn't too bad.
Still, if they'd make a version with an additional function key row, I'd buy it in a heartbeat; not having them I consider a trade off for all the other good stuff (split, solid build quality, printed caps, tiltable, mechanical keys)
In terms of build quality, I like it as much as the ErgodoxEZ; I hope they'll finally come through with the extensions (only 4 years delayed...) because the thing I miss most from the Ergodox are the thumb clusters. The wooden hand rests are getting stained after 2+ years of use, but for the rest they're nice. I had firmware problems at the very beginning but that seems to be OK now. I wasn't very impressed with the support I got with those issues, it was basically first 'try unplugging and plugging back in' and then 'it works for me'. But it got there in the end after a few new versions of the firmware. The 'use the keyboard as a mouse' is a gimmick, I don't understand why they make that a core selling point in the UHK marketing. All in all, it's the best keyboard I can find that still uses somewhat standard keycaps (my reason for never trying a keyboardio; I've tried many others apart from that one).
Your mouse sensitivity is too high. Competitive FPS gamers shift their keyboard well to the left and tilt it at an angle to provide enough room for an extra-large mouse pad.
Which means you don't have a good position when typing?
I bought a 40% split keyboard and had my mouse inbetween the halves and it relieved my joint pains. Now, I work on old mainframes and need up to function key F24, but otherwise the 40% works wonders with thumbs on modifier keys.
If you define "a good position" as "a comfortable position" then my typing position is fine for the work I do. I've tried various options, from the curvy Microsoft Natural keyboards to laptop keyboards to mini keyboards and I always come back to a standard mechanical 101-key keyboard with a G502 mouse. I think a split keyboard with the mouse in between the halves would do my head in.
Yeah. I wanted to get an ergodox for work since I ruined my shoulder and some joints being a croupier/dealer for a few years, but they were so expensive I decided to build a cheaper 40% one. If I hadn't had an issue with a normal keyboard I wouldn't have tried it but for software development I wouldn't go back after the switch.
At home I want a split big regular keyboard so that I can use all keys as normal for games, or probably a 60% split with a separate keypad since I can't type without hands starting to hurt.
> Which means you don't have a good position when typing?
Well, can't speak for OP, but personally I just slide the keyboard back over when I'm done gaming and going back to typing. I don't just leave my keyboard to my left relative to my sitting position.
I've watched first hand how much QWERTY-labeled keys with Colemak layout confuses people. Dvorak people usually figure out things are weird in one or two keys, but Colemak intentionally has enough coincidences with QWERTY that it can take people a while to figure it out depending on what they are trying to type, and the frustration is possibly more rewarding to watch as they try to get grips with how "broken" your keyboard must be.
Except I can type numbers a lot faster and more accurately with a numpad. Something I do regularly throughout my day. The enter key is also a quick thumb press with the mouse hand away when I'm using my left hand for commands. I almost never have to use the mouse while typing numbers. It makes sense to me to have a quick one handed way next to the mouse to type numbers. It feels a lot more ergonomic that way then using both my hands to type numbers spread out across a line at the top of the keyboard.
Just because that's how you type numbers doesn't mean it's good for you ergonomically. I switched to using the number line and I'm fine doing it now. It's actually sometimes faster because I have 8 fingers instead of 3/4, and the enter key falls under my pinky when my middle finger is on 9.
I meant more ergonomic for my workflow. Using the number line would mean I'm repeatedly moving my hand back and forth across the keyboard. That tires me out and strains my arm more than the way I do it now. Which as far as I know, I could be wrong, is what ergonomics are about, the most comfortable, efficient way for something to be.
The problem is that the numpad is at the wrong side. I have seen a "left-handed" keyboard before with the numpad on the left. I think it's actually more ergonomic for a right-handed person.
> No numpad is an ergonomic benefit. Your mouse is closer so you don't have to move your hand as far.
Or you know, you don't need to use a mouse at all when you are used to living with keyboard shortcuts and the right desktop environment that goes with it.
Bravo. Agreed. I've installed an actual set mouse trap where my mouse used to be. My hand has suffered but my clout in the open office is at an all time high.
Personally, I use the numpad to navigate source code and other text files. I very rarely use the mouse under those circumstances. So this very much depends on our personal style and use cases.
Yeah definitely somewhere where people should be allow a personal preference.
What does that numpad offer that is not already on the rest of the keyboard?
I think if you are comfortable touch typing numbers then there's not much advantage to having a number pad.
(I've worked from laptops (without numpad) connected to an external monitor for about 15 years now so I may be missing something potentially useful here.)
> What does that numpad offer that is not already on the rest of the keyboard
Navigation using one hand, allowing even different body positions. Those who don’t use it have to do Ctrl-this Shift-that. I press singe keys with a single hand allowing me to have less of constant strain in both hands than if they were always at effectively same position. Like some other posters here I believe “always everything in same position” during longer work times is worse.
During my work hours I spend more time navigating than typing, so that’s what I optimise for.
That's an interesting take on it. Thanks for sharing.
I mostly live in a terminal all day and most of that time is in Vim. So I have the whole keyboard to use as shortcuts for movement but I do have to use two hands. Like you I'm more geared up for navigating code.
For me small, light movements committed to muscle memory have been the key to me getting round RSI a couple of years ago. I also use the Colemak layout so there's no real point to looking at the keyboard for me.
If I’d have to use such programs I’d try the programmable numpads also mentioned here. Even in the middle of nineteen eighties I was able (to my luck) to use a programmable keyboard (independent of the computer and the OS).
I’m still not convinced that I’d give up a narrow central, symmetrical keyboard layout for a few extra keys I have to take my hands away from the home row to use.
Macros. Its a pretty fun exercise. I just started a few months ago. Still building muscle memory:
0 reruns test, . breaks test
1 opens inspector, 2 opens console, 3 opens network
5 refreshes browser (for some old stuff without livereload)
Originally it was for more general date entry type of work , eg a clerk entering data into a spreadsheet - spread sheets where a massive driver of PC sales origionaly.
Either your table is extremely narrow (like 50cm wide in total) or you will have empty space between keyboard and mouse anyway, even with numpad. At least I have and I find claim about "reducing hand travel time from mouse to kb will increase productivity" not very convincing.
But why is less movement automatically considered better? Screen work is sedentary enough even without movement-minimized input placement. The downsides of repetition are best battled by increasing variation.
Static arm rotated outwards. Dynamic movement would be great but the arm tends to get stuck out there for some time. Might apply more to photoshoppers and less to vim users though.
[a late answer, but now the threads is old enough to legitimately get lost on tangents]
Are you talking about a "full hand rest" mouse? Because there is no static load on the arm when operating a mouse that is hardly ever touched with more than fingertips, while the base of the hands is resting on the table.
The best way to have a numpad if you really need one, I have found, is to have a separate one like how the Microsoft Sculpt keyboard does it.