Got my trackball today.

    • folkrav@lemmy.ca
      26·
      29 days ago

      The split keyboard part is incredible for ergonomics. So comfy to just put your hands on my desk at shoulder width and just have my keyboard right there. The trackball I sold, though, came back to a Deathadder… How scary am I?

      • Captain Aggravated@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        9·
        28 days ago

        If I go down that route of ergonomic controls and weird keyboards and such I’m eventually going to build myself this whole HOTAS cockpit with controls at the ends of the armrests, foot pedals, the works. I’ll need some bedsore cream.

        • folkrav@lemmy.ca
          4·
          28 days ago

          I went down the ergonomics route from sheer necessity more than anything. I have ulnar nerve issues in both elbows, meaning my hands and fingers end up tingling, then hurting for days if I’m not careful. I have pretty broad shoulders (used to play on the offensive line in american football) and very large hands, meaning “regular” non-split keyboards inherently create a lot of tension in my wrists and elbows due to the sheer angle I have to maintain. I use a split board just so I can reduce wrist pronation by keeping my arms at shoulder width and having some tenting.

          However, I have to say, “large” split boards, like this one or my Iris l, aren’t nearly as weird to use as they look. For the most part, until you have some fancy mappings going on, all that’s different by default is having some modifiers and common special keys right under your thumbs instead of weak fingers or positions (pinkies or having to reach under your palm). Those tiny 3-4 row boards that need 3-4 layers just to be usable are IMHO another game entirely haha.

          • Captain Aggravated@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            2·
            28 days ago

            I type on a more or less standard QWERTY keyboard (a Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro M; an interesting board because instead of eliminating the numpad, it eliminates the arrow keys in a very clever way). I’m not a particularly big guy so standard key spacing is fine for me. I do touch type in a very classroom keyboarding class kind of way so I’ve thankfully avoided any repetitive stress injuries thusfar.

            Sometimes I think I’d be interested in a split keyboard especially if it could combine my thumb ball mouse in the right side so I didn’t have to move my hand around as much but meh.

      • TriflingToad@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        28 days ago

        I’ve never even considered “ergonomics” unless I’m playing video games like every hour of the day which only happened when I first discovered Deep Rock Galactic. Maybe I got lucky genetics? Whats it like for you?

        • folkrav@lemmy.ca
          6·
          28 days ago

          I answered to another comment with some details, but long story short, it tends to be the kind of thing you don’t think about until it’s causing you problems in the first place. I never thought about any of this either until the pain started ~8 years ago. I have nerve pain in both elbows that shoot down to my ring finger and pinky, and up to the shoulder if it gets really bad - that is, if I’m not careful, like typing scrunched over a laptop in a meeting room all day… Using a split keyboard alone fixed like 90% of the problem, the rest is controlled with stretches and PT exercises, minding my posture, taking breaks, etc.

    • hraegsvelmir@lemm.eeEnglish
      4·
      29 days ago

      No trackball for me, but I use a vertical mouse and have my Glove80 mapped to a Colemak layout, so it probably balances out.

      • DARbarian@fedia.io
        12·
        29 days ago

        I’ve been meaning to move on up from mechs to ergomechs but the analysis paralysis is real lmao This one seems like a top contender though. You ever try anything else like the Dygma Defy or the Moonlander or anything?

        • rwdf@lemmy.worldOP
          8·
          29 days ago

          No, this is actually my first split/ergo keyboard. I considered the Moonlander as well, but figured I’d go straight for the endgame, haha. The keywells really work great. My hands are on the larger side though, so I can reach all the keys with ease.

            • rwdf@lemmy.worldOP
              131·
              29 days ago

              Got to spend your money on something, right? I figured it’s a tool I’m using for 8 hours a day to make a living, so it’s worth it to avoid more tendonitis/RSI.

              • UndulyUnruly@lemmy.world
                7·
                29 days ago

                Oh, absolutely. I agree with you. Cheaper than treatment and having to put up with pain and issues in perpetuity.

                I don’t type enough, even when I do I don’t touch type properly (using ye old “blind chicken hawk” technique”). Thus, I can’t justify this for my situation.

                If this is part of your job, this is value for money in the end, if the quality is there.

        • Old Scratch Johnson@lemmy.worldEnglish
          6·
          29 days ago

          I jumped into ergo with the Moonlander about a year ago. I really love it personally. This one scares me but so did the Moonlander at first. But i chose that for comfort as well as for the design choices of customizability and supporting modding and things like that. But that’s where my value was. Just think through what aspects are most important to you.

        • vext01@lemmy.sdf.org
          3·
          29 days ago

          I recently bought a ZSA voyager for co-working.

          Took me a few days to get used to the reduced keyset, but overall was very easy to adjust to. I mapped it very similar to my home keyboard (Maltron 3D).

          A colleague just got a glove80 and I was able to type 70wpm after 5 mins with it. I think I’d have bought one of those for home if I didn’t already have a maltron.

    • Retrograde@lemmy.world
      21·
      28 days ago

      It’s sweet looking for sure but agreed, anything other than a traditional keyboard breaks my brain

  • lando55@lemmy.worldEnglish
    61·
    28 days ago

    I tried so many trackballs before settling on the Elecom Huge. I really wanted to like the Kensington, but I think it would be infinitely more useful if it had both a thumb scroll and the orbital scroll.

    My current setup for reference:

  • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘@infosec.pubEnglish
    5·
    29 days ago

    How do you like your Glove80? I never got used to mine, and went back to my tkl. I gotta give it another shot. I love the look, and the dual design eases my shoulder pain significantly. But my typing speed and accuracy took such a huge hit…

    • TheAgeOfSuperboredom@lemmy.ca
      5·
      29 days ago

      I’ve had one for about a year and a half and I love it! It took me a few weeks to adjust but then my typing speed quickly got back to normal. I did play around with rearranging a few keys too, which really helped. I haven’t had any other ergonomic keyboards to compare to, but to me the thumb clusters and concave design are game changers!

        • TheAgeOfSuperboredom@lemmy.ca
          2·
          27 days ago

          Just a few minor changes to the default layout. I swapped the the up/down arrows on the right half so it matches Vim’s j/k I also put the space bar and backspace on the left thumb cluster. This was mostly for games so I don’t have to remap space. Delete went to the right thumb cluster. The last thing was to put ‘=’ next to 0. My brain just couldn’t handle the default ‘=’ being on the left hand. Instead I put '' on the left hand below F1. I use that key less often so it wasn’t a big deal. In general, I got used to the rest of the default layer pretty quickly, and the deviations aren’t too far from a standard keyboard.

      • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘@infosec.pubEnglish
        4·
        29 days ago

        About two weeks. I had to get the speed back up, as work was starting to suffer. Two months? Worth the effort. I’ll set it back up and give it a longer go.

    • rwdf@lemmy.worldOP
      5·
      29 days ago

      I like it a lot, but as you say it takes a lot of getting used to and practice. I don’t think my WPM is near what it is on a regular keyboard, but we’re talking a few weeks of use versus 30 years of muscle memory … I’m gradually switching over to the Glove. Funnily enough I write better on it when I’m not thinking about it at all.

      • 𝕸𝖔𝖘𝖘@infosec.pubEnglish
        2·
        28 days ago

        I’m in the same boat with the muscle memory. Never tested my official speed, but I’ve had several people comment that it sounds like I’m just smashing the keys down, but I’m actually typing. Don’t really want to give that speed up, but I don’t want that shoulder pain more…

    • xia@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      2·
      28 days ago

      The default keycaps are terrible. I can’t wait for the imminent LDSA keycap batch!

  • naught@sh.itjust.works
    4·
    29 days ago

    you’re inspiring me with the trackball. i’m on mac for work though, so i have a trackpad between my halves for gestures… maybe one day

  • beeng@discuss.tchncs.de
    2·
    29 days ago

    Setup is very similar to mine in shape, but different makes and arrangement.

    Did you previously use your mouse in the middle pre trackball?

    I’m on Elcom huge + hand wired scylla :)

    • rwdf@lemmy.worldOP
      3·
      29 days ago

      Yes, or, I’ve had the mouse to the right, too. But I think it makes the most sense in the middle.

      The Scylla looks pretty nice too!

      • beeng@discuss.tchncs.de
        2·
        28 days ago

        Are you a vim junkie? Do you find your wrist is still a bit “cocked” when using mouse in the middle?( its what I was trying to avoid)

        • rwdf@lemmy.worldOP
          1·
          28 days ago

          I use Neovim, yes. I’ve actually rotated the trackball about 45° now, feels more natural for the right hand when I shift from the keyboard to it. Needs some adjustments but I think this will be better than with the regular mouse.

          • beeng@discuss.tchncs.de
            2·
            28 days ago

            Maybe I’ll try that…the 45 degree as that should help.

            For my work setup I’ve got my laptop in the middle with split KB either side then trackball on far right. I like the laptop screen there since it’s 4k and symtetric (and get access to trackpad for some gestures ) but I think I would rather a trackball there eventually

  • Euphorazine@lemmy.world
    2·
    29 days ago

    YouTube started recommending me keyboard reviewers who have been showing glove80 and now here? Am I being manipulated by astute marketing??

      • Euphorazine@lemmy.world
        4·
        29 days ago

        I think I’d be in to try at $200.

        I’ll just have to wait I guess until the prices aren’t “enthusiast only”

        • voracitude@lemmy.world
          4·
          28 days ago

          I use a Kinesis Advantage 2. Also very expensive, but a bit older and a monoblock design instead of two halves. Despite being only a single piece, this thing alone reversed the developing RSI in my wrists thanks to the superior ergonomics.

          The vertical mouse I resisted a lot longer but eventually I got tennis elbow so I caved. But where I love my Kinesis 2, I hate the vertimouse. It’s comfortable, but imprecise, and too tall so I always accidentally knock it over switching between keyboard and mouse. Still, my elbow is healing, so I cannot and will not go back to a traditional mouse. I’ve been seriously considering a trackball though…

          For those reasons, I would class these devices as medical requirement rather than luxury. If you have pain from computer work with non-ergonomic hardware, you deserve to spend the money on these things. You’re taking care of yourself.