Special Keyboard for GIMP
Yes, there is one around - a special keyboard for GIMP. (The site is in German, but the Fish will help you.) Uwe Mayer has made one out of an old cash register keyboard bought from eBay. He got his informations from an other German site from Markus Dollinger.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:34 am
Sounds cool! But wouldn’t it simply be better to learn the shortcuts on normal keyboards by heart? (Especially when you’re somewhere else using GIMP and don’t have this keyboard but a normal one)
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:50 am
You’re right.
But when you’re dealing with two ore more applications for picture manipulation (I’m using IrfanView for the bulk work) and some other PC applications too, you can get puzzled soon. Especially if you’re approaching age 40
July 3rd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Hi!
I think this might not be as useful as it looks. With a normal keyboard, you know where the keys are, and the only thing you have to memorize is which shortcut corresponds to what action of the program you are using. With a keyboard like this you also have to learn the new positions of all the keys. It’s gonna take you a lot of practise to get used to it. Perhaps just as much as it would take to memorize the key combinations of your standard keyboard. And in the beginning of learning, while you’re not yet fluent with your special keyboard, you always have to look for your keys, which will perhaps take you longer than clicking on the icons or menus with your mouse, while on a standard keyboard, at least the (few) combinations you already know can be used very quickly because you already know where the keys are.
Still, this thing looks cool. Once you’re used to it, you may be able to work very fast with it. Although then you won’t be needing the special labels on the keys any more…
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I am with you there. It’s so cooool - but I would never use it.
The problem of different key strokes on different programs can be configured away mostly. Gimp is highly adaptable.