Re: Staggered or not ???

My wrists are at a 45 degree angle and find the TypeMatrix
surprisingly comfortable. I say "surprisingly" because I was expecting
the lack of separation to be a problem after using the MS Natural.

However, I *do* agree with Keith's comment:
> I agree that having a keyboard that could be divided and each half
> positioned independently would be even better!

If they could make the two halves snap together then the keyboard
would still be suitable for laptop users who will often be in
situations where 2 keyboard pieces would be awkward.

Also, I have heard from those few that have used both the TypeMatrix
and the Kinsesis Contour that the Kinesis is even better. I presume
the separation in the Contour contributes to that.

-Chuck


On 3/14/07, Marcus Brooks <[email protected]> wrote:
> I'll accept your Shenanigans if your wrists are parallel to each
> other when you type; that is, if you sit with your elbows together. I
> can't do that, it makes my shoulders hurt.
>
> I'm rather wide, so my wrists lie at roughly a 45 degree angle to
> each other when I type. For me, a columnar layout would only work if
> it was split at a 45 degree angle in the middle. Otherwise columns
> make me do _more_ of that "horizontal jumping" (relative to my
> fingers) that you dislike so much.
>
> Marcus
>
> On Mar 14, 2007, at 5:12 PM, Keith Ratliff wrote:
>
> >  "The stagger is important in that you can reach multiple letters
> > with the
> > same finger. Moving those letters directly under a finger reduces
> > efficiency."
> >
> > I'm calling Shenanigans.
> >
> > 1) In a "box" (columnar) formation, a finger has 9 keys next to it.
> > In a
> > staggered, a finger has 7 keys next to it.
> > 2) Proper typing skills teach that you shouldn't be jumping
> > horizontal rows
> > anyway.
> >
> > --Keith
> >
> > On 3/14/07, Yatin Sethi <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>
> >>   Hi guys,
> >>
> >> I have always been reading on the staggered and columnar layouts but
> >> haven't
> >> got any better clarity.
> >> There are discussions to support both the viewpoints. Few quotes:
> >>
> >> In favor of Staggered layout:
> >> "The stagger is important in that you can reach multiple letters
> >> with the
> >> same finger. Moving those letters directly under a finger reduces
> >> efficiency."
> >>
> >> If the staggering of keys are supposed to have some benefit to
> >> your finger
> >> movements, why is it then that the whole keyboard is staggered the
> >> same
> >> way?
> >> Doesn't it stand to reason that one side should be staggered the
> >> other
> >> way?
> >> After all, we don't have two right hands...
> >>
> >> Against Staggered layout:
> >> "Today's keyboards descend in a straight line from yesterday's
> >> mechanical
> >> typewriters. The reason the keys are staggered is because it gives
> >> the
> >> typewriter engineers more space to place their levers. It too was
> >> specifically designed to avoid the collision of the levers."
> >>
> >> "The staggered key arrangement is a bad thing because it forces your
> >> fingers
> >> to do a lot of diagonal reaching. When you strike the key down
> >> your finger
> >> is thus in a particularly vulnerable position and at a mechanical
> >> disadvantage resulting in more strain than is necessary."
> >>
> >> My only confusion that still prevails:
> >> Which one is better: staggered or non-staggered .. and WHY ??
> >>
> >> We do see many new keyboards coming up with non-staggered layouts
> >> (Typematrix 2030) and many other which are still following the
> >> staggered
> >> layout. Any suggestions guys ??
> >>
> >> Regards'
> >>
> >> Yatin.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Yatin Sethi
> >> www.yatinsethi.com
> >>
> >> On 3/14/07, Chuck Esterbrook
> >> <[email protected]<Chuck.Esterbrook%40gmail.com>>
> >> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Pretty cool stuff, but too bad the Apple keyboards are still
> >>> staggered
> >>> instead of columnar...
> >>>
> >>
> >> On 3/13/07, nkmcalli <[email protected] <nkmcalli%
> >> 40yahoo.com><nkmcalli%40yahoo.com>> wrote:
> >>>> Some follow-up about dvorak laptops. Check out these pix on Flickr.
> >>>> It's step by step photos of a person moving the keys on their Apple
> >>>> MacBook.
> >>>>
> >>>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/69631394@N00/tags/keyboard/
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
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