Computer Keyboards Gallery

I'm a computer programer, and sit in front of a computer for more than 8 hours a day every day since about 1990 (this usually includes weekends as well as holidays). I'm also a efficiency nerd and has a untold infatuation with computer keyboards. I have read almost all popularly published reviews of keyboards or special input devices (mostly in MacUser↗ and MacWorld↗ magazines during ~1990-1997), as well as tried them whenever i had a chance, as well software related input issues such as Dvorak layout↗, keyboard remap codes on various operating systems, different keyboard shortcuts and macros softwares on different operating systems. This page is some haphazard commentary on computer keyboards, the keys, their layout, and the design, accompanied with photos of them.

Generic PC Keyboard

I have a keyboard love. Every time i go to a computer shop, i would try my hands on all their input devices on display. In particular, computer keyboards.

Before i started to use a split-keyboard in ~2005, i actually find that the best keyboard are the cheapest, generic PC keyboard↗. They are functional, clean design, sturdy, cheap and replaceable, good tactical feedback. They don't have weird shapes, weird tactile feel, a bunch of ugly buttons and knobs.

(I do, however, believe in extra application launch buttons, volume control knob, embedded pointing device, but the available designs on the market are almost all a turn off).

above: A Generic PC Keyboard. See also: PC keyboard photo (left side closeup).

A generic PC keyboard. This keyboard i used in the period 1999-2002. A ergonomic habit i have is to have 2 or 3 stacks of books placed together in front of the keyboard, so that they form a rectangular platform of 3 to 4 cm in height. When typing, i rest my forearms on the books, so that my wrist joints are straight and not bent upwards. Here's a photo showing this keyboard in my office, and the books i have in front as wrist pads.

Note the Print screen↗/ SysRq↗ key, and Scroll lock↗, Break↗ keys. These keys are historical relics and are more or less defunct today, except the Print Screen key that is often used for creating screenshots in Microsoft Windows.

Apple's Keyboard

Keyboards (and mouses) from Apple ever since 1998 (iMac) are in general the most ergonomically painful.

above: The Apple keyboard↗ as of 2006.

Note the ridiculous distance of the right side's modifier keys. It is not possible, to use the right thumb to press the alt key while the index finger remains on the J. It makes these keys essentially decorative in nature. (Apple did this to make the keys flush at the lower right corner; sacrificing function for esthetics as they wont to do.).

Another utter stupidity is that the function keys are all squished together into one beatific row. (traditionally, they are separated into 4 blocks) The one-row design makes it difficult to touch-type the function keys.

Note that Apple's keyboard and PC keyboard have minor differences in their set of keys. Namely: Cmd, Opt/Alt, Windows key, the Delete and Backspace key, Enter and Return keys, the PrtScr, ScrLk, Break vs F13, F14, F15 keys. For detailed comparison, see: Difference Between Apple and PC keyboards.

Sun Microsystem's “Type 6” Keyboard

Sun Microsystem keyboard is one of the worst. The following shows the one that is the keyboard for Sun's Ultra 5↗ computer (circa 2000).

above: Top View

This keyboard's got 2 columns of special keys on the left. Also note, the Caps Lock and Control keys are swapped. And, it has a big Help button on the top left, and a blank key.

I hardly ever use this keyboard or sit in front of this computer at all. So i don't know what these keys actually do. I don't think most of these special keys do anything useful. Most of the time, i just telnet/ssh from the PC running WindowsNT, using the generic PC keyboard. This Ultra5 is used as a server, it is one of the test bed for releasing our web-based software.

Note the Compose key↗ and Alt Graph↗ keys. I've never used it. In writing this page, i learned that they are used to type special characters such as éäç¡£¥© etc. The key marked with a diamond (◆) is the Meta key↗. Outside of this keyboard, it is known as used by Emacs. This special modifier key is similar to the Command key (⌘)↗ on Apple's computer's keyboards, or the Windows key↗ on PC keyboards↗.

Microsoft Natural Keyboards

Since 2005, i have adapted to the split-keyboards and find Microsoft keyboards the best.

I used to hate split keyboards. I bought a Microsoft Natural keyboard↗ in 2005 because during that year i was using a laptop 8 hours a day, and my wrists and fingers are starting to feel weird. Once i adopted the split keyboard, i never went back to one-piece keyboards. If i type on a one-piece keyboard for even a minute, i feel discomfort in how it bends my wrists.

above: The Microsoft Natural Multimedia Keyboard, introduced in 2004.

Mirosoft's split keyboards is of a fantastic design. Besides splitting the key set and angle them for the wrists, other notable features is the modifier keys placed in symmetrical distance from the index finger keys, and in sizes about 4 times as large. This is fantastic if you are a programer and uses Emacs.

The top has a row of special buttons that provides one-button launching/switching to applications — extremely convenient. They can be reset to any application you choose thru the bundled software Microsoft IntelliType Pro. (Comes in a Mac version too. I use this keyboard on Macintosh computers) The middle is the music-playing program control, also extremely useful. I can just play/stop/skip songs without switching into the music player.

(Note: Even before i used a keyboard with such extra app-launching-keys, i've always have assigned the functions keys to launch applications. So, in my work day, i switch among applications by single key presses. (as opposed to using the mouse, or tabbing thru the app-switching mode))

A minor bad point of this MS keyboard is that the function keys are arranged in 2 continuous rows, instead of traditionally separated into 3 blocks of 4 keys each. The continuous placement makes it difficult to touch-type the function keys in the middle of the blocks.

The “F Lock” key

Another bad point is that MS introduced a F Lock↗ key, which functions as a toggle. When it is off, the function keys will not send normal function key signals, but will behave by a pre-set tasks (such as Undo, Redo, open new document, close window...etc). This F Lock key is a pain because the behavior of the function keys depends on the state of the F Lock, so that a user often pressed a function key only to find it do something unexpected. (in this regard, it similar to the pain of the Cap Lock key) It would be better, if the Cap Lock key is a physical flip switch instead of a button, which would clearly indicate the current state, and won't be easily switched by accident. What made it worse is that the state of the F Lock revert to default after a computer restart, and the bundled software Microsoft IntelliType Pro does not provide a mean to disable the F Lock key. (Note: Newer model of keyboard or Windows OS may have retained the state of F Lock after computer restart).

The need of F Lock as a improvement is itself questionable, because the function keys themselves are already intended to be programable, so the pre-programed behavior with F Lock off is a redundant step. For example, with F Lock off, F4 is Open Document. The same Open Document can be programed into F4 without a altered state of the key.

Theoretically, F Lock being a toggle for the function keys, doubles the function key's purpose as if adding another row of function keys. But, in practice, few people actually need more than 12 shortcuts provides by function keys. If they need more, it can be done by holding one of the modifier keys (Ctrl, Alt, Shift) with function keys. (e.g. Alt-F4 to close window) Holding down a modifier key while pressing a function key, is easier to remember as well as operate, than trying to toggle F Lock to the right state followed by pressing a the function key.

above: The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, introduced in 2005.

Kinesis's Contoured Keyboard

A excellent, ergonomically designed keyboard is the Kinesis's Contoured Keyboard.

above: The Kinesis keyboard↗. (Source↗ 2008-04)

There are several quality designs that went into this keyboard. I explain each item below.

• Note the dipped-in surface, so that when your hands rest on the keyboard, your wrists don't bend up. Your fingers naturally dip in instead.

The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000, introduced in 2005, used the same ergonomic concept, by tilting the keyboard so that space bar side is about 2 cm higher than the function keys side.

• Note that key columns (e.g. 1QAZ, 2WSX, 3EDC...) are layed out straight, so that your fingers moves in a straight line, not slanted as in conventional keyboards.

The reason traditional keyboards have jagged columns, probably because the design are inherited from mechanical typewriters. Mechanical typewriters has the jagged columns, presumably because it is a compromised design to keep the typewriter's mechanics simple, yet have some benefits of a split and angled keyboard. More specifically, typewriters inventors might have thought about split the typing area into 2 angled sections that makes a inverted V shape to suit the natural position of the hands, but such design would complicate the mechanics, so a compromise is to have a single rectangular layout but with the rows jagged, so as to emulate some aspect of the inverted V of a split keyboard.

• Note that the modifier keys and other major keys such as space, enter, delete, shift, control etc are under the most powerful finger the thumb.

The Backspace key is the most frequently used key, yet on a conventional keyboard it is situated at the far upper right corner. Again, the reason for this is probably due to the need for mechanical simplicity at the time. (Also note, when something is just invented, aspects of secondary details cannot be the center of focus. The energy that go into the design of typewriters (or any invention) must necessarily be spend on making it practically work. Consideration of key layout, ergonomics, can only be later development. (The ergonomic consideration of keyboarding only began with computer keyboards, which is some 30 or 50 years after typewriters are in popular use.))

The modifier keys for today's computer keyboards such as the Ctrl, Alt, the Windows key, are aligned on the lower left and right corners of the keyboard. Effectively, only the Alt modifier is easy to use as it is right under the thumb. The Windows key, requires the thumb to curve far inward to press it. The Ctrl key, cannot be press comfortably using a finger. (A technique of pressing the Ctrl key is to use the palm)

The Kinesis keyboard solved this problem by moving these modifier keys right under one of the most powerful finger the thumb. So, moving the thumb to various positions, the user can hold down any of the modifier key, and other fingers of either hand can easily press the other keys to be modified with.