My New Keyboard
- Thread starter matthewr
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kasperhauser
pfm Member
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matthewr
spɹɐʍʞɔɐq spɹoɔǝɹ ɹnoʎ sʎɐld
It's built on an all metal tray for stiffness and some heft so it doesn't move. It's form factor without the function keys, and the two groups on the right is 60% of the size of a full sized keyboard.
It has genuine Cherry switches (not cheap Chinese copies) of the brown variant (which has an indent for feedback but a much less audible click than a blue switch). The key caps are made from a very high quality plastic and with a high quality moulding that will not fade.
Fully hardware programmable with three layers for ultimate configurability. They are also small and super cute and sort of a cult thing
Basically a programmer geek thing combined with the joy one gets from something just wonderfully made.
See here https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/ for more.
It has genuine Cherry switches (not cheap Chinese copies) of the brown variant (which has an indent for feedback but a much less audible click than a blue switch). The key caps are made from a very high quality plastic and with a high quality moulding that will not fade.
Fully hardware programmable with three layers for ultimate configurability. They are also small and super cute and sort of a cult thing
Basically a programmer geek thing combined with the joy one gets from something just wonderfully made.
See here https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/ for more.
Tony L
Administrator
One of these by the looks of it. Blue backlight light excepted I like the look of it! I take it the keys are nice clicky IBM PS/2 style?! The lack of a numeric keypad is an issue though.
Edit: Now that^ I really like! Retro mainframe cool in a compact format! May have to get one of those.
Edit: Now that^ I really like! Retro mainframe cool in a compact format! May have to get one of those.
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Tigerjones
Bagpuss
Only our Matthew would have a key board with a red key named Super on it. Marvellous.
demotivated
pfm Member
matthewr
spɹɐʍʞɔɐq spɹoɔǝɹ ɹnoʎ sʎɐld
I would get kicked out of the office with a buckling spring keys though. Even with MX Browns I get annoyed looks and am considering some o-ring dampers.
Sadly that's not my keyboard, Tiger. Although I am planning to get some custom keycaps for a statement look soon.
Sadly that's not my keyboard, Tiger. Although I am planning to get some custom keycaps for a statement look soon.
Stunsworth
pfm Member
I use one of these...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004PICHZE/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Expensive, but I'd buy another in a heartbeat if my current one died.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004PICHZE/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Expensive, but I'd buy another in a heartbeat if my current one died.
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Tony L
Administrator
I still have a really nice clean condition IBM Model M PS/2 keyboard. I've not used it for years as I never managed to get it to work with my Mac even after getting a little PS/2 socket to USB plug. Might have another go at some point as it is a superb keyboard. I'm rather tempted by one of the ones like Matthew's, though the lack of function keys and numeric keypad would take some getting used to. I'm currently using one of the flat aluminium Apple keyboards, which is a nice design item but I don't like typing on it at all. It's a bit tatty and due a replacement so time to do some research...
Stunsworth
pfm Member
I didn't like the flat keyboard at all on my Mac. I've always preferred a 'clacky' one, which was one of the reasons I bought the one I linked to above.
matthewr
spɹɐʍʞɔɐq spɹoɔǝɹ ɹnoʎ sʎɐld
This is a tenkeyless version of the Model M and apparently worth $1000. Although Tenkeyless IBMs are rare and that is one of the super high end ones designed for professional and medical use.
http://www.modelfkeyboards.com/product/original-ibm-industrial-space-saving-keyboard-part-1395682/
Tony L
Administrator
That one really is lovely, I can fully understand why it is collectable. Mine is the standard UK layout Model M with the numeric keypad, here's an old pic:
It is the rarer version with the better quality detachable lead (not pictured) and obviously has the buckling spring clicky keys with removable keycaps (some very late ones didn't). I wish I'd been able to thieve the version with the additional AS/400 key labelling, they were really cool!
matthewr
spɹɐʍʞɔɐq spɹoɔǝɹ ɹnoʎ sʎɐld
I am now wondering if my choice of 60% might be a step too far. Much of my day involves typing things like shift-F5 (now FN-shift-5) and Alt-Ins (now CapsLock-Alt- and my productivity this morning has basically collapsed. Maybe a tenkeyless or 70% form factor might have been a wiser choice.
The PBT doubleshots and MX Browns is a killer combo though. Just lovely tactile goodness.
and my productivity this morning has basically collapsed. Maybe a tenkeyless or 70% form factor might have been a wiser choice.The PBT doubleshots and MX Browns is a killer combo though. Just lovely tactile goodness.
matthewr
spɹɐʍʞɔɐq spɹoɔǝɹ ɹnoʎ sʎɐld
That one really is lovely, I can fully understand why it is collectable. Mine is the standard UK layout Model M with the numeric keypad, here's an old pic:
It is the rarer version with the better quality detachable lead (not pictured) and obviously has the buckling spring clicky keys with removable keycaps (some very late ones didn't). I wish I'd been able to thieve the version with the additional AS/400 key labelling, they were really cool!
For years you couldn't give away Model Ms and you could pull one out of the office dumpster any time you wanted one. Although that's how things become collectable I suppose.
BTW The detachable leads is also a thing and people make very high quality braided leads if you look at the blue and grey example I posted above.
Derek Wright
pfm Member
In my copy of the National Language Support Reference Manual (which was my bible at one time ) it has keyboard layouts for about 25 different national keyboards.
In the days before Graphical User Interfaces eg Windows, OSX, OS/2 etc each application had to read the code from the appropriate national language keyboard and translate it into the relevant code.
One application I was involved with did some very interesting things with the programming of the keyboard.
Somewhere I have a PS/2 keyboard - they were a very expensive item. Even the original PC keyboard cost quite a chunk of money.
In the days before Graphical User Interfaces eg Windows, OSX, OS/2 etc each application had to read the code from the appropriate national language keyboard and translate it into the relevant code.
One application I was involved with did some very interesting things with the programming of the keyboard.
Somewhere I have a PS/2 keyboard - they were a very expensive item. Even the original PC keyboard cost quite a chunk of money.
Tony L
Administrator
I'm actually horrified at the number I've personally flung into skips along with their matching PS/2 Model 50, 70, 90 etc. I knew at the time is was crazy wasteful as the Dell or whatever I was rolling out were built like crap in comparison, but corporations are spectacularly wateful things. I always pinched anything sellable (RAM etc) and cashed it in at Computer Exchange, I made £100s in back pocket money doing that, but there was never a market for the Model Ms. I made sure I had a nice one myself and gave them to any friends who wanted one (I'm sure I gave one to Jawed!).
The original IBM PC/XT keyboard, the one with the function keys in two rows on the left and the knobs on the side to flip-down little legs to adjust tilt was an amazing thing, arguably even better made than the Model M. Really heavy and solid, you could fling one through a jeweller's window without putting a scratch on it. I wonder if they are a cult thing too? They had a big clunky DIN connector and I think the lead was captive, but I can't remember. Model Ms had a spare part price of about £140 even back in the '90s when you could buy some shitty Dell keyboard for about £20. I hate to think what the XT keyboard cost, but the XT itself was a very expensive computer, several £thousand back in the '80s IIRC.
Richard Nichola
pfm Member
From the point of view of somebody who needs to swap out internal components, the design of those PS/2s is unmatched by anything before or since.