The $1000 question - "what are the keyboards you bought?" (Response)

[McStuff]

I've bought one keyboard, and it's the Model M that's currently en route to my house. I paid $15.50 + $11 shipping

[ch_123]

The '1401s I've got all feel a little lighter than the '0120 and the '0131 (both in  mass and in strength required to actuate keys), but the biggest issue I have with them is that it's impossible to tell just by the model number exactly what you're going to get. There is an awful lot of variation in internal logic board layouts in the '1401 line; for most people this probably won't matter, but if you're trying to make new logic boards (like me) then it's much nicer when all of your parts are standard.

AFAIK, the earliest 1391401s will be the same as 1390131s.

[clee]

AFAIK, the earliest 1391401s will be the same as 1390131s.

That's entirely possible - I haven't used the '1401s in a while, but I don't think I have any of the earliest models. I think all of my '1401s have the blue label, which IIRC means they're all babies, relatively speaking.

This just goes to reinforce my anti-'1401 bias. You really have no clue what you're gonna get, unless you have done a ton of research and you know to look for the gray label, and check the birthdate on the back to make sure it's older... Pain in the ass. Sticking with the '0131 or the space savers is much easier - not nearly as much variation.

[ch_123]

1391401 went into production in 1987. The changeover from the first gen Model Ms with stabilizer bar, yellow wire cable for the LEDs, and the thick backplate started around 1988 AFAIK. You will see some of the older style ones from around 1989, probably took them a while to use up all the old parts.

By the same logic, later 190131s would be the same as most 1391401s.

[patrickgeekhack]

@Voixdelion

We do share some things in common: the need to to try "them all" to know which one will reign supreme.

In my case, it all started when I stumbled upon an article about the Das Keyboard. Not wanting to spend that much money on a keybaord without knowing if it was worth it or not, I decided to search for some reviews on the net. One thing led to another and I learned about the buckling spring Model M which some was touting at the "king of keyboards." This brought some memories back for I had the chance about 14 years ago to type on one such keybaord and remembered that I happened to like the feel even though I could not tell why. So my next step was to find one such keyboard.

I keep searching for more and more information and learned about the Customizer. Again, I looked for some more information and found Geekhack.org. I like what I read about the Customizer and bought one. I loved it. I did not know at that time that the blue Cherry would come back and haunt me.

Having stayed on Geekhack, the various threads opened my eyes to a whole different world. I did not know that there were so many different switches. Of course, I had to try them all. And I did not have to go anywhere else to find reviews about them. I bought a Dell AT-101 for work. By that time, the blue Cherry had come back to haunt me for I wanted to try one very bad but did not want to buy the Das III because I had read some bad things about them. Then someone mentionned the cheap G80-3000. I had to get one. I got one and loved it again. Loved it so much that I later bought a backup unit.

But, I did not stay there. I had to try the ABS M1, brown Cherry and of course a Topre.

In the end, I bought 8 keybaords in 2009 and was very happy. I thought I would never have to buy another keybaord again in my life. And because I went back to my first love in 2010 (fountain pens and wanted to learn about everything that has to be learned about italic handwriting), I thought I was cured. Or was I? I came back on geekhack after a long time, and that was a big mistake. All of a sudden, I realised that I had to try a plate-mounted blue Cherry keyboard. And as you know it, I ended buying a Model S Das.

[KillerBee]

IBM Model M 42H1292 ('95) -- FREE
IBM Model M 42H1292 ('95) -- 45.00
Unicomp Smartrex Model M -- 25.00
IBM Model M 1386304 ('85) -- 35.00
Random Stuff from Fentex -- 30.00
Stuff from Kishy -- 5.00

Total 140.00

Damn I was a normal kid without any keyboard mania before I joined

[Voixdelion]

 the blue Cherry would come back and haunt me.

LOL - yup.  The last one I tried and the first in my heart.  And I am thinking about a second one too.  I should have known though;  The "If shoes were keyswitches" pic should have put those first in line for me.

Not that it would have saved me the trouble anyway though.  The LCD calculator intrigued me enough that I would have picked up those Focus boards anyway - liking the keyswitch was a bonus...

How do you find the Topre?

[patrickgeekhack]

How do you find the Topre?

I thought I replied to this post yesterday, but I can't find my comment today. Here's what I said (roughly).

I sometimes think that I would have save a lot of money if I had bought a blue Cherry keyboard in the first place. But then, who am I kidding, right? I would still have been intrigued by the other switches.

As far as the Topre is concerned, I like it a lot. Although it has rubber domes, it does not feel like a rubber dome keyboard. The keys are cripier but with a soft landing. However, there are times when I don’t like it. If I am stressed trying to finish an essay before the deadline, I don’t like the soft landing of the Topre. In these situations, a soft landing keyboard just creates more frustration for me and therefore prefer a hard landing keyboard (blue or brown Cherry).

I have to point out something tought. The Topre would be a quietest of all my keybaords, if I were pounding on the keys. However, since I don’t pound on the keys, I feel like I can be quieter on my brown Cherry Filco than my Topre. The spacebar of the Topre can be loud.

[itlnstln]

Interesting perspective on the Topre, Patrick, especially the part about causing frustration. Other than maybe rdjack, I feel like I'm in the minority preferring lighter, quieter switches.  I will say that I am somewhat disappointed in the consistency of the Topre feel between implementations (HHKB vs. RF vs. uTron, etc.).

[patrickgeekhack]

Interesting perspective on the Topre, Patrick, especially the part about causing frustration. Other than maybe rdjack, I feel like I'm in the minority preferring lighter, quieter switches.  I will say that I am somewhat disappointed in the consistency of the Topre feel between implementations (HHKB vs. RF vs. uTron, etc.).

I do like light switches. To me, the blue Cherry feels "much" lighter than my Customizer and my ex-Dell. I do like the brown Cherry feel as well because I can be a "keyboard ninja" on brown Cherry Filco. For some reasons, which were discussed in another post, the brown Cherry feels lighter than the Topre to me.

The Topre will only add to the frustration when I am having a hard time finding what to write while the clock is ticking. In other situations, this is not the case at all. I think this can only explained by "the power of the situation."

[itlnstln]

I think the force curve differences of the Cherry browns and the Topres give the illusion of that the Cherrys are lighter, but I agree.  I really like the bounciness of the browns, but the keystroke of the Topres is so smooth and buttery in the Realforce.  It's that smooth feel that tips the scales for me. In comparison to the HHKB, the browns are much better, IMO.

[EverythingIBM]

My keyboards:
IBM M5-2: Free
Micron keyboard: Free
Dell Quietkey: Free
Focus FK-9000: $10
Gateway2000 keyboard: Free
White Alps Chicony: Free
NEC keyboard from 1991: Free
I'm a real cheapie...

1986 Model M: Free (although I had to buy a cord & 2 keycaps)
1982 Model F XT: Free
KB-8923 (x2): Free
IBM rubber domes (x2) Free
Compaq switch rubber dome: Free

I think I beat MW, I never paid for a single keyboard. Yay!

As far as finances go, if I didn't think that some key part of my existence was going to be related to writing in some way I wouldn't even have ended up at geekhack looking for info on keyboards to begin with.  I consider it an investment in my future food and shelter.  My skills improve when the tools can keep up with my thought process, and thus far everything I have done in service of that idea has seemed to only affirm it is as the right course of action.  I think if I can't feel guilty about spending the cash when I really try to, then maybe it will end up ok.  
 
And anyways, I'm not overworried about ending up on the streets since being an only child has put me in a position of some "great expectations."  I'm not counting on that, by any means, but I'm reasonably certain my mother won't spend all her assets before they are able to be passed to me - mostly because she's a notorious spendthrift.  Add that to the wealthy uncle who is a surgeon with no children of his own and my general capacity to escape disaster relatively unscathed and I think I'll come out of it alright.  I am hoping at some point the expense of my education will pay off with a return that benefits others as well as myself, too.

Well when you put it that way, I wouldn't be worried either.

I learned to type very fast on my good old rubber dome keyboards. A downside is that I profusely bottom out,  but I don't see the negatives behind that, and it helps me type faster.

[Phaedrus2129]

I prefer lighter switches. I'm thinking of hooking my G80-8200 back up instead of this XArmor, except it would take up so much more desk space.

Anyone want to trade a G80-8200 or a U9BL for a Ricercar SPOS?

[SirClickAlot]

Argh!

This thread is not good for my wallet....

Now I am thinking of getting an Adesso MKB-135B due to the feedback of Voixdelion.... So, if somebody tried many keyboards and came up with this particular number 1, could it be that we have similar qualification demands? How do I know if the shoe fits without fitting it? Argh.... The duality of life on this beautiful sunny morning..

My keyboard list( not counting the vintage computer keyboards )
    * Keyboard : Steelseries 7G (1)
    * Keyboard : Silicon Graphics AT-101 9500900 (1)
    * Keyboard : Omnikey Evolution (1)
    * Keyboard : Matias Tactile Pro 1 (1)
    * Keyboard : Logitech S510 (1)
    * Keyboard : IBM Model M (1)
    * Keyboard : DAS K3 pro (1)
    * Keyboard : DAS K2 (1)
    * Keyboard : DAS K1 (1)
    * Keyboard : Cherry ML4400 (1)
    * Keyboard : Cherry ML4100 (1)
    * Keyboard : Cherry G86-6241 (1)
    * Keyboard : Celesta (1)
    * Keyboard : BenQ A800 (1)
    * Keyboard : Avant Prime (1)
    * Keyboard : Apple Imac keyboard (1)
    * Keyboard : Apple Extended II (1)
( Yes, in my nature it is to be lazy : it is a copy paste...... )

These will arrive the coming month :
Razer Blackwidow

Realforce 103 U UW

Realforce 103UB 55g

Majestouch Tactile Touch NKRO Cherry brown

Raptor K1

SIIG Minitouch

Cherry G80-3000LPCEU-0

Cherry G80-3000LSCEU-0

Cherry G80-3000LQCEU-0

Cherry G80-3494

The total sum of for purchasing them would be well over 1000 dollars. I keep telling myself this is due to customs and postal fees and it helps a little bit ( but not much )...

Most boards will be harvester boards however.....

Regards.

[SirClickAlot]

note... clickclack has 666 posts, nice.

Ah, the good old number 666 : the number of the numerologist.

666 =  2^2 + 3^2 + 5^2 + 7^2 + 11^2 +13^2 + 17^2 ( sum of squares of the first 7 primes )

666 = 1^3 + 2^3 + 3^3 + 4^3 + 5^3 + 6^3 + 5^3 + 4^3 + 3^3 + 2^3 + 1^3 ( Guess whats in the middle? )

[shrap]

Wow, a lot of you have a large variety of keyboards.

I, on the other hand, seem to go for depth. In chronological order:

1 X Microsoft Natural
3 X Microsoft Natural Elite
1 X Unicomp Spacesaver
2 X Northgate Omnikey Evolution