Anyone know where i can buy laptops with english/american keyboard. Cannot get used to Y and Z are not where they should be.

Thanks

i really don't think you can buy it anywhere in the local shops, although i've only been looking at the big ones, but you could try ordering online, then ship it here, you have to pay taxes of course

my pc is qwertz layout, but keyboard setting is english, i did get used to it in time

Order from Dell or Apple and they can provide UK or US keyboards.

Our company can get them in for you. Makes and models dependant, but Lenovo's are most common and no problem.
Email if you need help.

Just go to the International Settings bit of the menu thing in the control panel, and change the 'input language' to English (UK).

The you can continue to type as normal regardless of the rubbish is plastered over the front of the keys (you know, those weird letters with dots and slashes over them... totally unnecessary for any civilised writer).

My computer at home is permanently set up like that, although I did manage to annoy a few of my former colleagues when I'd set the work computers up the same way and then forget to change them back again...

You can even buy special "key" stickers on ebay once you try the above idea.

Just be glad that you've not got French keyboards. I really can't deal with them. ( I switched over to Swiss layout when I first got here. It was painful for a while, but now I touch type as fast as ever. And I can still switch over to a UK keyboard at the same speed now. ).

If you buy a HP business laptop from anywhere you can order a new keyboard from http://www.partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main I did it and the new keyboard only cost me about 18 Euro.

The easiest and cheapest is to do what Dougal's Breakfast suggested. You can put stickers on keyboard if you need. You can configure a couple of languages so you just click from one to another when you want to change if I remember rightly.

Hi,

I have to say I now find it quite difficult to type on a uk or us keyboard. As I touch type I don't look at the keys and I have never used a us keyboard in Switzerland. It does not take that long to get used to the swiss layout and it makes a lot easier if you have to write in German.

Maybe I have just been here too long

Have fun

Martin

I've bought several laptops here, and what I've always done is to just set the keyboard or in Windows the "input language" to US English. Then the keyboard responds as I expect, assuming I do not look at it. That's the key: ignore what's printed on the keys.

In fact, for a desktop (OT I know) this is the best keyboard available, bar none: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_keyboard

All they have to do is figure a way to have those keys automatically change letter codes at the push of a button... (why not?)

Hi, I bought mine on-line from Dell the service is excellent, the only thing is that it's delivered by DHL so you need to sign or have it delivered to your work place. Good luck

Unless you are only staying in Switzerland for a short time I suggest you stick with a Swiss keyboard (it sounds like you have QWERTZ). The Y and Z switch is a pain to get used to, but trying to type German or French on a US keyboard is a real pain.

The longer you are here the more often you will find yourself typing German or French into the computer (even if it just to get a machine translation or something). After being here a year, my work laptop with a US English keyboard is annoying when I am on the road away from my full size Swiss keyboard and have to write the occasional email or Google search in German.

I agree that changing the keyboard layout under the settings is the fastest solution. You can also order your laptop online then it will be exactely the way you wish without manipulating the keys. However you might reconsider sticking to German keyboard because at times when you want to use Umlaut keys while typing something in German, it is there instead of setting to DE. I got used to both layout right now although I struggled a bit last year

It exists if you don't mind spending 1006 € for a keyboard.

And of course it won't make your typing any faster, whereas a perfectly blank keyboard will.

Forgot the link the first time: http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/

I switch a lot between French/Swedish/US and it's easy to change with ALT+SHIFT after having done what Dougal wrote. If you really need to have the Z & Y at the correct places physically/visually, as it is a laptop, you can most likely just switch them yourself. You just pull them right up. On newer "wavy" (non-rectangular) desktop keyboards this doesn't work as the buttons aren't similar one to another.

er.. most laptop keys will 'jimmy' off.. just put a knife under the key apply pressure and it'll spring off.. or break in two..
one or the other