I love the Lifehacker website. Especially their things about best mouse and now best keyboard. And I do agree that the IBM Model M is THE best keyboard out there. We’ve even got one here in the office. I dared the colleague to use it…well…within 5 minutes there were noise complaints galore. And there we have the no. 1 down side to the Model M that makes it unusable except if you work in a lonely basement office.
I have a half ripped tendon in my right hand. It can’t be fixed and so I have to live with it as is. The problem for me is that keyboards and mice are critical.
If the mouse is too big the tendon starts to ache. I use an old IBM notebook mouse in the office and a Logitech VX Nano notebook mouse at home. As keyboards go I have now tried quite a few. First was a standard Siemens-Nixdorf which I liked for low height, good feel (after using it for 3 years+). But when I spilled some coffee over it I never got all the keys to unstick properly.
Then came a Belkin Ergoboard Pro keyboard. Great feel, 2 USB ports and great ergonomic shape. A little wide though (i.e. hand has to move quite a bit between keyboard and mouse). The problem for me was that the height and position of the hads was exactly what my tendon didn’t need.
Because I had a MacBook at the time I already was sold on the chicklet-keyboards from Apple. So I bought one of the Aluminium keyboards for my company PC. And so far so good. It’s done wonders for my tendon. The low elevation and reduced travel & impact has done wonders form my pain. It’s actually gone now (about 8 months since I have the KBD). I’ve also upgraded to an 
iMac at home with the same keyboard. In the office I use Ubuntu as an OS and not all keys work but I can definitely live with that. I’ve also started a little trend in the office so now there are about half a dozen of them.
All I can say is that the Apple keyboard is a godsend and I won’t be having any other anytime soon. So if you’re looking for a keyboard give Apple a good look (and while you’re at it contemplate getting the whole Mac!).
There is the BEST KEYBOARD category though. You’ll have to bring about US$1800 for the honour but it really is a monster of a keyboard. I am talking about the Optimus Maximus. Every key has a screen underneath so that you can program the keyboard as you’d like it. I’ve never seen one and I do doubt that the ergonomics are better than my trusty Apple so I think I will forgo for now. But do have a look at this wonder.
[...] my previous keyboard post I discussed what a good keyboard is. I have come to love the new chicklet Apple Keyboards. The low [...]