Place your hands and arms naturally and comfortably with the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. The improved split design encourages a more natural hand, wrist, and forearm position and its new curved key layout makes keys easier to reach.
By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .
Feb 06, 2019 Switches between the standard function key commands (F LOCK light on) and the Microsoft keyboard enhanced commands (F LOCK light off). Leave it on or off, or alternate between modes for increased key press functionality. Help: F1: Opens the Help system for the active window. New: F4: Creates a new document in programs that support this command. Microsoft; Microsoft Keyboards; Microsoft Keyboards. Bluetooth Wireless (32). Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 B2M-00013 Black USB Wired Ergonomic Keyboard - English (Canada) Localization. Of available hard disk space USB port CD drive Microsoft IntelliType Pro software version 7.0 For a Macintosh PC: Macintosh Mac OS X.
The Microsoft Natural keyboard, a revolution in keyboard.
The Microsoft Natural Keyboard, introduced in 1994.This keyboard made ergonomic keyboard popular, and also innovative isintegratedwrist pad.
The keyboard also introduced the❖ Window keyand▤ Menu keyfor the first time, forMicrosoft Windows 95.
[see Keyboard Menu/App Key]
It was designed for Microsoft by Ziba Design.
Although it was not the first ergonomic keyboard, itwas the first widely available sub-$100 offering.[2] The keyboard gainedpopularity quickly, selling over 600,000 per month at its peak.[1]
As with most Microsoft keyboards, software (Microsoft IntelliType) is bundled for both Mac OS X and Windows, allowing users to customize the function keys and modify keys fairly extensively.
[from WikipediaMicrosoft Natural keyboard]
Microsoft Ergo Success, Apple Failure
The ergonomic keyboard revolution is due to Microsoft.Apple made one a year before, but failed.This is one rare instance where Apple's innovation failed but Microsoft succeeds.
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite
The Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite, introduced in 1998, discontinued around 2014.
The new arrow key arrangement sucked major. There's a big distance between the up and down arrow keys, very bad. Try play Pacman with it.
Also, the vertical home/end key cluster is unsettling.
[see Keyboard Home/End Keys Arrangement]
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro
The second iteration was the Natural Keyboard Pro, introduced in 1999.The Natural Keyboard Pro retained the original inverted-T layout of thecursor keys, and gained a row of program shortcut keys along the top edgeof the board, including multimedia keys and Power management keys. In versionsof Windows prior to Windows Vista, Microsoft's Intellitype software isrequired to configure the behavior of the shortcut keys. Vista and Windows7 have the ability to customize shortcut key behavior without additionalsoftware when using the “internet keyboard” keyboard layout. Some othermodern operating systems, such as FreeBSD and most Linux distributions,have comparable configuration options. The Natural Keyboard Pro also includedan internal two-port USB hub, which was commonly used to connect otherinput devices such as a mouse or trackball, but this was dropped in subsequentiterations.
Microsoft Wireless Natural Multimedia keyboard
This keyboard is nice. The multimedia keys, in their distinctive shape and size, are nice. Easy to recognize, easy to press.
I used this one for 5 years.
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000
Get excel for mac. This, a significant redesign. But, overall, may be worse.
The multimedia keys, and extra launch buttons at top, are worse. Now they are the same shape, harder to distinguish by sight or by feel. The button tactile quality is also worse than the previous version. Now they are harder to know if registered.
Added a new zoom button in middle. Nice.
Added a browser back and forth buttons, below the space bar. Nice.
There's a critical problem: the space bar is very strong resistance.
Also, the digit key 1, is also harder to press somehow.This got me Repetitive Strain Injury in 2010.SeeProgramer Hand Health: vi Esc Key Syndrome
2 years later, in 2012, i got another bout of Repetitive Strain Injury when using this keyboard. This time, it's the key x.SeeThe Roadmap to Completely Replace Emacs's Key System, Part 1
Microsoft outlook 2013 recall email. Then, still later, i got more hand semi-pain, and i suspect it's due to the Stiff spacebar. I went back to the previous keyboard, but soon gotTruly Ergonomic Keyboard.
Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 Multimedia Keys Pc/mac