Slashdot Mirror
Have Keyboards Gone Crazy?
Ethelthefrog asks: "My office keyboard recently failed and I am attempting to choose a replacement. Unfortunately, Logitech, who make keyboards with an action I really like, seem to have gone crazy. They have trademarked their worst features: Zero Degree Tilt(tm) means I have to reach uncomfortably far for the number keys and their horrific 'Enhanced Function Keys' means I now need to engage a shift-lock type function just to get at F1-F12. Are there any geek-friendly keyboards out there that combine decent action with just the keys I need to hack and no more?"
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.
Plain and simple. How this got posted to Ask Slashdot, I'll never understand.
Most of those stupid function keys are based on the driver.
I use a logitech cordless mouse/kybd combo and also suffered the f-lock combo maddness. However I used the driver for an HP Multimedia keyboard (send me a message and I can send you a copy) and it enables the volume keys and the email button, IM button and a couple others while leaving the Fkeys undisturbed.
Otherwise use the windows default drivers. Win2k and XP default kybd drivers 90% of the time auto recognize the volume controls and sleep buttons.
Boredom's not a burden anyone should bear.
Actually, it's neither micro, nor soft, but it's a mighty fine keyboard. Unfortuanately, it is discontinued, but it was widely available, which is also a plus. I don't know about it's successor, the natural multimedia keyboard, but apart from a lot of colors it looks the same.
Don't go for the natural keyboard elite, as it has the cursor keys in a + configuration, not an inverted T. That's annoying
the pun is mightier than the sword
This is a little off topic, but why are PS/2 and other old standards still included on PCs? By including these ancient standards all PC manufactureers are doing is taking away room for USB and Firewire. Think about it - a stock motherboard could have 8 or 10 USB/Firewire ports built in if it wasn't for all the legacy stuff.
Just my 2 cents.
...And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me." - Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)
Wrong, I have one of these things. When I reboot my computer (I was running an unstable kernel for a while so this happened often) the keyboard went to a mode where it sent something other than the F key codes unless you press the f-lock button. Each F key has something printed on it, (eg: undo) presumably with windows (and thier driver) you would press that button and have the action taken. I know of no way to disable this.