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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: megarat on Sun, 21 June 2009, 16:33:13
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Hey all,
Please pile in with your opinion (hopefully it's obvious): what constitutes a "key cap"? I had always been under the impression that the key cap is the plastic mushroom-shaped part that attaches to the stem of the switch. Furthermore, I had also been under the impression that the "key" included the switch.
But reading some posts about Model Ms and other keyboards that have "detachable key caps", they're referring to an "outer-ware" component that pops right on and off of a base that itself attaches to the switch.
So ... are the key caps just those detachable parts, and therefore not all keyboards have key caps? Or is my original impression correct? Or ... is there really no fixed definition, so it doesn't really matter?
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As far as I am concerned, in a Model M, you have a keycap (http://www.preater.com/modelm/images/model-m-keys-jug-small.jpg) (the top shell which has the character printed on it) and the stem (http://www.preater.com/modelm/images/model-m-innards-large.jpg) (which is the part underneath to which the keycap attaches). With regular keyboards, I just call the single piece keycap+stem keycaps. Maybe slightly ambigious, but it seems to be what people around here use.
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So ... are the key caps just those detachable parts, and therefore not all keyboards have key caps?
that would be my preferred usage of the term 'keycap', but i'm afraid in actual use you probably have to look at the context closely since people seem to use a lot of terms interchangeably. Part of the problem is probably that only M users have to deal with a distinction, since its mainly M boards that have a removeable keycap AS WELL AS a removeable key. For others, it hasnt mattered much what term you use, since only one part is coming off.
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As far as I am concerned, in a Model M, you have a keycap (http://www.preater.com/modelm/images/model-m-keys-jug-small.jpg) (the top shell which has the character printed on it) and the stem (http://www.preater.com/modelm/images/model-m-innards-large.jpg) (which is the part underneath to which the keycap attaches). With regular keyboards, I just call the single piece keycap+stem keycaps. Maybe slightly ambigious, but it seems to be what people around here use.
If that's the case, then what do the call the part of the switch that the keycap attaches to? I thought that part was the stem.
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If that's the case, then what do the call the part of the switch that the keycap attaches to? I thought that part was the stem.
"stem" or "key" i guess. It probably does have an offical name in ibm terminology, though i dont know it. I've always thought "stem" referred specifically to the bottom *part* of the key, which goes into the receptacle on teh board (which is also in need of a name, lol).
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From my phone calls to them, Cherry seem to call the nice coloured part of their switches a "plunger" (maybe that's not the right word there, so if that totally doesn't make sense, please inform me. I'm calling them in German, so I'm not entirely sure how to translate it. Plunger seems to be reasonable, though). Interesting enough, they can't do much with the colours, they're much more accustomed to actuation characteristics or model numbers; so, for example, they'll be much happier when you talk about "click actuation characteristic switches" than just about "blue switches." They'll be really happy when you start talking about the nice MX1A-E1JW switches, though. Talking about switches, don't. They're switch modules.
Now getting slightly more on-topic: Naming parts of a Model M is hard. The problem here is the stem basically is an important part of the switch; the switch won't work without the stem, so the real keycap is the removable part on old Model Ms. On new ones, keycaps don't really exist, as you're typing on the actual switch itself.
When I talk about the Model M's receptable, I usually use "pot" in German. "Well" might be a better alternative in English, as is done in the field of quantum physics, for example ("potential well" is "potential pot" in German). If you want to be more precise and technical, I'd suggest guide, key guide or cylindrical key stem receptable.
-huha
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I like the word slut (like slut machines in AC) for where the key stem goes. And key caps refer to the toppest piece of plastic on your key stem(whether it be one or two piece) lol
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I like "well" too. This is what I think of instantly:
I think i've used 'bucket' on occasion. Sometimes, "barrel".
or snap a picture and put a bright red arrow on it. :)
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geekhack should have a dictionary for all this revolutionary 20 year old technology haha
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I like the word slut (like slut machines in AC) for where the key stem goes. And key caps refer to the toppest piece of plastic on your key stem(whether it be one or two piece) lol
Surely you mean a "slot" machine? A slut is a different form of entertainment to gambling >_>.