Unpopular Keyboard Opinions

[fohat.digs]

Is it unpopular to say that I despise it when people tear apart old computers/typewriters just for their keyswitches?

If it's a keyboard from an old terminal that literally cannot be used for anything anymore, the machine is damaged beyond repair, or you need other parts to save a better machine and the keys would otherwise be wasted... that's one thing. But if you're taking perfectly working old computers/typewriters and ripping them apart to make a keyboard, that's sacrilegious. It ruins a perfectly good hobby for other enthusiasts, just so you can have a slightly better feeling keyboard, as if there weren't a world of switch options out there.

Case in point -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134307113174?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=b46afe152e014a59a9553bc7a1894e57&bu=43208930367&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20221031055722&segname=11021

TL;DR version
"They had this in the storeroom for a very long time and now we have it. We sold the keyboard for 300 so we are going to keep the computer together with the original monitor"

[bkrownd]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

[Pretendo]

Is it unpopular to say that I despise it when people tear apart old computers/typewriters just for their keyswitches?

If it's a keyboard from an old terminal that literally cannot be used for anything anymore, the machine is damaged beyond repair, or you need other parts to save a better machine and the keys would otherwise be wasted... that's one thing. But if you're taking perfectly working old computers/typewriters and ripping them apart to make a keyboard, that's sacrilegious. It ruins a perfectly good hobby for other enthusiasts, just so you can have a slightly better feeling keyboard, as if there weren't a world of switch options out there.

Case in point -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134307113174?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l3160&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=b46afe152e014a59a9553bc7a1894e57&bu=43208930367&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1%7E1&crd=20221031055722&segname=11021

TL;DR version
"They had this in the storeroom for a very long time and now we have it. We sold the keyboard for 300 so we are going to keep the computer together with the original monitor"

This case makes me... slightly less mad, since at least the rest of the system works. It still sucks that they ruined a complete set, but at least it's just a PC clone and should be functional with almost any XT board.

What really grinds my gears is when people do things like rip apart Apple IIC's for their switches. The keyboard is integral to the computer, so there's nothing you can do to "fix" that.

[Pretendo]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

IBM curved backplate with uniform keys all the way, baby! We get all the ergonomics, with the ability to adopt any crazy custom layouts we want (even though we never will.)

[PlayBox]

top mount (or similar) is the best mounting style, and gasket mount is overrated

i might have got a pretty popular opinion though

[selsik]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

Tall profile enjoyer hating on other tall profiles. What's wrong with you man?

[hvontres]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

PBT MT3 FTW

[CaesarAZealad]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

PBT MT3 FTW

I've got PBT MT3 with zeal's 75g Clickiez and it just sounds *Chef's kiss*

[butre]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

here's another: Domikey SA is miles ahead of SP SA and the lack of custom domikey sets is a crime

[bkrownd]

here's another: Domikey SA is miles ahead of SP SA and the lack of custom domikey sets is a crime

 Details?  I have both, but have not compared in detail. 

[barooca]

i like floating boards

[AshF]

Water suspended PCB's - horrible!

Sent from my ASUS_I003D using Tapatalk

[PlayBox]

i hate the amount of gmk sets. no the gmk sets in particular but how mamy of them are on ic or gb. it happens with others too like epbt etc. its very boring to see only keycap sets in my unread section

[mohawk1367]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

here's another: Domikey SA is miles ahead of SP SA and the lack of custom domikey sets is a crime

Definitely an unpopular opinion. Why do you believe this?

[mohawk1367]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

SA subjectively objectively the best but cherry is okay and MT3 is gr8 too

[1setups]

I got 2 left hands.

[volvo244t]

The font on the Drop MT3 alphas is ugly and is what's kept me from getting a Dasher and Jukebox set.

[bkrownd]

  Watching people in this community of "keyboard enthusiasts" do video typing demonstrations causes me extreme anxiety because lots of them don't seem to be able to locate "home row".  I just can't watch those wandering hands and inconsistent motions....drives me nuts.        

  Beyond the "hunt-and-peck" crowd like my dad, is some of it related to various countries using non-"english" keymaps?  I can understand if that's the case and they just got forced into a bad ergonomics.  (keyboard privilege checked)

(and while we're on that subject a big FU to whoever came up with home row breaking direction key combo abominations like WASD and HJKL   Infidels!)

[CaesarAZealad]

I still don't even know if I know how to type on the home row. I've learned it multiple times but when the rubber hits the road I find myself doing what my mother once described as "Spider typing" and what I say is more akin t playing DDR on a keyboard when you have no clue how to play DDR. I'll stay generally grounded on the home row but sometimes when I start typing at higher speeds fingers that are not being used will substitute for fingers that are occupied (stuff like hitting G with right index instead of left.)
To come back to the DDR comparison, it's like the letters are coming down my mind faster than anticipated and my hands are frantically trying to translate that into motor function, flailing about on my letter table until I either make a typo or somehow complete my sentence.

[bkrownd]

I appreciate that you really go all-in with it and let your freak fingers fly to parts unknown    It would probably blow my mind 

[butre]

A sadly unpopular opinion: SA will rule the keyboardspace as the best profile with the highest quality feel for all eternity

Cherry is cheap consumer junk

MT3 can just GTFO

here's another: Domikey SA is miles ahead of SP SA and the lack of custom domikey sets is a crime

Definitely an unpopular opinion. Why do you believe this?

the ABS blend they use is a bit harder wearing than SP's ABS and nobody beats domikey for bar straightness, not even SP.  I also like the sound of them a little better, it's a good bit more full to my ears, but that's preference.

the only gripe I have with them is the <> keys.  the font there is funky

[Findecanor]

Centred legends on long keys (1.5 and above) look like crap.

[VaporKeebs]

Endgame is real.

[CaesarAZealad]

Endgame is real.

I've seen more people who were chasing endgame exit the hobby than I can count.

[VaporKeebs]

I've seen more people who were chasing endgame exit the hobby than I can count.

I found mine. Took me 20 boards and I still have 3 more on the way with only 1 of them still peaking my interest. I am still working on perfecting my board but I know the potential is there. I just need to fix my spacebar a bit. Today I made good progress but I do think a little case foam around the spacebar only is going to really make it perfect.

It's a Class65 V1 in beige. Matches perfect to the alphas of the GMK Analog Dreams set. I have lubed JWK Taro tactiles and tuned cherry screw-in stabs. The soldered PCB has been millmaxed to split backspace and a 7u spacebar. No case foam no plate foam. Currently only using some spacebar foam to make the bigboi 7u less hollow. Removed the brass weight because it caused ping and the case is heavy enough as is to stay very firmly planted. And the PCB slits have been covered using KeebMat's keebtape; a 1mm clear adhesive acrylic cut to fit perfectly.

Again, I need to work on the spacebar a tad. Stabs feel great. No ticking at all. My only issue is how much hollower the 7u sounds. Some foam in the spacebar cleared it up a bit. But I think some foam surrounding the switch and stabs will bring it to exactly where I want. Ill probably cut up some KBDfans plate foam to avoid destroying my MM Studios stock foam.

I have a mechcables half cable with a matching teal USB and cream cable. And I'm waiting for my P Craft artisans. I won 3 from their Analog Dream raffle so they will go in the right side column.

[Tribal]

All MX tactile and clicky switches are inferior to Alps/Matias and buckling spring when it comes to typing.  MX’s only advantages are availability, stem compatibility, RGB, and hotswap, and even then buckling spring has an advantage in that the 1u keycaps are interchangeable between rows.

Loud tactiles? Get SKCM Orange/Salmon/Black or remove the bumpers on Matias
Quiet tactiles?  Get Matias QC (or Topre)
Clicky? CBS, MBS, SKCM Blue/White, and Matias Click are all great.
Something cheap (sub-$100)?  Plenty of options, including new Matias, on eBay.
Small form factor?  CBS and MBS can be had in TKL from Ellipse and Unicomp and Matias even has a 75%.
Wireless? Matias Laptop Pro or easy Bluetooth mods

[iri]

Sorry, was this thread renamed "popular opinions" whilst I wasn't looking?

[CaesarAZealad]

Legit, none of these are unpopular anymore lol

All MX tactile and clicky switches are inferior to Alps/Matias and buckling spring when it comes to typing.  MX’s only advantages are availability, stem compatibility, RGB, and hotswap, and even then buckling spring has an advantage in that the 1u keycaps are interchangeable between rows.

Loud tactiles? Get SKCM Orange/Salmon/Black or remove the bumpers on Matias
Quiet tactiles?  Get Matias QC (or Topre)
Clicky? CBS, MBS, SKCM Blue/White, and Matias Click are all great.
Something cheap (sub-$100)?  Plenty of options, including new Matias, on eBay.
Small form factor?  CBS and MBS can be had in TKL from Ellipse and Unicomp and Matias even has a 75%.
Wireless? Matias Laptop Pro or easy Bluetooth mods

Like no offense but this is the most basic ***** take I've ever seen, especially since one Dutchman got so popular and people decided to take his words as gospel and not suggestion.
Want to know my unpopular opinion?
There is no best switch. Every switch is designed with different purposes in mind. Alps has a different design philosophy to MX, and those are different from MY, and Mitsumi mini mechs, and every other switch.
It's not even my take! I stole it!

[Tribal]

Legit, none of these are unpopular anymore lol

All MX tactile and clicky switches are inferior to Alps/Matias and buckling spring when it comes to typing.  MX’s only advantages are availability, stem compatibility, RGB, and hotswap, and even then buckling spring has an advantage in that the 1u keycaps are interchangeable between rows.

Loud tactiles? Get SKCM Orange/Salmon/Black or remove the bumpers on Matias
Quiet tactiles?  Get Matias QC (or Topre)
Clicky? CBS, MBS, SKCM Blue/White, and Matias Click are all great.
Something cheap (sub-$100)?  Plenty of options, including new Matias, on eBay.
Small form factor?  CBS and MBS can be had in TKL from Ellipse and Unicomp and Matias even has a 75%.
Wireless? Matias Laptop Pro or easy Bluetooth mods

Like no offense but this is the most basic ***** take I've ever seen, especially since one Dutchman got so popular and people decided to take his words as gospel and not suggestion.
Want to know my unpopular opinion?
There is no best switch. Every switch is designed with different purposes in mind. Alps has a different design philosophy to MX, and those are different from MY, and Mitsumi mini mechs, and every other switch.
It's not even my take! I stole it!

Popular on GeekHack and Deskthority, maybe, but not the wider mech keyboard community or computer users in general by a long shot.  These two sites are a tiny, tiny sliver of the population.

And to be clear, MX is virtually trash as tactiles or clickies.  Their reedeming value comes exclusively from the boards and keycaps.

[CaesarAZealad]

Legit, none of these are unpopular anymore lol

All MX tactile and clicky switches are inferior to Alps/Matias and buckling spring when it comes to typing.  MX’s only advantages are availability, stem compatibility, RGB, and hotswap, and even then buckling spring has an advantage in that the 1u keycaps are interchangeable between rows.

Loud tactiles? Get SKCM Orange/Salmon/Black or remove the bumpers on Matias
Quiet tactiles?  Get Matias QC (or Topre)
Clicky? CBS, MBS, SKCM Blue/White, and Matias Click are all great.
Something cheap (sub-$100)?  Plenty of options, including new Matias, on eBay.
Small form factor?  CBS and MBS can be had in TKL from Ellipse and Unicomp and Matias even has a 75%.
Wireless? Matias Laptop Pro or easy Bluetooth mods

Like no offense but this is the most basic ***** take I've ever seen, especially since one Dutchman got so popular and people decided to take his words as gospel and not suggestion.
Want to know my unpopular opinion?
There is no best switch. Every switch is designed with different purposes in mind. Alps has a different design philosophy to MX, and those are different from MY, and Mitsumi mini mechs, and every other switch.
It's not even my take! I stole it!

Popular on GeekHack and Deskthority, maybe, but not the wider mech keyboard community or computer users in general by a long shot.  These two sites are a tiny, tiny sliver of the population.

Are they though? I was just talking with a friend about this while driving to the mode meetup. r/MK can claim to have as many users as it does but how many of those people are just average redditors who don't even own a keyboard or interact with the hobby but just sub for the interesting pictures. Keebmeup is a circus, and besides that unless you go to asia you're not going to find any other places where keyboard nerds congregate, and that's an entirely different scene.

And to be clear, MX is virtually trash as tactiles or clickies.  Their reedeming value comes exclusively from the boards and keycaps.

Only the sith deal in absolutes...
But in all seriousness I have to ask, how many switches, just any kind of switches have you tried. Like actually typed on. I'm not gonna say I've tried everything, but I've had my fair share of typing experiences and to write off all of MX besides linears screams of the same kinda brand loyalty you'll see people ascribe to video game companies. You're denying yourself experiences you might enjoy because you've scratched the surface of something and decided that you don't like it.
Bit of advice, find a keyboard meetup near you, or organize one yourself if you have to. Trust me, even if you come out of it still hating the living daylights out of MX platform switches I assure you that broadening your scope of reference will do you wonders and even make you appreciate your beloved alps switches even more.