Blacked out Charybdis
Specs
- Charybdis MK2 by Bastard Keyboards
- Case: Prusament Galaxy Black PLA
- Switches: MX Linear (Gateron yellow)
- Keycaps: Ducky Blank Black MDA Profile Singleshot PBT
- Trackball: SANWA 34mm/1.34in Black
- Bearings: MR63 roller bearings
- TRRS cable: UGREEN 3.5mm Braided 4-Pole TRRS Hi-Fi Stereo Jack Shielded Male to Male AUX Cord
Thoughts
The two main features that attracted me to the Charybdis were its curved keywell and integrated trackball. But while the trackball is very useful compared to using a separate standalone trackball device, I definitely understand why people often dislike thumb-operated trackballs like this. The way the Charybdis is designed to be used is with the fingers in the home row position and thumbs alternating between the thumb cluster keys and operating the trackball as needed. The problem there is that during long sessions of a pointer-heavy task, operating this trackball with my thumb as designed makes my right forearm sore. For whatever biomechanical reason, operating a trackball with my fingers is just much more comfortable than doing so with my thumb. I can mitigate this issue on the Charybdis a bit by simply adjusting my hand position on the keyboard only during pointer-heavy tasks.
When it comes to key-heavy tasks (e.g. writing code, drafting email), I use the keyboard as designed, like the mock-up above. Of course, during these key-heavy tasks, I do occasionally need to make a small movement with the trackball, so I can just move my thumb over onto the trackball as needed. For small occasional pointer adjustments like this, operating the trackball with my thumb is no problem.
But during pointer-heavy tasks (e.g. photo editing, web browsing), I move my right hand down so that my middle finger now rests on the trackball and my index finger and thumb operate the thumb cluster, like the mock-up above. When in this position, my left hand handles all the clicking, modifier keys (control, shift, etc.), and most of the occasional alpha keys that I need to press. Just like how I occasionally need to make small pointer adjustments during a key-heavy task, I do occasionally need to briefly adjust my hand into the normal home row typing position during pointer-heavy tasks.
This concept of moving my right hand between these two positions is still much better than the more traditional method of moving my hand between a keyboard and separate mouse/trackball. With a separate mouse/trackball, I have to move my entire arm several centimeters to the side each time I want to go between pointing/typing. But with the Charybdis, alternating between my two different hand positions is just a matter of moving my fingers down a couple of centimeters. This takes less time, and more importantly, less effort.
Off-topic Svalboard comparison
All this said, it pales in comparison to the pointing/typing experience of a Svalboard Lightly. Like the Charybdis, the Svalboard puts its trackball right next to the keys. But not only can the Svalboard trackball be positioned even closer to its keys than the Charybdis trackball is to its keys, the Svalboard has a trackball on both hands. Having one trackball that is dedicated to pointing and a second trackball that is dedicated to scrolling (both vertically and horizontally) is a better experience than the method that the Charybdis employs of using a key to toggle the single trackball between pointing/scrolling.
On the topic of the name: What is the thought process behind the naming scheme for the Scylla/Charybdis keyboards? The Charybdis is effectively just a Scylla with a trackball in place of a couple of the thumb keys. In fact, the Charybdis build guide actually instructs you to 3D print the Charybdis case/plate only for the trackball half, and then to get the case/plate from the Scylla repo to print the non-trackball half.
Scylla:
Charybdis:
But the mythological creatures that they are named after are two entirely different sea beasts. Charybdis is more-or-less just a big sentient whirlpool, and Scylla is a multi-headed serpent.
Charybdis is not like a more powerful/capable specimen of the same species as Scylla, or something like that. They are two entirely different species. Calling the keyboard "Charybdis" instead of just something like "Scylla Plus" sounds (to me) like they are two entirely different keyboards. It would make more sense to me if it was the Dilemma that was given the name "Charybdis", as it really is a completely different beast.
Dilemma:
The only argument in favor of this naming scheme that I can think of is to consider them "counterparts". The mythical beasts, albeit completely different from one another, both exist in the same story and serve as a pair of antagonists from the same scene. Similarly, these keyboards also exist alongside one another.
If you consider your left half to be a Scylla and your right half to be a Charybdis then you get a narrow, dangerous straight to sail between your keyboard halves.
That's where my mug goes