Re: Staggered or not ???

--- In [email protected], "Fred Craven" <yahoogroups@...>
wrote:
>
> It sounds like your fingering would actually be off for your left hand
> if you did that (assuming one wants to follow proper fingering). I think
> I used to do the same thing years ago. Once I learned "proper"
> fingering, I think I rotated the keyboard the other way so that the left
> hand could be somewhat more in line. Eventually I got un-staggered.
> 
> Fred
>

When you say 'proper fingering', do you mean striking each key with
the correct finger?  Like not 'crossing over' to hit the 6 with the
left hand?  If that's the case, then I do follow proper fingering. 
I've been typing on a kinesis keyboard for years, so such crossing
over or other improper fingering actually becomes hard to do.  I guess
maybe I rotate the keyboard because I find it more comfortable to
twist my left wrist to the left that to twist my right wrist to the
right.  It could also be that the right wrist, if the keyboard is not
rotated at all, must twist farther to the right than the left wrist to
the left, since the reaches on keys on the far right are longer than
on the far left.

As far the staggered layout is concerned, its time has come and gone.
 It's an anachronism.  Keyboards like the Kinesis contoured and the
TypeMatrix have got it right, IMHO.  Another keyboard with an
interesting layout that I used for a number of years was the Darwin
Keyboards SmartBoard.  It too did away with the staggered layout in
lieu of a more 'fan' like layout.  Unfortunately, that keyboard wasn't
particularly well-built, though it did use those excellent Alps
keyswitches.

One thing I have noticed in my years of typing on the Kinesis is that,
although I could type much more comfortably on it, I have always been
able to type faster on a flat keyboard.  I think there's something
about the Kinesis's "cups", if you will, that limit arm movements as I
type.  I find my hands and arms to be a bit more free when typing on a
flat keyboard.

I could go on, but I think I'll stop here ;)