What's your favorite (software-free) keyboard and mouse for programming?
Also, I use a Logi M575 trackball most of the time. But occasionally switch to my Evoluent vertical mouse if my hand needs a change.
For a mouse I use a TUF Gaming M3[0]. TUF is a lower gaming brand of ASUS. It has configuration software that I set up on my Surface Go tablet. The mouse itself holds config in firmware and can use with any computer without software. The selling point for me is that I can configure the 4 button-selectable DPIs (up to 7000) to match the different screen resolutions I use, and perfect linear response. It's such a good deal that I get several and keep one in my laptop bag and give them to my family, etc. It was also hard to find a mouse with a medium size and symmetric shape. So many are weirdly shaped so that when I move vertically or horizontally holding it naturally, motion skews off-axis. The setup also has a straight-line tracking option, but I leave it off for the times that I do some gaming.
[0] https://www.asus.com/ca-en/Accessories/Mice-and-Mouse-Pads/T...
The mouse has hardware buttons on the bottom for DPI and polling rate, and zero software. It's also the most comfortable mouse I've used and has lasted 5 years without any issues. I flashed a custom (open source) firmware to my Ergodox once, never messed with it since then. The Realforce also has no software.
https://www.daskeyboard.com/daskeyboard-4-professional/
For one of my mice I have a Corsair RGP0075. It's got a USB RF dongle and Bluetooth that's also plug and play. however, if you want to disable the led lights on the mouse you need to install their software.
Mind you, that's true of most Logitech gear too - it'll work fine with basic Windows drivers, you don't have to install that G Hub Pro whatever-it-is stuff.
Some of their mice also have on-board memory for settings - you can configure them once using the software, write the config to the mouse, then not bother with the software again.
I also use a WASD mechanical keyboard (Windows, Mac OS, Linux) where all configuration is done via DIP switches, and an Apple Magic Trackpad (on Mac OS only, so no third-party software is required; no idea how well it'd work on Windows or Linux, but if older MacBook Pro trackpad drivers are any indication, Windows driver support may be poor).
They have the same keyboard as their contemporary laptops with the Trackpoint pointing device and mouse buttons, which is my preferred input for programming and other text-based tasks. My older models have a small trackpad as well.
Some variants also
But I found out you can use it to set settings to the mouse itself, then disable the software. For mx I don't install anything, just use basic windows drivers.
Nobody else has low latency wireless mice like Logitech. So I put up with the software.
okay, I sound like a snake oil salesman. But it has lots of configuration options and no required weird software that needs to be running all the time.
I would like to be able to use the old "Apple Extended Keyboard" [1], but on Windows that have not yet been feasible, despite the excellent help from Capsicain [2] So for now I only use that on my non-labtop Apple computers…
My requirement for a Keyboard are here:
F-keys
Seperated in groups of four (F1-F4, F5-F8 & F9-F12)
F# clearly identfied on key (keyboards with Fn function typically favor the non-F-function)
Inverted T
Space between alpha / arrow+page up|down / numeric sections
Microsoft Surface fails here
Return key 90 degree angle shaped "danish" (NOT the US horisontal) aka "big enter"
ÆØÅ keys labelled NOT combined with the other nordic letters - only the danish letter (can be improved by painting over the other nordic letters)
Must be present
Delete key same size as normal keys (NOT double height as some Logitech keyboards)
USB (must support KVM without delay)
NOT present at all
If present, then
- NOT positioned on the left side of SPACE (will be hit in stead of CTRL, not good)
USB hub built-in
Nice, not mandatory
Nice, not mandatory (remember to use SHIFT-F10)