Keyboard Layout

[draconas]

Is it just me or are an alarming number of keyboard manufacturers changing the layout of their keyboards slightly:

The insert/delete/home etc.. keys are either done as 2*3 instead of 3*2 layout, or the delete key is 2 keys high (i have no idea where insert goes)

The return key either gets bigger, moving the # key or smaller with \ being put above it.

even logitech - former bastion of the standard QWERTY layout seems to be changing its most recent keyboards.

Can anyone explain to me what these people are playing at! I have spent all my computer-based life typing on a querty. I don't want random keys to move, especially as its a completely non-standard move - each company seems to a pick a different way of doing it.

God damn if they want to change the layout they shoudl all switch to DVORAK, force us to spent a month re-learning to type, then we type faster and it's healther on our pinkies too.

[Drarok]

"I have spent all my computer-based life typing on a querty"

You freak! Where do you buy those?
(hur hur)

[draconas]

DOH!!

Damn this english langauge rule that u should always come after Q....

[Boffykins]

Originally posted by draconas
u should always come after Q.... Too... many... jokes...

[draconas]

:P

But can you explain the keyboard layout changes?

[Drarok]

Because they like to annoy their customers?

Doesn't really bother me, my keyboard layout at home and at work are different.

The old "@ problem ;)

[Neon]

I think some of them are so they can market 'compact' keyboards which boast smaller desk space so they move the keys around.

But yeah, looking at the three keyboards i have here, they are all different.

[porsche]

Although I agree that deviating from the 3x2 middle layout is annoying I find the 'F-Lock' feature far worse.

-Porsche-

[Drarok]

Yeah, my parents keyboard has that f-lock thing, it's really freakin' lame.

[phil]

Originally posted by draconas
The return key either gets bigger, moving the # key or smaller with \ being put above it.

Smaller with a \ above it is the American style.

God damn if they want to change the layout they shoudl all switch to DVORAK, force us to spent a month re-learning to type, then we type faster and it's healther on our pinkies too.

There are much better layouts than Dvorak. Hopefully when we all have these keyboards which can change all the images with a quick shortcut then we can all use our favourite layout all the time.

[Drarok]

At two hundrew quid a pop, I wouldn't hold your breath.

[KingDaveRa]

The cheap-o crappy keyboards are all over the place. The better Logitech or Cherry keyboards tend to comply with a more 'classic' layout.

Plus they are just better quality in general.

[Er00]

God I hate those keyboards with the insert/home block in the wrong place and all squidged. It's horrible, almost as bad as typing on a lappy keyboard, although I've not seen many missing num pads yet thank god :/

[Optimus]

The new keyboards in uni are even more horrific...
They've shortened the previously generous Right Shift key and put a € key in on the right hand side of it (under Enter), so if you tap the right hand side of the key, like I do, you get an advert for the EU instead of a capital letter!

[Drarok]

Yikes, that's as bad as those stupid gits that put a # key on the right of shift, I hate those, I use right shoft more than left, with my pinky.