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?"

Comments

Happy hacker ...

[LizardKing]

Despite it's naff name, the Happy Hacker keyboard is quite good. It's small as well as having the Control and Caps Lock keys in the correct place. It still doesn't beat the Sun Type 5 keyboard, but I don't know if you can connect one of them to a PC.

Chris

IBM Model M Spacesaver

[isaac]

The IBM "Spacesaver" ps/2 keyboard fits the bill:

• Buckling spring mechanism
• Compact (standard IBM PS/2 layout minus the numeric keypad)
• Durable
• No Windows or "grandma" keys

Personally, though I've put mine away and now use an IBM Trackpoint II keyboard - it's full-sized, it's black, it has the buckling spring model M mechanism, it has no windows keys, and it has a trackpoint built in (regretably only the 2-button, no z-axis trackpoint II) so I can keep my hands on the keyboard. In conjunction with a USB scroll-mouse, I've found input nerdvana.

-Isaac