So I need to buy a new keyboard (or 2)
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
Ew, that sounds too modern for me. 101 keys ought to be enough for anybody.
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
Das Keyboard. They might not be cheap but darn, are they good!
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
MadMyche wrote:
We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change.
Me too! :laugh: I'm still using an old gray HP keyboard (with a ps/2 to usb adapter) from 1998 when I bought my first Windows system. I've tried others, but none feel as good as this one. It's been a couple of years since the last disassembly and cleaning and I've got a few letters that occasionally stick, so I've been seriously thinking about a replacement. I'll be watching the responses, likely for kbs to avoid. Thanks! :)
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Das Keyboard. They might not be cheap but darn, are they good!
I would find great use for the ruler component during gaming, to see how I measure up to the competition. ...before I grab my coat, the styling and the clicky-keys are both quite pleasing.:thumbsup:
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
THis should last a good while: The Sojourner Keyboard | Datamancer.com[^] You get what you pay for!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
Get an ErgoDox EZ on ebay.
If you can keep your head while those about you are losing theirs, perhaps you don't understand the situation.
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
I can't make any particular recommendation on what keyboard to buy (only you can decide what you like, and it's all very subjective), but the one recommendation I will make is this: Once you find one you like, get some spares. Make sure they all work, but put the spares back in the box and leave them there until the one you use daily dies. I'm very peculiar about my mice and keyboards - too many variations, too easy to find something you dislike. I went for a good decade or two primarily using the same type of mouse (the original white and gray MS IntelliMouse) and was lamenting the fact that they're impossible to find when mine finally became unusable...and then ~2 years ago they came out with a model that was, for all intents and purposes, identical to the original except for its color (which is entirely irrelevant to me). I got one, tried it out, decided it felt *very* close to the original, and bought 5 spares - hopefully enough to last me a lifetime. If someone wants to borrow a mouse from me, they're *not* there for that purpose. That's my private stash, and I'll get very defensive about it. I also have a spare keyboard. I like the one I'm currently using enough to have gotten a spare, but it's still not quite "perfect" to me...otherwise I would have gotten a few more and been done with it. There's nothing worse than having tools you don't like. Getting some extras is absolutely worth the expense, IMO.
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I can't make any particular recommendation on what keyboard to buy (only you can decide what you like, and it's all very subjective), but the one recommendation I will make is this: Once you find one you like, get some spares. Make sure they all work, but put the spares back in the box and leave them there until the one you use daily dies. I'm very peculiar about my mice and keyboards - too many variations, too easy to find something you dislike. I went for a good decade or two primarily using the same type of mouse (the original white and gray MS IntelliMouse) and was lamenting the fact that they're impossible to find when mine finally became unusable...and then ~2 years ago they came out with a model that was, for all intents and purposes, identical to the original except for its color (which is entirely irrelevant to me). I got one, tried it out, decided it felt *very* close to the original, and bought 5 spares - hopefully enough to last me a lifetime. If someone wants to borrow a mouse from me, they're *not* there for that purpose. That's my private stash, and I'll get very defensive about it. I also have a spare keyboard. I like the one I'm currently using enough to have gotten a spare, but it's still not quite "perfect" to me...otherwise I would have gotten a few more and been done with it. There's nothing worse than having tools you don't like. Getting some extras is absolutely worth the expense, IMO.
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THis should last a good while: The Sojourner Keyboard | Datamancer.com[^] You get what you pay for!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
OMG! Those are so beautiful!
I'm here for whatever you need me to do from the computer.
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And that is why I had 3 of these at one time, then 2 + spare parts, and now I am down to 1
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
My favorite is the IBM KB-8923, got a couple here. Luckily still prevalent on E-Bay.
I'm here for whatever you need me to do from the computer.
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
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We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change. I have been using the Microsoft Internet Keyboard based keyboard for 20+ years now, the last 15 years or so have all been the Pro version with USB connectivity. Me and my kb have an exclusive relationship; at the office and at home I have the same setup, including the MS Trackball Optical everywhere as well. Prior to this kb I was using Type M or F keyboards back to the 80s Now my home kb is near the point of no return. And they are getting hard to find. So I am going to purchase something new. What I want- 1. I want to keep the same KB angle and rear height. My hands are molded at this angle now. 2. I would like to retain the special purpose keys for email, web, and if I can media controls. 3. Durability. Don't want to have to retrain my hands in 5 years to something different. 4. Full size. I purchased an off-brand MX-Blue keyboard over the weekend and even though the size was a little smaller than I wanted, I could have learned to live with it. I guess it was off-brand as the Enter key was basically sitting at the detent level and other signs of being someone else's reject Suggestions would be appreciated.
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
Why are all these keyboards wired? I got rid of the cable mess about 25 years ago, and never looked back. Both keyboard and rodents - especially the latter. The first versions actually didn't remove the total cable mess: The mouse had a charging station that also contained the wireless transmitter; this thing had both an USB cable to the PC and a power cable. But that is long ago: Nowadays, there is a tiny USB dongle, and when the mouse asks for some nutrition, it will manage until my next break, when I feed it by USB. (It can still be used, but then it is like a wired mouse again.) I have for many years used Logitech stuff, not the cheapest ones, for one essential reason: I can't tell how many times I have dropped the mouse from desk level onto the stone floor (at least once a day on the average), yet it works perfecly when I pick it up. I never saw other mice that could take maybe 2000 90-cm falls (for the one I have been using for years now) onto stone and still work fine. For the keyboard: There will be dirt between/under the keys, and finger fat deposits on the keys themselves. So every now and then I flip all the keys off and put them into a string "sock bag" for a ride in my dishwashing machine, while I brush out the keyboard tray. I have done this several dozen times. After every cleaning, the keys slide smoothly as on a new keyboard, and there is no noticeable mechanical wear. With other keyboards (mostly at work), I have experienced that the fastening mechanism that holds the keys in place are getting worn if you flip the keys off too many time. Yet I must admit that I find all keyboards of today too flat, even the Logitech ones. And I hate those with perfectly flat keys and almost zero vertical movement - almost as much as I hate touch keyboards with no moving parts!
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Why are all these keyboards wired? I got rid of the cable mess about 25 years ago, and never looked back. Both keyboard and rodents - especially the latter. The first versions actually didn't remove the total cable mess: The mouse had a charging station that also contained the wireless transmitter; this thing had both an USB cable to the PC and a power cable. But that is long ago: Nowadays, there is a tiny USB dongle, and when the mouse asks for some nutrition, it will manage until my next break, when I feed it by USB. (It can still be used, but then it is like a wired mouse again.) I have for many years used Logitech stuff, not the cheapest ones, for one essential reason: I can't tell how many times I have dropped the mouse from desk level onto the stone floor (at least once a day on the average), yet it works perfecly when I pick it up. I never saw other mice that could take maybe 2000 90-cm falls (for the one I have been using for years now) onto stone and still work fine. For the keyboard: There will be dirt between/under the keys, and finger fat deposits on the keys themselves. So every now and then I flip all the keys off and put them into a string "sock bag" for a ride in my dishwashing machine, while I brush out the keyboard tray. I have done this several dozen times. After every cleaning, the keys slide smoothly as on a new keyboard, and there is no noticeable mechanical wear. With other keyboards (mostly at work), I have experienced that the fastening mechanism that holds the keys in place are getting worn if you flip the keys off too many time. Yet I must admit that I find all keyboards of today too flat, even the Logitech ones. And I hate those with perfectly flat keys and almost zero vertical movement - almost as much as I hate touch keyboards with no moving parts!
I have done the same maintenance to my keyboards and trackball; perhaps that is why my hardware is 25 years old. And there is nothing wrong with wired or wireless... And not that it matters to me but there is latency in wireless devices. Enough so that an interupt based device (XT, AT, PS2) can make 2 laps around the internet and still get to the CPU before a wireless signal gets there
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
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THis should last a good while: The Sojourner Keyboard | Datamancer.com[^] You get what you pay for!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
Anandtech reviewed a similar model. It looked pretty; but the non-standard keycaps didn't work well for actual typing. :doh: [Final Words & Conclusion - The Azio Retro Classic Mechanical Keyboard Review: Eyecatching, But Stiff](https://www.anandtech.com/show/11630/azio-retro-classic-mechanical-keyboard-review/5)
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies. -- Sarah Hoyt
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I have done the same maintenance to my keyboards and trackball; perhaps that is why my hardware is 25 years old. And there is nothing wrong with wired or wireless... And not that it matters to me but there is latency in wireless devices. Enough so that an interupt based device (XT, AT, PS2) can make 2 laps around the internet and still get to the CPU before a wireless signal gets there
Director of Transmogrification Services Shinobi of Query Language Master of Yoda Conditional
I never noticed any delay at all! Note that the Logitech keyboards are not using WiFi wireless technology. The equipment I've got is so old that it is using Logitech's proprietary 2.4 GHz protocol, tailored for this kind of equipment. I believe they now have Bluetooth variants as well. With BT the equipment must wait for its time slot - but the master and slave may negotiate very short intervals between the time slots. (The basic time slot comes at intervals of 625 microsecs.) You will find a lot about very high latency with USB audio devices, but that is caused by the application layer protocol, the time to perform the compression, buffering for retransmission etc. The new Bluetooth LE Audio protocol reduces the latency from 200+ ms to about 20 ms (of which a significant part is collecting an audio block for compression, and performing the compression). Transmitting keypresses require nothing of that sort. I don't know if keyboard/mouse is defined as a standard Bluetooth profile, and can't tell the details of the protocol operation, but BT certainly has the potential to provide single-digit ms latency. You have latency even in cabled USB - in classical USB around 1 ms (each way, if the protocol requires a confirmation message). I know that some gamers thing that is totally uacceptable for high-resolution mice - but those guys are sort of extreme. For ordinary people, reporting mouse movements a thousand times per second is good enough...
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MadMyche wrote:
We'll just say I am a little picky, and old; and really don't want to change.
Me too! :laugh: I'm still using an old gray HP keyboard (with a ps/2 to usb adapter) from 1998 when I bought my first Windows system. I've tried others, but none feel as good as this one. It's been a couple of years since the last disassembly and cleaning and I've got a few letters that occasionally stick, so I've been seriously thinking about a replacement. I'll be watching the responses, likely for kbs to avoid. Thanks! :)
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
I have a few IBM keyboards of similar vintage -- "they take a licking and keep on clicking!"
