I recently got a new keyboard with a slightly modified design, and my initial reaction to it may have come off a little bit harsher than necessary.

But it was indeed an honest first reaction.  It just might not have been fair to make the review of the keyboard the very first thing typed on the keyboard.  It takes just a bit of getting used to – and that’s still an incredibly frustrating experience.

The fundamental problem, as I see it, is that we come to take certain abilities for granted.  They become a second nature, and when something comes along to fundamantally change the process, the adjustment phase means relearning something you hadn’t really thought of for a while.

After a couple days of writing, though, I think I’ve broken and re-arranged all my neurons associated with typing.  Was it necessary?  Am I going to have to re-learn normal keyboards again someday?  What was gained by switching to a different layout?

I’m not sure there are good answers to these questions, but the box claims its supposed to be more comfortable.  I’m not sure if I would go that far… but it is a pretty nice keyboard once you’ve learned to give extra space for certain keys.  I’m just glad I can finally find the C button.

Its also supposed to be spill resistant, so there’s the ultimate challenge.  This keyboard has until it dies of too much coffee and cigarette ash to convince me its how a keyboard is supposed to be.  I’ve got an angry initial reaction, a slightly moderated second opinion, and I’ll let you know the final verdict when I put this thing to its ultimate resting place – the recycling bin.

Will it be an honorable burial or a smash fest?  Only time will tell, and there may even be pictures.