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Currently Playing: Xah Talk Show Ep786. x chord keyboard, lisp keyboard, c vs cpp vs rust

In this talk show episode, Xah Lee explores various topics centered on keyboard design, programming languages, and broader social commentary. Keyboard Design and Philosophy: The "No Chord" Keyboard: Xah discusses his 2011 design for a keyboard intended to eliminate "chording" (the need to hold multiple keys like Control or Shift simultaneously), which he argues is a major cause of repetitive strain injury (0:26). Design Flaws: He criticizes modern keyboard layouts as being rooted in 19th-century mechanical typewriter limitations, specifically calling out the "long space bar" (10:47) and the necessity of modifier keys (3:19) as outdated "idiocies." Ergonomics: He advocates for placing number keys in a central square and notes that while some vintage hardware like the Space Cadet or Hyper 7 keyboards are interesting, they are often impractical for modern, ergonomic use (31:37). Programming Languages: Xah shares his perspective on the ongoing "war" between C, C++, and Rust. He describes Rust as having a functional lineage (related to OCaml) and expresses hope that it might eventually displace C and C++, which he criticizes for their obsession with manual memory management (26:37). Pointing Devices: He explains his preference for using both a trackball and a mouse (or pen tablet) to distribute hand usage and reduce strain, reflecting his interest in ambidexterity (21:17). Societal Collapse: Towards the end, he touches on the state of the United States, suggesting a gradual decline starting around 2015 and arguing that meaningful change requires people to step out from behind anonymity and take personal responsibility for their views (38:44). Notes at http://xahlee.info/talk_show/xah_talk_show_ep786.html If browser says security error, that is because it auto changes URL from HTTP to HTTPS. It's a way to censor 22 million old websites. Remove the S in HTTPS. Or use brave browser or safari.