Some of you have told us that we're doing it wrong, because the "6" key should be on the right keyboard half, not on the left. In reality, the situation is more nuanced than that, and the placement of the "6" key was a conscious design decision on our part.
US people are taught to press the "6" key with the right index finger, but not all countries are created equal. For example, in Hungary, we're taught to press "6" with our left index finger. Go figure!
Let's examine this issue from an ergonomic standpoint. On the following picture, the keys of the home row on which our fingers reside are painted in red. There's a bright red line exactly between the left and right block of these keys. The "6" key is painted blue. As you can see, the bright red line is rightward of the center of the "6" key which means that given its position, it's more ergonomic to press it with the left index finger.
Now let's take a look from an aesthetic standpoint. Here's the actual UHK layout where the "6" key is on the left keyboard half.
And here's the alternate layout featuring the "6" key on the right keyboard half.
It's apparent that the former layout is way more symmetric.
There's even more to this topic; You're welcome to read the relevant thread on Deskthority which I started a while back when thinking about this issue. Those folks know a thing or two about the ergonomics and history of keyboards.
43 Comments
I was looking at the 4 different keymaps and I realize that none of them includes a numpad on the right hand.
Is that right? Will be no numpad available? It could be a good idea to use it with the Fn key and remap the media keys to another keys?
Interesting idea, this could be quite practical! I guess multiple layouts should be tested by our testers, including yours to figure out what works and what doesn't in practice. In any case, you'll be able to configure the UHK as suggested but this could be a reasonable default. Thanks for the idea!
I'd like to see a numpad for the LEFT hand. The right hand already has more jobs than the left hand, for right handed people.
My left hand sits on it's half of the keyboard all day.
My right hand jumps from device to device all day: keyboard, mouse, pen.
If you do this, please consider putting it on the left, not the right.
We plan to offer a USB Numpad later that you can use on any side of the keyboard.
Why not both?
It would be quite hard to merge the two keyboard halves if both featured a "6" key. :)
How about making the 6 key its own detachable block, with a retaining hex screw to solidly connect it to the side of the keyboard you want? Just need to make sure the electronics will handle it when both sides are joined together, but that shouldn't be difficult.
It's a very interesting idea and it shouldn't be difficult electronically, indeed. Unfortunately, it'd cause quite a hassle mechanically because one of the steel guides that hold the two keyboard halves together is just below the "6" key.
Another possibility I would find extremely useful is an "extra" column for each keyboard half. They would only be used when the keyboard was split and would let you add one more column to each side. So a column of 7yhn for the left and 6tgb for the right. That would let you have the 6 on both sides if you want, and might avoid the mechanical issues.
I can see the use of an extra column module and we could make it happen but this seems extremely niche to me. Sounds like a significant development effort with no return of investment. Sorry, but this is my honest opinion.
I was directed here via Slashdot and the answer to your question is “Mu”[1].
[1]: http://catb.org/esr/jargon/html/M/mu.html
The question arises from the premise that keyboard rows need to be staggered. However, that stagger is a historical artifact of the mechanical typewriter, where its purpose was to allow levers to go from each key to the typing mechanism without intersecting.
In this era of electronic key switches, there is no reason for staggering the rows. However, there is a big reason to stagger columns to account for differences in finger lengths.
In the context of a matrix physical layout, the question becomes “What digit aligns with R, F and V — 4 or 5?” And, of course, for a keyboard that carries the words “ultimate” and “hacking” in its name, the answer is “you can configure it either way”.
Well said! We're also aware of the advantages of columnar layouts and plan to design a columnar version eventually.
So this keyboard is not "ultimate" (you've planned another with obvious advantages), and it's not "a more natural typing posture" (split keyboards and keypad-less keyboards are already very common).
Get the basics right, and you don't need gimmicks. What I see here is yet another backwards-compatibility keyboard designed for old people who learned to type on typewriters.
I complain about keyboards a lot, but I've never once said "I wish I could buy a keyboard that's pretty much like every other split keyboard in the world, but that let me push the halves together and tighten it with a wrench! That's more important to me than little things like where the keys are located."
I think that our current, staggered version is a definite ergonomic improvement over non-split keyboards. Also, it's hardly like every other split keyboards out there. There aren't that many truly split keyboards on the market to begin with, let alone 60%, truly split, mechanical keyboards that are fully reconfigurable and reprogrammable.
This version can be great for users who are not into the columnar keyboards that are harder to get used to.
never mind the 6, the B should be on the left.
In the actual product photos, it is on the left -- which really calls into question the aesthetic argument here.
The idea is to follow tradition whenever possible and fall back to ergonomics. In the case of the "B" key the tradition is universal. In the case of the "6" key the tradition is fragmented and so we lean towards ergonomics and aesthetics.
But Carl's point is that the "aesthetic argument" of the blog post rests on having the 'B' key on the right, as indicated by the images in the blog post. Yet the 'B' key is in fact on the left, so at the very least, you need to correct the images in the blog post. Once the images in the blog post are corrected, you may or may not need to revisit your conclusions about symmetry and aesthetics.
Oh, thank you for pointing out to this error! Given the crazy amount of visitors of today, it's striking that others haven't noticed it. Just fixed.
My reasoning above still holds holds true despite the original, erroneous images.
Interesting. I use a Matias Ergo Pro, which is a split keyboard with the 6 on the left. However I think your ergonomic reasoning is correct and the having on left does make more sense. That said, it's kind of a minor issue, it would not be a major hardship to adapt to is on either side, 6 being not a particularly common key.
Correction: I meant Ergo Pro has 6 on the right.
Thanks for you comment, Steve. I agree that having the "6" key on one half or the other shouldn't be a major hardship. It's just a little thing but we tend to think a lot about these little things. :)
I've been using Microsoft natural keyboards for many years and the 6 key has always been on the left. Its never been a problem, and frankly it never occurred to me that it could go anywhere else.
Hi, in the past I experimented with both variants of split-layouts using a cardboard divider, and the having the 6 on the left side looked more comfortable.
Here is my cardboard divider: http://ao2.it/it/blog/2009/12/29/keyboard-split-typing-speed
Ciao,
Antonio
Hi Antonio,
Looks like you put some heavy work into this. Well done, and thanks for your blog post! Great resource!
I was born and raised in the U.S.and I always use my left index finger to touch the 6 key, if you use your right index finger for that then you have to reach farther. Do not listen to these fools!!! ;) Keep it the way it is its perfect. The only suggestion I would make is to put a mouse roller on the board, that would make me advertise the fuck out of them relentlessly!!
Left. Definitely left. I tried to type & (which is shift-6 on my (Spanish) layout rather than shift-7) and my hands went directly to right-shift, 6-with-left. I repeated this experiment several times with the same outcome. I even tried to force myself to left-shift, 6-with-right and my hands were like "Nope!".
Maybe I'm biased by the fact that my left shift is tinier than normal (silly ISO keyboards), so I might try to avoid using it at all. Or maybe I'm just used to this subconsciously... although I don't think I type 6 or & that often.
(I know I'm like one year late to the poll, but I just wanted to point out that you made the right choice by choosing left.)
Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. I'm so frustrated with all ergonomic keyboards being split with the 6 in on the wrong side. Forget aesthetics; my fingers don't have eyes. I'm tempted to find a manufacture and market my own keyboard; that's how bad it's been finding a keyboard that gets it right.
Amen! Those of us who learned to 'type by touch' on old manual typewriters NEED that 6 key to be on the right. Anything that disrupts the rhythm of the tappity-tap slows us down. The number pad on the right? I never use it, only because there wasn't one on the IBM Correcting Selectric that I learned to type on. I'm faster using the numbers across the top of the keyboard, but only when the 6 is on the correct (right) side. :-)
We could make everyone happy - put two 6's on there. One on each side.
But then, it'd be quite a challenge to merge the two keyboard halves. :)
I prefer it on the right. When it is on the left, the left index finger has to type 4, 5, and 6. The right index finger only types 7. For me it's much easier and more natural that neither finger has to choose between three possibilities.
If we are trained to use our right index finger to strike the 6 we're old? Get serious. We are the best and fastest typist and these stupid keyboards are slowing us down. 6 isn't used frequently? Try doing an inventory with lots of serial numbers and tell me that again! There's a significant slowdown when you make me look at my keyboard. And I am better at the keyboard number keys than I am with the 10-key, so don't go there.
So there's REALLY NOT a 6-on-the-right keyboard for normal money? OMG how lame to base a keyboard on the aesthetics of non-touch-typists' end users. WhatEv.
Since the most recent comment is less than two months old, I'll go ahead and chime in.
I was taught to touch type on IBM electric typewriters in the early to mid 1980s. I was taught to use the right index finger to type 6 and never questioned it until I started using Microsoft Natural keyboards. At that point, I did the same thing explained above, I measured the center line of normal keyboards and observed that six is closer to the left index finger. It didn't take much time to change, though it's been 20 to 25 years ago and I couldn't tell you how long it really took.
I was also taught to double space after a period. I also was able to break that habit. :)
I understand and agree that changing long ingrained habits is hard. Ultimately, 6 on the left does make more sense, and changing habits shouldn't be too difficult if you want to use this keyboard for other reasons. Otherwise, no one is forcing anyone to purchase it.
Keyboard staggering can change. For me the issue is speed and efficiency. Not to mention that virtually any touch typing class I've seen puts the 6 on the right hand. If you are typing at speed you want to split the load between the hands evenly. If I'm typing 4,5,6,7 in quick succession, it's faster to have 6 on the right hand rather than hitting three keys with one finger. So split the keyboard if you like, but move the number row (starting at 6) for the right hand a little more to the right than the other rows.
Have you heard of mirrored qwerty? Often if I'm using the mouse with my right hand, I'd like to be able to type with just my left hand.... To do that, I put mirrored qwerty for just my left hand, on the MOD layer, including the number row. Soooo.. if I type mod-5, with my right hand, I get "6". Maybe something like that would help.
Good point! Mirrored QWERTY can come handy, indeed.
Keep the 6 on the left don't listen to these guys. 6 is closer to the left than it is to the right, so it only makes sense to place it on the left. As simple as that. And I believe there's a reason most ergonomic keyboards seem to have this way. I can reach the 6 with my left index finger while the other rest of the fingers can happily remain in place, and that's not possible with the right hand. Thanks for the post.
OK, you and your design team are wrong. Many times I have wondered why people keep getting this wrong. I suspected that it had something to do with aesthetics and people not knowing how to touch-type properly. Your article sort of confirms that. I don’t really care how people in the Netherlands are taught to type. If it is actually true, they are ripe for repetitive strain injuries from their poor technique.
I don’t just say things and walk away, so here’s my proof:
First of all, I am from Canada and yes, I was taught to strike the 6 key with my right hand. That was part of touch-typing 101.
Second, take the angle away from the keyboard layout so that keys are in their proper columns instead of at an angle which was made necessary by the mechanics of the old manual typewriters. Now that we’re in the 21st century, observe how the m, j, u, and 7 are all in the same column. Now move one column to the left and you get n, h, y, and 6. All eight of these keys are struck by the right index finger when touch typing.
Are you with me so far?
On the left hand, v, f, r, and 4 are all in the same column. Move one column to the right and you get b, g, t, and 5. All eight of these keys are struck by the left index finger.
Your design choice adds 6 to the reach of the left index finger and leaves a blank space where the 6 key should be for the right index finger. It is already a long reach to the 5. And now you, the designer of an ergonomic keyboard that is supposed to reduce strain and repetitive injury want me to reach even further for the 6 key. This is incorrect for reasons of both touch typing and ergonomics. It fails on both counts.
Don’t try to argue that it looks better or that it falls beyond a certain center-point on an old, obsolete 19th century keyboard because that is not what you manufacture.
PS. I won’t even consider buying your product until you fix this error.
You would be correct if the UHK were a columnar keyboard. But the UHK is a staggered keyboard, and I haven't seen anyone orienting the left half to reach V, F, R, and 4 in a straight line. I still believe that the placement of the 6 key is correct both from an ergonomic and aesthetic standpoint on the UHK. Hopefully, you'll like the columnar UHK version better.
That all depends:
1) Have you designed and built a collumnar ergonomic keyboard yet?
2) Did you put the 6 key on the right side of the split where it belongs?
If so, please send me the link.
Thanks.
I designed a split, columnar keyboard, but it's not built yet, and I can't share the layout. The 6 key is on the right half of this keyboard.
Ergonomically, it makes more sense to put it on the left, if you are right handed.
Here's my reasoning: The right hand has more jobs than the left hand. It uses the mouse, a pen, maybe a phone, etc. As I work all day, my left hand had just one job - type the keys on the left side of the keyboard. It sits on the keyboard all day long, moving very little. However, my right hand jumps from device to device all day. For this reason, I prefer to offload as much work from my right hand to my left hand as possible.
That being said, before I got my UHK, I used a full keyboard (66 keys) for my left hand, and half of a split keyboard for my right hand. When using the mouse, I cheated a lot with my left hand.
I love my UHK, and can't wait to get the thumb modules, so that I won't have to move my right hand off the keyboard to use the mouse!
If I were building a split keyboard, that was NEVER going to have both sides connected, I would duplicate some of the middle keys. So the "6" could be on both sides.
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