I'll bet the "gaming" aspect is immaterial to him and it's just a proxy for "a high quality keyboard". For many years now, his stated life's goal has been to "finish" TAOCP, which I imagine requires a _lot_ of typing on a daily basis. It's no secret that most consumer keyboards are garbage, so I imagine he opts for the higher-end models that are common among gamers simply for the better ergonomics and usability.

This has personal resonance for me: I was having really serious problems with RSI (it was sufficiently uncomfortable that it woke me up at night sometimes) that are greatly attenuated since I invested in a Kinesis keyboard and an Evoluent Vertical Mouse. It took about a week to feel comfortable with the keyboard (and it's unique layout actually improved my typing considerably, so that when I use a "normal" keyboard, such as on my laptop, I'm both faster and make fewer mistakes). When I was in the US Marine Corps, an infantryman once told me that a US$200 pair of boots wasn't just an expensive pair of boots, but an investment in one's feet. I view the HCI equipment of one's computer setup similarly: Excellent displays, keyboards and mice are investments in one's ability to work comfortably and productively.

        - Dan C.