(Though whoever decided that alt-tab should require a crazy hand-spread gesture with the outside fingers spread wide, needs to have their head checked. And the function keys are an affront against all that is good in the world.)
With split keyboards, you can place the two halves as far apart as you want, tent them (rotate them outward), etc. It's really an RSI game changer, especially if you have a sit/stand desk.
I think Kinesis is coming out with a split board version of it soon, but the Moonlander and Ergodox EZ are also good options you can get now (I have these).
I’m not too far down the rabbit hole but when I got my Ultimate Hacking Keyboard[1] I was finally a happy camper. The improvement over the few membrane split keyboards available was noticeable. Especially once I figured out the layer mappings I like.
It’s sooo much better than the butterfly MacBook keyboard that I basically don’t use my laptop away from my desk any more. I always pack my UHK when I travel. I use a Logitech mouse between the two keyboard halves.
I waited years from the initial find on Crowd Supply to having it. Then several more years before the promised “modules” shipped. By the time the modules arrived I had adapted so completely to the keyboard I haven’t actually found much use for the extra key cluster. I want to like the trackpad module but it doesn’t have two-finger scrolling so it just annoys me when I try to use it.
EDIT: Forgot to mention, this setup resulted in so much less hand, arm, and shoulder pain.
Fully split with the key wells, and a Kinesis board to boot.
The keyboard.io is also a great option
I momentarily considered the Moonlander as a replacement until realizing that both the Ergodox EZ and the Moonlander are made and sold by ZSA.
I've also had no debounce issues across two of them.
"Classic" Function keys are fine for what they are - dedicated, offset groups of four that 1:1 map to your fingers, facilitating fast and reliable(! Tactile discovery FTW!) hand travel away from the home row and back.
It's the "make one big sea of keys" approach and the idea that every key must be reachable without moving your hand that lead to the terrible abominations we often get today (sadly, on the current MS Ergo iteration as well...what were they thinking?!).
