geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: jsbradley7 on Tue, 02 June 2015, 22:28:45
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First thing I'd like to apologize if this is in the wrong section. Please move if it is.
Everyone on this forum who's been using a mechanical for any length of time has a preference for switch types. After reading through some threads tonight I got to wondering if typing style influences switch preference, Specifically, I'm wondering if those who prefer linear switches have a different typing style than those who prefer tactile switches.
I prefer light, linear switches as I type by tapping the top of the key cap. I generally only hold down [shift] while typing but will hold down specific keys while gaming. I really learned to type on the Apple IIe and Commodore 64 and the "tap and move" style is what I adopted. By "tap and move" I mean I've already move on to the next key before the key I've tapped has registered.
Does your typing style influence your switch preference or does your switch preference influence your typing style?
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This section is fine :)
I think by the time someone gets up to a decent typing speed, they don't think about hitting a particular key so much as typing a complete word or series of words. At that point, a typist won't register individual key presses so much as register that they are typing. Unless I'm misreading what you've written, that means we type in a fairly similar fashion.
Personally, I prefer heavy, tactile switches because I like the way they feel. Lighter switches aren't as satisfying, and linear switches leave me with a very real sense that something is missing. My fingers are used to feeling feedback to let them know when releasing a key will allow them to move to the next key and still have the input be registered.
I'd say it's more a factor of what you're used to and what feels right to you than any factor relating to style.
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Y, I need feedback, too. I can't get used to the feeling of linears, although I have a similar typing style to you. The tactile bump lets me know that I can stop pressing and move on (this is mostly subconcious for me), with linears I either don't register a bunch of keys or end up mashing them into the bottom. I still bottom out a lot on ErgoClears, but not with any significant force / pressure.
So, favourite switch is 62g ErgoClears with lots of mods (latex, trampolines, stickers, shaved sliders / worn in, lubed), preferably plate mounted in a metal case. With SA or Cherry profile thick, heavy keycaps. Material doesn't matter so much to me (favourite is POM, though), as long as they're heavy.
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Most of my boards are Alps-based and I type fairly heavily on them. On my boards with Alps clones and Monterey blues I typed lighter, much lighter in the case of the latter.
My board with linear space invaders I didn't tap at all though. I moved across it quite gradually and slowly. You might be able to spot it in the typing test of my Hi-Tek 725 review.
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When I'm at home I game a lot, and I VASTLY prefer light liner switches when I'm gaming. I'm in love with my 62g gate robs right now.
For typing mx clears had a nice feedback, but my fingers did get a little tired after a while. I'm going to be trying 62g ergo clears soon.