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I am about to begin studying partial differential equations, and I recall from multivariable calculus how annoying it was to hunt for, copy, and paste symbols such as ∂, ∇, Δ, etc., sometimes more than once per sentence, while discussing the subject in real time.

I would like to purchase a keyboard well-suited to creating keys for such symbols. It would also be handy to program multiple characters, i.e., the LaTeX for a matrix, \begin{matrix} \ \ \ \end{matrix}, commonly used computer code, etc., into a single keystroke. Would any random programmable keyboard such as this be good, or is there a particular keyboard or type of keyboard to get?

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    I believe that Windows (and some Linux DEs should too) has a keystroke sequence for entering an arbitrary Unicode character. Wouldn't a macro suffice then?
    – jaskij
    Commented Jan 19, 2020 at 11:29
  • Agree with @JanDorniak here. Depending on the OS you're using, it may be easier to do your macros at the OS level than at the keyboard level. That said, the choice is ultimately up to you, and there are keyboards that support large numbers of macros and full reprogrammability—usually for a price though.
    – JMY1000 ♦
    Commented Jan 19, 2020 at 20:32
  • @JMY1000 don't gaming keyboards/mice sometimes have a decent number of fully programmable macro keys? I remember mice for WoW which had so many macro keys they looked like a hand grenade.
    – jaskij
    Commented Jan 19, 2020 at 21:17
  • At least for Word, enabling "Use Math AutoCorrect rules outside of math regions" is a very efficient way of getting the most common symbols - you just have to type e.g. "\alpha", much like in LaTeX.
    – towe
    Commented Jan 20, 2020 at 9:06
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    @JMY1000 not to mention that most vendor software only works under Windows. Imagine rebooting the PC to change mouse sensitivity...
    – jaskij
    Commented Jan 20, 2020 at 18:16

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