07.18.05
Been flirting again
In a desperate attempt to get a second keyboard for the second desk that I’m setting up in the apartment, I’ve been searching for a new keyboard that won’t hurt my wrists.
My wrists, these days, are quite sensitive to things like the lateral angle that the twist from my forearm and the amount of vertical rise or drop they have from my forearm. The pressure required to push down a key on the keyboard has to be below a certain amount or else I feel it; even the speed of deceleration that the tips of my fingers experience as the key stops is a consideration. (It seems I need airbags for my finger crashing.)
In the pursuit of finding an appropriate keyboard, I went over to the dark side: a Microsoft Natural Pro keyboard (split key layout, rising angle in the middle, etc.) It almost worked perfect for me, except that the keys were just too damn tough to press. too much force means pain in my wrist. This is always bad. (The key mechanism seems to involve little plastic/rubber volcano-shapped nubs that getting pressed in. the nubs seem to get more stiff over time.) I took it back.
So I ended up getting another Apple Extended keyboard II just like the one I already had. This one is a bit stiff still, but it should break in pretty well, once I’ve used it for a few… years. 🙂 At that point the metal scissor-style mechanisms should loosen up a bit more. Already though, I can tell it’s better than the MS keyboard.
The only other successful keyboard I’ve had has been the Logitech Comfort Pro that I tricked Brad into getting for me at work. It’s much like the MS keyboard in split/tented layout, but the key presses are real easy on the fingers. $100 a pop, but it’s been the only thing that’s let me actually get my work done at work.
Will my RSI go away? Not as long as there are computers in my life. Will I be able to keep it at bay? I think so.