Why are hardware engineers so stupid?

[Ichinisan]

http://www.kensington.com/images/pc/K64365-4407.jpg

I have seen several similar keyboards, and they all have the retarded oversized Enter/Return key and misplaced backslash. That doesn't even make sense on a full-size keyboard; it certainly does not belong on a condensed keyboard!

Now that Kensington has finally made a product that I would consider purchasing (just LOOK at their other products!), there are still flaws that nag me. A keyboard like this would be highly desirable if it had an integrated USB hub with low-profile ports mounted on the side or back of the keyboard. If the keyboard is supposed to appeal to cheapie OEM's, why is there no elite version? Oh! There's an Apple version! Surely it has the basic functionality of an Apple-brand keyboard (USB)! ...nope.

If they made either a USB pass-thru or a basic wireless version, they could sell a few hundred thousand to OEM's and consumers. It could become a very popular keyboard.

Are engineers stupid?

Another problem with keyboards: Why aren't there more condensed keyboards with backlit keys? Is this patented? The only one that I can find has the @#$%ing enormous Return key and misplaced backslash!

What's up with the layout of Microsoft's and Logitech's new-style keyboards? The non-standard F-key functions are annoying, but at least they can be bypassed. What the hell were they thinking when they grouped the F keys in groups of 3 instead of 4? Are they deliberately trying to crush the muscle-memory of touch-typists? Even if you look at the keys, your first instinct causes you to think: "F4 is the last key of the first group; I'll press that one", which will cause you to press F3. Is there some logical explanation for the rearranged keys? The only thing that sickens me more is to see that other manufacturers are mimicking it!

I've always proclaimed Microsoft's innovations in hardware. The 3-axis digital joystick, tilt-sensing gamepad, directional force-feedback, scroll wheel, optical tracking technology, etc. However, Microsoft is now starting to really piss me off. The new side-to-side scroll wheel is just ridiculous. Even worse, they no longer have tactile feedback. For instance, if you use the wheel to cycle through weapons in a game; the smooth-scrolling wheel does not allow the user to feel how many times the weapons were cycled. I expect this from lesser hardware manufacturers, but I suspect that something has gone horribly wrong in Microsoft's engineering quality control. Has some important staff member left the company?

Moving on...

I once had an absurdly expensive dual power cable from Radio Shack that could power my CRT monitor and computer without occupying two sockets on my over-populated surge supressor. Why are there not more of these? About 80% of computer users could make good use of this. It would be essential for LAN parties. Homes and offices would benefit from having less cable clutter. Even Mac users would appreciate this solution.

Remember when power supplies had an AC pass-thru to daisy-chain your monitor's power to your computer's PSU? Whatever happened to that?

To the engineers responsible for these failures: What are you getting paid for?

/rant

 

[Ichinisan]

http://accessories.us.dell.com...ge=productlisting.aspx

Seeing this made me wonder if it's anything like the two-way power cable that I got from Radio Shack. Alas, there is no picture...so I may never know. I have not recently tried, but I searched high-and-low on eBay and the rest of the web a few years ago for a cheaper alternative, and absolutely nobody sold these beside Radio Shack (which charges $30 apiece).

 

[Yomicron]

Typically, the engineers don't decide which features a product will have. Marketing decides that the product lineup will be.

Allied Electronics has the cable you're looking for so does Digi-Key, and that Dell one is probably the same too.

 

[Jassi]

If engineers had their way, a lot of stuff would be very different. Marketing departments suck. Ofcourse, all the manuals would have grammer errors left and right


// Speaking as a EE

 

[flexy]

i loooove big RET keys.... too bad many newer keyboards dont have 'em

 

[Ichinisan]

Originally posted by: flexy
i loooove big RET keys.... too bad many newer keyboards dont have 'em

That had better be sarcasm.

The oversized Return key does nothing more than displace the [\] key and shrink the [Backspace] key so that is is awkward to reach. It can also cause accidental submissions or other errors if the Return key is pressed while the user feels for the awkward and under-sized [Backspace] key. :|

Yomicron:
It's good to see that someone else is finally selling a dual AC power cable; but I doubt that they will sell nearly as many as they could if they would just display a simple picture of the product. (I'm sure that Digi-Key does, but NOTHING could stand out in such a huge catalog )

 

[Keego]

Small backspace keys blow. Plain and simple!

 

[bendixG15]

Ichinisan ...what are you waiting for??

Start making and selling all those goodies and get rich..

You obviously know what people want and need....

 

[LordPhoenix]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

 

[Looney]

Well i for one like the oversize return key... often when i'm finishing a sentence or just entered say my password, i take my hands away from the keyboard and hit the return key on it's way to the mouse. I *RARELY* use the \ key, so that's not a loss for me.

 

[iamtrout]

I guess I want to go into marketing to fvck some sh!t up. Seriously, you have no idea how many people in my business school (I'm a bio major) who idolize Bill Gates for all the good things he's brought to this world... and these will be the people who design our future products. Bleh.

 

[fishmonger12]

chill out. it's a keyboard.

 

[Viper96720]

Don't mess up so you don't have to use backspace.

 

[Blackjack2000]

Originally posted by: iamtrout
I guess I want to go into marketing to fvck some sh!t up. Seriously, you have no idea how many people in my business school (I'm a bio major) who idolize Bill Gates for all the good things he's brought to this world... and these will be the people who design our future products. Bleh.

Well, I'm a business major at a tech school, so everyone pretty much hates Gates. But they do recognize for being one of the best business men of all time. Mostly though, they idolize google.

 

[flexy]

i am used to big RET keys since i started on Amiga, ehrm even C64 a loooooong time ago. ALso, all my early PCs had big RET keys (AFAIK) - right now i am catching myself all the time hitting the "\" key accidently...obviously, i still (unconsciously) prefer the bigger Return key.

As for a smalller backspace, wouldnt matter to me. Backspace is placed upper right and hard to "miss"..never had problems with that.

I like your idea with the backlit keyboard, tho. I recently got this Logitech Elite keyboard (black) and often play in dim light....

Also, the "f-lock" must be the MOST stupidest think EVER invented...eg. Logitech's "great idea" (they were obviously stoned !) to set the "F-Keys" to some nonsense and ONLY have real "F-keys" after you activate the "f-lock" feature on the keyboard. (After each reboot)

Only with a registry/windows hack you get the normal F-keys....and i am waiting for the day i am messing around in the bios etc. and wonder and wonder why the **** my f-keys dont work because the hack is not active before you load windows.

STUPIDEST thing ever invented....

 

[oldman420]

Originally posted by: fishmonger12
chill out. it's a keyboard.

 

[imported_whatever]

i have a different type of keyboard with a large enter key. instead of a small backspace key, it has a small right-shift key. i definately prefer it to a small backspace key, but i prefer the small enter key to it. this is on a natural keyboard made by belkin, so it isnt like it is lacking space for stuff.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: flexy
i loooove big RET keys.... too bad many newer keyboards dont have 'em

I kind of like them too, but my current keyboard doesn't have one, and I don't think that my IBM Trackpoint II does either.

One keyboard that I really liked, was an older "clicky" (but not buckling-spring) keyboard, that was a "102-key". There were *two* backslash keys, one on each side, between the CTRL and ALT keys. What a wonderful keyboard, you were never at a loss for the all-important (to DOS) backslash key.

I detest the "Windows" keys too, but at least that IBM keyboard doesn't have them. This Memorex one does though.

 

[Arcanedeath]

I also hate the "large" return key, I think the perfect keyboard for me is the Microsoft Natural Keyboard (not the Elite!) it's basicly the perfect keyboard, the problem is you can't get them anymore and mines wearing out =(. Also Microsoft is to blame for the F lock feature they had it on their first Ps/2 / USB multimedia keyboard that replaced their orginal natural keyboard, they guys that invended F lock should be drug out into the street and SHOT, I can't really tell you how much I hate F lock but sucife to say I will never purchase a keyboard w/ that feature....

 

[Zepper]

It is easy to find power cords with the stackable AC plug just as was used on the original IBM PC. And they aren't nearly as expensive as Dell's price either. One example: Linkage. Or you could just get some triple-taps and make each of your power strip outlets into three.
. I also prefer the "One True Keyboard" (original IBM pattern) - layout as Ichi. But I bought my current cordless kbd/mse kit when Staples was blowing them (A4Tech via Kensington) out for under $10.! And it has the L-shaped return so I had to learn to cope.
. Generally I worry more about feel than layout. I require nice stiff and rattle-free key operation.
.bh.

 

[tinyabs]

I read about a very smart engineer starting up a company. He failed after a year.

Good engineer don't make good businessman.

 

[piroroadkill]

You can disable the F-Lock key on some keyboards with software patches, I have a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard at home and work, and I really like it, it's a UK one so it has the double height enter key which is what I like, and the backslash is next to left shift (where it always should be... hehe)..

I downloaded a patch to make the default behaviour when F-Lock is off is to use normal function keys, but yes, the 3 grouping instead of 4 grouping is utterly pointless..

 

[Dug]

Originally posted by: flexy
i am used to big RET keys since i started on Amiga, ehrm even C64 a loooooong time ago. ALso, all my early PCs had big RET keys (AFAIK) - right now i am catching myself all the time hitting the "\" key accidently...obviously, i still (unconsciously) prefer the bigger Return key.

As for a smalller backspace, wouldnt matter to me. Backspace is placed upper right and hard to "miss"..never had problems with that.

I like your idea with the backlit keyboard, tho. I recently got this Logitech Elite keyboard (black) and often play in dim light....

Also, the "f-lock" must be the MOST stupidest think EVER invented...eg. Logitech's "great idea" (they were obviously stoned !) to set the "F-Keys" to some nonsense and ONLY have real "F-keys" after you activate the "f-lock" feature on the keyboard. (After each reboot)

Only with a registry/windows hack you get the normal F-keys....and i am waiting for the day i am messing around in the bios etc. and wonder and wonder why the **** my f-keys dont work because the hack is not active before you load windows.

STUPIDEST thing ever invented....

You are absolutely correct.

 

[piasabird]

Vote with your pocketbook.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Hardcore
Well i for one like the oversize return key... often when i'm finishing a sentence or just entered say my password, i take my hands away from the keyboard and hit the return key on it's way to the mouse. I *RARELY* use the \ key, so that's not a loss for me.

I've seen at least three separate places where the \ key will be - under Backspace, to the left of backspace, and somewhere below the Shift key, or thereabouts. The latter seems the stupidest, as it is the most unusual, and takes the most time to adapt to.
Those of us who use the command line every day, even if only for a short time, still like to have our backslash keys in the right place.

The Enter key thing - well, you've got two Enter keys on most keyboards. If you miss the big one the first time, hit the one by the numeric keypad. And if you kept your hands on the home row, your pinky finger should be right next to the Enter key anyway; at least it is the way I type.

Also, the "f-lock" must be the MOST stupidest think EVER invented...eg. Logitech's "great idea" (they were obviously stoned !) to set the "F-Keys" to some nonsense and ONLY have real "F-keys" after you activate the "f-lock" feature on the keyboard. (After each reboot)

Definitely the mostest stupidest productest I've everest seen....est.

I used on keyboard with it, and it took me a little bit before I could get into the BIOS (F10 on this particular system). I think I thought something like "What pathetic moron thought up this sh!+brained idea???" Or something along those lines.


I still say that I love my Acer keyboard here. Normal layout, Enter key a bit smaller than the Shift key, Large backspace, slightly larger-than-normal backslash key....quite a decent keyboard. It does have a PS/2 connection though - but for a keyboard that's probably more than 5 years old, and only cost me $6.95 at a computer show, it's quite excellent. Model number is 6511-HW, if anyone cares.