I have a confession . . .

[iMav]

I'm addicted to IBM M4 and M4-1 keyboards.  I've got 3 of each, NIB just sitting here.  I use a M4 on my work laptop docking station and like it so much that I bought several backups.  (couldn't resist NIB offers for $35 shipped)  

So, currently I'm bouncing back and forth between blue Cherry Filco mini and a "buckling rubber sleeve" IBM M4.  As xsphat would say (regarding Topre and white Alps)...these keyboards compliment each other well.  (of course, so did the HHKB and M4)

[wellington1869]

compliment -> complement.  Not that anyone here is a stickler for these things

So you're saying your fav board is non-mechanical?

[iMav]

So you're saying your fav board is non-mechanical?

Well, buckling springs and capacitive switches are non-mechanical as well.  

My favorite keyboard is the HHKB Pro 2.  If I could get them at $35 a pop, I'd probably have a least a couple dozen of them.  The blue Cherry keyswitch is my favorite switch and HHKB is my favorite layout (layout wins over switch as long as the feel is still acceptable).

But I find the M4's a joy to type on.  The short throw coupled with the feel of the buckling rubber sleeve is really nice.  If I was forced to use one exclusively, I wouldn't be too heart broken.  

My typing time is about 75% on my personal systems and 25% on work laptop.  (honestly, I do a lot of my work email on my blackberry when I am out and about)  So my personal systems always get the primary 'boards I'm playing with (currently, the blue Cherry Filco mini)

[Mercen_505]

I can't wait to get my hands on one... mine should be arriving Friday. I want something unique and IBM branded to type on at the office, but I can't use anything "clicky" due to noise issues. I have also found that the rubber dome model M keyboards are also loud as hell

If I had my choice I'd be typing on an M2, but my coworkers would strangle me if I tried that!

[bhtooefr]

Of course, what about a quieted BS keyboard, like what wellington did?

[wellington1869]

Of course, what about a quieted BS keyboard, like what wellington did?

I adore my quieted endurapro
Tho because I didnt totally saturate the springs with grease, they do click a little bit. If you saturate them they do get very quiet but then they can also begin to feel a bit mushy. Its kind of a trade-off, though it might be possible to find a balance between noise and feel with the right amount of grease.
Its a bit of work tho cuz you have to do that to at least all the alphabet and control keys. Took me a couple of hours (luckily I did it during a family guy marathon on TBS so it wasnt as painful, lol).

[Mercen_505]

I finally got mine last night. It looks brand new; the only way I could tell it was even slightly used was a few faint marks on the detachable cord to indicate it was at least plugged in once. Maybe it just got a power-up test before shipping... dunno. I'm still getting used to the layout but it feels pretty good, and doesn't seem to annoy the office folks too much. It has a more satisfying resistance to the keys compared to the ML-4100 I was working with a few weeks ago. I'm not using the integrated mouse at all; that's just not my style

I guess my only complaint is that aesthetically speaking the keys tend to wobble a bit in their seating and when you look at the space between keys you don't see crisp, uniform lines. Also, the board I got is IBM branded but was manufactured by Unicomp (03/16/98 date code), and it feels awfully flimsy. Perhaps I'm just spoiled by working with the Ms for so long? Overall my first impressions of it are good: it has all the keys I need in the right places, no Windows keys, and sets of CTRL/ALT keys on both sides of the space bar. It's also relatively quiet, except for the space bar which seems twice as loud as the rest of the keys.

[iMav]

Nice.  

I've got several M4's (trackpoint-less) as well as several M4-1's.  They are great keyboards.

BTW, this blue-Cherry-equipped Filco mini is lovely!