I'm a programmer, working with different languages/Formats (Java, Python, Xml, Html, Objective-C ect.). From time to I've to work on a Mac and I'm not very comfortable with the German keyboard layout for programming.
Is there somebody with the same problem and, if so, how did you solve it?
I recently did an internship in England and used this opportunity to switch to the English keyboard layout. The switch was nearly completely straightforward and I can heartily recommend it, especially since you can still type the German umlauts very well on the English keyboard layout (Alt+u, then a/o/u types the corresponding umlaut; Alt+s types “ß”).
The keys used for programming are much easier reachable, especially “[]” and “{}” (which are both on “ü” and “+”). Also, “/” and “\” better placed. The only think I absolutely hate is the placement of the “+” key because it requires the shift key!
You can find some answers to your question here on Stackoverflow:
Related sad story: I am often unhappy about the keyboard layout (especially the placement on CapsLock, Ctrl, Apple key, which is different on Mac and Dell, and I have to use both), but I found that I absolutely cannot handle a (software) keyboard layout that does not correspond to what is printed on the actual hardware keycaps.
I think I could deal with a keyboard without any keycaps at all, but once they do not say what they do, I get very conscious about my typing and mess up completely.
So short of using an actual programmer-friendly USB keyboard I am trapped with what the OS/hardware vendor thinks is good for me.
Update: The guy sitting at the desk in front of me has covered his keyboard with the star-spangled banner is typing through that...
You can get a blank keyboard from http://www.daskeyboard.com
I've been eyeing it up for awhile now.