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Except for some programmers (the kind that frequents this site but far from the majority) I can assure you that almost any German laptop buyer expects and prefe

Except for some programmers (the kind that frequents this site but far from the majority) I can assure you that almost any German laptop buyer expects and prefers a German keyboard. Every keyboard in an office will be a German keyboard. All apps that are used and almost all games work fine with the German layout. Might be different in small countries of course but I expect it to be the same in France, Spain, etc.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
- germanier 11y ago
  If Wikipedia is to be believed both variants were introduced at the same time by the same company (Key Tronic). The European one fits one key more. I never had problems to hit the European-style return-key for what it's worth and need a long time to adjust to the US variant whenever I have use them.
- sswezey 11y ago
  The left shift on an ISO keyboard is the same distance from your left pinky as the right shift is from your right pinky. I don't see how it would be (objectively) harder. Plus with an ISO keyboard you get to move the `~ key down closer. I prefer to program on a US-International / Dutch Apple keyboard. It may be Stockholm syndrome from having to work with German keyboards.
pilsetnieks 11y ago
That's kind of the point - because of the keyboard you cannot buy your laptop from Bulgaria, Taiwan, or the US where it might be cheaper because your users will want a German keyboard instead of Bulgarian, Chinese, or American.
- germanier 11y ago
  Can you really call it "region-locking" if you are free to use anything else but your users prefer not because it provides advantages for them? Separate keys for ÄÖÜ are important to German users. It's not done to lower the resale value but to sell it to the first user at all.
  - pilsetnieks 11y ago
    It's not really region locking, I was just expanding on his point. Unlike region locking, the keyboard customizations don't have a purpose of locking out other users; however, they have a tiny side effect of inconvenience that's similar to region locking.
    - germanier 11y ago
      The user claimed the the primary purpose was to lower resale value. That isn't the case. Nobody forces one to buy the regional variant. The Apple online shop has different keyboards to choose from.
      - pilsetnieks 11y ago
        Yeah, I glossed over that. No, I don't agree that the primary purpose is to lower resale value, that much is obvious; it's just a side effect in some cases. There are some limitations - for example, the German Apple store limits itself to 8-9 kinds of keyboards, though I guess it's more out of practicality than nefarious business decisions.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

germanier 11y ago
If Wikipedia is to be believed both variants were introduced at the same time by the same company (Key Tronic). The European one fits one key more. I never had problems to hit the European-style return-key for what it's worth and need a long time to adjust to the US variant whenever I have use them.
sswezey 11y ago
The left shift on an ISO keyboard is the same distance from your left pinky as the right shift is from your right pinky. I don't see how it would be (objectively) harder. Plus with an ISO keyboard you get to move the `~ key down closer. I prefer to program on a US-International / Dutch Apple keyboard. It may be Stockholm syndrome from having to work with German keyboards.

pilsetnieks 11y ago

That's kind of the point - because of the keyboard you cannot buy your laptop from Bulgaria, Taiwan, or the US where it might be cheaper because your users will want a German keyboard instead of Bulgarian, Chinese, or American.

germanier 11y ago
Can you really call it "region-locking" if you are free to use anything else but your users prefer not because it provides advantages for them? Separate keys for ÄÖÜ are important to German users. It's not done to lower the resale value but to sell it to the first user at all.
- pilsetnieks 11y ago
  It's not really region locking, I was just expanding on his point. Unlike region locking, the keyboard customizations don't have a purpose of locking out other users; however, they have a tiny side effect of inconvenience that's similar to region locking.
  - germanier 11y ago
    The user claimed the the primary purpose was to lower resale value. That isn't the case. Nobody forces one to buy the regional variant. The Apple online shop has different keyboards to choose from.
    - pilsetnieks 11y ago
      Yeah, I glossed over that. No, I don't agree that the primary purpose is to lower resale value, that much is obvious; it's just a side effect in some cases. There are some limitations - for example, the German Apple store limits itself to 8-9 kinds of keyboards, though I guess it's more out of practicality than nefarious business decisions.