[RLUG] geek city

[Brian Morris]

You are forgetting a few groups of people that will love the
programmability of it: gamers and developers.

Each game I play has a different set of keys for the different
functions, and many of them give me the ability to not only create new
functions but to re-map anything and everything.  I can tell you that
when I play, for instance, WoW, I use over 50 movement, interface and
shortcut keys and key combinations.

Anyone that uses an IDE frequently usually ends up writing their own
mappable macros and such, too.

A highly programmable keyboard is a panacea from that aspect... the
ability to phase in and out of specific setups depending on the game
you're playing or the type of code you're writing.

However, the one thing that has always been a show-stopper for me with
the Optimus (it's been "in the works" for several months now) is that
it's a typical layout and the company behind it has no plans for an
ergonomic version.  I simply cannot do without the ergonomic design.

If I were going to blow a few hundred dollars on a programmable,
ergonomic keyboard it would be this one:

http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=KS&Product_Code=KB510USB-met

I just can't bring myself to spend $359 on a keyboard.

Brian

On Sat, 2006-01-14 at 12:34 -0800, Sebastian Smith wrote:

> Call me stupid, but I don't get the cell phone bit.
> 
> Anyway, I think the keyboard is a neat idea, but of little benefit.  I 
> think it would be very difficult to change between different keyboard 
> styles on the fly i.e. going from standard qwerty to a keyboard 
> specifically arranged for firefox (especially if the keys were mapped in a 
> non-standard manner).  Plus, having to switch keyboard layouts mid-stride 
> so that you can type normally would also be a pain -- probably only 
> applicable to people who cannot touch type.  Finally, how many of you have 
> transitioned to different keyboards where keys are shaped differently, or 
> completely rearranged?  If you touch type, it's a pain trying to hit keys 
> that are in weird locations, or oddly shaped (think shift+pageup if 
> pageup/pagedown are not in their normal location).  Now, imagine 
> transitioning from your fully customized home keyboard (say Dvorak style 
> -- an extreme example) to a standard qwerty.  I'll gaurantee that you'll 
> wish the LCD keyboard came with a carrying case so that you could plug it 
> in wherever you go.  I say:  stick to standards, it will make you more 
> productive (not to mention save you a few hundred dollars).
> 
> - Sebastian
> 
> 
> On Sat, 14 Jan 2006, Josh Scilacci wrote:
> 
> > It is not an American company. Currently the keyboard is in US Patent
> infringement so if they were US based there would be no chance. I believe
> that it is a Russian company.
> 
> I think that the keyboard looks cool but I don't know about typing on it. I
> am not sure the keys look too comfortable to use. And I have a feeling that
> we are looking at something around $400 for it as that was the retail price
> on my last good cellphone. Just a guess though.
> 
> On 1/13/06, Austin Stanhope <stanhope at cse.unr.edu> wrote:
> >
> > I saw that keyboard a few months ago.  Somebody at work showed it to
> > me.  I keep visiting the site to find it out if/when it will/has been
> > released.  I'm wondering how much they would cost considering everyone
> > has a different opinion on a "good mobile cell phone."  If the price was
> > right, i would consider buying one.  I was also wondering if this was an
> > American company.  I'm much fonder of buying things in the country.
> >
> > -Austin
> >
> >
> >
> > n a wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > has anyone seen this?
> > >
> > >  http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/
> > >
> > > this is awsome!
> > >
> > > Nick
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________________________
> > > Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's
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> > >
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