Keyboards.

[palapiku]

I have touchtyped for over 15 years now, but having 113 programable, undetermined displays is way more awesome than the keyboard you dovorak users should buy.

Haha, that keyboard always makes me laugh. The whole point of a keyboard with blank keys is to look pretty and clean - and then they go ahead and spoil everything with the retarded "das keyboard" logo.

Here's my own blank keyboard:

keyboard3.jpg (140.5 KiB) Viewed 11459 times

[GoCat]

I have never used anything except the keyboard which the computer comes with. It never occurred to me to do otherwise. Right now I have a small laptop and just use the keyboard on that. I don't even have a clue what most of the posts in the thread are talking about. Does it really make that much difference as most people can adjust to whatever they have. Sort of like driving a car - when I need one I just buy the best deal my mechanic has on his lot.

I think it's partly a question of how much "into" one's computer one is. That is, some folks -- possibly some here -- perhaps spend most of their waking hours working at a keyboard for one reason or another. For them, it makes sense to splurge a bit.

For most of us (especially those of us who can't even touch-type!) just any ol' thing will do!

Then there's also the "cool" factor -- which has got to be the only reason to buy that nifty keyboard with the programmable OLED keys.

[kirkmc]

re: dvorak:

I would say there's no point in learning it unless you *don't* already touch type; it's easier to learn than Qwerty and you won't be able to transfer your bad habits over. Or if you're getting RSI, but switch keyboards and mice before you go to all the effort.

If you're just typing with two or four fingers, there's no gain. If you touch type - either before or after learning Dvorak - then there is gain. But for most people who don't touch type and will never learn, I think it's a waste of time.

Is it really true that most people don't touch type? I mean, maybe most 50 year olds don't, but I'd suspect most 20 somethings do.

I highly doubt it. Touch typing means you don't need to look at the keyboard.

[kirkmc]

Is it really true that most people don't touch type? I mean, maybe most 50 year olds don't, but I'd suspect most 20 somethings do.

I highly doubt it. Touch typing means you don't need to look at the keyboard.

Well when you use two hands this is easy since the fingers know where the letters are placed. What I find hard is when you have one hand on the pointing-device (track ball in my case) and only want to write a couple of letters like "hi" with the other hand. Hence my wish for keyboards where it's possible to move the labels.

And why should touch typing be less frequent among older people? Arthritis?

I've only met a handful of people, other than those in my line of work, or who are professional secretaries, who actually touch type. You must be living in a country where people were taught to type, because in most countries this is certainly not the case.

[topazg]

I've only met a handful of people, other than those in my line of work, or who are professional secretaries, who actually touch type. You must be living in a country where people were taught to type, because in most countries this is certainly not the case.

There's plenty of people in my industry that touch type too

Unless on an unfamiliar keyboard, I'm only likely to look down for obscure presses like F keys, and I suspect in IT that's the norm rather than exception.

[Harleqin]

Is that your computer? Why do you leave the stickers on?

No, mine has no stickers, except for the type stickers on the underside.

Re Dvorak: it's of no use unless you touch-type.

I touch-type since I was about 11 years old (I am 33 now). Given that the standard layout is not really bad, I think that it is more important to have a standard layout than to have a theoretically perfect layout.

[hyperpape]

And why should touch typing be less frequent among older people? Arthritis?

Not a trivial reason! But I was thinking of familiarity. I first 'used' a computer when I was three.

I've only met a handful of people, other than those in my line of work, or who are professional secretaries, who actually touch type. You must be living in a country where people were taught to type, because in most countries this is certainly not the case.

I was taught touch-typing in 1996 in 7th grade in the States. My school was a magnet, and therefore a bit progressive, but I suspect these courses are common. Now, touch-typing won't take for everyone, but if kids are familiar with computers, it'll be easier.

I wonder if there will be a second generational shift--while I'll definitely encourage my daughter to be familiar with a real OS ("It's a Unix system, I know this!"), I suspect she'll spend a lot more time using tablets and phones early on.

[ethanb]

@ethanb: Is this the fix you need?

Mmmm, buckling springs...

There are PS/2 to USB adapters, so you should be able to use a PS/2 Model M for the foreseeable future. And if you still can't find what you need, check out geekhack.org. There are some serious keyboard fetishists there who will point you in the right direction.

Woah, that forum is awesome! Now I *have* to buy a mechanical keyboard!

I'm iffy on PS/2 to USB adapters though - I remember getting USB mice when USB was new - they came with PS/2 adapters and most of them only worked for a month or less...

[PeterHB]

1391406

http://www.preater.com/modelm/

Fits so well from so many years that you don't think about it.

[mohsart]

I'm iffy on PS/2 to USB adapters though - I remember getting USB mice when USB was new - they came with PS/2 adapters and most of them only worked for a month or less...

I've never had any problems with them, I've switched to a USB mouse now, but my keyboard's been on one of those adapters for 3-4 years now.

/Mats

[fwiffo]

Some PS/2 to USB adapters don't work with the Model M because it apparently draws more than the usual amount of power. There are various guides on the Internet that will direct you to the ones that work.

[Andrea]

I learned to touch-type a... er... few years ago, and I really like mechanical switch keyboards. For me, nothing else has the same decisive feel, and without it my error rate goes up measurably. My typing is quick and loud, just like me! My personal keyboard is a Matias Tactile Pro, though mine is an older model than the one now offered, and looks like this:

For work on PCs I have a collection of IBM Model M keyboards. There has never been a better keyboard.

[Jordus]

Best Keyboard Ever

[fwiffo]

So, I've got a bit of a funny keyboard story. Some of you might be aware of it by now, but it deserves a telling in full. While was was watching the GSL Starcraft 2 finals, I saw the grand champion, Fruit Dealer, using a piece of equipment that was very familiar to me. I posted a screenshot earlier in the thread.



In fact, I had originally posted a thread on the Starcraft fourum, teamliquid.net, which I think is what prompted Araban to start this thread here. It actually got a pretty big response, going on for 12 pages so far. The mouse and the apple in the picture were also identified. Some other people noted that sSKS (AKA Tester) was spotted with the same keyboard, and CheckPrime was seen with a pink Filco (yes, they made pink ones at one point). This includes members of teams sponsored by other keyboard companies.

I also posted a thread on geekhack.org for serious keyboard geeks. Very serious keyboard geeks. They have a keyboard problem. Of course, half of them own the same keyboard (or a very similar model), because it's one of the nicest mechanical keyboards on the market today.

As it turns out, Filco keyboards can only be purchased from a single distributor in North America, elitekeyboards.com. And given Fruit Dealer's Cinderalla story, there was more than a little bit of interest in their wares. If you check out their product page for 104-key Filco Majestouch keyboards, you can see that they're sold out of Fruit Dealer's model, and three similar ones. They had stock as recently as last week when I ordered a second one for myself to use at work.

Geekhack.org members noticed:

1) the player "fruit dealer" wins the starcraft 2 GSL tournament
2) keyboard otaku points out the keyboard he is using
3) everybody conga cojones
4) rich brian

Yes, they're on a first name basis with the owner of Elitekeyboards.com. I said they have a problem, didn't I?

Anyhow, is it too late to ask for royalties?

[ethanb]

Speaking of which, after finding out that not only is what I remember using not a Model-M but a Model-F, more reading told me that people prefer the Model-F springs to the Model-M!

So until I find a cheap Model-F on eBay or Goodwill or something, I've ordered a Filco with "Cherry blue" switches to tide me over.

Fwiffo! What have you done to me?! More particularly my wallet?!