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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?
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."
Mine was born on Nov. 6, 1989. Despite your pronouncement, it ain't dead yet.
What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
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
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.