Microsoft admits natural keyboards unnatural

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A man from Microsoft told an audience of 400 system integrators today that despite extensive research that resulted in the Natural Keyboard, it has now realized that actually it’s rather an unnatural design. The split keyboard approach was heralded with a blaze of publicity when it was launched in the 1990s. It would aid your typing, it would reduce the incidence of repetitive strain injury, and in short it was bloody ergonomic, Microsoft said then, without using the bloody word, of course.

News source: The Inquirer

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(1 reply) #1 astrofaes on 13 Oct 2004 - 14:34

Actually my wrists used to hurt more after using these things than a normal keyboard

#1.1 Surr3al on 13 Oct 2004 - 21:46

That's strange, my wrists got better.

At work when I type on a standard keyboard my right wrist sometimes hurts. :

(6 replies) #2 Ramses on 13 Oct 2004 - 14:37

Here's a job for Microsoft... invent a keyboard that takes it commands from a users's thoughts....

#2.1 NimrodUK on 13 Oct 2004 - 14:38

Someones been watching a little to much Stargate: Atlantis

#2.2 chuayw2000 on 13 Oct 2004 - 14:39

....

lol thats a good idea but i am afraid buggy software might corrupt our minds.

#2.3 darksoul on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:03

my computer would just keep launching porn websites

#2.4 el22 on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:31

LOL

#2.5 ibetheone on 13 Oct 2004 - 17:59

Actually I've read something like that before...and watched a video about it happening in the future...oh nvm I think the video i watched was the one about future sex haha

#2.6 PimpinWithAaron on 14 Oct 2004 - 01:52

i dont want M$ in my mind thanks

(2 replies) #3 SchVanZ on 13 Oct 2004 - 14:38

I love the split design. Let's have three cheers for choice. Their ergonomic value may be in question - but the thousands of satisfied customers are not.

#3.1 MrRogers on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:04

Amen to that.

#3.2 theyarecomingforyou on 13 Oct 2004 - 17:04

Exactly... it was a gimmick, and it worked. I personally like the design - it might not have been natural or good for gaming but it certainly looked different and was not as bland as usual keyboards (back then).

(1 reply) #4 nw_raptor on 13 Oct 2004 - 14:41

best keyboard ever was their "Internet Keyboard"...

#4.1 roadwarrior on 13 Oct 2004 - 21:16

If you mean the Natural Internet Pro, I agree. I love those keyboards. I can type at least 5 WPM faster on one of those than I can on any other keyboard.

(1 reply) #5 SleeStak on 13 Oct 2004 - 14:51

I am so used to the split design I can barely type on "regular" keyboards anymore

#5.1 el22 on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:32

Same here

(1 reply) #6 OPaul on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:02

QUOTE

But the Microsoft hardware executive, Marco C. Chillon from the EMEA home and entertainment division, said this morning that after more years of research, the firm had realized that the Natural Keyboard involved people learning how to re-type.

It tooks years of research to discover that? They could have just asked the consumers.

#6.1 gameguy on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:54

Then people have been typing incorrectly from the beginning.

#7 anog on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:07

I just love those natural keyboards.. it's much MUCH easier to type, at least for me.
The thing is that when going back to a "normal" keyboard... well.. let's just say it takes a while to get used to it

Other than that.. i prefer a natural keyboard

(3 replies) #8 Ficman on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:15

Agreed, I used one for like 2 hours... That was the end of that....

#8.1 ajc4000 on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:42

Two hours isn't nearly enough time to try a keyboard out. I know it sounds pants but give it two months and you won't want to go back.

#8.2 gameguy on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:54

Two months? I was hooked in less than two weeks!

#8.3 warwagon on 13 Oct 2004 - 18:45

I was hooked in 10 mins

(1 reply) #9 IEricG on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:16

I'm using a natural keyboardz as of rihgt now. As you can see my typinag is just finea.

#9.1 gameguy on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:55

I've been using a natural keyboard ever since I've been on Neowin. What do you think of my typing?

#10 FightingChance on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:21

I'm also pretty enamored with the natural keyboard, though it seems it may be a dying breed.

#11 Wolfsglen on 13 Oct 2004 - 15:48

Using a natural keyboard myself, took a while to get used to but i MUCH prefer it over conventional keyboards now.

Hmm might buy a couple of them like i did MS sidewinder joysticks and put away as backups since they seem to be on the "outs" now.

#12 darkmark327 on 13 Oct 2004 - 16:04

WTF, I love the natural keyboard; the natural keyboard pro is the best keyboard ever. Built in USB ports, 2 dozen hotkeys, etc. If you know how to type there's nothing more comfortable.

#13 uratewl on 13 Oct 2004 - 16:23

I love mine. The only thing they aren't any good for is gaming.

#14 elliot on 13 Oct 2004 - 16:36

Meh... never used one, and apparantly never will do. Oh well.

#15 nutter9k on 13 Oct 2004 - 16:41

I use a natural keyboard, they are great

that is all.

#16 Glen on 13 Oct 2004 - 16:51

I worked for a while doing documentation, which required a great deal of typing. I don't know why they would now say these keyboards are not ergonomic as I've found much less wrist fatigue using the split design.

I guess it would depend on the person and their typing habits, but for me, I'll stick to the natural keyboard design for as long as they are available (or they make something better).

(1 reply) #17 Radish™ on 13 Oct 2004 - 17:17

I love my MS Natural Keyboard Elite

Radish™

#17.1 roadwarrior on 13 Oct 2004 - 21:20

The one thing I've always hated about the Elite is the way they squeezed the set of control keys between the keypad and the rest of the keyboard. I really hate the layout of the cursor keys on those. Otherwise, they feel OK.

#18 Turbonium on 13 Oct 2004 - 19:04

Let's face it, there's no such thing as a 'natural keyboard'. If anything, those groovy keyboards should be named 'theoretically easier to type and less damaging to your carpal tunnel & associated tendons keyboard".

#19 liykh001 on 13 Oct 2004 - 19:08

Love Natural Keyboard, but they aren't so good for gaming

#20 Judge Roy Bean on 13 Oct 2004 - 19:30

.... people learning how to re-type

Eh? Excuse me? Since when does a keyboard's physical layout have anything to do with people having to re-type something? Now if the article had said ".... people having to relearn how to type", I might have bought that. (Admission: I don't know that the article is 100% accurate. For all I know, Chillon (the person quoted) might have said it correctly, but was misquoted.)

Speaking as one who started before the IBM Selectric was even invented, I think I can honestly say that if such a thing as a split & angled keyboard had been on the typewriters of old, I probably would never have been motivated to move beyond Associate level attorney (a glorified secretary who researches and types up briefs). That was one of the main reasons I started working harder to get out on my own. And look what it got me!

Hey, I can't complain, I did alright for myself, but all that bent-wrist typing in my youthful days made my golf swing incorribly uncorrectable.

If this quote is correct, then I'll have to enter a finding that Chillon is a buffoon, and very obviously is not a serious typist himself. By that I mean, let him write technical documentation, legal briefs, medical examination reports (even more lengthy), or some such for 10 hours a day for a few years. I wanna hear what he says after that.

Split & angled keyboards are good. So decrees

Da Judge

#21 nic on 13 Oct 2004 - 19:42

my wrists start to cramp just thinking about that keyboard...i hated it.

#22 Sporkguy on 13 Oct 2004 - 21:49

never tried one. as a gamer tho, i dont reckon i'll pick it up too easy... might give one a go tho!

#23 Rock on 13 Oct 2004 - 22:31

I love the Natural Internet Pro, but what's up with the newer versions?

WHY WOULD YOU...
Make mininature arrow keys???
Reorganize the Home/End/PGUP/PGDN/Ins/Del keys??

#24 The-Wyyl on 13 Oct 2004 - 22:39

If you want a REAL natural keyboard, you shoulde check out this site.

#25 Angel-X on 14 Oct 2004 - 03:05

I've had MS Natural Keyboards since they came out, currently got a MS Natural Multimedia keyboard.

Never had any wrist strain (Well, apart from looking at pr0n)

The only problems I have had, is when I go around to someone elses house to fix their PC and I'm hitting the backspace key all the time because I can't type properly on a normal keyboard.

I use a trackball too, a double pain in the ass when they've only got a normal keyboard and mouse

#26 open_coder on 14 Oct 2004 - 04:42

Here's the thing: What hapens when they find out that one isn't natural either? Food for thought. They'll probly design the "new" keyboard with no bend at all or the bend that is so small you'll hardly notice it.

#27 spook on 14 Oct 2004 - 05:06

I think the most unnatural thing about the keyboard is the key layout,
If it wasn't for typewriters we'd all be using dvorak.

#28 BTallack on 14 Oct 2004 - 05:16

I have 2 Microsoft Natural Keyboards on my desk. I have a Natural Keyboard Pro for my Media Center PC, and a Wireless Natural Multimedia Keyboard for my Macintosh.

#29 Stef Nighthawk on 14 Oct 2004 - 06:18

How can they call that a real article at the Inquirer?
They don't even say "what" is so unnatural about the keyboard.
And how do "normal" keyboard compare to this unnatural thing? are they more or less natural?

I wonder what Logitech thinks about their line of so called "unnatural" keyboards.
I have one of them and I love them!
The angle suits me fine to play keyboard+mouse games.

#30 aem4162 on 14 Oct 2004 - 06:27

i've been using ergo/natural keyboards for about 10 yrs and they are the best EVER because my wrists don't hurt anymore. i never had to learn how to type again because i never knew in the first place. i might have to stock up on these.

#31 porsche922 on 14 Oct 2004 - 11:08

wait a min ! does this have something to do with the fact that MS lost a patent lawsiut to a company (TypeRight) that held the patents for the natural style key board ? To me it certainly seems so !
The latest comment has nothing to do with ergonomics but with economics.

#32 antareus on 14 Oct 2004 - 13:10

I think one reason many people argue for natural keyboards is not the tilt of the keyboard but the split down the middle is more accomodating to people with decently broad shoulders. Optimally we'd have a keyboard that you can adjust the horizontal split and perhaps also detach the numeric keyboard entirely and have it swap locations with the mouse. The mouse is an ergonomic nightmare, and the fact that we have to reach to the right for it most of the time only exacerbates the situation.

I don't know of any keyboards that fit all those criteria and aren't super expensive. It remains a possible venture for myself.

#33 jpalo on 14 Oct 2004 - 13:25

I'm sure that after 10 years they admit, that F-Lock was the worst invention ever! It has never ever helped me in any way and never will!

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