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Qiuet Keyboards with Tactile Feedback?

Posted by Cliff on from the keyclicking-without-the-clicks dept.

zerOnIne asks: "Like many geeks I know, I love good old clicky mechanical tactile-feedback keyboards. I've got an IBM Model M (101 key) on the server, and a Linux CoolKeyboard on my desktop, and I wouldn't want to part with them. The problem is, though, that my wife and I live in a studio apartment, and my desk is necessarily right next to the bed alcove. This poses a problem on nights, like tonight, when I want to get some late-night hacking in, and she needs to get some sleep: my typing can rather loud if I get going. Is there a keyboard out there that can give me the mechanical feel of an IBM-101, but without the noise? As an aside note, whatever happened to the Linux CoolKeyboards company?"

10 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. If you find one with tactile feedback.. by sporty · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you ever find one.. let me know if it has the ability to give more violent feedback. Lord knows I'd like to shock people behind their keyboards for the silly or bad questions I get.

    "I put a floppy in the front loading cdrom drive... and I can't get it out."

    *zot*

    --

    -
    ping -f 255.255.255.255 # if only

  2. Dell Quiet Key by MImeKillEr · · Score: 4, Informative

    Specifically, the newer black ones that come with the desktop systems.

    The only keyboard that I've tried in the last 4 months that doesn't stick when I'm typing like mad (and doesn't cause any double-types). Quiet, yet responsive.

    Alternately, you can try this puppy.

    --
    Cruising the internet on my TI-99/4A @ a whopping 300 baud!
  3. The first story I've seen.... by GusherJizmac · · Score: 5, Funny

    where the title is misspelled! Will slashcode v 8.9 come with spellcheck?

    --
    http://www.naildrivin5.com/davec
    1. Re:The first story I've seen.... by Wrexen · · Score: 5, Funny

      So you're new here?

  4. Buy from the original IBM/Lexmark keyboard guys! by g_adams27 · · Score: 5, Informative
    One day when I feel right about spending $50-$60 on a keyboard, this is going to be the one I get:

    The Customizer

    It's made by the same guys who made those lovely clicking IBM keybords, and one of their models is (apparently) designed to give you a similar tactile feel but with less noise. (IIRC from my e-mails to/from one of their sales guys a few years back, they accomplished it by putting a noise-dampening shim into the spring).

  5. The keyboard can be modelled as a soundboard. by stienman · · Score: 5, Informative
    It's difficult to get a 'click' feel without an associated 'click' sound. Sure, you could put rubber underneath so the plastic hits it instead of another piece of plastic, but then you don't get the nice satisfying click you're looking for.

    However, the sound created is rather tiny. The reason it sounds so loud is that the keyboard, especially the underside, acts as a soundboard. Lucky for your marital peace, you can deaden this effect to some degree.
    • Place the keyboard onto some sort of mat, so the sound doesn't travel to the table.
    • Attach foam or some other sound absorbing material to the back of the keyboard.
    • Place sound absorbing materials around (and above) the computer area. Couch pillows are good for this sort of thing.
    All of these things will affect the feedback you get from the keyboard. What I really suggest is that you spend time getting used to a different feeling keyboard, preferably USB so you can connect both at the same time.

    -Adam
  6. Apple Pro Key USB by Craig+Maloney · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I use an Apple Pro Keyboard USB (the clear graphite one) on my Linux machine. My BIOS detects it, so I can use it to do BIOS setup as well. It's a great keyboard, and quiet as heck. The only issue I've had is X will map the Apple keys to the Windows keys, which is where my fingers expect to find the ALT keys. I did a quick re-map on them, though so all is well.

    Hope this helps!

  7. Re:Buy from the original IBM/Lexmark keyboard guys by Zapman · · Score: 4, Insightful

    One day when I feel right about spending $50-$60 on a keyboard

    I used to feel the same way, then someone asked me a profound question: What parts of the computer do you interact with the most?

    the answer is the keyboard, the mouse and the monitor.

    I contend that someone should spend a larger percentage of the computer cost on the keyboard and monitor. I love my logitec trackman wheel, and I love my old, IBM full clicky keyboard.

    If I had to do it now, I'd spend money on one of those 'happy hacker' keyboards or something similar.

    --
    Zapman
  8. Re:Buy from the original IBM/Lexmark keyboard guys by peeping_Thomist · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I bought two keyboards from pckeyboard.com this past summer, and both of them failed within a month. One of them has several keys that don't register at all, the other has one key that doesn't click any more but still registers if you press it hard enough.

    I sent back the one with many non-registering keys, and when it came back, none of them were fixed.

    Given how much it costs to keep shipping keyboards back to the company, I've given up on it. It was a great idea, but the two keyboards I got don't work, and the company didn't fix them.

    --
    Anything worth doing is worth doing badly -- G.K. Chesterton
  9. Re:How about some tactile feedback for spelling er by Roadmaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    You want the slashdot editors to die from electrocution don't you?

    thats pretty mean :)