As much as I dislike Microsoft, I like their
Trackball Optical Mouse, and I bought a new one last week, and ordered a new
Natural Multimedia Keyboard at the same time. I didn't realize that unlike the
Natural Pro, it's not a USB keyboard, nor does it include USB ports. It actually comes with a PS/2 cable connector. They must think it is still 1998.
My old Natural Pro picked up a bit of dirt, so I spent some time this morning washing and cleaning it (the keys are still drying). It looks almost brand new now. There's a couple things that never seem to flat-out die on a computer. Every mouse that I've ever owned still works, as does every keyboard.
It irks me that Microsoft redesigned the Natural line of Keyboards a few years ago, and in the process munged the set of keys that I used the most: the arrow keys and the "Insert" key. The Mac has broken my habit of the Insert Key, but I still can't stand those itty-bitt arrow keys. The Natural Elite (which was the successor to the Natural Pro), they laid out the arrow keys and the home keys in a new configuration, which was not usuable by gamers. Their latest designs features a super large "DELETE" key, which I'd really like to ask the layout designer why he thought it'd be a good idea to make it easier for people to accidently press the key, especially since my brain has already mentally mapped the Insert Key being where the Delete key is.
I suppose I'm just being curmudgeonly, like Frank Navasky except waxing sentimental on a keyboard instead of a typewriter.
I acutally really like the Natural Elite. The Natural Pro was too heavy and big and was just a little too early to be USB. The Elite also gave us the FPS W ASD space alt key setup. Before the Elite everyone just moved their hand over to the arrow keys and used the home, end, insert, delete, page up, and page down keys.
The problem I have is the elite is very hard to find now. Microsoft has gone to selling only value added keyboards to consumers. The good news is Dell is either still buying Elites from MS or has a huge warehouse full of them.