I always thought as a developer writing clean code was the most important thing. Today I've learned that it's more important to write faster. Thanks Shai!
yeah, fast typing is above everything! and minimal code is best.. avoid complexity. just as pianos and guitars have no labels for notes, computer keyboards shouldn't either.
Putting your keyboard on a mousemat makes a huge improvement to reducing the "thud" of the key strokes. I always contemplated getting a blank KB now I think I will, thanks!
Agreed! Learning to touch typing is so important. But now that I've learnt to type without looking, the labels doesn't bother me, so yeah, for me blank ones and ones with labels are the same
As a joke, while cleaning my keyboard I decided to intentionally reorganize my labeled keycaps (to alphabetical instead of QWERTY) given that I blind type anyway. While I still blind type no problem, I now always get lost when asked to locate individual keys while playing a game. Anytime "Press to ..." pops up I spend a good 10 seconds instinctively looking down to hunt for a key, then realizing that it's obfuscated, then switching from "game mode" to "typing mode" and then back to "game mode" after I find and rest my hand on the key so I can press it. Next time I'm just buying blank caps.
I think keyboards never should have had labels in the first place. kind of like a piano. It was a terrible idea to label them and it probably wasted so many hours for people that practiced their eyes instead of their fingers.
As a fin analyst i got a separate numpad and put it on the left side. Easier to use excel when you NEED the mouse from time to time. Plus you can type numbers with your left hand and arrow keys with your right hand.
I use the Dvorak layout so the only letters that are ever correct are A and M. I can live without letter labels, but in many cases I need the legends to find various symbols. The problem is, most keyboards come with legends on all keys and only a few come with no legends at all. When I bought my Happy Hacking Keyboard Pro 2 years ago, I picked a version with legends because I'm not a masochist, although a blank version was unavailable. I would be able to type without the labels, but I would be shit out of luck the second I need to use another layer or the various symbols.
I can't imagine how anyone could type with a keyboard with blank keys. I could probably type all the words I'd need to, because I know exactly where the keys are, but I don't think I could ever learn where all the things like exponents, slash, backslash, euro and dollar sign, and all the other special symbols are. That sounds extremely hard and exhausting to learn and perfect.
there's only a few main symbols that are used again and again. as for blank keys, just throw yourself into it. If you force yourself to type on a blank kb you'll make a bunch of mistakes at first but if you keep at it within weeks you'll see that you make less and less mistakes. until the point where you'll make almost zero mistakes. and you’ll find that you never need to look at the keyboard again. muscle memory is a very powerful thing.
I lubed my 20 dollar blue switch keyboard with some vasline and it sounds like any premium keyboard. Try lubing yours too. I am sure its gonna sound hella better.
Outside of personal preference, I disagree about using blank keycaps with no exception for all programmers. The characters are still an accessibility feature. I injured my left hand, and so I had to type with one hand for a while. Because my right hand doesn't have the same muscle memory as my left hand, I had to read the keyboard. Sure as a touch typist I know where the general area for each character is, but my hand still has to travel and so I lost track of my hand position if I don't look
if u practice you'll get better with your right hand. even if you look at a blank keyboard's keys it will give you enough info to know where to press. the labels themselves don't matter eventually you memorize their locations. I'm writing this comment with one hand right now with a blank and not looking at it. I would never get a keyboard with labels. to me it's as weird as having a piano keyboard with labels. or a guitar fretboard with labels. unless there's a situation like the great stephen hawking but in that case a traditional keyboard wouldn't be used anyway. so I'm mainly talking to those that can operate a keyboard that dont have any severe physical issues. so two hands. or one hand. or even one finger: no labels.
@@ShaiUI wow, you can type while not looking at the keyboard, you are so cool!! good news is that you don't need to have a blank keyboard for that. and then you still can get a benefit from the labels when you actually do need them, like when you are injured, or you give your keyboard to someone. you want to look cool but really you look like a fanatic also, piano reference is as silly as all your other analogies. piano literally has 12 keys, guitar is very much the same, because you have a system there - i.e. octaves, which are repetative. on keyboard you have hunderds of unsystematically located keys, which you can only visually/muscularly memorize over a long period of practice. learning locations of keys on keyboard and piano/guitar are things of different magnitude of complexity
oh yes I love that little pointing stick that comes with thinkpads! so yes, if you're using a thinkpad then what I'm saying doesn't really apply. however, I'd personally still spray-paint that keyboard black just to make it not have labels, but that's just me.
@@ShaiUI There are some keyboard alternatives that come with the point stick. From my head I can remember the TEX Yoda trackpoint keyboard, the Unicomp endura Pro which is based on the old IBM keyboard model and the thinkpad travel keyboard. In the Yoda case, I think you can swap the keycaps for blank ones
@@mateuspokemon01 yes I had the bluetooth thinkpad keyboard with trackpoint for many years. but truthfully, nothing really beats magic trackpad for scrolling or having many monitors.
I have been using a side-print keyboard for years, the first thing I notice when I switch to a top-print keyboard is how annoying it feels to touch top-print keycaps. The letter prints on top always creates an uneven surface. It feels really uncomfortable to touch. Please, use side-print, or no-print keycaps.
the problem with side-print is that you can still see the label though. by going blank you force yourself to completely rely on muscle memory. if you're using side-print I highly recommend getting some blank caps. never look at your keyboard. not even for a second. it's unnecessary.
@@ShaiUI the prints are kinda necessary on smaller layouts such as 60%, but only in the beginning. over time you get used to where all of the hotkeys are. even as a casual typist, i'm also looking into getting a set of blank keycaps when i have the chance haha
at 2:00 another solution is to use the mouse left handed without sacrificing the numberpad, it helps when inputting lots of numbers while switching between windows and spreadsheet cells while keeping your hands on the TAB/Mouse.
@@noswad8317 lol yes of'course there are keyboard fanatics out there that mod and assemble custom keyboards. but I'm not about that. I just want something that helps me type fast. if the keyboard gets too hard to press after a few years I'll just buy a new one.
yes exactly!! Also you should never ever look at your instrument when you play it (this is true for all my instruments including guitar, piano). it must only be about playing by ear and developing your finger's muscle memory. any type of visual indicators or even looking at your fingers/keys/fretboard are completely banned afaic.
The reason you find all your keyboards loud is because you're a heavy typist. Rather than focusing on silent switches, find stiffer ones, so you're no longer smashing the keycaps against the board.
Great video , completely agree. Spent a month teaching myself to touch type a few years ago and its paid dividends ever since. Curious, do you daily drive the touchpad or the mouse alongside the HHKB?
@@ShaiUI thanks! Do you draw diagrams using the trackpad also? Trying to work out a more efficient off-keyboard workflow and curious how other engineers do this.
you mean for drawing vector graphics? in that case I'd use the mouse as mice are better for vectors than trackpads. and if it's completely freehand then I use my apple pencil on my ipad.
@@ShaiUI yeah exactly that. Essentially architectural diagrams (boxes, lines, arrows). Always found this difficult on the trackpad but seems you use the mouse / Apple Pencil for that type of use case. Makes sense, thanks!
why do you have the worst switch keyboard to represent a mechanical keyboard? topre is nice, if you like topre, you might want to try the niz plum x87, i hate the hhkb layout leopold also has good tkl topre
yeah I had my eyes on leopold for awhile. eventually you get used to the way hhkb handles arrows keys because you don't need to move your hands as much as keyboards that use explicit arrow keys. you only use your pinky on your right hand to trigger the 'fn' button to make the arrows work but your hands stay in the same place. it's important to keep the hands in the same place. it make everything sooo much better. that's why it's hard for me to go back to arrow keys after using a 60%.
Ok, I get it, you like to be in total control and vanilla js offers just that…but what about time constraints (deadlines) or performance optimisation/testing? Having libraries is necessary not to reinvent the wheel all the time you want to add features to your software, especially when said features are marginal but very welcome nonetheless. Also, about the Divs, that could work when building a specific part of an app, but what about accessibility, isn’t using semantic tags necessary when designing a website for example?
having types is not necessary to build websites. using semantic tags in UI is exactly the same as using types/classes in code. when you use semantic types in html you create something called XML which I don't like. to me, UI is just a hierarchy of divs much like JSON is just a hierarchy of objects. In both cases we are just dealing with a hierarchy of containers. but even with my hierarchy of divs I can still create custom re-useable components I do that via javascript. you’ll find there is a rift in the programming world of typeless vs types. interpreted vs compiled languages. this has been going on for decades. choose your camp based on how you like to see things. I have colleagues that no matter how much I tried to convince them still like to use types and components. thats why the guy that invented c# went ahead and developed typescript as well. there is an audience for that. but it simply is not my thing.
IMHO you shouldn't bother so much with the keyboard volume at your job. Not blue switches and already good. And then it's just a waste of money for other people who will not appreciate it while the difference is small. Also I like to hear someone typing very quickly, inspiring and surprising some people. Just don't put the sound at the head of everything. I do not forbid you to do anything, but just remember that keyboards are loved not only for this. It's like buying an apartment near work to get there faster.
You had me for most of this until you started talking about optimizing your choices based on mouse usage. Learn the keyboard shortcuts for your OS and all your apps and you'll never need a mouse. I haven't had a mouse in almost 2 decades, using only the trackpad when I rarely find the need. Otherwise, nice vid!
agreed! the less devices the better - as long as it matches your workflow. for my needs I like to scroll with an apple trackpad bc it's silkier that way. and i like to use mice for vector design. but otherwise youre right I'll look into more keyboard shortcuts
@@ShaiUI lol maybe but MacBook Pros have less than a millimeter of room between the display and keyboard so anything, even a post it note, could shatter the lcd. I’m looking into mechanical keyboards tho
@@pigeonette1 some other ideas: replacement keys seem to be about 20 bucks if u can get one that matches ur kb off amazon and you could spray paint them to black. but yeah, laptops are a bit harder to customize in the vid I mainly spoke about desktop setups.
I really like the overall message in this video, but I am still unsure on what you mean in certain parts. Are you saying that all professional programmers will never be the best typists that they can be because they have a printed keyboard? Can somebody still have printed keycaps and still be a proficient typer?
There’s just no need because it’s completely muscle memory based. It’s like putting note labels on piano keys. Labeled keyboards should just be completely banned. And yes, I am serious.
But Shai, I love my backlit rgb topre. It adds a real ambiance to the computer station, when taking the room in as a whole ;) Love your videos Shai, your approach to development is unique and I welcome your insights
@@ShaiUI So you leave the board pretty much in it's default stock settings? (No delete/backspace changes) or alt/meta key changes? I've ran my hhkb just with the stock and it's been pretty decent. I've just been looking for reason's why people would want to change the layout without first trying out the default way of using the hhkb.
@@KirbyKlein6 It’s been years. But to use mac-command and/or option button I think it requires a dip switch change thats all I can remember atm.. But no, I don’t recall any other changes.
I tried blank keycaps and ten finger however i didn't get used to it. Oh well... Do you have any specific code editor, linter, or formatter or intellisense. Or you do use none of them? I use vscode it's good for me especially plugins.
nah no linters, no intellisense. traditionally vim and other text editors. but lately I've been using custom editors that I code using ace editor, codemirror. I have an intro video on how I do this its my most popular one.
I don't think they were all from the same set. I think I got the blue arrow keys as a set, but the white ones might've been from a different keyboard. not sure. it's been a looong time.
Why are u not using a split keyboard though, that would be alot more ergonomical for your handposition and shoulder then these 60% boards. Black keycaps are nice, but how do u even get started on those?
it's all about muscle memory. I move between quite a few computers/laptops. if I start using split keyboards it'll change up that muscle memory. So I'd rather just keep them all generally the same layout. also I never really found split keyboards too comfortable but I know a lot of people like those. not sure what you mean by how to get started. are you referring to blank keycaps? they're just a way to make it so you don't look at the keyboard bc if they're all blank there's nothing to look at. when you're typing it's best just to look at the monitor not the keyboard. as far as getting started just get a mechanical keyboard with blank keys or just randomize the keys of your existing keyboard.
@@ShaiUI Been using Logitech K860 the past 2 years, but i want to switch to either dygma defy or moonlander as either of those would be more comfy i reckon. What i meant is, is there like an online programm that you would recommend to get started with blank keys, a tutorial os something?
@@greenwolf2299 absolutely not as far as courses / tutorials, you don't need anything. when I was a kid at 12 I just took some sand paper and removed all labels from my cheap computer keyboard. you can also do it with spray paint. or just buy a blank mechanical keyboard. or just randomize the keys on your existing keyboard by taking them out and putting them back in different order. labels are probably the worst thing that anyone can have on their keyboards it wastes an incredible amount of time bc it trains you to look at your keyboard. and if I were you I'd pass on those ergonomic / comfy keyboards too because they won't help you build muscle memory. it's like the piano example I gave. imagine a piano with a weird ergonomic layout like that.. kind of defeats the purpose.
@@ShaiUI I am 42, iso already generated quite some muscle memory, still switching from regular machinical keyboard to a split one, wasnt to hard. Apart from typing i also game a lot. Each game requires a unique setup as far as keys go. Having black keys would certainly make that a bit harder i think. Since using split keyboard my shoulder and elbow health is way better. But each to their own i guess ;-)
yes as far as art as I do UI which requires a lot of design. but trackpad mainly for scrolling and going between multiple monitors. mouse moreso for vector drawing.
Are you serious, or...? My dude, I use at least 5 completely separate keyboards DAILY, and obviously they do not all have an identical layout. Why on earth would I want to remove my visual reference? Typing fast does not a great coder make, and typing that fast, to a level of instinct that automatic, would be absolutely maddening the moment I switch to my laptop. Or my workshop PC. Or my living room keyboard. Or my keyboard at my office. Or any keyboard at a location I'm assisting. Or...
well let's look at this from a piano perspective. do you think it's a good idea to put the note names on the piano? well pc keyboards are no different. you'd be surprised how efficient muscle memory gets. your fingers already know where everything is. don't involve the eyes whatsoever!
blank keys is optimal otherwise you'd subliminally associate japanese characters with english letters. also the idea is to never ever ever look at the keyboard, it's all done by "feel" / muscle memory.
Hi boss :) Do your help startups develop their ideas? Do you have some contact info? So I can tell more about what I do have in mind? Thanks from Norway, Oslo. Cheers
@@ShaiUI Thanks for the reply. I actually have the same keyboard, but couldn't exactly find which switches it had. Are you sure it's the MX Brown switches and not the blue ones?
I always thought as a developer writing clean code was the most important thing. Today I've learned that it's more important to write faster. Thanks Shai!
yeah, fast typing is above everything! and minimal code is best.. avoid complexity. just as pianos and guitars have no labels for notes, computer keyboards shouldn't either.
@@ShaiUI Thank you for your philosophy
Actually, from an individual's perspective, it kinda is. At least for me, this is about halfway up there with not developing back pain or diabetes.
Putting your keyboard on a mousemat makes a huge improvement to reducing the "thud" of the key strokes.
I always contemplated getting a blank KB now I think I will, thanks!
go for it (get a blank) I guarantee your life will never be the same
Idk about keyboards but with that typing, date me or something
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Knew everything already, but this is very important video for newbies
Same lol
I bought a tenkeyless a couple of years ago, and I can't wait to get a 60%.
High efficiency feels wonderful.
Agreed! Learning to touch typing is so important. But now that I've learnt to type without looking, the labels doesn't bother me, so yeah, for me blank ones and ones with labels are the same
As a joke, while cleaning my keyboard I decided to intentionally reorganize my labeled keycaps (to alphabetical instead of QWERTY) given that I blind type anyway. While I still blind type no problem, I now always get lost when asked to locate individual keys while playing a game. Anytime "Press to ..." pops up I spend a good 10 seconds instinctively looking down to hunt for a key, then realizing that it's obfuscated, then switching from "game mode" to "typing mode" and then back to "game mode" after I find and rest my hand on the key so I can press it. Next time I'm just buying blank caps.
I think keyboards never should have had labels in the first place. kind of like a piano. It was a terrible idea to label them and it probably wasted so many hours for people that practiced their eyes instead of their fingers.
@@ShaiUI Yeah fuck making things accessible. Let's gatekeep computers as much as possible, actually
if your f and j are in the right spot i.e., have that little bump then this shouldn't be much of an issue, i think.
As a fin analyst i got a separate numpad and put it on the left side. Easier to use excel when you NEED the mouse from time to time. Plus you can type numbers with your left hand and arrow keys with your right hand.
yeah southpaw keyboards seem like they should be the norm given how much more effectively they use space
I use the Dvorak layout so the only letters that are ever correct are A and M.
I can live without letter labels, but in many cases I need the legends to find various symbols. The problem is, most keyboards come with legends on all keys and only a few come with no legends at all.
When I bought my Happy Hacking Keyboard Pro 2 years ago, I picked a version with legends because I'm not a masochist, although a blank version was unavailable. I would be able to type without the labels, but I would be shit out of luck the second I need to use another layer or the various symbols.
Lubing those hhkbs will make them godly
That's what she said.
looking into doing this right now. seems a bit of a pain to disassemble the whole thing but I totally get why people do it.
I can't imagine how anyone could type with a keyboard with blank keys. I could probably type all the words I'd need to, because I know exactly where the keys are, but I don't think I could ever learn where all the things like exponents, slash, backslash, euro and dollar sign, and all the other special symbols are. That sounds extremely hard and exhausting to learn and perfect.
there's only a few main symbols that are used again and again. as for blank keys, just throw yourself into it. If you force yourself to type on a blank kb you'll make a bunch of mistakes at first but if you keep at it within weeks you'll see that you make less and less mistakes. until the point where you'll make almost zero mistakes. and you’ll find that you never need to look at the keyboard again. muscle memory is a very powerful thing.
For programmers learning where these are at is as essential is typing letters since we use a lot of special symbols /// () ‘ “ *
I lubed my 20 dollar blue switch keyboard with some vasline and it sounds like any premium keyboard. Try lubing yours too. I am sure its gonna sound hella better.
Outside of personal preference, I disagree about using blank keycaps with no exception for all programmers. The characters are still an accessibility feature. I injured my left hand, and so I had to type with one hand for a while. Because my right hand doesn't have the same muscle memory as my left hand, I had to read the keyboard. Sure as a touch typist I know where the general area for each character is, but my hand still has to travel and so I lost track of my hand position if I don't look
if u practice you'll get better with your right hand. even if you look at a blank keyboard's keys it will give you enough info to know where to press. the labels themselves don't matter eventually you memorize their locations. I'm writing this comment with one hand right now with a blank and not looking at it. I would never get a keyboard with labels.
to me it's as weird as having a piano keyboard with labels. or a guitar fretboard with labels. unless there's a situation like the great stephen hawking but in that case a traditional keyboard wouldn't be used anyway. so I'm mainly talking to those that can operate a keyboard that dont have any severe physical issues. so two hands. or one hand. or even one finger: no labels.
@@ShaiUI thats a fun reference to the piano ;-)
@@ShaiUI wow, you can type while not looking at the keyboard, you are so cool!! good news is that you don't need to have a blank keyboard for that. and then you still can get a benefit from the labels when you actually do need them, like when you are injured, or you give your keyboard to someone. you want to look cool but really you look like a fanatic
also, piano reference is as silly as all your other analogies. piano literally has 12 keys, guitar is very much the same, because you have a system there - i.e. octaves, which are repetative. on keyboard you have hunderds of unsystematically located keys, which you can only visually/muscularly memorize over a long period of practice. learning locations of keys on keyboard and piano/guitar are things of different magnitude of complexity
One solution to reduce the time to reach the mouse is to avoid the mouse all together and use a point stick like the ones that come on the thinkpads.
oh yes I love that little pointing stick that comes with thinkpads! so yes, if you're using a thinkpad then what I'm saying doesn't really apply. however, I'd personally still spray-paint that keyboard black just to make it not have labels, but that's just me.
@@ShaiUI There are some keyboard alternatives that come with the point stick. From my head I can remember the TEX Yoda trackpoint keyboard, the Unicomp endura Pro which is based on the old IBM keyboard model and the thinkpad travel keyboard. In the Yoda case, I think you can swap the keycaps for blank ones
@@mateuspokemon01 yes I had the bluetooth thinkpad keyboard with trackpoint for many years. but truthfully, nothing really beats magic trackpad for scrolling or having many monitors.
really enjoy your contents
I have been using a side-print keyboard for years, the first thing I notice when I switch to a top-print keyboard is how annoying it feels to touch top-print keycaps. The letter prints on top always creates an uneven surface. It feels really uncomfortable to touch. Please, use side-print, or no-print keycaps.
the problem with side-print is that you can still see the label though. by going blank you force yourself to completely rely on muscle memory. if you're using side-print I highly recommend getting some blank caps. never look at your keyboard. not even for a second. it's unnecessary.
@@ShaiUI the prints are kinda necessary on smaller layouts such as 60%, but only in the beginning. over time you get used to where all of the hotkeys are.
even as a casual typist, i'm also looking into getting a set of blank keycaps when i have the chance haha
You can also just take all the keys off your keyboard and put them back on randomly so they're of no use.
great point!
at 2:00 another solution is to use the mouse left handed without sacrificing the numberpad, it helps when inputting lots of numbers while switching between windows and spreadsheet cells
while keeping your hands on the TAB/Mouse.
You can lube your keyboard or tape-mod the stabs. You should look at holee modding the stabs for less rattling
You realize this guy is talking about cherry like it’s the gold standard he is not going to mod anything
@@noswad8317 lol yes of'course there are keyboard fanatics out there that mod and assemble custom keyboards. but I'm not about that. I just want something that helps me type fast. if the keyboard gets too hard to press after a few years I'll just buy a new one.
If you don't want to move between the arrow keys and the letters, just use the Vim editor lol
Great video! Thank you man
I took all they keys off and put them back in the wrong order
I bet you had some troubles to find an improper place suitable for your spacebar :)
4D chess.
Underrated comment
Same for piano. Never put labels with the key names on a piano. You'll never be any good if you do.
yes exactly!! Also you should never ever look at your instrument when you play it (this is true for all my instruments including guitar, piano). it must only be about playing by ear and developing your finger's muscle memory. any type of visual indicators or even looking at your fingers/keys/fretboard are completely banned afaic.
The reason you find all your keyboards loud is because you're a heavy typist. Rather than focusing on silent switches, find stiffer ones, so you're no longer smashing the keycaps against the board.
I have the microphone right next to the keyboard on the loudest settig. i dont type loud at all. its actually one of my pet peeves.
i'm a developer and i don't touch type, i still hunt & peck but i average 140wpm on 60s tests
if there's no labels you'll have nothing to hunt. don't involve your eyes on a keyboard whatsoever.
Your channel is great!
Great video , completely agree. Spent a month teaching myself to touch type a few years ago and its paid dividends ever since.
Curious, do you daily drive the touchpad or the mouse alongside the HHKB?
magic trackpad for the most part, it's a lot easier to scroll than a mouse.
@@ShaiUI thanks! Do you draw diagrams using the trackpad also? Trying to work out a more efficient off-keyboard workflow and curious how other engineers do this.
you mean for drawing vector graphics? in that case I'd use the mouse as mice are better for vectors than trackpads. and if it's completely freehand then I use my apple pencil on my ipad.
@@ShaiUI yeah exactly that. Essentially architectural diagrams (boxes, lines, arrows). Always found this difficult on the trackpad but seems you use the mouse / Apple Pencil for that type of use case. Makes sense, thanks!
ok now THIS is based youtube
why do you have the worst switch keyboard to represent a mechanical keyboard?
topre is nice, if you like topre, you might want to try the niz plum x87, i hate the hhkb layout
leopold also has good tkl topre
yeah I had my eyes on leopold for awhile. eventually you get used to the way hhkb handles arrows keys because you don't need to move your hands as much as keyboards that use explicit arrow keys. you only use your pinky on your right hand to trigger the 'fn' button to make the arrows work but your hands stay in the same place. it's important to keep the hands in the same place. it make everything sooo much better. that's why it's hard for me to go back to arrow keys after using a 60%.
I would like to point out, labels don’t turn you into someone who slams there face into the keyboard to type the word “hi”.
Ok, I get it, you like to be in total control and vanilla js offers just that…but what about time constraints (deadlines) or performance optimisation/testing?
Having libraries is necessary not to reinvent the wheel all the time you want to add features to your software, especially when said features are marginal but very welcome nonetheless.
Also, about the Divs, that could work when building a specific part of an app, but what about accessibility, isn’t using semantic tags necessary when designing a website for example?
having types is not necessary to build websites. using semantic tags in UI is exactly the same as using types/classes in code. when you use semantic types in html you create something called XML which I don't like. to me, UI is just a hierarchy of divs much like JSON is just a hierarchy of objects. In both cases we are just dealing with a hierarchy of containers. but even with my hierarchy of divs I can still create custom re-useable components I do that via javascript. you’ll find there is a rift in the programming world of typeless vs types. interpreted vs compiled languages. this has been going on for decades. choose your camp based on how you like to see things. I have colleagues that no matter how much I tried to convince them still like to use types and components. thats why the guy that invented c# went ahead and developed typescript as well. there is an audience for that. but it simply is not my thing.
i have labels and have no problem typing without looking at my keyboard at high speeds
You should try a dactyl manuform. They're pretty comfy.
This dude's gonna go ham if he ever learns how to lube switches and stabilizers 🤣🤣
it's on my todo list!
@@ShaiUI ooh have fun! huge game changer
IMHO you shouldn't bother so much with the keyboard volume at your job. Not blue switches and already good. And then it's just a waste of money for other people who will not appreciate it while the difference is small. Also I like to hear someone typing very quickly, inspiring and surprising some people. Just don't put the sound at the head of everything. I do not forbid you to do anything, but just remember that keyboards are loved not only for this. It's like buying an apartment near work to get there faster.
Omg. I think same. When u look on keyboard u loose feeling of what u doing.
You had me for most of this until you started talking about optimizing your choices based on mouse usage. Learn the keyboard shortcuts for your OS and all your apps and you'll never need a mouse. I haven't had a mouse in almost 2 decades, using only the trackpad when I rarely find the need. Otherwise, nice vid!
agreed! the less devices the better - as long as it matches your workflow. for my needs I like to scroll with an apple trackpad bc it's silkier that way. and i like to use mice for vector design. but otherwise youre right I'll look into more keyboard shortcuts
I don't feel comfortable sanding my macbook's keycaps...
stickers then?
@@ShaiUI lol maybe but MacBook Pros have less than a millimeter of room between the display and keyboard so anything, even a post it note, could shatter the lcd. I’m looking into mechanical keyboards tho
@@pigeonette1 some other ideas: replacement keys seem to be about 20 bucks if u can get one that matches ur kb off amazon and you could spray paint them to black. but yeah, laptops are a bit harder to customize in the vid I mainly spoke about desktop setups.
I really like the overall message in this video, but I am still unsure on what you mean in certain parts. Are you saying that all professional programmers will never be the best typists that they can be because they have a printed keyboard? Can somebody still have printed keycaps and still be a proficient typer?
There’s just no need because it’s completely muscle memory based. It’s like putting note labels on piano keys. Labeled keyboards should just be completely banned. And yes, I am serious.
@@ShaiUI Well thank you for your input. I think you made a fantastic argument and now I'm considering getting a hhkb keyboard , but with blanks now.
But Shai, I love my backlit rgb topre. It adds a real ambiance to the computer station, when taking the room in as a whole ;)
Love your videos Shai, your approach to development is unique and I welcome your insights
Hey Shai, do you use the default dip switch settings?
I’ve set it to mac mode. The default is pc mode.
@@ShaiUI So you leave the board pretty much in it's default stock settings? (No delete/backspace changes) or alt/meta key changes? I've ran my hhkb just with the stock and it's been pretty decent. I've just been looking for reason's why people would want to change the layout without first trying out the default way of using the hhkb.
@@KirbyKlein6 It’s been years. But to use mac-command and/or option button I think it requires a dip switch change thats all I can remember atm.. But no, I don’t recall any other changes.
I tried blank keycaps and ten finger however i didn't get used to it. Oh well... Do you have any specific code editor, linter, or formatter or intellisense. Or you do use none of them? I use vscode it's good for me especially plugins.
nah no linters, no intellisense. traditionally vim and other text editors. but lately I've been using custom editors that I code using ace editor, codemirror. I have an intro video on how I do this its my most popular one.
What is the grey n white n blue keycap set you bought for the TKL?
I don't think they were all from the same set. I think I got the blue arrow keys as a set, but the white ones might've been from a different keyboard. not sure. it's been a looong time.
Why are u not using a split keyboard though, that would be alot more ergonomical for your handposition and shoulder then these 60% boards. Black keycaps are nice, but how do u even get started on those?
it's all about muscle memory. I move between quite a few computers/laptops. if I start using split keyboards it'll change up that muscle memory. So I'd rather just keep them all generally the same layout. also I never really found split keyboards too comfortable but I know a lot of people like those.
not sure what you mean by how to get started. are you referring to blank keycaps? they're just a way to make it so you don't look at the keyboard bc if they're all blank there's nothing to look at. when you're typing it's best just to look at the monitor not the keyboard. as far as getting started just get a mechanical keyboard with blank keys or just randomize the keys of your existing keyboard.
@@ShaiUI Been using Logitech K860 the past 2 years, but i want to switch to either dygma defy or moonlander as either of those would be more comfy i reckon. What i meant is, is there like an online programm that you would recommend to get started with blank keys, a tutorial os something?
@@greenwolf2299 absolutely not as far as courses / tutorials, you don't need anything. when I was a kid at 12 I just took some sand paper and removed all labels from my cheap computer keyboard. you can also do it with spray paint. or just buy a blank mechanical keyboard. or just randomize the keys on your existing keyboard by taking them out and putting them back in different order. labels are probably the worst thing that anyone can have on their keyboards it wastes an incredible amount of time bc it trains you to look at your keyboard. and if I were you I'd pass on those ergonomic / comfy keyboards too because they won't help you build muscle memory. it's like the piano example I gave. imagine a piano with a weird ergonomic layout like that.. kind of defeats the purpose.
@@ShaiUI I am 42, iso already generated quite some muscle memory, still switching from regular machinical keyboard to a split one, wasnt to hard. Apart from typing i also game a lot. Each game requires a unique setup as far as keys go. Having black keys would certainly make that a bit harder i think. Since using split keyboard my shoulder and elbow health is way better. But each to their own i guess ;-)
I like to remove all the keys and drape a hand towel over my board. You should try it
not sure if you're kidding or not because that almost sounds plausible
or just cut the mouse out of your workflow what are you an artist or something
yes as far as art as I do UI which requires a lot of design. but trackpad mainly for scrolling and going between multiple monitors. mouse moreso for vector drawing.
I didn't mean to make it seem like the page down boys are just trying to roast the swipers and pointers lol
Im so surprised how many devs hunt and peck
1:00 That's just a complete lie, I can type without looking at my keyboard even though every keyboard I've ever used wasn't blank
fair enough. I just meant it's a good way to force oneself to not look at the kb.
@@ShaiUI That I agree with
Are you serious, or...? My dude, I use at least 5 completely separate keyboards DAILY, and obviously they do not all have an identical layout. Why on earth would I want to remove my visual reference? Typing fast does not a great coder make, and typing that fast, to a level of instinct that automatic, would be absolutely maddening the moment I switch to my laptop. Or my workshop PC. Or my living room keyboard. Or my keyboard at my office. Or any keyboard at a location I'm assisting. Or...
well let's look at this from a piano perspective. do you think it's a good idea to put the note names on the piano? well pc keyboards are no different. you'd be surprised how efficient muscle memory gets. your fingers already know where everything is. don't involve the eyes whatsoever!
Are you a Vi user or use Unix a lot?
Yes vi my entire life
@@ShaiUI Very awesome. We will be best friends.
what about using keycaps that have legends, but not ones you understand, like japanese characters
blank keys is optimal otherwise you'd subliminally associate japanese characters with english letters. also the idea is to never ever ever look at the keyboard, it's all done by "feel" / muscle memory.
Sort of useless to get blanks for me since I don't look at the legends either way.
YES YES YES YES YSE YES !! !! !! !!
40% blank keycaps user here. Hello.
that's interesting, maybe I'll try one of those in the future! as long as it has a FN key to access numbers and special characters.
Arrow keys & trackpad are important for what? With your rhetoric, all programmers should be using vim.
arrow keys are important for programming in general, any ide or texteditor not just vim. I always go up, down, left, right on lines of code.
Hi boss :) Do your help startups develop their ideas? Do you have some contact info? So I can tell more about what I do have in mind? Thanks from Norway, Oslo. Cheers
hey I appreciate your comment currently no, I'm just giving free advice for people on youtube.
What is that TKL keybaord called at 2:20
it’s a filco majestouch ninja tkl (cherry mx brown) but the caps were bought separately
@@ShaiUI thanks
What daskeyboard model was in the vid?
das keyboard model s ultimate, cherry brown, blank keys. not the best keyboard for workplace as it's very loud but at home it's good.
@@ShaiUI Thanks for the reply. I actually have the same keyboard, but couldn't exactly find which switches it had. Are you sure it's the MX Brown switches and not the blue ones?
yeah just remove one the keys and you'll see either a brown or blue connector.
@@ShaiUI Ah. I believe I have the brown switches as I have the model DASk3UL TMS1 SI-CO, which is the same as yours.
In Jesus' Name Amen ✝️
0:24 one of the most pathetic what?
"things I've ever seen in my career"
wait you're serious aren't you? this isnt a joke??
no it's not a joke to use a blank keyboard to increase typing speed. it's a very serious matter.