What's your keyboard?

[Mr_J_]

I'm wondering:

How many of you have enhanced keyboards?
How many have have those special keys being used a lot?

eg.:

I have a Logitech iTouch Keyboard.
Never really bothered to map all the keys, and the support was buggy in a lot of ways when I did try to map things on them.
I use Gnome.

[khightower]

I have a Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110.

It has 12 extra buttons mainly for quick launches and multimedia, I seen to never really use them. I would have been fine with just a basic wireless keyboard.

[Engnome]

My laptop keyboard is very small. I dont even have a windows button, it very strange. Not that I like the windows button itself but its pretty useful at times.

[Sye d'Burns]

I have a Logitech Elite and I've mapped the buttons that I would tend to use. They all tend to work without difficulty for me.

The only real limitation I've found is that I need to be on the same screen as the media player I'm using for the media control keys to function. I don't hold that against gnome as it makes perfect sense really.

[vertigo]

An ancient Microsoft ergonomic keyboard (with no extra buttons) on my main rig and a wireless keyboard and mouse attached to my server (normally use vnc to access it rather than the keyboard)

[mips]

Logitech UltraX. Only got it for the laptop style keys. Don't use the function buttons...

[fuscia]

mine has cat hair stuck to it, from my cat that died two years ago (she had a long, full life).

[prizrak]

I use a laptop. The special keys all work :)

[kabus]

Logitech Internet Navigator.
Used xbindkeys to map the media keys to control mpd, works flawlessly.

[æþeling]

A ~10 years old IBM one. It's "enhanced" - the paint washed off some of the buttons, and I had to re-mark them with a permenant marker :D

[hotani]

some stock Dell thing... it works though! The volume keys really change the volume, which is cool. I have F9 mapped to play/pause rhythmbox, very handy.

And I use Dvorak, not that it has anything to do with the thread, but i'm glad it's supported in ubuntu (gnome) - I couldn't use it in Xfce without changing the whole system from xorg.conf so I bailed on that experiment.

[Orunitia]

Sony vaio laptop keyboard. :p

[Randomskk]

A £3 "Cherry Black" keyboard.
It has no special buttons, normal UK layout, PS/2 connector, cost next to nothing and has worked a treat for around two years now.
When it stops working I can just buy a new one, no worries.

I don't really like "special" keyboards, although I'm thinking of getting a dvorak one..

[hotani]

I don't really like "special" keyboards, although I'm thinking of getting a dvorak one..
Are you thinking about learning it, or do you use it already? I think the best way to learn is with a map on the screen rather than getting a new keyboard.

[dmacdonald111]

I have one of those wireless thingies and I use all of the buttons on it - all works fine. I have it set up on dvorak already cos you can get faster typing speeds that with qwerty.

[Biltong (Dee)]

I have a basic black rectangular thingy with no extra functions.
The keys stick every now and again, but I just shake it upside down to remove the cat hair and voila, I'm back in business!

I had a really fancy keyboard (the one where the keys sloped to the left on one side and to the right on the other?) but gave it away as all it did was tie my fingers into knots :-)

[Piggah]

I have a Das. It's pretty nice, I wouldn't have paid for it myself, but it was a gift.

The weighted keys are a nice feature, but not really that noticable. It is exceptionally comfortable though.

I'm trying to find an old Model-M though, just for the vintage fun. :P

[mips]

I had a really fancy keyboard (the one where the keys sloped to the left on one side and to the right on the other?) but gave it away as all it did was tie my fingers into knots :-)

Hehe, sounds like a MS-Natural keyboard. I also had one and gave it to a ex-gf as I simply could not get use to it.

[the_tiger]

I have the logitech mx 700 keyboard and mouse. I wish better support was available so that ubutnu could set up the buttons automatically.

[djaya2]

I have a Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110.

It has 12 extra buttons mainly for quick launches and multimedia, I seen to never really use them. I would have been fine with just a basic wireless keyboard.
Have you had any problems with the mouse freezing up? My mouse just started freezing within minutes of starting X. The buttons still work, but the pointer is stuck. Only cure is to restart. If you're not having problems, could you send me your xorg.conf? Thanks.

[?????]

MY laptop has the fl\ollowing special keys:

DVD (Quickplay)
Music (Quickplay). When I press Music it just opens Rhythmbox without any configuration.
Play, stop, pause, next song, restart song, etc. Self explanitory.
Volume down and Up (works). Mute (light doesnt work in Ubuntu but the button still works)
Wireless (a don't push in Ubuntu)
Back and OK buttons. Works and mainly there for DVD playback.

[Filthpig]

My desktop machine has a 1991 101US keyboard with a DIN plug into a PS/2 adaptor. It's from my very first PC (a 386/33Mhz, running DOS 5) and it's never failed a single day in it's life. It's been through about six desktop boxes. It doesn't even have one of those funny windows buttons between Alt and Ctrl.

As a result, I've never even tried the special keys on my notebook. Y'cain't truss 'em.

[aerials]

I use an IBM keyboard with UltraNav, matching my Thinkpad's keyboard. Sadly, the quality level is not as high as the Thinkpad's keyboard and some special keys get quite strangely mapped. :(

[Alyaev A.]

I'm use a simply black keyboard (Defender, KS-910B) without a special keys. And I happy!

[asimon]

Most of the time I use a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 (http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=043) and am pleased with it. The only special keys I use regulary are the volume up and down keys and play/pause.

[Christmas]

I have my lovely Logitech Y-ST39 Black Keyboard with 7 special buttons (Search, Files, E-Mail, WWW, Mute, Volume - and Volume +) which don't work under Ubuntu. :) Very good product, in fact all Logitech products have high quality, the problem is that I couldn't find any Linux drivers on their web site.

Here's a picture, but this is the white model, I couldn't find any black pictures:

[old_geekster]

I have a Logitech Mx700 Duo (ITouch keyboard/Mx700 mouse). Most of the buttons on my mouse work, but most of the media buttons on the keyboard are strictly for show.

Every time I attempt to correct the situation, I create more problems for myself. So, until a patch is available, I live with what I have.

[Nikron]

http://www.daskeyboard.com/ (Das Keyboard...) No extra keys to maps, it's just an awesome keyboard

[Omnios]

My 6 year old keyboard was trashed so I dished out $20 for a "Logitech Internet Navigator" Keyboard though not a new series it autodetected using sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver=xorg.

Just about everthing was set up and working without further tweeking.

I find I use the extra buttons quit a bit.

[Sunflower1970]

Both dektops have wireless Microsoft ergonomic keyboards. I never use the extra keys. Never used them in XP,...and didn't realize I could map stuff to them...Might have to try it sometime and see how it works :) Oh, the calculator works, as does the "sleep" button--gives me the logout menu, I use both keys

[Chal]

logitech g15
only use the multimedia keys like vol up and down and next song..
but i like the lcd

[Stew2]

2 Model M's for me. 1 primary and the other for backup/spare. No Windows key :D

Regards,
Stew2

[budgie9]

2 Genuine IBM 86B keyboards made in 1986.
These keyboards have nothing modern about them, but they have springs under the keys and the caps are removable for washing.
I also have an original Epson computer (1980s) keyboard much the same as above, all three used daily.

[futz]

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000.
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=043

I'm very pleased with it. If you hunt & peck, don't bother, as it's one of those "split" keyboards. But if you touch-type, it's very comfortable.

MS fixed their idiotic Function-Lock key on this one. For a while there they were selling keyboards with the function keys disabled on bootup until you hit a key. HORRIBLE! I own one of those crappy things. The 4000 is the opposite. It's the way it should be, with function keys enabled on bootup. If you want to enable the "idiot" keys, you hit the F Lock key.

And the Insert/Home/PageUp/Delete/End/PageDown block is CORRECT instead of the messed up vertical layout so many keyboard makers are doing. The arrow keys are the proper inverted T.

[chickengirl]

MS fixed their idiotic Function-Lock key on this one. For a while there they were selling keyboards with the function keys disabled on bootup until you hit a key. HORRIBLE! I own one of those crappy things. The 4000 is the opposite. It's the way it should be, with function keys enabled on bootup. If you want to enable the "idiot" keys, you hit the F Lock key.

Awesome! I have a MS Natural keyboard with the stupidly-implemented F-lock, and it's extremely annoying. Next time I need a new keyboard I might go for that one :)

[chipdip]

http://www.daskeyboard.com/ (Das Keyboard...) No extra keys to maps, it's just an awesome keyboard

Same here, awesome keyboard.

[MontanaMax]

HP Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse I picked up at a "cubical sale" - works very well with my "computing on the couch" lifestyle. :)

[Spr0k3t]

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000... it's one of those "split" keyboards... it's very comfortable.

idiotic Function-Lock key ... HORRIBLE! And the Insert/Home/PageUp/Delete/End/PageDown block is CORRECT instead of the messed up vertical layout so many keyboard makers are doing. The arrow keys are the proper inverted T.

I have one of those 4000 units. I remapped the FLock key to toggle the Dvorak layout. I also painted the front of the dummy keys to hide the "cut, copy, paste, open" junk. Took quite a bit to finish the mapping, but it works. I covet thee inverted T and chicklet-6 layouts. One of the better ergo keys as well.

[corstar]

I have a BenQ x730 keyboard, It's pretty good.

i can't get the 4/5 buttons to work on the mouse or some weired mouse repleacement buttons on the keyboard to work too.

This was a replacement for a Awesome creative desktop pro 9000 that I spilled scotch all over. I was so annoyed with myself. The Volume control was AWESOME, imagine a tiny rolling pin on the top middle on the keyboard,

Man, I'm getting another one soon.....

[steven8]

generic 104 key. It has every letter number, or symbol I should ever need. :)

[karellen]

I have a plain simple a4tech antirsi keyboard, just the usual keys and some ergonomics. I like the fact that the keys are easy to push and it keeps quiet as I type

[happy-and-lost]

I rearranged the keys on my Dell Inspiron 6000 to a UK Dvorak layout. The only "special" keys the machine has are the multimedia keys on the front, which I can't live without!