Campaign for better IO

Over the last 30 years I have used a lot of computers ranging from teletypes to laptops. I have also visited a lot of offices and seen the standard keyboards that people are using on a daily basis. In my opinion it is time for an upgrade. We humans interact with computers through keyboards, mice and screens and yet quite often these are afterthoughts. Keyboards and mice can be bought very cheaply and naturally suppliers opt for these when putting together a package.

About 15 years into my career as a software developer I started developing problems in my fingers and hands it got to a point where I was wondering if I would be able to continue as a software developer. Up until that point I had been a two finger typist. Well not quite two finger but I had no discipline and I guess you could say I had developed my own technique. I was fast. I was accurate. But it was taking its tole. I decided it was time to learn how to touch type properly. For me this worked an I still use a keyboard almost every day for many hours without problem.

This incident made me more aware of keyboards, mice and screens. At the time I had a huge 17" CRT, IBM keyboard (one of the clacky ones) and probably a Microsoft mouse. Over the years I have tried out a number of keyboards. Like musical instruments sometimes a particular keyboard matches my mood. The photo above shows some of my current collection. While some look very similar there are differences I promise!

Investing in descent keyboards, mice and screens in my opinion is well worth the investment. I can work longer without getting tired. I will admit that I love my work but the little things make all the difference but I would argue that decent IO is not something to compromise on.