Only fellow hardcore programmers will know what I'm even talking about... maybe. I need a new keyboard. My current keyboard has a typematic rate of 40-per-second on XP. I tried a new Logitech-Deluxe-250 and the typematic rate topped out at 30-per-second. It's a USB and my old keyboard is a PS/2. Go to a computer store or online and say the word "typematic". Duh is the response. Am I the only person left who adjusts their keyboard repeat rate? Try to contact Logitech or Kensington... impossible. I want the typematic rate as fast as possible, and the key-delay as short as possible. Am I the only one left? I don't need keys dedicated to email or backing up my data. That is just plain scary. What is the best programmer's keyboard?

Why do you want such a high typematic ratio? When you're programming, you're 99% of the time not button smashing in a way a typist would be pounding away. Most expressions require special characters anyway, and those slow you down massively.

Hell, writing this reply is done in a higher typing speed than coding, because I don't relaly need to think my code through.

But to be on topic: I don't know. I mostly work on a laptop and this keyboard is fine.

Toolmaker

I'm more worried about ergonomics than how quickly my keyboard can repeat a key. I find the Microsoft Comfort Curve works best if you're someone who's hands often wander off the home row, and the Natural 4000 to be the best if you tend to stay in the home row while typing.

The Natural 4000 is a great keyboard and completely saved me from destroying my wrists. One of the best purchases I've ever made in my life. Seriously.

I'm not sure what your obsession with the typematic rate is about - a word I've never even heard of before this - but Windows has a setting for that and I can't imagine ever needing it to go faster.

Different (key) strokes for different folks, I guess. The price of having unusual needs like that is not having many options.

>>Why do you want such a high typematic ratio?

not only that, 40 per second is faster than the world record for typing

QWERTY. I'm left handed, and having so many common letters and words be handled by just the one hand means that I can keep my right hand in the mouse moer often. This results in a nice symmetry in my body (one hand on keyboard + one hand on mouse results in my forearms being perpendicular to my body) and considering most of what I do involves hte mouse, means that I don't have to move it off very often.

This is the exact layout I want: http://www.datacal.com/s_images/chinese-keyboard-black-usb_l.jpg

I'm using Comfort Curve 2000 too.
I don't know anything about the typematic stuff though,Visual Assist does of most the job anyways.I just type a few letters [rolleyes]

Isn't key repeat rate configurable? (If that's what you're talking about edit: yea that's what you're talking about)

I'm just setting it in keyboard preferences. Both repeat rate and delay. You can even adjust it in BIOS AFAIK, but I'm not sure that setting doesn't get overridden by your system.

I'm totally dumbfounded. You want it so that when you hit a key, it instantly repeats itself? And you are hitting the limits of your key delay? What kind of messed up words are you typing that the repeat rate isn't high enough for you?
Do you have variable names like jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj and dddddddddddddddddddddddd?

Can you post a video on youtube of how you work? I really want to see what you are doing.

I'm guessing it's mostly so that moving around with cursor is faster, not so much for actually typing words, etc. Still, I've personally never had a problem with the default speed of my keyboard. Usually I just use the mouse...