As someone who learned to type on a Smith Corona typewriter and spent nearly a decade in IT, I have used many keyboards. Whenever I begin a new job, I ditch the keyboard and mouse that's provided for me and replace it with my Kinesis contoured keyboard and Kensington trackball. I just hope motherboards continue to support PS/2 inputs a little while longer cuz that's how old my Kinesis is.
It took me about 2 weeks to get fully adjusted to using the Kinesis, but if you are patient, it will not only pay off with better ergonomics, but speed. I can probably type 5-10WPM faster with the Kinesis than with any other keyboard. Co-workers walking by my desk always thought I'd been over-caffeinated because of how fast I was typing. My only caution to you is if you have root privileges and are learning on a Unix or Linux system. Watch those typos! The only bummer about my version is that it's not USB and doesn't have a Windows key. I personally don't use the macro's but it's extremely useful for developers. One of the companies I used to work for would order them for developers and sysadmins at their request; they all requested them. The new Kinesis Advantage is USB and includes a Windows key. Even with the minor drawbacks on my version, I still preferred it when having to work 8-10 hours/day. I got used to creating shortcuts for everything in Windows.
Another funny advantage to the Kinesis is it keeps other people from "driving" your computer. It's hilarious watching people look for the Enter and Backspace keys like they have never typed before in their lives. Tee hee! Seriously though, this is the best ergonomic keyboard on the market. Now all they need to do is add some multimedia keys, add backlighting, and drop the price by $200 and I'll update mine! Most IT guys and geeks I know like typing in dimly lit environments or in the dark so a backlight would be nice to have..
For those who cannot or will not drop $300 for a keyboard, the Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000 is a great value. Just be sure to use the reverse slope attachment. Kinesis Advantage USB - Keyboard - USB - black
When doing normal typing, I found the Kinesis Advantage to be very comfortable and ergonomic. However, there were issues in performing certain tasks on this keyboard.
I am a software developer and frequently use the arrow keys to move around. However, the arrow keys on this keyboard are located way off to the bottom of the main key section in a position very difficult to reach with my fingers. Moreover, the arrow keys are split between the left and right handed keys. The left/right keys are on the left-hand side and the up/down keys are on the right-hand side. This orientation is VERY difficult to use and not suited for certain repetitive tasks I often perform. However, I was able to get around this problem by purchasing a USB numeric keypad (http://www.amazon.com/IBM-Numeric-Keypad-Thinkpad-USB/dp/B00004Z7F0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1222551284&sr=1-1), which can also be used for its arrow keys.
A similar issue for me is the location of the bracket keys. These are even more difficult to get to than the arrow keys. Most typists probably only use these keys rarely, but they are used quite frequently when writing software programs. The Advantage lets you remap keys, but this leads to a lot of confusion while you are typing and simply swaps one set of keys with another.
Another issue with this keyboard is that ctrl/alt key combinations are designed to be keyed using both hands. Frequently, I need to perform cut and paste operations while handling the mouse with one hand. On the Advantage, this can only be done by stretching out your thumb and little fingers in an uncomfortable and unergonomic fashion.
I also am not fond of the soft function keys (F1-F12) on this keyboard. I use these keys extensively when I am debugging my programs to step through and navigate through my source code. These keys are small and simply do not have a great touch when you press them.
While this keyboard was generally very ergonomic (aside from the ctrl/alt issue), I found the issues generally too awkward to overcome, so I decided to send it back to Kinesis for a refund.
If you are even considering this, you more than likely have RSI/Carpal Tunnel/etc. I have owned Kinesis contoured keyboards for over ten years now, they are simply wonderful. I had severe RSI for a couple of years and I was forced to seek medical attention, they wanted to operate, I didn't. Besides I had just graduated and couldn't afford to take time off or the cost of the operation. So I took the weekends off, did a little less typing and took over the counter ibuprofen. That was also the time that I discovered the Kinesis products. It took about two weeks to adjust to the new keyboard, although going back to a regular keyboard was no problem for me. I also learned the Dvorak keyboard, but it was too hard to switch back to a regular QWERTY keyboard. For me as a consultant/contractor, I often need to work at client sites and needed to be able to use a QWERTY keyboard, so I abandoned Dvorak. I tend to work twelve hour days so there were times when I did have soreness and numbness, but it was minor compared to problems I used to have. Some wrist excersies/stretches and alternating hot/cold water treatments helped too. Several years later, I had an alternative/energy medicine person do some things on my hand and I have not had any problems since. But I still have a couple of Kinesis keyboards and I love them. Wouldn't go back to a regular keyboard. The cost is a higher than others, but I have not found a keyboard that worked better for me. I've have the Microsoft Natural keboard, among others, but this one is still my favorite. Also, is it worth the lost productivity and recovery time? These days I can work for sixteen hours and not have any problems to speak of. If you decide to try it, give it at least two weeks, it can be really frustrating at first, but once you get used to it, its really great. One thing is that due to the contours, your fingers don't have to stretch very far so the distance your fingers need to move is less and I believe that really helps. Other ergonomics should also be attended to: keyboard tray, hands at or below elbow level, wrists straight, etc. One thing that really helped was to get rid of the arm rests on my chairs, drops the elbows to their natural position, otherwise we tend to rest on them and pull our shoulders up. Hope this helps. - Rsi - Ergonomic - Keyboard - Repetitive Stress Injury'
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