Comment MS Natural Elite / Logitech Symmetric Trackball (Score 1) 120
I'm a software engineer and I spend many hours riding a keyboard and mouse.
I use an MS Natural Elite keyboard and the cheapest Logitech trackball.
The trackball I use is ambidexterous (may be used with the right and left hand) and only costs $20. It's NOT the trackball mouse that requires right hand usage and thumb movement of the ball.
When I'm at work, I use my right hand. I switch for my work at home to my left. This way, both hands are equally utilized and the strain is distributed as well. Also, the trackball uses the thumb and ring/pinkie fingers which eliminates the pain I used to get from clicking with my index finger all of the time.
The keyboard is an older MS Natural Elite (without the new fangled media control buttons).
ALL of my computers are interfaced with this keyboard and mouse combination. When I'm travelling, I still take my trackball but I use the notebook keyboard since it's a hassle bringing a keyboard and it's not for an extended period of time.
I'd like to check out some of the more specialized keyboards (like the DataHand [http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,103876 6,00.asp]), but I can't see myself laying out the cash.
For under $60 you can have a similiar, less strained keyboard/mouse combo.
Anyway, that's how I deal with the stress of piloting a computer (programming and otherwise) for up to 16 hrs. / day.
I use an MS Natural Elite keyboard and the cheapest Logitech trackball.
The trackball I use is ambidexterous (may be used with the right and left hand) and only costs $20. It's NOT the trackball mouse that requires right hand usage and thumb movement of the ball.
When I'm at work, I use my right hand. I switch for my work at home to my left. This way, both hands are equally utilized and the strain is distributed as well. Also, the trackball uses the thumb and ring/pinkie fingers which eliminates the pain I used to get from clicking with my index finger all of the time.
The keyboard is an older MS Natural Elite (without the new fangled media control buttons).
ALL of my computers are interfaced with this keyboard and mouse combination. When I'm travelling, I still take my trackball but I use the notebook keyboard since it's a hassle bringing a keyboard and it's not for an extended period of time.
I'd like to check out some of the more specialized keyboards (like the DataHand [http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,10387
For under $60 you can have a similiar, less strained keyboard/mouse combo.
Anyway, that's how I deal with the stress of piloting a computer (programming and otherwise) for up to 16 hrs. / day.
