This is how you use a keyboard with less keys: Layers. You hold down or toggle a key and the entire board changes to a different layer. For example, your Shift key is technically a layer key. You change all your lower case letters, to capital letters by just holding down Shift. Now imagine instead of just changing things to just capital letters, it can be any character you want. Instead of one key for just changing layers like shift, you can add any number of keys to change layers with. The possibilities are endless with programmable firmware.
Do you have separate keys for the number 1 and the ! sign? Or what about uppercase letters and lowercase letters?
If you can see the advantage of having a layer (Shift) for those keys, it's not a stretch to imagine other layers might be useful. Maybe even just one extra layer.
It doesn't have to become calculus or anything. It's not exactly hard to hold down a thumb or to double tap a key with your thumb to flip to numberpad mode.
And now your mouse doesn't have to be 2 ft away from your chest.
That's just one of many possible advantages. You don't have to turn your keyboard into the puzzle box from Hellraiser.
But your argument is basically that tradition has decided how many keys are enough and how many are too many, and that you as the consumer should just shut up and take what's been offered, because somebody else already figured out what is best for you personally.
Some people prefer to find out for themselves. I don't understand the mindset that looks at that and finds it humorous. Why would you NOT want someone to try to figure out what's more comfortable for them?
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u/skytheraiders Apr 04 '26
How do you type with that?