Hi There

[atzorvas]

Hi, my name is Antonis and I'm coming from Greece.

I don't own a mech-kb yet, but I'm waiting my CM QFR-i to arrive (with Browns), but.. because my order is too late (I was told to wait for this the previous week, thought I'm still waiting) I'm considering the extra amount for another KB from Europe.

From the posts etc I've read so far, I would love to try Topre Realforce/HHKB and Filco Mj2-TKL (I'm also considering buying the later, instead of QFR-i)

Well, here I am, and I hopefully I'll have my first piece soon!
(CS-stud, programmer, tinkerer etc etc etc)

[bowji]

Welcome on board!

The CM quickfire is a good board to start your journey of mechanical keyboards. As you will soon find out through GH, there are tons of varieties of mechanical keyboards for you to try/buy/adore. Cherry (MX) seems like the standard but as you noted theres topre along with buckling springs and alps. Personally, Im a fan of topre switches but it comes down to personal preference. Hopefully youll get a chance to try out the topre boards youre interested in since the realforce and HHKB both have great reputations here, take you time to look at a few threads.

Hope you get your first mechanical keyboard soooon 

[atzorvas]

Unfortunately, I have yet to receive the keyboard. Bad choice with the shop I guess.

I'll consider ordering from another shop or search a little bit more about any alternatives

[steve.v]

Best to try before you buy. I went from blues, clears and now to topre. HHKB type-s is my recent kb. Here are my reasons.

1. Layout
2. Feel
3. Minimalistic & Small (I don't have to move myself to adjust to its position, I just move the kb if required; so much more room for other things on the desk)
4. Travel friendly.

Gluck, have fun, but don't go broke with keyboards.

[atzorvas]

well, after my disappointment with endless waiting for my order to "arrive", I went with a Novatouch TKL which will be hopefully in my hands between Tu-Wed (from another store in Greece)

I was looking for Poker II / Pure / v60 form mechanicalkeyboards.nl etc, but due to the reason that I'll have to wait more, I went with Novatouch because of topre/mx-keycaps-compatibility

upped my budget a "little", from 110€ to 180€, but I wanted to test-drive topre switches, and in the future experiment with "cheaper" cherry-mx products so to find my taste between endless variations
I'm also planning purchasing ultimatehackingkeyboard.com when it's out (via kickstarter)

[steve.v]

I recommend an HHKB over nova if you want to go topre. Reviews on how it feels is different from topres in HHKB and rf.

[Korth]

Reviews are no substitute for real hands-on experience.  Head over to your local electronics outlet and manhandle whatever keyboards they have on open display.

I like the extra tactile feel of clicky blues.  And they aren't terribly, terribly loud - the hyperbole of many reviewers would have you believe that typing on blues sounds like a screeching percussive construction site.  But blues certainly do make a little noise, enough to bother some people, no wall of text and no youtube recording can really convey how blues sound as well as spending a minute typing on a blue keyboard.

I find that browns don't feel much at all like blues.  A similar approximation, yet a distinctive and substantially different tactile perception.  Other typists can hardly tell the difference.  I like the forceful satisfaction of blacks and clears, I find reds a little too feeble for comfort, other typists complain about their fingers being bruised or fatigued, many actually prefer linears over tactiles.  My experience with Topres felt little better than typing on a cheap chiclet board, many typists swear Topres are heavenly perfection.  There's just no explaining taste.

[steve.v]

Reviews are no substitute for real hands-on experience.  Head over to your local electronics outlet and manhandle whatever keyboards they have on open display.

I like the extra tactile feel of clicky blues.  And they aren't terribly, terribly loud - the hyperbole of many reviewers would have you believe that typing on blues sounds like a screeching percussive construction site.  But blues certainly do make a little noise, enough to bother some people, no wall of text and no youtube recording can really convey how blues sound as well as spending a minute typing on a blue keyboard.

I find that browns don't feel much at all like blues.  A similar approximation, yet a distinctive and substantially different tactile perception.  Other typists can hardly tell the difference.  I like the forceful satisfaction of blacks and clears, I find reds a little too feeble for comfort, other typists complain about their fingers being bruised or fatigued, many actually prefer linears over tactiles.  My experience with Topres felt little better than typing on a cheap chiclet board, many typists swear Topres are heavenly perfection.  There's just no explaining taste.

The reviews were hands(fingers) on experience between the three keyboards.

/facepalm

[rowdy]

Welcome to Geekhack!

There is a good chance you will end up with multiple keyboards

Once you try one switch, curiosity will get the better of you and you will have to try another switch.  Unless it turns out that you really like your first one

[Korth]

The reviews were hands(fingers) on experience between the three keyboards.

My point was that other peoples' reviews are no substitute for actually getting your hands on a keyboard yourself.  Reviews are a good resource but are still based on opinions and preferences which, as objective or as popular-mainstream as they may attempt to be, are highly unlikely to be the same for everybody.

[dustinhxc]

Welcome to GH! Realforce is my favorite!

[atzorvas]

I think reviews are only fine for browns vs browns etc, and this to get a rec for which is best to buy and not spend your money on something "useless" while you could go with a better option for your money on same switches etc.

Other than that, I think that I have to try every mech-kb type out there, so I can have my own journey and so I can decide which setup(s) I prefer the most

Novatouch is here!
I'll have first to throw everything from the desk and then place it in front of me like a king!
 

[billputer]

I wouldn't trust the reviews. The only solution is to buy more keyboards.

[atzorvas]

Quick post, First impressions/thoughts on Novatouch:
- Learning to properly touch type is a lot easier/pleasant now
- I want to stop bottoming-out
- I'm OK with how it sounds, when I'm not bottoming out it's silent
- very easy to type letters when I rest my hands on top of KB
- I need a proper palm rest asap
- I'm constantly trying to reach right enter, this is my first tkl!
- while this is my first tkl, I'll go for a compact model sooner or later.  it's unpleasant to leave home row for arrow and home/end.
- I definetily need time to conquer my new board.

I feel that I would enjoy more my new board if I had a cheaper mechanical, so I could really understood Novatouch strengths as of "switches" and the board itself.

If someone wants to bottom out all the time, I feel this board isn't a good fit.

 

[rowdy]

The_Beast makes very nice wood wrist rests.

Noko does great work making custom leather ones.

And KeyPop sells some nice coloured ones: http://www.keypop.net/products

That's just for starters, I've probably forgotten a few.

[atzorvas]

thanks for the links, etc

after a few days:

I'm still trying to type properly, so to not bottom out. seems hard..
Also there is a fatigue (also faster) effect on my finger/hands. (will a palm rest really solve this? or it's not that related?)

I'm thinking to go for a refund, or to keep the board just to be sure that this doesn't fit for me (or if it's eventually a match for me)

would love to hear your opinions
thanks again!

[rowdy]

Nothing wrong with bottoming out

You'll probably get lots of anecdotes about wrist rests (note - not a palm rest) solving problems, causing other problems and so on.  And of course a wrist rest should only be used for resting the wrists between bouts of typing, and NOT while actually typing.

Every person is different and has different physical requirements - I seem to get on fine without a wrist rest on various different keyboards, including a selection of Model M that are somewhat taller at the front.

[Korth]

I simply prefer no wrist rest.  Occupies too much desk space, gets in the way, restricts my "natural" range of motion.  Keyboards with non-removable wrist rests are entirely off my list.

But many people want the exact opposite, and their reasons aren't less valid than mine.  It's an ergonomic/preference/aesthetic thing.

[rowdy]

I simply prefer no wrist rest.  Occupies too much desk space, gets in the way, restricts my "natural" range of motion.  Keyboards with non-removable wrist rests are entirely off my list.

But many people want the exact opposite, and their reasons aren't less valid than mine.  It's an ergonomic/preference/aesthetic thing.

Exactly!

I tried a wrist rest (of sorts) a few times, but I am forever making minute adjustments to the position of the keyboard on the desk, and the "wrist rest" just kept getting in the way.

[steve.v]

When I typed qwerty, wrist rest was a no no. Hand moved too much up and down etc. Didn't feel natural.

Now I type Colemak, wrist rest is awesome. Hands in one place.

[rowdy]

You should not be resting your wrists on the wrist rest whilst actually typing - wrist rests are for the brief periods between typing.