1. I would imagine it would still be faster, but I have no idea. Thats something for you to know. How long did it take you to type this thread? Would it have been longer with an on-screen keyboard?

2. No. Typing on a keyboard has nothing to do with the control set up. Just plug it in and start typing.

3. Not much. I hardly use mine outside of FC/LS chat. However, there are moments when players are new to certain dungeon mechanics and it would be best to have a way to communicate with them. Maybe you'll need to explain something to them. Maybe you need to discuss who will handle certain things. I imagine for a lot of these you could have macros to say "Yes, I know" or "I'll handle the doors" or something, but its always better to type out a more personalized and coherent message. I hate when I get a robotic answer from someone, especially if they end up failing their job. Then I wonder if they really knew are were just BSing with a vague confirmation.