[David Watson]

I just got a Mac Pro (awesome machine ), and I use a Kinesis contoured keyboard for most of my work. However, it doesn't have volume buttons, so I keep the apple keyboard plugged in as well.

What I'd like to do is this, but as of yet I have not yet determined if it is possible:

Use my contoured keyboard unmodified, just like I'm currently doing.
Have the apple keyboard set up so I can use it for all kinds of keyboard shortcuts. It would be great if I could, for example, have the 1 key set up to switch to Firefox, 2 to Mail, 3 to iChat, 4 for iTunes, and so forth.

Obviously, using Quicksilver or some other app, I can set up these types shortcuts - but I only want them to apply to the second keyboard. Has anyone done this, or something similar?

[cyantix]

I can't think of any reason I would want to have two keyboards.

[MacDog]

This is the most ridiculous request I've ever seen. Why not just buy a keyboard with the keys you want?

But to answer your question, no you can't do it. The OS recognizes keyboard shortcuts for all keyboards attached - there's no way to tell it to only use one of the keyboards and not the other.

[Jay Condon]

I think MacDog might need a distemper shot. It's not that ridiculous at all. If ya have the desk space and an extra keyboard laying around anyway, why not try to make some use of it instead of letting it gather dust in the closet?

[orcinus]

Here's a dumb idea:

Mod the other keyboard (superglue, tape, paperclips, putty, aluminium foil, <insert your macgyverian weapon of choice here>) so, i.e. Ctrl, Shift and Pretzel (Apple) are always pressed.

Then assign Ctrl+Shift+Pretzel+<whatever> shortcuts (Preferences -> Keyboard & Mouse -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> "plus" button) to your liking

[monkeybrain]

That's a nice idea from orcinus, but the problem would be you couldn't type anything if control-shift-'pretzel' were always pressed on the other keyboard.

[orcinus]

Like i said, a dumb idea
I'm not sure how the keyboard I/O works. Are you 100% sure all the modifiers get "implemented" on the computer/OS side? Maybe some of them work "locally", i.e. keyboard outputs a different hex altogether for Shift+Pretzel+A, instead of outputing separate keypress events for Shift, Pretzel and A.

[eyevaan]

I don't think it is an aweful idea but I would imagine it would be difficult to use until you got that third arm installed, Zaphod.

okay I'm done with the poking - I use the Nostromo Array and I have to admit that sometimes it kind of gets in the way with PS and ILL - I have been using the shortcut keys for so long that the 'augmentation' of the array is just too cumbersome. I am better with it on programs (ahem - games I have never played)

[Syzygy]

I've always thought having a separate board just for commands would be awesome. But I would suggest buying another piece of hardware. You could buy a game pad--for example, I have one of these and it works like a keyboard but I can customize all the buttons separately from the main keyboard. But I wouldn't really recommend one of those, it's pretty poorly built.

I also know they make many keyboards for PCs that have a lot of customizable buttons but I have no idea how they would work on a mac.

[dbranham]

I try to keep the wife around to hit my necessary keys.

[Burk3]

would usb overdrive be able to do that?