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Where do you keep your keyboard?
Obviously, if you have an all-in-one like an iMac or a traditional laptop, the keyboard is connected directly to the display. But if you have a desktop or a docking station — or even a Bluetooth keyboard for your mobile phone — there is some flexibility on where you place your keyboard.
I currently have an old (mechanical) Hewlett Packard PS/2 keyboard sitting on my desk attached (via a USB connector) to my laptop. The laptop sits off to the side and feeds into a much larger external monitor. I've tolerated this arrangement for a while but it is becoming apparent that this is far from the most ergonomic arrangement.
So, I am considering getting a keyboard arm. For those who have gone that route, how has that worked for you? What model did you get and how much did it cost? Did it flex under use or was it rigid and solid? Was there space for a mouse next to the keyboard? Do you have any suggestions on what to watch out for, either pro or con?
I'm in hopes that not only will I benefit from the collected experiences of the SoylentNews community, but that someone else we see a reply and choose to do something to improve their arrangement, too.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by riT-k0MA on Tuesday September 27 2016, @02:09PM
I use a Logitech G510 at work. Those 54 (18 keys * 3 modes) macro keys are incredibly useful for scripting mundane stuff. Git flow has never been so easy.
(Score: 2) by Marand on Wednesday September 28 2016, @06:35AM
How's it do with Linux? When I was shopping for my current keyboard a few years ago, Logitech support of Linux was pretty shit and I didn't want to take the chance.
I ended up buying from Roccat [roccat.org], a German company that (unofficially*) supports Linux, and I haven't regretted it. Configuration has worked fine, and better still, all the settings and binds are saved in the keyboard itself, so once it's set up nearly everything the keyboard does works on any system, with or without driver and software installed.
Funny enough, I only found out about the company because my Logitech mx518 mouse was finally about to die after years of abuse, and I wanted to find a replacement that had a similar shape and feel. Logitech's own successor to it doesn't (or didn't, at least) work right in Linux, so I had to look elsewhere, and ended up finding out about Roccat in the process because their Kone+ mouse had a similar shape and feel. It was a great mouse but didn't survive** as long as I would have liked. Bought it at same time as the keyboard, and I'm still using the keyboard while the mouse messed up pretty early on and had to get replaced because repairing it ended up not being worth the trouble.
* It's not listed on "System Requirements" for any device, but the site links to the community-supported Linux page and the company assists the developer with keeping things working for Linux users.
** They don't even have that specific mouse on sale any more, so it may have been a design problem that resulted in it being phased out. They still use the same body for other mice though, so I might try again one day.