What does HackerNews think of crkbd?
Corne keyboard, a split keyboard with 3x6 column staggered keys and 3 thumb keys.
For me the biggest QoL improvement has been switching to a split ortho keeb (https://github.com/foostan/crkbd). They are super cheap to build (corne is 42 switches which are the most expensive component of a keeb) and once you get the hang of it they are superior to any other typing experience.
Learning how to use a 40% had a steep learning curve, but after a few weeks I was very productive and now I don't even think about the layers.
Since corne is so easy to build it's a great introduction into building your own keyboards. I just recently purchased the components from keyhive and I think I only spent $110 -- if that? That might sound expensive for a keyboard you have to build yourself but the prices for custom built keyboards can get insane (in the thousands)
However, rather than a pure ortholinear board like planck, I _highly_ recommend a columnar stagger board like the Reviung41[0] or the Corne[1]. Columnar stagger retains the benefits of ortho, but also accounts for the natural difference in finger lengths and I find it by far the most comfortable layout type. Full splits like the Corne are really good for ergonomics, but the Reviung41 is my favorite board because it has some of the advantages of a split, while retaining the advantages of a single piece board like the Planck.
I did initially buy a ZSA Moonlander, but I highly regret the purchase. The thumb cluster is incredibly poorly designed for anyone who doesn't have freakishly giant hands, and becomes even more unusable if you prefer a steeper tenting angle, since that moves it even further away from the rest of your hand. And putting the tenting at a shallower angle to make the cluster usable, kinda defeats the whole purpose of tenting the board in the first place. If you want a split like the Moonlander, I think you're better off looking at something like the Lily58[2] or the Corne, or any of the myriad number of split keyboards with sane thumb clusters.
After using a 40% board for a while, I no longer understand why people insist on bigger boards other than habit or fear of change. The smaller layout means that despite having to rely on layers to reach some keys like symbols or numbers, they're also far closer to your homerow than on a traditional board.
Switching to a 40% and a trackball was one of the best decisions I've made comfort-wise, and even resolved some hand pain issues I was having because my desk is tiny.
[0] https://github.com/gtips/reviung/tree/master/reviung41 [1] https://github.com/foostan/crkbd [2] https://github.com/kata0510/Lily58
e.g.:
https://splitkb.com/products/kyria-pcb-kit
There are split keyboards with more keys than the Corne, such as the Lily58. https://github.com/kata0510/Lily58
- Corne: You usually have to solder it yourself, and source the switches/caps. A few sites will build it for you. [0][1[[2]
- LilyPro: Same as above. [3][4]
- Georgo/GeorgoPlex: [7]
Trackball: Someone mentioned a vertical mouse, those are really great, but I have been pushing trackballs on a few colleagues. A good in between is the newer logitech, that has a tilt mechanism, but its a thumbball. [5] You can find more options in at r/trackballs [6]. I can recommend the "Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball Mouse" and "CST L-Trac Blue Trackball", although the latter, the original company shutdown and are being manufactured by xkeys. There's also an open source trackball, ploopy [8].
P.s. buying keyboards and soldering them are great for a quick fix, but this hobby gets expensive quick. I am waiting on a few group buys; another 65% keyboard, another split keyboard and a few more key cap sets.
P.s.s. group buys can be a hit or miss (mostly hit), treat them like kickstarters, and maybe you'll get your parts in a year or so. At least in r/mechanicalkeyboards, a few users have recently been complaining a tad more about not seeing the final product v.s. renders.
[0] https://github.com/foostan/crkbd
[1] https://keyhive.xyz/shop/hotswap-corne-helidox
[2] https://www.littlekeyboards.com/products/corne-mx-hotswap-ki...
[3] https://keyhive.xyz/shop/lily58
[4] https://github.com/kata0510/Lily58
This one is probably my favorite: https://github.com/foostan/crkbd