Keyboard layouts rant... did I miss a meeting?

DonkeyStyle \o/

Am I the only who's annoyed by the recent trends with keyboard layouts? (probably)

First example that you see everywhere now is this:

What happened to the good old cluster of 6 (ins, home, pgup / del, end, pgdn)?

And I don't even know where to start with this one:

If I wanted a cramped keyboard I'd buy a laptop.

I see these layouts everywhere now... and bundling mice with keyboards?! What's that all about?
I've already chosen my mouse carefully... is it really so important to people that their mouse and keyboard match?

While the layout I actually like...

...is becoming hard to find.

Who are these people buying wireless keyboards with 50 gimmicky shortcut buttons, with back-lit keys and bundled wireless mice?!


I have similar gripes with cases/towers... stupid-looking pseudo-designer spray-painted silver moulded plastic cheapo tacky gimmicky crap with LED lights.

What happened to the humble beige box? Simple functionality... an understated, dignified design.
Does this case make anyone else want to vomit?

/rant

Ruu_Old

That case is a load of puke alright. My keyboard is like the last one you mentioned with the cluster of 6 keys. The only thing I done like about it is the audio controls, power off, standby buttons just above the F keys because I don't ever intend to use them. I got it last year in America, don't know if that makes a difference to it or not, probably not.
It is made by Aspire and came with an optical mouse.

I got it cheap because I got it bundled with a few parts, sorry for the colour.

irlrobins

Each to their own...

I have one of the first type of keyboards at home and the third type in work (if I'm not on laptop). TBH, you get used to the different layouts very quickly. Well I do anyway, so it's not a huge problem moving between types. Except for the MS natural keyboards, I can never get used to them. Hate them!

kirving

I like my Logitech G15, nice feels to the keys, easy to see as theyre backlit, volume control within easy reach(and mute), the macro keys really do come in handy for filling out email addresses and passwords. It's perfectly laid out, and it goes nicely with my MX518. I cant see the problem.....


And that case is awful!

DonkeyStyle \o/

irlrobins wrote:

Each to their own...

I'm all for choice, but I find my own choice limited in that, the way things are going, I'm eventually going to have to buy one of these gimmicky whack-job keyboards.
I think the only reason I can still buy a normal keyboard is I guess because businesses still want cheap, no-frills, sensible keyboards.
Home users, it seems, have gone completely bonkers.
I wish the computer fashion accessory brigade would just bugger off and buy a mac.

irlrobins wrote:

TBH, you get used to the different layouts very quickly.

It grinds my balls that I should have to... for absolutely no good reason.
I use those keys so much that, for me, it's like messing with QWERTY.

And what about those ACPI keys nobody asked for?! ... really, is the towers power button that far away that I now have keys I can (and have) accidentally power my PC off with?

I suppose my rant is about gimmicky features that eventually become de facto because everyone else is doing it... without stopping to ask why.

irlrobins

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote:

I suppose my rant is about gimmicky features

I'll agree with you on the gimmicky features stuff. Kevin's kb looks pretty naff to me. (No offence)

Creamy Goodness

i'd have to agree with ya donkey.

i have to have that cluster of 6, and also what's the deal with the oddly shaped return keys

has to be like this


if you're looking for a good gaming keyboard, this looks quite good

http://www.steelseries.com/products/steelkeys/steelkeys_6g/pictures

KdjaCL

I had a few Kbs die on mee and bopught the one 2nd in pic and **** me its the wost kb evr made.

thr pot above confirmds it as the worst kb ever.



kdjac

DonkeyStyle \o/

Cremo wrote:

if you're looking for a good gaming keyboard, this looks quite good

http://www.steelseries.com/products/steelkeys/steelkeys_6g/pictures

€99? ó_0
That's a bit excessive... can't say I need to be mashing 8 keys simultaneously either... though the spring mounted keys probably have a nice feel to them.
Reminds me of my old 386 keyboard... weighed a ton, very solid, nice key action... I'd buy one of those again.

At the moment I've got my eye on this one... I've got one very similar in white, also from Trust... and at 9.99, you don't have to worry about spilling coffee all over it

xebec

KdjaCL wrote:

I had a few Kbs die on mee and bopught the one 2nd in pic and **** me its the wost kb evr made.

thr pot above confirmds it as the worst kb ever.

SeanW

Well, I hate those godawful ACPI power keys as well, I simply never use them (intentionally) but sometimes I end up hitting the sleep key when I'm hurrying to press F12 in an intense gaming session >_<

To a certain extent I agree with the OP, simple is better.

Cases are another story though, but I agree that case is awful. That's why its €50 and not over 100 like the Antec P160 (drools). I don't miss the godawful beige boxes. Not at all.

Jesus Wept

Kevin Irving wrote:

This looks like it could launch a nuclear war head from it.

Capt'n Midnight

I still miss having the function keys to the right like you used to have on the old XT keyboards.

Anyone got an old gateway keyboard they want to part with ?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

I still miss having the function keys to the right like you used to have on the old XT keyboards.

Anyone got an old gateway keyboard they want to part with ?

You might just be in luck there, I'm currently typing on one, it's a good 10 years old and needs a very good clean, but I'd be willing to trade for a decent new keyboard/copious amounts of money...;)


I am quite fond of it though...

Lafortezza

G15+G5 = winnar!

Fabio

I find with a lot of new keyboards, that the keys are terrbly weighted. They feel all light and unresponsive though they claim to be "quiet" keyboards.

I much prefer the old classic layout with keys that need a good hit to work and make a nice noise as they are hit - a good click!

witnessmenow

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

I still miss having the function keys to the right like you used to have on the old XT keyboards.

Anyone got an old gateway keyboard they want to part with ?

You give me a replacement keyboard and you can have my one!

how about this keyboard cant go to far wrong with €3.81
[URL]="http://www.dabs.ie/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=425K&CategorySelectedId=11117&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11117,42410000,50010&InMerch=1[/URL]

my girlfriend got me this keyboard and mouse set for Vday and i have to say its by far the best mouse and keyboard i ever used, typing with it is like a dream!
http://komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=313151
I can even use it from 15m away or something! I can even use it in diffrent room to the pc as its bluetooth, now if i could find a logical reason for doing so.....

311

I waiting for a motion sensing unit ,for people who know where the keys are:D
An invisible keyboard would do me ,mistakes of finger placement would not be tolerated:p

zAbbo

Light based projection keyboards have been around for a few years now.

I remember some tech being patented by Canesta

311

Before I slide into off topic mode ,I'm thinking of a motion sensor that doesn't require a fixed position ,the palm of your right hand would have a bluetooth reset sensor (tilt your hand all the way over to the right )or something like that ,to let know where you are starting from.
I work in construction ,so forgive my brutality in explaining myself:eek:

Khannie

irlrobins wrote:

Except for the MS natural keyboards, I can never get used to them. Hate them!

OMG, I love my MS natural keyboard(s). The original one had a crappy arrow key layout but that has been fixed.

Donkey: I'm with you all the way....there's this one keyboard in our office (I had it for about 4 days after I joined...omg the frustration) where the tilde key was up beside =. WTF???? ~ and # are important to me damn you!

irlrobins

Khannie wrote:

OMG, I love my MS natural keyboard(s)

*Sigh* There's always one...

damnyanks

irlrobins wrote:

*Sigh* There's always one...

I'm on the new version



It's brilliant! I have to type a lot, its deadly comfortable and I've rewired the back / forward keys to use for mp3s. Makes it even better!

Archytas

The PA's in my office love those keyboards... so theres 3 more...

irlrobins

Archytas wrote:

The PA's in my office love those keyboards... so theres 3 more...

Right, thread locked before this virus spreads....

Capt'n Midnight

damnyanks wrote:

I'm on the new version

It's less curved than the original one.

reminds me of the whole biopace chainrings on bikes, when they came out first they were very different , but as time went on the curves mellowed and became less extreme and eventually they released stuff like "roundtech chainrings" and "constant radius chainrings" - just normal stuff with fancy names.

Actually a good Morse operator can hit the same WPM as a decent typist - so do you really need more than one key ?
( eight dots = delete , in case you were wondering )

sioda

I have the old natural with the tiny arrows and stupid home end keys at work I hate it rubbish love getting home to my old gateway board.

Was intending to get a logitech wireless board and mouse till i noticed the 6 button layout and decided no way.

Khannie

I have one of those new ones in work. Love that puppy. If it weren't for the stupid arrow keys on this old one at home, it'd be ultimate.

Anti

damnyanks wrote:

I'm on the new version



It's brilliant! I have to type a lot, its deadly comfortable and I've rewired the back / forward keys to use for mp3s. Makes it even better!

Ive used this one before, i quite liked it too

BostonB

I prefer the boring standard keyboard because if you get used to a funky one its awkward if you have to use a normal one somewhere else. I switch between a lot of different machines and most corporate machine still have the traditional layout. I specifically look for a laptop to have a sensible layout too. I prefer the noisy clicky ones but in a quiet environment a soft touch (like a laptop) gets less complaints.

witnessmenow

lafortezza wrote:

G15+G5 = winnar!

Im not great at maths but im pretty sure that =G20