The Atreus is a fun project to build and the fact that the controller source code is freely available is great fun. I've built mine with Matias keys and they do feel better than the wobbly and less smooth action found in the Cherry brown keys.

I have a few Advantage keyboards as well and in my mind they serve different purposes.

The Atreus is a great portable lapboard and works really well when you use it in that regard. FYI: The lack of extra keys lend this keyboard to Emacs programmers; You'll be chording on this keyboard significantly more than you might expect.

For a non-portable ergonomic keyboard, the size of the Advantage and extra keys offer a more comfortable typing experience when used on a desk. These keyboards are pretty damn huge though and will fill a backpack without any extra help.

Been eying these up for a while now. Also the firmware is completely open which is nice.

Absolutely; I'm using a slightly modified layout myself. Both the design and the firmware(s) are free software:

- Design (GPLv3): https://github.com/technomancy/atreus

- Current firmware (GPLv2+): https://github.com/technomancy/tmk_keyboard/tree/atreus

- Older firmware, great for learning (GPLv3): https://github.com/technomancy/atreus-firmware

How are the wrists bent with the small size? Ideally, the keyboard should be split in half so your wrists are farther apart.

There's a lot to consider when shopping for an ergonomic keyboard:

https://h4labs.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/the-model-01-an-heir...

That's true and perhaps surprisingly enough, despite the small size I don't find myself bending my wrists when typing.

The fact that the layout is column-staggered helps a lot with this too: I don't have to bend my wrists sideways to reach the "corners" of the keyboard; I just move my hands back and forth.

That looks really, really interesting - but the shipping outside of the US is a bit scary/expensive. Any idea if the creator teamed up with a European person/store as well?

as the design is open, it'll be cheaper/easier to cut the plates yourself and handwire the matrix. but you do need quite a bit of time (1 or 2 days to fully assemble it).

You mention time, I mostly see 'skill' ;-)

Thanks, maybe I can either

a) use this to improve my loooow skills

or

b) find someone that can do this for me, locally, sans shipping.