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I've been using split keyboards and the Dvorak layout for many years. Currently using a UHK[1], which I love. I'm curious about the Ortholinear layout though,

I've been using split keyboards and the Dvorak layout for many years. Currently using a UHK[1], which I love. I'm curious about the Ortholinear layout though, and how much benefit that confers by itself if you're already using a split keyboard and/or optimized layout. It seems like most people switch all three factors at once, which makes it hard to isolate which ones are the most beneficial. Anyone have any experience switching no factor besides the ortholinear layout? [1]: https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/ https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/

pozol 4y ago
So I’ve been into mechanical keyboards for about two and a half years now. Here’s how I would roughly rank layout changes I’ve tried 1. Split or unibody split 2. Moving to a smaller form factor (40% keyboard) so that my fingers don’t move nearly as far from the home row) 3. Ortholinear on a non-split board I’ve tried ortholinear alone, ortho on split, and row staggered on split. I feel like split is the most improvement in comfort for me in general. But, on a split board I do prefer ortho, if that helps. On a non-split board, I’m not sure ortho has a huge effect for me, I use both regularly and don’t notice a big difference. I honestly may even rank 40% boards as number one, because of how useful having numbers and symbols so close to or on the homerow is for comfort. So anyway, those are my two cents from my experience
- daedalus_j 4y ago
  Thank you, that's interesting to know! I've seen non-split ortho boards before and it just looked like it would be weird. Split is the only case I've ever been curious about them, so I'm happy to hear that confirmed!
goosedragons 4y ago
I was previously using split staggered ergo keyboards before I switched to the Kinesis Advantage 2. I feel like ortholinear (well columnar staggered or whatever technically) is an improvement. Not as much as thumb clusters/full programmability though. One place where it is super nice is using uiojklm,. as a number pad. With staggered that just feels SUPER weird. I did also stuff a Japanese in my Thinkpad to get extra thumb keys and as close to the layout I'm using on the Kinesis as possible (thanks to software like keyd/kmonad making layering an option) so I do have some comparison there.
rgoulter 4y ago
I'd learned Dvorak years before trying these keyboards. (Eventually gave up, probably by not making the effort to switch the layout back from US). One minor benefit: the nice thing about external keyboards is the OS layout can be US layout, and you don't have to worry about switching the OS settings. IMO, being familiar with Dvorak means ortho is an easy transition, since your fingers will already follow a column-discipline. (Whereas, my QWERTY remain hunt & peck; I use ortho with Dvorak, qwerty with row-stagger). I'd say ortho almost universally goes with with "multiple thumb keys" (2-3 each). This helps a lot with "reduce pinky finger usage, increase thumb usage", since you can move the backspace, enter, escape, tab keys to within reach of the thumb, alongside space. -- Thumb keys also allow for layering, to reduce hand movement from home row. I think the advantages of asymmetric row-stagger are availability/cost, and its history as the typical keyboard layout. -- If you don't need to share your keyboard with anyone, and can afford a keyboard with straight columns, ortho is nice.
- daedalus_j 4y ago
  Thank you, I appreciate the thoughts! I really enjoy the layers on the UHK, mouse-mode means not taking my hands off the keyboard at all, but I can totally see how being able to have a few extra layers by reaching thumb buttons more easily would be beneficial. Now I'm even more curious to try one. :-)

pozol 4y ago

So I’ve been into mechanical keyboards for about two and a half years now. Here’s how I would roughly rank layout changes I’ve tried 1. Split or unibody split 2. Moving to a smaller form factor (40% keyboard) so that my fingers don’t move nearly as far from the home row) 3. Ortholinear on a non-split board I’ve tried ortholinear alone, ortho on split, and row staggered on split. I feel like split is the most improvement in comfort for me in general. But, on a split board I do prefer ortho, if that helps. On a non-split board, I’m not sure ortho has a huge effect for me, I use both regularly and don’t notice a big difference. I honestly may even rank 40% boards as number one, because of how useful having numbers and symbols so close to or on the homerow is for comfort. So anyway, those are my two cents from my experience

daedalus_j 4y ago
Thank you, that's interesting to know! I've seen non-split ortho boards before and it just looked like it would be weird. Split is the only case I've ever been curious about them, so I'm happy to hear that confirmed!

goosedragons 4y ago

I was previously using split staggered ergo keyboards before I switched to the Kinesis Advantage 2. I feel like ortholinear (well columnar staggered or whatever technically) is an improvement. Not as much as thumb clusters/full programmability though. One place where it is super nice is using uiojklm,. as a number pad. With staggered that just feels SUPER weird. I did also stuff a Japanese in my Thinkpad to get extra thumb keys and as close to the layout I'm using on the Kinesis as possible (thanks to software like keyd/kmonad making layering an option) so I do have some comparison there.

rgoulter 4y ago

I'd learned Dvorak years before trying these keyboards. (Eventually gave up, probably by not making the effort to switch the layout back from US). One minor benefit: the nice thing about external keyboards is the OS layout can be US layout, and you don't have to worry about switching the OS settings. IMO, being familiar with Dvorak means ortho is an easy transition, since your fingers will already follow a column-discipline. (Whereas, my QWERTY remain hunt & peck; I use ortho with Dvorak, qwerty with row-stagger). I'd say ortho almost universally goes with with "multiple thumb keys" (2-3 each). This helps a lot with "reduce pinky finger usage, increase thumb usage", since you can move the backspace, enter, escape, tab keys to within reach of the thumb, alongside space. -- Thumb keys also allow for layering, to reduce hand movement from home row. I think the advantages of asymmetric row-stagger are availability/cost, and its history as the typical keyboard layout. -- If you don't need to share your keyboard with anyone, and can afford a keyboard with straight columns, ortho is nice.

daedalus_j 4y ago
Thank you, I appreciate the thoughts! I really enjoy the layers on the UHK, mouse-mode means not taking my hands off the keyboard at all, but I can totally see how being able to have a few extra layers by reaching thumb buttons more easily would be beneficial. Now I'm even more curious to try one. :-)