PCB design now supports LEDs and Matias switches

I switched to a split keyboard last year (Kinesis Freestyle2). While it&#x27;s definitely better than a flat keyboard, it&#x27;s still incredibly awkward to execute some basic combos with one hand. Chief example: Cmd + T.<p>I&#x27;m still waiting for someone to mass-produce the <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;ergodox.org&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;ergodox.org&#x2F;</a> - here you can press all the modifier keys with your thumbs!

This reminds me of the open source keyboardio [1], which isn&#x27;t yet in production. They key mapping and LEDs are controlled by Arduino and fully customizable. The creator blogged in detail about its creation from concept to manufacturing [2]. A maker triumph.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;shop.keyboard.io&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;shop.keyboard.io&#x2F;</a><p>[2] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;blog.keyboard.io&#x2F;post&#x2F;77078804805&#x2F;building-a-keyboard-part-1" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;blog.keyboard.io&#x2F;post&#x2F;77078804805&#x2F;building-a-keyboard...</a>

This one looks interesting.<p>I tried the Truly Ergonomic keyboard and while it was innovative, it was hard to get used to the middle row and the build quality was not so good.<p>I ended up buying from WASD Keyboards and I absolutely love their product. Complete customization, a tenkeyless option, excellent build quality, the most durable key caps around, but familiar IBM style key placement.<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.wasdkeyboards.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.wasdkeyboards.com&#x2F;</a><p>This one seems to be something in between these two.<p>In my opinion, the most important ergonomic improvements are to buy a tenkeyless model and set the capslock to a backspace. Having a heavy keyboard with sturdy grips at the base is also important.<p>Exotic features like a split keyboard, matrix layout, and strange thumb controls are just annoying and non-standard. I also somewhat regret having switched to colemak, but not entirely.

This looks very nice. Switching to a split keyboard (Kinesis Freestyle)[1] and a trackball placed in the middle of the split so I can use it with either hand (pic of my current setup [2]) was a complete game changer for my RSI problems. It hasn&#x27;t eliminated it completely but I am managing much much better now.<p>My only complaint with the Freestyle is that it doesn&#x27;t have mechanical switches but it&#x27;s still quite pleasant to type on imo.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.kinesis-ergo.com&#x2F;shop&#x2F;freestyle2-for-pc-us&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.kinesis-ergo.com&#x2F;shop&#x2F;freestyle2-for-pc-us&#x2F;</a><p>[2] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;drive.google.com&#x2F;file&#x2F;d&#x2F;0BzAsjQaobJuoQllYbTVGYlc2b2s&#x2F;view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;drive.google.com&#x2F;file&#x2F;d&#x2F;0BzAsjQaobJuoQllYbTVGYlc2b2s...</a>

I&#x27;ve never been able to use a non-split keyboard comfortably for long periods of time. I used a Kinesis Ergo for awhile and generally liked it except that I still have to be able to use other people&#x27;s keyboards from time to time and it was just too different. The Microsoft Natural 4000 has been my favorite for around 8 years but I wish I could get one with mechanical switches. It has a slight curve - the &quot;flat but split&quot; form factor of some others feels a little off to me.

How ergonomic are Matias switches compared to Cherry switches? My understanding is that the Matias&#x27; bottom out to register a keypress like the cheap rubber domes. I don&#x27;t have much about Matias in my notes:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;melling&#x2F;ErgonomicNotes&#x2F;blob&#x2F;master&#x2F;keyboards.org" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;melling&#x2F;ErgonomicNotes&#x2F;blob&#x2F;master&#x2F;keyboa...</a>

How is this different than this? <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;matias.ca&#x2F;ergopro&#x2F;pc&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;matias.ca&#x2F;ergopro&#x2F;pc&#x2F;</a>

Why are they using staggered keys? Because it&#x27;s cheaper to produce and more familiar for most people? I can&#x27;t go back to staggered keyboards after using one with a columnar layout. But I never liked staggered keyboards to begin with. For me it felt awkward to touch type (maybe a problem with my small hands, idk).<p>But the config looks beautiful.<p>My dream keyboard would be something like this: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;deskthority.net&#x2F;workshop-f7&#x2F;katy-keyboard-or-k80cs-key80-contoured-split-t8524.html" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;deskthority.net&#x2F;workshop-f7&#x2F;katy-keyboard-or-k80cs-k...</a>

buying a new keyboard would be very easy for me if I hadn&#x27;t gotten used to USB ports being built into them.<p>That&#x27;s a feature fee manufacturers build in but damn is it useful.

How is this different than an Ergodox other than it joining together? I can buy an Erogdox today for $199 shipped from China with cherry greens.

I&#x27;ll buy the split first keyboard with Topre switches. Matias is not enough of a step up from Cherry to make a difference.

Good: Split spacebar. Extra thumb button: only one of them per thumb, but that&#x27;s a lot better than nothing.<p>Bad: No pointing stick, thumbable trackpad or other means of mouse-pointer control, so you still have to move your hand over and back between keyboard to mouse every time you need to switch between typing and pointer movement.

I dunno, I think the ultimate hacker would sometimes reach over to the other side with her left or right hand. Split keyboards seem like kind of a walled garden to me.