Mechanical Keyboards

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

Has anyone else found that owning a mechanical bluetooth keyboard leads to compulsive typing?

I picked up a Varmilo VB87M with Cherry MX Blue switches on Massdrop a few months ago. Getting it to pair with all of my main devices was arduous, but the feel and sound of the keys are so satisfying that I find myself typing even when I'm not driven to input flurries of phrases and images. That's how fun mechanical keyboards can be: They can actually inspire you.

This one also has backlit LEDs for typing in the dark (if your touch memorization doesn't extend to certain key commands and alternate characters). You can customize mechanical keyboards endlessly as well -- different keycaps, metal/acrylic cases, stabilizers, etc. -- but for now, I'm happy with this one as is.

Because I've enjoyed using this keyboard so much, I just bought a WASD Code with MX Clears for editing at work. Clears are a tad quieter than blues and there's little point in using any keyboard that feels less than delicious if you have a choice.

Has anyone else been fondling mechanical keyboards of late? If you're a composer as well as a writer, you might have found that spinning out musical and verbal phrases can feel satisfyingly similar. That's especially true when the keys on both sorts of board feel perfect.

Bwehehe.... welcome to the 80's.

Mechanical keyboards, such as the IBM M, where the default in those days. I've started on an old Olivetti computer, which had a keyboard that was basically a relabeled IBM M. (I didn't know this back then.) I used it from 1990 to 1994, and sold it with the keyboard.

I never found a keyboard as good as that one, but I didn't know why. So, I typed on all sorts of different stuff, eventually finding the Logitech UltraX keyboard. It was the best I've found, after the Olivetti board. The scissor switches tend to break after 3-4 years however, so I bought 4 extra just before they phased out.

Then, 2012, I started hearing about mechanical keyboards. In the Netherlands, they were very expensive, and very hard to find, and I found the Blue switches too noisy and too light. After researching, I encountered the newer MX Green, which are basically a heavier MX Blue, but they weren't used in many keyboards, because their activation point is very heavy compared to the Blue's and many people seem to be unable to handle them. So, I waited if there would be a keyboard available in US QWERTY in Europe, using the green switches.

Last year, I found out about the WASD CODE (it already has dampers installed below the green switches), and took a chance, getting it in Germany for almost €200.

Making a long story very short: I think I'm going to get one for my upcoming computer somewhere in the beginning of next year, and one as a spare.

Back to they 80's we go, when everything was better

I always think it's funny, when people discover something 'new', which is just something very old but brought back as 'high end stuff'. With regard to mechanical keyboards, I now know why a keyboard in the 80's cost like fl. 500 (+/- 225), and suddenly starting dropping towards fl. 30-60 (€14-28) in the 90's. Now, a €195 mechanical keyboard doesn't seem expensive. Actually, taking inflation into account, the mechanicals are FAR more cheaper now than they were in the 80's.

[incumbent]

A guy in my office still uses an IBM Type-M with a PS/2 adapter. People that like 'em really like 'em. I'd still use an Apple Extended Keyboard II if I would have had access to an ADB-to-USB widget years ago.

[Katsunami]

Maybe I'm just being nostalgic, but when using this mechanical keyboard while having a few Cygwin terminal windows open (or Bash, when I'm in Linux, which I sometimes need), with green letters and a black background, I actually feel like I'm using a computer instead of a toy...

The Olivetti I mentioned was an M240.



Mine had a screen with 16 shades of green on black, 8086 (or 8088?) CPU at or below 10 MHz, 640 kB RAM, 2 3.5" DD (not even HDD) drives, and that was it. I've used it from the beginning of 1990 to the end of 1994.

*TAK, TAK, TAKTAKTAKTAK... TAKKETAKKETAKTAK*
*Green on black letters on screen*
*TAK* (enter)
*Cool stuff happens, IF you knew what you were doing*

THAT was a computer.

NOW GET OFF MY LAWN!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

, 2 3.5" DD (not even HDD) drives, and that was it. NOW GET OFF MY LAWN!

Uhh
Look at your picture
Those are 5.25 inch half-height floppies

(I had 3 Full height single sided drives attached to my TI 99/4. I later updated 2 of them to double sided when I upgraded to a TI 99/4a. I BTW I still have plenty of 5.25 DSDD disks laying about )

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by theducks

Uhh
Look at your picture
Those are 5.25 inch half-height floppies

Yeah, you're right. The M240 could have both; 5.25", or 3.5" floppies, depending if it was an older or newer model (or an upgraded old model). Mine came with 2x 3.5" 720 kB floppies. (After upgrading my organ to use an SD-Card reader/floppy emulator, I haven't ever touched a diskette. I expect to never use one ever again.)

But... it's going a bit off topic. Sorry

[arjaybe]

Who here has used a keyboard with Cherry Green switches? They look as if they might be better than the Blues, but I'd like some testimony. I got this keyboard with Blues because they were touted as the clickiest at the time, but I find them too light and the click does not coincide with the action.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by arjaybe

Who here has used a keyboard with Cherry Green switches? They look as if they might be better than the Blues, but I'd like some testimony. I got this keyboard with Blues because they were touted as the clickiest at the time, but I find them too light and the click does not coincide with the action.

I have a WASD Code with green switches. It is my first mechanical keyboard after the one on the Olivetti, and I chose it because I thought the blue switches to be too light compared to the IBM M. I figured that, when I could type on an IBM M as a 10 year old (when I learned touch typing), I could type on the MX Green as well as an adult.

For me, the Greens are perfect, but there are not many keyboards that have them, because they have the reputation to be (very) heavy. Compared to scissor switches or the MX Blue they are, but when you get used to them, other keyboards feel like junk; even the MX Blues.

If you want a heavier Blue, the Green is the perfect choice for you

[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

I have a WASD Code with green switches. It is my first mechanical keyboard after the one on the Olivetti, and I chose it because I thought the blue switches to be too light compared to the IBM M. I figured that, when I could type on an IBM M as a 10 year old (when I learned touch typing), I could type on the MX Green as well as an adult.

For me, the Greens are perfect, but there are not many keyboards that have them, because they have the reputation to be (very) heavy. Compared to scissor switches or the MX Blue they are, but when you get used to them, other keyboards feel like junk; even the MX Blues.

If you want a heavier Blue, the Green is the perfect choice for you

Perfect. I had high hopes for these blue switches, but they're too limp, as you say. I hate it when it prints a character when the key hasn't given me the tactile feedback.

[Katsunami]

Personally I don't know why the greens have the reputation to be heavy. I almost never bottom them out, so they don't make a lot of noise apart from the click-click-click (obviously; it's a clicking switch), and I don't feel if I need to do any effort to type. I just let my fingers 'drop heavily onto the keys' while typing, if you know what I mean; I don't have the feeling as if I have to actually go and press them down deliberately.

[arjaybe]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

Personally I don't know why the greens have the reputation to be heavy. I almost never bottom them out, so they don't make a lot of noise apart from the click-click-click (obviously; it's a clicking switch), and I don't feel if I need to do any effort to type. I just let my fingers 'drop heavily onto the keys' while typing, if you know what I mean; I don't have the feeling as if I have to actually go and press them down deliberately.

I learned how to type on an old Royal portable. I can't see how I'd consider anything "heavy." Or noisy.-)

[Hitch]

I realize that this is damn near necro-posting, but I wanted to let you all know that I just took possession of the Matias Ergo Pro (for PC). I'll let you all know what I think when I'm more accustomed to it. I love the feel of the keys, and my peeps love how quiet it is. I'm still getting used to the idea that my kb breaks in the middle! :-)

I wanted to thank everyone here for the help.

Hitch

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by Hitch

but I wanted to let you all know that I just took possession of the Matias Ergo Pro (for PC).

[...]

I wanted to thank everyone here for the help.

Glorious! I expect a full review by the end of the week!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans

Glorious! I expect a full review by the end of the week!

Shhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee****t, son, it'll take me that long to figure out how to hook it up. Hey, wanna skype me and listen to me type NOW?

MWHAHAHAHAH.

Hitch

[Tex2002ans]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Hey, wanna skype me and listen to me type NOW?

What did you say? I can't hear you over the CLICKETY CLACK!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tex2002ans

What did you say? I can't hear you over the CLICKETY CLACK!

You can NOW. Nyah, nyah, nyah.


Hitch