The right keyboard

[patrickgeekhack]

If your first mechanical keyboard was the right one for you, would you still have bought other keyboards?

I would probably still have bought more keyboards even if the first one was my all time favourite just to try them. I'm glad I started with heavier switches and gravitated towards lighter switches. I doubt many users who have used rubber domes all their lives would be amazed by brown cherries. I don't think they notice the tactile bump.

[Rajagra]

I suspect it was. And I did.

After all, how can you know you have 'the one' until you've tried them all?

[quadibloc]

If I can't afford to buy them all, stopping when I find one that's good enough is not unreasonable. But dipping my toe in once in a while to try something different, and picking up a good bargain if I happen to see one, is an indulgence I certainly will allow myself.

[kyamei]

First board I bought was a Realforce 101 and after trying all these other boards, it is still my favorite.  That didn't stop me from buying all the rest because, how do I know Topre switches are my favorite if I haven't tried all the rest?

[patrickgeekhack]

I guess my question was pretty stupid especially for geekhack.org. If all we wanted was one keyboard and stopped at one keyboard, we would not be here, would we?

[wellington1869]

I guess my question was pretty stupid especially for geekhack.org. If all we wanted was one keyboard and stopped at one keyboard, we would not be here, would we?

well even with cars we dont just buy one. Most people have two. And upgrade or try out others periodically.

[erricrice]

My first wasn't the right one for me.  As much as I occasionally like to type on blue cherries, it's looking like BS are the ones for me.  I may have to look into a unicomp 'board now, but it seems that the M that I have is lighter than most others.  Using the Ripometer, it actuates at around 60 gm instead of 70 gm as is usually measured(or at least it is in the wiki) and this might be why I like them so much, being as it's the 'perfect keyweight' and all...

[rdjack21]

Yea who can have just one board? Certainly not me!

I got started with a unicomp customizer and from there pretty much tried every thing else, cherry blues, White Alps, Black Alps, cherry browns. Then got my first Topre board the 87U and have not really looked back. Problem is now I'm collecting Topre boards and those suckers are expensive. I'm up to four of them and have a couple more sitting in Japan waiting for me to OK shipment and have plans to get more as I can afford them. So yea I can't have just one. But I have to say I'm having a blast trying out all of these different boards.

There is even a new board over in Japan I'm contemplating getting just to try it out. The only problem with it is that it is only offered in a full size keyboard and I really only want to get mini or tenkeyless boards for now on. Will probably end up getting one anyway just to try it.

[erricrice]

Hey Eric, any thoughts why that may be?  Was yours well used (may be the springs)?   Have you checked for missing rivets? - I noticed on keyboard with missing rivets on the edges they seem to get lighter in those sections.  Just curious.

I really don't know to tell you the truth!  The springs don't feel worn out(they are very responsive and sproingy), but I haven't used another model M for about 10 years so I don't really have anything to compare it to.  How would I check for the missing rivets?

Edit: Having re-measured the keys, I am getting inconsistent results, lol of course.  Now I'm getting the normal 65-70 gm for the keys, and they won't actuate at all with 60 gm.  Damn.  Well also they feel a LOT lighter than the Siig Minitouch that I've got with the white ALPS in them(which measured at 65) but there's probably something else going on there with where the actuation point is and such.

[timw4mail]

I keep coming back to my Model F keyboard, but I don't think I'd have liked to miss the opportunity to try so many other switches.

[Shawn Stanford]

I started with those horrific mid 70s IBM terminals (the *thunk thunk* ones) and was gleeful when I moved to the BS terminals in the 80s. I've owned and manned a *ton* of PCs, but I keep going back to the Model M that I've moved from PC to PC at work for the last ten years. It's now on my desk at home and they keys are worn pretty smooth!

The point being: I don't collect keyboards, I use them. So far, the best keyboard I've found is the Model M. It's not that I'm not curious about other keyboards; I'd love to try some of the models I read about here. But I'm not going to buy them just to collect them.

[timw4mail]

I started with those horrific mid 70s IBM terminals (the *thunk thunk* ones) and was gleeful when I moved to the BS terminals in the 80s. I've owned and manned a *ton* of PCs, but I keep going back to the Model M that I've moved from PC to PC at work for the last ten years. It's now on my desk at home and they keys are worn pretty smooth!

The point being: I don't collect keyboards, I use them. So far, the best keyboard I've found is the Model M. It's not that I'm not curious about other keyboards; I'd love to try some of the models I read about here. But I'm not going to buy them just to collect them.

I use most of my keyboards. I have keyboard ADHD...when I don't feel like using my Model F, I pick a different one.

[wellington1869]

I keep coming back to my Model F keyboard, but I don't think I'd have liked to miss the opportunity to try so many other switches.

same here, tho its my endurapro i keep coming back to

[patrickgeekhack]

The point being: I don't collect keyboards, I use them. So far, the best keyboard I've found is the Model M. It's not that I'm not curious about other keyboards; I'd love to try some of the models I read about here. But I'm not going to buy them just to collect them.

Good point. Although it may look like it, my intention was never to collect keyboards but the only way to know what a switch feel like is to get a keyboard. Unlike you, I just could not resist getting them. I tried to resist, but the temptation to know what a particular switch would be like was too strong.  

That said, I think I've tried  all the switches I wanted to try this year with the exception of the Topre.

[wellington1869]

The problem is, if you're an inveterate comparison shopper to begin with, then no matter what board you like, you always have the sneaking suspicion that somewhere out there is the one key to rule them all and what a tragedy if you dont find it  So you eventually try all the ohter major switches even if you already have a board you like. After all, if you find a better one - great! If you dont - then you can return to the one you like with more confidence in the knowledge that its indeed the best one for you.  Its a win-win.

[patrickgeekhack]

The problem is, if you're an inveterate comparison shopper to begin with, then no matter what board you like, you always have the sneaking suspicion that somewhere out there is the one key to rule them all and what a tragedy if you dont find it  So you eventually try all the ohter major switches even if you already have a board you like. After all, if you find a better one - great! If you dont - then you can return to the one you like with more confident in the knowledge that its indeed the best one for you.  Its a win-win.

It's what a psychologist called "Too many choices cause paralysis."  

[timw4mail]

It's what a psychologist called "Too many choices cause paralysis."  

I have that problem with Integral Calculus.

[InSanCen]

It was, and I still am.

I am typing on my 89 vintage Model M right now.

I will however try out other switches, and buy boards, if only for curiosity value.

[itlnstln]

"Paralysis by analysis."

[itlnstln]

I pretty much follow Ripsters plan.  I buy only the keyboards I plan to use regularly.

[wellington1869]

I pretty much follow Ripsters plan.  I buy only the keyboards I plan to use regularly.

well if you follow ripsters plan all the way you'll have to buy a hacksaw and sledgehammer too then

[itlnstln]

For buying keyboards, not research.  I am employed. I don't have free time to donate for R&D.  I just use ****, and let you guys do all the work while I reap the benefits.  
 
Works for me.

[timw4mail]

I'm a collector that uses his collection. So there.

[vicz]

I casually mentioned to a coworker that at home, my keyboard (Topre 86U) cost me about twice as much as my computer (secondhand IBM Thinkcentre from a government auction). I thought it was a mildly amusing tidbit, but apparently this is Really, Really Weird to some people.

But then, my coworkers will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid using their keyboards at all (ctrl-v? alt-tab? home? what's that?), so I can understand them freaking at the idea buying a $300 keyboard.

[patrickgeekhack]

I casually mentioned to a coworker that at home, my keyboard (Topre 86U) cost me about twice as much as my computer (secondhand IBM Thinkcentre from a government auction). I thought it was a mildly amusing tidbit, but apparently this is Really, Really Weird to some people.

But then, my coworkers will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid using their keyboards at all (ctrl-v? alt-tab? home? what's that?), so I can understand them freaking at the idea buying a $300 keyboard.

I was telling two of mine that I may get a Topre keyboard at some point in the future. Their first reaction was to buy a computer which will come with a keyboard. They still don't undertand why someone will spend $300 on a keyboard. But you're right. Some will go great lenghts to avoid using the keyboard. I prefer the keyboard shortcut than using the mouse. This is why I'm sometimes frustrated when surfing the web because most of the time the mouse is the only option.

[ed_]

I prefer the keyboard shortcut than using the mouse. This is why I'm sometimes frustrated when surfing the web because most of the time the mouse is the only option.

Give Firemacs a try: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4141

[skriefal]

Or Vimperator if you prefer the VI "way"...

[ed_]

Or Vimperator if you prefer the VI "way"...

That way should be far away.

[Special K]

I bought one used, inexpensive keyboard of each of the 4 most common switch types (see sig).  I pretty much had to because there is no way to try any of these switches out in stores and it usually takes at least a week of typical use to really get a feel for a given switch anyway.  Now that I have a favorite (cherry blues), I'll probably get one good board at some point, and then take a break for awhile.

There are still some switch types I haven't tried - white alps and black cherries, for example.  However, based on my preferences from the 4 switch types I have tried, I can be reasonably certain that I'm not going to like black cherries.  White alps might be a possibility, but it depends how much they resemble black alps, which I really don't care for.