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I am generally a "touch typist", having learned keyboarding on a manual typewriting more than 60 years ago.

When I bought a new PC from Dell, it came with a Dell keyboard with a USB connection. The keys were nearly flat on top with straight sides and little space between, which meant I had constant problems with positioning my fingers without looking down on the keyboard. Since the keyboard was black with white lettering (very poor ergonomics), I had to keep the lights on in my home office to see where I was placing my fingers; bright indirect daylight through the adjacent window was insufficient. The spacing between groups of function keys at the top was too little, which meant that I often hit the wrong function key.

I quickly replaced the keyboard with a beige Microsoft keyboard, again with a USB connection. This was purchased through Amazon.com. The keys were tapered and concave on top. There was sufficient spacing between groups of function keys. Its design indeed met my needs. However, certain character keys were defective; quickly repeated strokes did not register. If I typed "11", for example, it would give me only "1". At first, this was merely an annoyance. Paying my bills via the Web through my credit union, however, I once paid a bill requesting $110.00 by sending only $10.00. Microsoft, the manufacturer of the keyboard, referred me to Amazon.com. Amazon.com indicated they no longer stock that keyboard and refunded my purchase price and even said to keep the keyboard.

My wife's PC is several years old and has a KeyTronic keyboard that is even older, from a prior PC. I found KeyTronic on the Web at https://keyboards.keytronic.co.... The most pricy item in their list of keyboards was under $100 unless you wanted a package of 10 keyboards. They have wired and wireless. The have PS2 and USB. They have black, light gray, and beige. They guarantee a keyboard for as long as you own it (as long as they remain in business). My KeyTronic keyboard is wonderfully noisy, letting me know when a key-touch actually registered.

By the way, I much prefer wired keyboard and mouse. I really do not want to deal with batteries. Too often, I have had a battery leak and destroy the device that used it. I now have two extra keyboards for anyone who want them.

The E3600 (rectangular ENTER key) and E3601 (L-shaped enter key) are my go-to keyboards. The "Ergotech"/"Ergoforce" is basically their word for variable force (35/45/55/65/80g) required on keys usually operated by weaker fingers. 80g is still pretty light; I've never felt fatigue operating the shift/ctrl/alt/spacebar keys.

I haven't tried a current-vintage E03061, but I have had the opportunity to compare an E3601QL-C (1995-1997, Windows 95ish vintage, made in Mexico, pre-Ergoforce) with an early E03601QUS201-C (1998ish vintage, made in China, identical case/keys/interior, with the exception of the rubberdome layer that contains the variable-force keys, of course) and an E03601P1 (probably early 2000s? I didn't open this one to check dates, and all three were wonderful.

Because the design has changed so little over the years, many of the parts are interchangeable, so if you're absolutely attached to the patina your keyboard or its keys have developed over the past 15+ years, or if you want to refresh the keys without changing your keyboard's feel (they keys will eventually start to brown with age, the keyboard case/body will not), odds are good that you can take an older model and swap parts.

tl;dr: Although they're not mechanical, Keytronic makes a damn fine keyboard: they're quiet, keys, and feel almost as good as a mechanical or a Topre. I now look for older vintages of them in thrift shops/surplus stores so that I'll have spares when mine finally gives up the ghost.

The E3600 (rectangular ENTER key) and E3601 (L-shaped enter key) are my go-to keyboards. The "Ergotech"/"Ergoforce" is basically their word for variable force (35/45/55/65/80g) required on keys usually operated by weaker fingers. 80g is still pretty light; I've never felt fatigue operating the shift/ctrl/alt/spacebar keys.

I haven't tried a current-vintage E03061, but I have had the opportunity to compare an E3601QL-C (1995-1997, Windows 95ish vintage, made in Mexico, pre-Ergoforce) with an early E03601QUS201-C (1998ish vintage, made in China, identical case/keys/interior, with the exception of the rubberdome layer that contains the variable-force keys, of course) and an E03601P1 (probably early 2000s? I didn't open this one to check dates, and all three were wonderful.

Because the design has changed so little over the years, many of the parts are interchangeable, so if you're absolutely attached to the patina your keyboard or its keys have developed over the past 15+ years, or if you want to refresh the keys without changing your keyboard's feel (they keys will eventually start to brown with age, the keyboard case/body will not), odds are good that you can take an older model and swap parts.

tl;dr: Although they're not mechanical, Keytronic makes a damn fine keyboard: they're quiet, keys, and feel almost as good as a mechanical or a Topre. I now look for older vintages of them in thrift shops/surplus stores so that I'll have spares when mine finally gives up the ghost.

Not these?

I'm partial to IBM/Unicomp buckling spring keyboards.

I have a Unicomp buckling spring keyboard I bought from their bargain bin a couple of years ago. No Windows key, but I use it every day at work and I love it. The blue and white keys are quite attractive, too. /And I'm not even a Kentucky Wildcats fan.

Not these?

I'm partial to IBM/Unicomp buckling spring keyboards.

I don't know, I only used the whole terminal on a db25 serial port on my ASUS-PIII system. I seem to recall the one I used had a RJ9 style connector. You could use this info to adapt a cable for the RJ9 style Wyse keyboard connector to try.:
http://www.wyse.com/service/support/kbase/wits/802 19.txt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_connector
USB would be another matter...
Hours of fun! I'm betting they probably won't work, and I certainly would not try it on a new PC that I cared about. Perhaps some of the older ones with RJ9 connectors might work, but the newer DIN connector ones certainly won't.

Here is the knowledgebase on the old Wyse terminals:
http://www.wyse.com/service/support/kbase/wyseterm .asp
The info on all the old keyboard models is available there.

I did love that keyboard though, much like the old IBM ones. My standard keyboard now is the base Keytronics model, it sets the standard in price, durability and feel in my opinion. Check out the environmental and mechanical data, pretty amazing. I have abused mine horribly for the last 8 years without a single failure. All these new cheaply made keyboards with volume wheels and programmable buttons that require windows drivers are just plain retarded as far as I'm concerned.

I don't know, I only used the whole terminal on a db25 serial port on my ASUS-PIII system. I seem to recall the one I used had a RJ9 style connector. You could use this info to adapt a cable for the RJ9 style Wyse keyboard connector to try.:
http://www.wyse.com/service/support/kbase/wits/802 19.txt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PS/2_connector
USB would be another matter...
Hours of fun! I'm betting they probably won't work, and I certainly would not try it on a new PC that I cared about. Perhaps some of the older ones with RJ9 connectors might work, but the newer DIN connector ones certainly won't.

Here is the knowledgebase on the old Wyse terminals:
http://www.wyse.com/service/support/kbase/wyseterm .asp
The info on all the old keyboard models is available there.

I did love that keyboard though, much like the old IBM ones. My standard keyboard now is the base Keytronics model, it sets the standard in price, durability and feel in my opinion. Check out the environmental and mechanical data, pretty amazing. I have abused mine horribly for the last 8 years without a single failure. All these new cheaply made keyboards with volume wheels and programmable buttons that require windows drivers are just plain retarded as far as I'm concerned.

Next I found that the keyboard has the worst key-bounce since the Shadio Rack Mod I. A bit of searching uncovered the fact that this has been going on a long time and Apple refuses to admit there is a problem or fix it. The best you will get out of them is another keyboard that does the same thing. There is one company that makes a decent replacement and when I tried to get one, they were out of stock indefinitely at the manufacturing level. hmmm.

Keytronic even sells them in black! Paint over the keys with nailpolish or something.

As near as I can tell the Das Keyboard is a 3600 series Keytronic keyboard. Just without any printing. Even their diagrams for the "Individually Weighted Keyswitches" look similar:

Das Keyboard
Keytronic

This keyboard is a Key Tronic Ergo Technology black keyboard that they talked Key Tronic into not passing through the last phase of painting, or maybe they painted it black themselves.

These keyboards currently sell for $21.50 even WITH letters painted on. I appreciate the reviewer taking the time to determine that these things really are harder to use than one that has markings, but there are stronger reasons for not buying them.

Seems very much to match Keytronic E03600QUSUSBB-C

Specs of the Keytronics Keyboard

Specs of the Das Keyboard

Complete with the following identical features , verbatum:
"High quality membrane switch"es
"Three Windows keys"
Key lifetime is "30 million keystrokes"
Operating shock of "10 G"
"Phantom key lockout"
A "Reset force" of ".5oz"
Input power of "+5 Vdc ±.25 V @ 100 mA max."
Agency approvals (in this order) "FCC Class B", " UL", and "CSA".
Total Travel of .150" ±.010" @100g
Travel to peak is ".050" ±.010""
Peak force is "2.0 oz +/- .4oz"

Also the keytronics has "Ergo Technology," which is a word-for-word ripoff, with "Ergo Technology" being replaced by "Das Keyboard". Second paragraph of the keytronic specs is the same as a paragraph off the front page of Das Keyboard.

And look at the image of the Ergo Technology!
Look familar?

Guess what? Its only $21.50 at keytronics.

Stop giving this rip off free advertising for an overpriced keyboard with its letters solvented off without even credit to keytronic.

Seems very much to match Keytronic E03600QUSUSBB-C

Specs of the Keytronics Keyboard

Specs of the Das Keyboard

Complete with the following identical features , verbatum:
"High quality membrane switch"es
"Three Windows keys"
Key lifetime is "30 million keystrokes"
Operating shock of "10 G"
"Phantom key lockout"
A "Reset force" of ".5oz"
Input power of "+5 Vdc ±.25 V @ 100 mA max."
Agency approvals (in this order) "FCC Class B", " UL", and "CSA".
Total Travel of .150" ±.010" @100g
Travel to peak is ".050" ±.010""
Peak force is "2.0 oz +/- .4oz"

Also the keytronics has "Ergo Technology," which is a word-for-word ripoff, with "Ergo Technology" being replaced by "Das Keyboard". Second paragraph of the keytronic specs is the same as a paragraph off the front page of Das Keyboard.

And look at the image of the Ergo Technology!
Look familar?

Guess what? Its only $21.50 at keytronics.

Stop giving this rip off free advertising for an overpriced keyboard with its letters solvented off without even credit to keytronic.

Seems very much to match Keytronic E03600QUSUSBB-C

Specs of the Keytronics Keyboard

Specs of the Das Keyboard

Complete with the following identical features , verbatum:
"High quality membrane switch"es
"Three Windows keys"
Key lifetime is "30 million keystrokes"
Operating shock of "10 G"
"Phantom key lockout"
A "Reset force" of ".5oz"
Input power of "+5 Vdc ±.25 V @ 100 mA max."
Agency approvals (in this order) "FCC Class B", " UL", and "CSA".
Total Travel of .150" ±.010" @100g
Travel to peak is ".050" ±.010""
Peak force is "2.0 oz +/- .4oz"

Also the keytronics has "Ergo Technology," which is a word-for-word ripoff, with "Ergo Technology" being replaced by "Das Keyboard". Second paragraph of the keytronic specs is the same as a paragraph off the front page of Das Keyboard.

And look at the image of the Ergo Technology!
Look familar?

Guess what? Its only $21.50 at keytronics.

Stop giving this rip off free advertising for an overpriced keyboard with its letters solvented off without even credit to keytronic.

Main reason not to buy one?

Because it's just a normal $30 keyboard you can buy from any computer store. Paint it black yourself if you want to.

80 fucking dollars, give me a break.

Why in the world does it cost $80?

Actually it doesn't. It seems like it's just a regular, $21.50 Keytronic E03600QUSUSBB-C keyboard, without any key labels.

Read the Keytronic description

Do you recognize this diagram?

Why in the world does it cost $80?

Actually it doesn't. It seems like it's just a regular, $21.50 Keytronic E03600QUSUSBB-C keyboard, without any key labels.

Read the Keytronic description

Do you recognize this diagram?

http://www.keytronic.com/home/keyboards/keyboards/ keyboards.html

Most people complaining about bad keyboard just have a bad keyboard. Some $10 piece of junk. They just don't know about the keytronic ergoforce yet.

I had some old, heavy keyboard that was my absolute favorite. Bad enough that I would scour for used ones and clean them up, hoping to get a supply large enough to last through my 'typing career' years...

Not anymore, thanks to keytronic.

KeyTronic of Spokane should be thanked for making the keyboards for Microsoft. This may have changed, but KeyTronic make an entire line up of keyboards.
http://www.keytronic.com/home/shop/shop.asp

"See Keytronic's version and Das Keyboard's Version. Though for some reason, Das Keyboard's image is better"

Good forensics..

Here's the actual, original image: http://www.keytronic.com/home/products/specs/image s/ErgoColkeyv2.gif

DDoSKeyboard, or whatever the fuck they're called, probably wget'd and used that image.

It looks like a $20 Keytronic keyboard to me. The variable key weighting is something Keytronic has done for years. Notice the similarity between these two images:

http://www.daskeyboard.com/images/keygrams.jpg
http://www.keytronic.com/home/products/specs/image s/ErgoColkeyv2.gif

" Now shipping with Ergo Technology. Most keyboards use a standard 55 grams of force required to register every key, Ergo Technology has 5 different levels of force. From 35 grams to 80 grams - that correspond to the strength of the finger that touches the keys. The result is more comfort for your hands."

See the link for the Keytronic E03600, notice the pictures, key placement/arrangement, are exactly the same.

They didn't even bother to update the layout image for the different key weights (they simply resized it and put a note that "...the letters are visible on this diagram for information purposes only." See Keytronic's version and Das Keyboard's Version. Though for some reason, Das Keyboard's image is better.

And you can buy Keytronic's for $21.50 directly from the manufacturer, or even less elsewhere. It's currently out of stock from Keytronic; maybe these people bought them all thinking they had a gold mine at 400% profit! :-b

Marketing! Marketing! Marketing!

See the link for the Keytronic E03600, notice the pictures, key placement/arrangement, are exactly the same.

They didn't even bother to update the layout image for the different key weights (they simply resized it and put a note that "...the letters are visible on this diagram for information purposes only." See Keytronic's version and Das Keyboard's Version. Though for some reason, Das Keyboard's image is better.

And you can buy Keytronic's for $21.50 directly from the manufacturer, or even less elsewhere. It's currently out of stock from Keytronic; maybe these people bought them all thinking they had a gold mine at 400% profit! :-b

Marketing! Marketing! Marketing!

Quality keyboard... $30
Fine-grit sandpaper... $2
Label proclaiming übergeek status to all... $0.25
Getting morons to spend $80 for 5 minutes of labor... priceless.

I'm a big fan and longtime user of Keytronic's keyboards, and I'd say it's more likely that Das Keyboard is simply reselling the Keytronic with new keycaps (and a 4x markup). Perhaps Keytronic is even doing the manufacturing for them.

Das Keyboard looks EXACTLY like Keytronic's standard black USB model.

I'd also venture to say that this "article" submission was done by someone who would benefit from more sales of Das Keyboard. :)

Ahh, somebody who knows of Spokane, WA based KeyTronicEMS.

Of course one could also purchase a KeyTronic Keyboard themselves and discover they are way better than the ones they supply to Microsoft.

Ahh, somebody who knows of Spokane, WA based KeyTronicEMS.

Of course one could also purchase a KeyTronic Keyboard themselves and discover they are way better than the ones they supply to Microsoft.

I bought a Keytronic E03601 Black PS2 some months ago. It's black, it has the right feel, and it's wonderful to look at.

Yes, I too remeber the time before MS had an iron grip on the keyboard business. Keyboards used to look like this, as you say. Now, try and purchase a keyboard that doesn't look like this. I even bought a Keytronic, but it is the same.

I like the old IBM keyboards (the ones you can beat people with and it'll still be usable). I have a model M keyboard for my home server which is awesome.

For my desktop I use a keytronics kt2001 keyboard which is very very nice, and has a high enough buffer not to go awry in games even though you use 10 keys at once :P Otherwise I might use my old keytronics M model lookalike (which sadly isn't even a PS2 model heh :P).

I have one of these at home and one at work. I've used dozens of different keyboards, and this is the best I've ever found. I picked it after extensive research and reading of reviews.

It's by Keytronic and it's called the LT Designer (almost the same as LT Classic but w/ more of an angle to it.)

http://www.keytronic.com/home/products/specs/ltdes igner.htm

Good review here

I like the Keytronic LT Classic II. Just like your basic keyboard (no superfluous or missing keys), except the keys seem to never go dead or even lose their bounce! Lifetime guarantee for $39.00.

My favorite keyboards are the Keytronic ones. I find the feel compareable to the IBM keyboards. And they don't make that clicky noise. There a few thing I realy like about them.

1. Durability. The one I have at home has survived 6 years of mistreatment and neglect.

2. Keyspacing. Many of the cheaper keybords seem to be slightly smaller and it's really annoying.

3. Feel. The keys don't wobble like a Microsoft keyboard. And the action seems to be excellent.

The main problem, I have with them is that thier website doesn't list any ergonomic keyboards. And I may want to get one of those eventually.

Recently, I searched for a new keyboard, one that didn't have any freaking internet keys, screwy arrow keys, tiny backspace, or mushy response.

I decided on a KeyTronic. It's "old school." No junk. Full size keys. Cheap too. Twenty-something bucks.

Get up and walk around every 60 minutes, do some press-ups, the people in my office got used to it within a week.

Could be true for a possibly extra-magic "boot keyboard" (if the BIOS is set to do keyboard emulation), but that's certainly not true in general. I've sometimes amused myself by plugging in a cheap USB keyboard into my little 4-port USB hub, with the machine running, and just typing away on it. All without disconnecting my regular name brand PS/2 keyboard, of course. Oh, and that's under Linux, too, if anyone was still having doubts about USB capabilities there. Now, if only said name brand actually had a USB model available here... ;^)

It may be true about mice and joysticks, but the keyboards they resell are really of the ``el cheapo'' kind. Nothing really comparable to a good old IBM PS/2 (see here and here) or a Keytronic (see here).

It may be true about mice and joysticks, but the keyboards they resell are really of the ``el cheapo'' kind. Nothing really comparable to a good old IBM PS/2 (see here and here) or a Keytronic (see here).

Those of you looking for a good rugged mouse/keyboard at a decent price can find one from Keytronic. Specifically the lifetime series mouse and keyboards. They are called "Lifetime" because they have a lifetime warranty. The Lifetime mouse uses wheels on the bottom instead of a ball, so it needs no cleaning and doesn't require a mouse pad. I've had mine for 2 years and it's good as new. Check it out here. No, it probably won't survive being dropped off a 5 story building, or being run over by a truck, but they are pretty tough. Their keyboards are good too. They are the OEM that build the Microsoft Natural Keyboards.