[porkbeer]

I still low key think the GUI is a crutch for less savvy users and inhibits professional use of most interfaces. There is use for analog input, but I often wonder if rotary encoders and sliders might be more intuitive than scroll bars and arrow keys for most uses. That said for some tasks the mouse is quite nice, and it will always have a place on my desk.

[jfengel]

I have no trouble thinking of myself as a "less savvy user".

I've been a professional programmer for nearly four decades. But when I'm not programming, I just want the computer to do things for me. If I can solve a problem by clicking a mouse (or pushing a touch screen) rather than remembering syntax, I'm all for it.

I'm happy to have a crutch. I suppose I could limp along on my broken leg instead, but why would I?

[piyh]

It's not a crutch, it's the main instrument of discoverability for unfamiliar UIs. By volume, 99.999% of all software is unfamiliar to you.

Microsoft Word is not a crutched version of VIM.

[msla]

> Microsoft Word is not a crutched version of VIM.

No, but Notepad is.

Word is a word processor. Vim is a text editor. They're not the same thing, and they're not interchangeable.

[NickBusey]

My previously favorite keyboard, Das Keyboard, has a rotary encoder for the volume control, and it's fantastic. I agree that sliders and encoders could/should be used more. There are plenty of great MIDI devices out there that offer them, I should play around with some of them for day to day stuff like this rather than just music.

[swah]

Same. The devices to test this are very cheap over at Aliexpress, or maybe Keebmonkey offerings if you want something a little better https://www.keebmonkey.com/products/megalodon-triple-knob-ma...

I wonder if I would get used to using a single key for each app versus Alt-tabbing. I believe this is the main cause of my left wrist pain.

[ilyt]

> I wonder if I would get used to using a single key for each app versus Alt-tabbing. I believe this is the main cause of my left wrist pain.

I use that kind of setup (kinda) in i3, it is great. It's not one app per key, but one keybind per virtual desktop but I have i3 set up that apps autostart and gets placed always on same desktop

So going to IDE is always caps+4 (I rebounded caps to act as modifier), mail client is caps+F2 etc.

Then few keybinds to move stuff around for those 2% of cases where I need apps on different desktops than usual.

[lesona]

Previously favorite? I'm looking for something to replace my current KB, and I was wondering what your current favorite is/why you like it better than Das keyboard.

[NickBusey]

Current favorite is the UHK, linked in the article. Main reason is the split, secondary reason is the firmware for things like the mouse keys and custom layers.

[mariusor]

I would think the main reason for preferring the UHK is the capability to add the trackpoint module to it, even though you gloss over it in the text. :D.

Btw have you tried the trackball? When they introduced the modules I was vacillating between that and the trackpoint, but ended up with the trackball (of which I'm very happy), but I would be curious of alternative points of view.

[JohnFen]

I like having a pointing device, but I strongly prefer a trackball over a mouse or touchpad.

That said...

> I often wonder if rotary encoders and sliders might be more intuitive than scroll bars and arrow keys for most uses.

I use a macro pad that includes a couple of rotary encoders along with the keys. I find them extremely useful, especially for scrolling. You should give one a try!

[xfitm3]

CLI will always be superior

[zokier]

Gui!=mouse based!=wimp