Hacker News Reader

Hacker News

Comment by davidy123 | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

davidy123

This is funny and why Thinkpad people are so … religious.

- Vertical mouse (Logitech MX Vertical - there are knockoffs, I haven't tried them)

Or a trackpoint.

- Mechanical keyboard with a good amount of travel (laptop keyboards with hardly any travel are no good for me anymore)

Or a Thinkpad keyboard (though they have been getting shallower).

I've been addicted to Trackpoints since forever. Trackpads seem so backward to me. A trackpoint is like mind control in comparison. I'm lucky Thinkpads are generally good and I don't care for MacOS, because otherwise I'd be really stuck.

View on HN

Thinkpad keyboards are way better than other laptop keyboards, but it's just not in the same league as a decent mechanical one.

Which then requires a mouse (especially annoying when you're left-handed), but I only need that to click things on websites. There's nothing else I can't easily reach from the comfort of my (mechanical) keyboard. I just plug in a hub filled with HDMI/USB devices and close the lid.

I loved the Trackpoint. Personally I can't use the Thinkpad keyboard anymore (that being the keyboard I was using when I injured myself). Once you commit to an external keyboard, you can't really use the Trackpoint anymore.

But I don't presume to proscribe.

People have mentioned the ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II[1] and the TEX Shinobi[2] as external keyboards that have trackpoints.

[1] https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/accessories-and-software/keyb...

[2] https://tex.com.tw/products/shinobi?variant=16969883648090

One hundred and eighty five dollars for the Tex one, ugh. I love the trackpoint to almost death but I go through thinkpad keyboards faster than average (I guess) and couldn't afford such a luxury, sadly.

I have the ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II. It's pretty good, feels … plasticky but good travel and has a Trackpoint.

However, for me I use the Thinkpad as a "controller" for a desktop, so I get two (well, three, the desktop has two) independant screens and kvm functionality via Barrier (derived from Synergy).

Maybe I'd never want to go back if I tried a mechanical (I got my partner one, but haven't touched it), but I could not go back (way back) to a mouse.

While I've never used this particular keyboard, you may find it interesting. Split halves, with an option for a trackpoint on the right half:

https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/

That looks amazing, thanks!

Reply on news.ycombinator.com