Re: Ergonomic Keyboard

[Janice Gelb <janiceg -at- ENG -dot- SUN -dot- COM>]

In article 11213 -at- smtpgw -dot- sctcorp -dot- com, Tracey Showalter <tshowalt -at- sctcorp -dot- com>
 writes:
 >
>With all this, the thing that has helped the most is a new keyboard. I've
>tried others, which for a variety of reasons did not work.

>The keyboard is made by Kinesis Corporation in Washington. #001#The keys,
>which are in a modified QWERTY layout, have been divided in half, moved
>outwards and set into concave wells. The result is that the keys are directly
>underneath your fingers and in front of your shoulders. They are slightly
>smaller and closer together than a traditional board and are placed in a
>straight line, which reduced the amount of sideways travel and reaching that
>is typically required. Keys that are used often  (Ctrl, Alt, Command, Option,
>Enter, Backspace, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down) have been moved
>to the inside, so that they are under the thumbs (the strongest fingers, as
>opposed to the pinky, the weakest finger). There is a slight bend in the
>board and the wells, which helps to relieve ulnar rotation.

>It took me about a day to adjust to the "weirdness" of the keyboard. I love
>this keyboard--I can type again without being in pain--and just thought I
>ought to let others know of its existence.


I'm surprised to read this paean to the Kinesis keyboard: my officemate
tried it and we both were astonished that a keyboard that is supposedly
ergonomic is not adjustable. Both he and I have long fingers and we felt
it was very difficult to use this keyboard since the depth of the
wells containing the keys cannot be adjusted.


********************************************************************************
Janice Gelb                  | (415) 336-7075
janiceg -at- marvin -dot- eng -dot- sun -dot- com   | "A silly message but mine own" (not Sun's!)
********************************************************************************