Looking for a secondhand Datahand Pro II

[James Laver]

On Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 10:32 AM, Gareth Kirwan <gbjk at thermeon.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 2009-10-20 at 10:12 +0100, James Laver wrote:
>> What is it about the Datahand that you're interested in? RSI
>> avoidance? Or do you think it will increase your typing speed?
>>
>> If it's the RSI avoidance, there are a number of other recommendable
>> keyboards. Or for the typing speed thing, likewise.
>
> A combination of the two, in addition to the fact that I believe that
> there should be a fundamental revolution in the way we interact with
> computers, and what's often holding us back is the perceived
> unwillingness of the great unwashed to adapt to something new.
>
> Now a datahand isn't a revolution, but it's a step.
> Magnetic keys and millimetres of finger movement to signal to the
> computer is a step up from mechanical buttons and inches of movement.
> I also like not having to move hands far (or at all) to use a mouse.
> I love the thinkpad mouse button in the home row for that.
>
> One consideration is dvorak, but:
> - It doesn't change the fact that your hands are moving more than they
> need to in order to interact with the computer
> - dvorak can be used on a datahand.
>
> I'm on datahand's waiting list for the next batch, but I also wanted to
> explore.
>
> I've read very good things about the datahands over the years - do I
> perceive that you're against them or believe something else is better?
> Certainly other options are actually immediately available.

I'm a huge fan of Model M series, to the point I had a unicomp
expensively shipped in from the US, and what a fantastic keyboard. It
encourages you to type properly because it's actually a real keyboard
(particular hate focused at apple here, the latest apple keyboards
(one of which I'm using right now) are the ultimate triumph of form
over function. It might make the marketroids happy, but it's going to
cause RSI).

I would just get a unicomp. It's shaped like a keyboard, it feels like
a very good keyboard (springs, they bounce back at your fingers!) and
my typing speed is improved using one overall. Of course you'll want
to keep a correct typing position or the whole exercise becomes one in
futility.

--James