One of the other programmers at work was using a kinesis, and persuaded me to try an old one lying around the office. There is indeed a huge learning curve, and there’s definitely some flaws in the keyboard – like the tiny rubber function keys and lack of a keypad. But after a few weeks with the keyboard, my crippling carpal tunnel pain completely went away.

I’ve been using the kinesis ever since. It’s outrageously expensive, and it sort of ruins you for regular keyboards (I can type on regular keyboards, but not really program on them anymore – all of the special characters really aren’t in muscle memory anymore) – but if you have tendonitis or carpal tunnel, it will let you continue a career as a programmer – your problems will disappear. In it’s favor, the keyboard is well constructed (has a solid feel), and there’s an excellent warranty.

Every programmer I’ve talked to who’s had carpal tunnel has had it cured by this keyboard – I think the biggest advantage is reducing stretching from the shift keys to type parens and curly braces. So I like to think of it more as a medical device than a ‘better’ keyboard’. It’s certainly a lot cheaper and more effective than surgery.

In the last year I managed to pick up a Kinesis Advantage keyboard for $200 used. It took me three weeks with two keyboards on my desk, and another three weeks on just the Kinesis before I was back up to par on my typing. There is a huge learning curve. One thing I can say for sure about this keyboard. If you rely on the number pad religiously… this is not the keyboard for you. If you have small hands… this is not the keyboard for you. If you are even a little bit of a hunt-and-peck typist… this is not the keyboard for you. If you are not willing to invest 6 months in learning to love this keyboard… this is not the keyboard for you.

All that said, it is the most comfortable keyboard I have ever used. After 3 – 4 months I was finally seeing an improvement in my typing speeds, and no longer had to make an effort to remember which keyboard I was typing on. Low stress, all the keys are within reach, some of the function keys I have to stretch for, and a few of the key combo presses are awkward, but thankfully the hardware is able to allow the remapping of keys, or even the creation of keystroke macros. If you see this keyboard and THINK you might like it, chances are you should pony up the cashola and get one.

By far the most brain bending part of the keyboard is learning to “space” with only the right hand, backspace with your left thumb, and enter with your right thumb. I think next I will try to learn a Dvorak layout.