A small review, written on a mix of my SSK and this Model F
Aesthetics:It looks like a typical IBM keyboard, but with a compact layout (for them at the time huehuehue). However, there is a lot of wasted space above that that should have easily supported a full F row instead of it being on the left.
Stock Layout:The dumbest thing I have seen in a while. The tiny backspace, the \ key right next to it made my constantly hit the \ key when wanting to backspace.
Alt on the bottom and control are not where they should be
No delete key which I use quite a bit
Esc on the other side of the board
Number pad not having the / or + key
Heavy spacebar, I like a uniform board
I quite like that the number pad is on the right. I find this layout a bit more useful than a TKL layout because when the number function is off, it's a like a TKL layout with the arrows. The bigger enter has also grown on me
Modded layout:With a simple script for AHK, I changed the layout to something I could use, here's what I used:
LAlt::Ctrl
Ctrl::alt
Capslock::delete
NumpadAdd::NumpadEnter
NumpadSub::NumpadAdd
NumpadMult::NumpadSub
ScrollLock::NumpadMult
NumLock::NumpadDiv
esc::NumLock
F1::esc
F2::capslock
The control is now in the spot I'm used to, alt is the the caps lock, caps lock is now a delete key, number pad is now how it's now commonly laid out. I wish AHK supported the sys req key, that would have been another backspace like what I'm used to on my UB23 (amazing numper pad layout IMO). F1 is now esc since I never use F1 and it's where the esc should be and F2 is capslock just because.
The feelsThe F seems a lot lighter to type when compared to my SSK. I quite like lighter switches, so this aspect of the F grew on my quite quickly. At first I wasn't convinced of the F's typing feel, but by the second day, I really liked the feels. I'm still not sure if I like the feeling of a Model M or a Model F, but they are both an enjoyable typing experience for me
Day by day thoughts:Day 1: used for about 10 minutes before deciding the layout was amazingly dumb and I was ready to ask AKIMbO for the next person on the list so I wouldn't be wasting my time on a hopeless layout. I was constantly hitting the \ key when going for a backspace. I was raging quit hard since I had to type a lot that day so I swapped it for my SSK to get some work done.
Day 2: Decided that it's costing me a bit of money just to test one out, so I might as well get my moneys worth (thanks for running the tour BTW) I wrote a simple AHK script and the layout became less useless
Day 3: I'm starting to get used to the 1x backspace, not loving it, but tolerating it
Day 4: It's grown on me, begin to research if I can change the 1x backspace to a 2x if I ever get one
Day 5: I start looking on ebay, found a F122 but it was a Model M
, continue the search and find the one I raged about last night.
Day 6: Play a few games on it. Decent, but minecraft was super hard due to noting being able to crouch and move
Day 7: Lose at the Model F on ebay, should have bought it now on day 4, but I didn't since I'm cheap
Day 8: Depression that the F will soon be on it's way to another person and not staying with me, but dealing with it since I still have my SSK and the hopes that I find another Model F on ebay and not let it slip my grasps again
And here's a picture of my setup as I write the review. Excuse the WASD and arrows on the SSK, I was too lazy to change them
Messy, I know. But I know where everything is, and that's all that matters dammit!