Ergo KB- Some Specifics

[Tracey Showalter <tshowalt -at- SCTCORP -dot- COM>]

Wow! I'm amazed at how many responses I've gotten. A few months ago I sent
messages to every Mac user at my company on the same subject and received
little response.

Since so many people have responded, I thought I'd post this to the list. If
you have any specific questions that aren't addressed in this post, please
write #004#to me at tshowalt -at- sctcorp -dot- com -dot- 


+++++++++++++++BEGIN LONG MESSAGE++++++++++++++++

Here's the scoop on the Kinesis (and some others, too):

The address:

Kinesis Corporation
22232 17th Ave SE
Bothell, WA  98021-7425

(206) 402-8100

fax: (206) 402-8181

sales: (800) 454-6374

The PC version is $390; the Mac version if $490 (the extra $$ are for the
converter). It comes with a typing tutorial to help you adjust--I didn't use
it, but occasionally wished that I had.

One thing I also liked about Kinesis: aside from an early misunderstanding,
they've been straightforward and open with respect to delivery dates. The
Macintosh version was in production for a very long time (nearly 2 years)
*after* I ordered it. I received a postcard telling me it was "backordered"
for 6 to 8 weeks. ha. 6 to 8 months later--when I let them know that I was
highly irritated at the situation (since I'd been told it was a matter of
weeks, not months, and there was still no end in sight)--I found out that
there had been some turnover in the marketing department. They apologized
profusely and have since showered me with good service. I have another
keyboard that is being sent back in disgrace. That company has misled and
then ignored me; I'm disgusted with them. I have had they're unusable
keyboard--that we've paid for--for 11 months now. grr.

I've also tried the:

Apple Keyboard--worst keyboard I've ever seen. It's cumbersome, it's
uncomfortable, it has an enormous footpring and doesn't fit on most desks --
not if you want to have a monitor on the same desk, that is. It's available
anywhere Macs are sold, I think.

BAT Keypad--it doesn't look like a keyboard at all. It has seven keys. You
press the keys in combination (like chords on a piano) to achieve different
keys. Can be used with one hand. It's an intriguing idea, but for me the keys
were just too far apart; it caused more tension than it alleviated. But if
your fingers are long or you have larger hands than mine, it could be useful.
Available from:

Infogrip, Inc.
5800 One Perkins Place  Suite 5F
Baton Rouge, LA  70808
(504) 766-8082

Health Care Comfort Keyboard--it's a traditional keyboard split into 3
pieces. '#001#Each piece is completely adjustable in any direction you'd
like. It's incompatible with the Kensington TurboMouse (Mac); I don't know if
it's happy with the Kensington ExpertMouse on the PC side of life or not.
(They say they're working on it, but they've been saying that for a year
now.)

Health Care Keyboard Company, Inc.
N82 W15430 Appleton Avenue
Menomonee Falls, WI  53051
(414) 536-2160

I'm not sure of the price--it's dropped since we ordered it. I believe it's
around $400-$500.


With respect to mice/trackballs:

The only trackball I've used is the Kensington TurboMouse. I'm happy with it,
but it could be more comfortable. There are ads for it in most PC/Mac
catalogs and magazines, if you'd like to see what it looks like. It's $109
from MacWarehouse. A friend of mine recommends something called the Stingray,
but I haven't a clue what it's like.

Hope you like what you've heard,

Tracey Showalter
tshowalt -at- sctcorp -dot- com


p.s. My company paid for the Kinesis, and for all the other keyboards I've
tried. I didn't have to do push very hard, but if they'd balked, I would have
pointed out that although the keyboard is expensive, the initial visit to the
hand specialist was over $90. The first EMG (un-fun test for CTS) was $892;
the second was $1766. Both surgeries were well over $3500 each. That's not
counting the amount of $$ spent in lost productivity, etc. (our company's
insurance is self-indemnifying, so they were paying for all that stuff, if in
a roundabout way)