Hacker NewsSep 26

Thoughts on Mechanical Keyboards and the ZSA Moonlander

https://www.masteringemacs.org/article/thoughts-on-mechanical-keyboards-zsa-moonlander

#HackerNews #MechanicalKeyboards #ZSAMoonlander #TechTalk #Ergonomics #KeyboardEnthusiast

Thoughts on Mechanical Keyboards and the ZSA Moonlander

Mechanical keyboards, the nerd equivalent of obsessing over ferrule weights in golf clubs, are wildly popular, and for a good reason. I've owned and used a ZSA Moonlander for some years now, and here are my thoughts on it and why I think you should literally buy any mechanical keyboard you can get your hands on with programmable firmware. Your fingers will thank you.

Mastering Emacs
"Musty Bits" McGeeApr 20, 2025

Put the keyboard angle up another notch and whew it's intense, must be pushing 45 degrees now

#Moonlander #ZSA #ZSAMoonlander #ErgoMechKeyboards

SNeelaApr 19, 2025

I bought a #zsamoonlander a few months ago because my left wrist hurt began to hurt. I have an asymmetric tilt set up between the two halves. Does anyone else do something similar?

https://snee.la/posts/moonlander/

There's a #plushtodon photo :D

The ZSA Moonlander: My new split keyboard

Backstory My left wrist & forearm has been hurting quite a bit. Alarmingly so. I haven’t visited the doctor to determine the exact issue, but it’s a pretty obvious sign that the pain starts after some typing — something something correlation and causation. My office’s 100% Cherry Stream keyboard doesn’t cause me much pain; although by the end of the day, it leaves me feeling… slightly sore? However, the pain becomes more pronounced when I used my laptop’s keyboard, particularly at home.

Show threadMark CrockerMar 13, 2025

@ieure Now that sounds interesting. I'm disappointed in the Kalih browns I got with the #ZSAMoonlander that I use a work.

So I _would_ change the Zeal 3-in-1 Clickiez switches to silent tactile for my office work use-case, but if the clicky configuration is as good as you suggest, I might consider a second set for home use, where my Cherry blues are not exactly impressing, especially compared to my IBM model M... assuming compatibility.

Thanks for the tip, I might check them out.

Show threadMark CrockerJan 25, 2025

@awoodsnet I got Cherry MX Blue switches on my second #ZsaMoonlander (See https://indieweb.social/@mcrocker/113830573317423245 ) for home use, where clicky keys won't bother anyone 😉

Like you, I found these took more force than I expected. I was hoping that they would be more like my IBM model M #MechanicalKeyboard that they were modeled after. However, they're better than the Kailh Brown and definitely better than Outemu Blues that I had on a Redragon Vata keyboard. No false positives with these either 🌞

Mark Crocker (@[email protected])

@[email protected] I _just_ doubled down on a second #ZSAMoonlander https://www.zsa.io/moonlander (an ergonomic, split, columnar, tent-able, RGB, #MechanicalKeyboard). After trudging through the snow and ice with thick gloves on and carrying that keyboard to and from work, I figured that it didn't matter if I still hadn't learned it well enough to be as fast as I was before, because it would be cheaper to buy a second one for home, than if I fell on my ass and broke something (keyboard or bones). 😉

Indieweb.Social
Show threadMark CrockerJan 25, 2025

@awoodsnet On my first #ZsaMoonlander I got Kailh box brown switches for use at work. They are the least tactile switches I have ever used that claim to be tactile. There's no obvious bump, unless you count the stickiness at the very top of the travel. I would sum them up as muddy.

https://keebworks.com/kailh-box-brown/ confirms my experience.

Despite that, they are still better for typing than Otemu brown switches because I _never_ get any false positive key presses.

1/2

Kailh BOX Brown – KeebWorks

Mark CrockerJan 15, 2025

I have reached peak awkwardness with my #ZSAMoonlander https://www.zsa.io/moonlander #MechanicalKeyboard.

Before Christmas I told people I was about 70% of my typing speed on my previous 104 key QWERTY Mechanical keyboard (Redragon Vata with Outemu browns). Then, I Forgot the Moonlander at home and discovered, it was more like 50%.

I Forgot again the other day and found, I'm slower on the old keyboard too, because I have to pause and search for key combos like Alt-Home, Ctrl-Sft-Right etc.. 🤦‍♂️

ZSA Moonlander: Next-gen Ergonomics

An open-source keyboard for serious developers, creative professionals, and people who care deeply about their craft.

Mark CrockerJan 15, 2025

@jalefkowit I _just_ doubled down on a second #ZSAMoonlander https://www.zsa.io/moonlander (an ergonomic, split, columnar, tent-able, RGB, #MechanicalKeyboard).

After trudging through the snow and ice with thick gloves on and carrying that keyboard to and from work, I figured that it didn't matter if I still hadn't learned it well enough to be as fast as I was before, because it would be cheaper to buy a second one for home, than if I fell on my ass and broke something (keyboard or bones). 😉

ZSA Moonlander: Next-gen Ergonomics

An open-source keyboard for serious developers, creative professionals, and people who care deeply about their craft.

gozesDec 21, 2024

Odd question for anyone that owns a #zsa #moonlander or a #voyager #keyboard . Can you set keys to send midi messages so you can have a layer that works as a midi controller pad by sending all kinds of midi messages? I know qmk has support for this but wander if zsa keyboards does too. I would much rather get one of there keyboards then try to hack something together on one of my qkm based keyboards

#zsamoonlander #zsavoyager #mechanicalkeyboard

Mark CrockerDec 8, 2024

I am disappointed with the Kailh box brown switches on my #ZSAMoonlander #SplitMechanicalKeyboard because they don't feel very tactile.

This review, https://keebworks.com/kailh-box-brown/ , would have told me that they have a very small "bump" right up near the top of the range of travel.

The Outemu browns, from my re-entry to the #MechanicalKeyboard world experiment, feel much more like my IBM model M, but sometimes register key presses before the bump.

Kailh's never give me false positive key presses.

Kailh BOX Brown – KeebWorks