Filco FKB 104m/EB arrived

[Waves77]

It's been a long day, so I'll keep it short, but my new Filco Majestouch just arrived today (shipping took only 2 days!).

I'll post a review an recording soon (we're in the middle of a move to a different apartment in town), but the initial reaction is very positive. At first I missed the clickyness of the buckling springs or the blue cherry keyswitches, but the tactile feedback on this board is very very nice. Just like the blue cherry switches, the brown switches have a soft feel to them (don't require a lot of strength to press down), without loosing proper tactile feedback (solid) and auditory feedback (sufficient enough to be heard, but soft enough to be used in an environment where other people might complain about a louder board).

Unrelated but interesting little fact, right now I have a model M plugged in through ps2, and the Filco through usb. When I press Cap Lock or Num Lock on one board, the led will turn off/on on both boards at the same time

It's been a joy typing this message on this new board

[xsphat]

Nice, I hope you enjoy it. While the browns aren't my thing, they are nice and the 'board itself is really high quality.

And by the way, moving sucks, sorry man.

[Waves77]

Nice, I hope you enjoy it. While the browns aren't my thing, they are nice and the 'board itself is really high quality.

I can see why you really liked this one for a long (?) while though - this board seems really apt for writing prose for some reason, more than any other board I've tried...

And by the way, moving sucks, sorry man.

It's a (slightly) bigger apartment in a nicer neighborhood, so it's not too bad

[bhtooefr]

That's something interesting I found when I started using external keyboards on my iBook... on a PC, all keyboards share the same Caps Lock and Scroll Lock states.

(Of course, my ThinkPad has some trickery to somewhat link the Num Lock states without them being the same - turning Num Lock ON on the external keyboard does nothing to the internal's state, but turning it OFF on the external turns it off on the internal, too.)

On a Mac, they don't. (Of course, only internal keyboards have Num Lock states, and there are no Scroll Lock states, but... Caps Lock isn't shared.)

Another interesting difference between Macs and PCs in that respect... it doesn't affect me much when I'm on the EnduraPro, but it DOES affect me when I'm on something without an integrated pointing device... Often, I'll still have one hand on the keyboard, with one on the laptop's pointing device. So, I don't want to move that hand back to the keyboard for some quick shortcut, or move the other hand to the laptop... on a PC, the keyboards are seen as the same, and I can hold down a modifier key on the external keyboard, while hitting the modified key on the internal keyboard.

On a Mac, the keyboards are seen as completely independent, and modifier keys only work on THAT keyboard.

[Waves77]

That's something interesting I found when I started using external keyboards on my iBook... on a PC, all keyboards share the same Caps Lock and Scroll Lock states.

That's interesting, didn't know that. Would be an interesting solution if one needed multilingual keyboards

[djones]

Nice, I hope you enjoy it. While the browns aren't my thing.

I thought the browns *were* your thing. Wasn't it you that had "typist's nirvana" for the brown cherry filcos? what happened?

[bigpook]

I thought the browns *were* your thing. Wasn't it you that had "typist's nirvana" for the brown cherry filcos? what happened?

I think keyboards are like candy and we are all 5 years old.
Each piece of candy is the most excellent one, except for the next one : )
And so it goes.

[bhtooefr]

That's my other fear about switching keyboard types - that I'll find something I like BETTER than buckling spring, and then have to buy 11tybn of those.

Because buckling spring is cheap ($59 gets you in the door with a new one, after all, as opposed to, what, $150 for Cherry browns?,) and easy to find used.

[bigpook]

Yeah, but deep down you really want to push the button, no?

I agree with you on the buckling spring keyboard. They are plentiful and relatively cheap. And just great keyboards all the way around.

I eventually want to try something that has a cherry blue switch and the closest I can get to that would be a Das Keyboard.
Then there is the Topre 86 that has the same mechanism as the HHKB2 but with a space saver layout. That could be a sweet keyboard. But that one looks to be pricey.
And then there is the.....

[Waves77]

That's my other fear about switching keyboard types - that I'll find something I like BETTER than buckling spring, and then have to buy 11tybn of those.

Having tried alps (also cheap), blue and brown cherries so far, I can say that the buckling springs are still freaking amazing, especially for that price. If it came down to it and I could choose only one, it would still probably be the springs.

I eventually want to try something that has a cherry blue switch and the closest I can get to that would be a Das Keyboard.

I just pre-ordered a Das III professional for the blue cherries, while it's still at $99 (that's including ups ground btw). Joining this forum has not been all that great for my wallet

Then there is the Topre 86 that has the same mechanism as the HHKB2 but with a space saver layout. That could be a sweet keyboard. But that one looks to be pricey.
And then there is the.....

The other two boards that I would really like to try as well. HHKB Pro 2 (also for the ease of transport factor) and a Topre. Altough at little under $300 each by the time I get them over here state-side I won't be buying these anytime soon.

[bigpook]

Waves77

Please do a review of that Das III when you get it. From what I have read here, the blue cherries have a good feel and are clicky.

I will have to wait on the Topre86 also, I don't think it is available yet outside of Korea and yeah, the price is kind of steep.

[bhtooefr]

I will say that... I know the general idea of what Alps switches are supposed to feel like, and do prefer BS to those.

But, one thing that I have no idea what to expect with is the Topre capacitive switches. Damn them for making the only US-layout board with them the Realforce 101 - I don't want the varying weights!

[Waves77]

Please do a review of that Das III when you get it. From what I have read here, the blue cherries have a good feel and are clicky.

I will definitely post a review, probably right after the weekend when I'm done moving. I used to have an audio clip of the blue cherries on the forum, but that thread got thrashed, so I'm attaching it here again.

I will say that... I know the general idea of what Alps switches are supposed to feel like, and do prefer BS to those.

Do give them a try. Boards with alps can be found for not that much on ebay, and they make a nice contrast between the springs (heavier) and the cherries (a lot lighter) for me.

[bhtooefr]

FWIW, you might put that as a new thread in the keyboard audio clips forum.

And, I'll note that my EnduraPro has REALLY light keys, for a BS keyboard.

[xsphat]

I go through phases. Duh. I know. The browns are great, the switch is amazing and I recommend them to people.

BUT

While I could fly on that keyboard, I could never get the accuracy I get from Alps out of the box. And before the Cherry browns, my thing was the black Alps switches.

I have a Model M, and it is a nice typing keyboard, but I prefer the sound and feel of the Alps, though I will say that M gives the most full on, balls out feel of authority - way better than any other. That's why I keep it for writing really gritty hardboiled or noir stories.

The new thing is the white Alps, which I liked more than the Alps blacks from the first day I had them. They click so nice and feel a little better than the blacks, and I am most confident typing on them (the HHKB Pro 2 is close second here).

And I sell the keyboards that don't work for me, or throw them away if they aren't worth the hassle. So there is my story in a nutshell. Now you know how I think, and why I'm broke.

[Ulysses31]

Some of the Filcos come with white Alps from what i've seen.  Anyone going to Japan in the next few weeks might want to try them out.  I personally think it's just too much trouble, expense and hassle to experiment with importing their stuff half way across the world unless you don't mind the risk of finding out that you don't like the key-action.  Since I prefer really light keys that actuate quickly, I don't think the Alps would be for me (from what i've heard).