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by germ 2118 days ago
If you're willing to go down a rabbit hole, designing your own keymaps and hacking on a layout can go a long way to alleviating RSI symptoms. The author doesn't touch on it but QMK will change the way you interact with a keyboard and make those tiny 40% and smaller boards feel a ton bigger.

When I made the layout for GergoPlex[2] I designed it around Vim/i3/Programming and other uses secondary. But because you can easily change it for your specific workflow weakpoints that you identify can be dealt with.

>Actuation force and travel probably matter more for RSI

I am not a doctor, but this matches my experience. I use 12g Low-Profile Kailh Chocs and noticed a good change in flare-ups as I kept driving it lower and switching to a non-MX switch.

I was able to get Kailh to manufacture lighter weighted Choc switches (gChoc, 20g Linear) for use on boards like GergoPlex and others. Reviews seem good across the board on those for people suffering from RSI, so I'll keep at it.

I'd argue that the main factors to be optimized for in decreasing order are: Split, Stagger, # of keys, layout, Spring weight, Travel distance. But getting there is a very, very strange time[1]

[1] https://blog.gboards.ca/2020/01/weird-keyboards-programmable...

[2] https://www.gboards.ca/product/gergoplex
1 comments
codesections 2118 days ago
> I was able to get Kailh to manufacture lighter weighted Choc switches (gChoc, 20g Linear) for use on boards like GergoPlex and others.

What are your thoughts on linear versus tactile switches as far as preventing RSI goes?

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SuperPaintMan 2118 days ago
I think on the right kind of switch it doesn't matter. The idea with a tactile bump is to give your fingers feedback to prevent a bottoming out, but on a lower profile switch that's just not an option (the general consensus is that tactile chocs are a little bit garbage) and you're probably going to bottom them out anyway.

My solution to this is to just use O-Rings on Chocs to soften the bottom out. It's less jarring and gives a bit of mush to a bottom out instead of a hard hit. To some this is heresy though.

That being said, if you're deadset on the feel of a tactile, it's an option.

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