Keyboard for programming on Mac

[ranbo]

It seems like Apple has always struggled with keyboards. In their quest for simplicity, they keep coming up with keyboards that are missing something. It took a while before they added arrow keys; sometimes they put them all in a row; laptops are missing a bunch of keys that PC laptops always have (forward delete, home/end, etc.), so I have to do Fn-stuff to get those. Anyway...

I have a flat aluminum Mac extended keyboard, and it is generally very nice. But the function keys double as the volume/etc. keys. Those are nice when you need to adjust the volume, but I also program, and need those keys for stepping through code. Hitting the "Fn" key at all is a bit of a pain on my Mac laptop. On the extended keyboard it's ridiculous, because the Fn key is way up on the right side, so I can't hit it with my left hand.

Yes, I can toggle the switch in the Keyboard preferences to make function keys act as function keys, but then again, when I want to adjust volume, it's no longer as easy.

What would be great is a keyboard that has it all: insert/home/page-up/page-down/forward-delete/end; arrows in an inverted T; 12 dedicated function keys; and separate dedicated volume and eject keys.

Has anyone seen one like that?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Look for an Apple model A1016 Bluetooth keyboard. Dedicated function keys, separate volume & eject keys, standard arrow layout & forward delete key. There's a wired version as well but don't have one handy to check part # for that

Edit: Actually I do have a wired one, it's a A1048.

 

[TyPod]

The A1048 is is what I use for programming. Works great.

 

[mslide]

Have you tried Quicksilver? You can setup triggers with it to do various things. I use them to control iTunes. I have triggers setup to play/pause and adjust iTune's volume. I don't know of a way to control the overall computer's volume with it but controlling iTune's volume is good enough for me.

That might give you another option if you can't find or don't want to use the aforementioned Apple keyboard.

 

[blanka]

Look for an Apple model A1016 Bluetooth keyboard. Dedicated function keys, separate volume & eject keys, standard arrow layout & forward delete key. There's a wired version as well but don't have one handy to check part # for that

Edit: Actually I do have a wired one, it's a A1048.

Are you serious? That is the worst piece of crap Apple has every produced (OK, just second after the Puck-mouse). Not only is it a honeypot for crumbles, it types totally crap. If you want RSI in a week, get this one.

Look at a DAS keyboard or a good Microsoft one. Those are keyboards for lots of typing.

 

[Giuly]

Are you serious? That is the worst piece of crap Apple has every produced (OK, just second after the Puck-mouse). Not only is it a honeypot for crumbles, it types totally crap. If you want RSI in a week, get this one.

While I don't really agree, I do believe that the Matias keyboards are even better.

 

[puravtech]

I'm quite happy with my Logitech K750. Typing on it is very comfortable, and I can type pretty fast on it. The keyboard layout is very similar to the standard Mac keyboard layout, including Mac-specific keys, but it also has a built-in dedicated number pad.

 

[mr.thedaniel]

There's always the keyboard designed by Jeff Atwood, programming guru: WASD keyboard

Comes in a few different versions.

 

[CtotheP]

Logitech keyboards FTW