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Old-School Keyboard Makes Comeback of Sorts
CharlotteShma writes "Some old writer once said that in order to keep going, he needed to hear the scratch of the pen on the page. Some self-proclaimed keyboard aficionados would make the same argument for computer keyboards. Is it possible that the old 'clicky' keyboards are making a comeback? Now that we've replaced the old buckling springs with rubber domes, our keyboards are only getting quieter and quieter. According to the people at Unicomp Inc., all keyboards made since the early 1990s are, frankly, no good. They still use and produce vintage IBM Model M keyboards in their small factory in Lexington, Kentucky. The IBM Model M keyboards are ugly, built like tanks, and, most importantly, have a spring under each key which clicks when you press it." Not sure what's ugly about them — most other keyboards are ugly, when you shut your eyes.
Not sure what's ugly about them most other keyboards are ugly, when you shut your eyes.
WTF kind of sentence is that?
They suck. I do NOT want to have sounds in my environment if it is not neccesairy. I simply hate the standard behavior of IE to produce audible feedback each time I click a link. I know I clicked the link and I know I pressed the key and I do not need the confirmation in the form of a click. I am not a retard and I do not wish to be treated like one.
The IBM model M is dead, game over and it won't be missed.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
Frankly this sounds more like neophobia and/or nostalgia than a legitimate concern about keyboard quality.
There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
Yeah, but this slashvertisement for Unicomp needs to be posted routinely, apparently.
I wish there was a choice that said "Factually Wrong -1" when I mod.
Psst... that's what discussion is used for.
I was over at a friend's house and he had one of these newfangled keyboards, and I gotta say I was impressed. Much nicer to have that info there than cluttering up screen real estate.
Linux, you magnificent bastard, I read the fucking manual!
I think QWERTY screwed up our typing more than lack of clicking. You and I type about the same (70wpm) but the errors you and I experience would probably be reduced had we learned a layout made with our fingers and language in mind, such as Dvorak.
Am I the only person on Slashdot who hates clicky keyboards? Good fucking riddance. Seriously, anyone who thinks they're a good idea needs to spend a day sitting in an office where everyone has one. Get ready to change your mind.
== Jez ==
Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
WTF kind of sentence is that?
Means that they don't like the sound of other keyboards. "When you shut your eyes"=="sound", "ugly", means, "ugly sound".
This is my sig.
When you buy a brand new keyboard for less than $5, then yes $69 is expensive.
"People that quote themselves in their signatures bother me" - athakur999
Remapping won't fix this. This is the kind of deformed keyboard where the enter key is an L shape extending to where the \ should be, and the backspace is only a standard width key, instead of a double-wide.
Unless your remapping software is way cooler than mine is... :)
All you fucking haters can suck my motherfucking dick.
And we still smokin'. What?
You can't be that "old-school" if you use terms like "haters".
Fucking kids these days....
Something with a good solid thunk when I hit a key makes an incredible difference to my typing.
But not good when you have to type while others sleep. Some of us need the quiet keyboards or have them bashed over our heads at 2am.
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better." - Unknown
>>>don't know whether it's the audible feedback, or the mechanical feedback,
The only noise I need is my television in the background. I don't need mechanical feedback but simply watch the text flow across the screen. Perhaps it's because I grew up with a Commodore 128 and Amiga 500 with their relatively-quiet keyboards, and therefore I don't feel the need for noise.
In fact, noise is annoying - reminds me of my old manual typewriter. Ick.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Indeed. They're built like tanks.
But the best part is no Windows keys!!!
I'm sorry, but that argument makes no sense. That's like saying why would someone complain about spending $69 dollars on a cup of starbucks (I know, what are you doing at starbucks, you should be at dunkin donuts). Just because it's not out of monetary range for most people does not mean that it isn't overpriced as hell.
"Educate the mind but never at the expense of the soul."~Blessed Basil Moreau
I have to admit my favourite keyboad is Apples current aluminium full wired keyboard.
The keyboard chassis does not flex or creak like a plastic one, it is slim, so is really only as big as it needs to be, and I find the fact it is so flat means I don't have to arch my fingers so much and the keys don't require much effort to push them, but enough travel that accidental presses are rare.
It's also easier to clean than a regular keyboard, simple wipe down with an antistatic cloth with a little LCD screen cleaner on the cloth takes care of marks and finger grease of the keys very easily.
Also having no Windows key appeals to me. "clover-leaf symbol" is much more OS agnostic 8) and tons of Funtion keys that are easily mapped to useful things.
I just wish the USB ports were powered or USB2 8( or the wireless option included the full key layout with the number pad etc.
it's not over priced at all. that $5 keyboard is wired up as a sheet of plastic with conductive paint running circuits and contacts and a rubber sheet with conductive rubber pads to complete the contacts when pressed, plus a cheap plastic key and a frame.
a unicomp model M has over 100 individual spring switches and every key is actually a separate key and removable key cap. the board inside is an actual circuit board and the chassis design keeps spilled liquid off the board and allows it to run out the bottom through channels.
so it's more like complaining that a cup of gourmet coffee is $8 when you could scoop parasite infested water from a drainage ditch for free.
Snowden and Manning are heroes.
The C128 and Amiga actually had quite nice keyboards. They had a good feel, although quiet. My current keyboard (Kensington from the early 2000's) is pretty close with regards to that feel.
I did own a Model M keyboard at one point and thought it had a good feel also, but the clicking was a bit annoying. To each their own, eh? In some ways I wish my PC keyboard had the layout of the C128, with " being on Shift-2 instead of next to the Enter key.