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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: abio on Thu, 24 September 2009, 16:11:58

Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: abio on Thu, 24 September 2009, 16:11:58
After getting hooked on this website for several days, I took the plunge and ordered a Filco 104 key Cherry MX Blue-based keyboard from Elitekeyboards*. I calculated how much time I spent looking at all the information here and it was enough for me to do some contract work to buy 10 keyboards! :doh:

I guess since it's my first post on here I should briefly go through some of my own background. When I got my first computer, it had the best keyboard I have ever owned. The keyboard was a "UNICOM" branded keyboard by costar in Taiwan. I have no idea what it uses but I pulled out a keycap and it revealed a mechanical switch of some sort. It still does work, though the n key sometimes gets stuck. I guess I'll have to post images of it later... it still resides in a special place in my heart. :)

For the last 11 years I've been using terrible excuses for keyboards, without knowing the technology had changed significantly since the keyboard I first owned. At one time my typing speed was so fast, most keyboards had great difficulty keeping up with me, including the crappy Microsoft "comfort plus" keyboard I'm typing on right now. God, my fingers are aching. Then, a fateful afternoon a few days ago a friend of mine sent me this article about the worst keyboards in the history of computers:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/139100/the_10_worst_pc_keyboards_of_all_time.html (http://www.pcworld.com/article/139100/the_10_worst_pc_keyboards_of_all_time.html)

Coming to the last page, I found out that my Unicom was a chassis replica of the Model M. Intrigued that people considered it the best keyboard in the world I started sifting through piles of information. Until I came on here and discovered with some relief that technology has moved on since 1984 and in fact the Cherry Corp (whose keyboards I've used before, with great pleasure) produces something to fill the gap.

Actually, ripster's lego olympic ranking of keyboard technology pretty much convinced me to go for the Click Tactile switch based keyboard.

Knowing that my Filco keyboard will soon arrive, in your wise opinions, do you think its still worthwhile to also get a Unicomp customizer 104? I took a look at the photos at their website and the plastic cut looks a bit shabby. I'm guessing after a decade and a half of operation the lexmark moulds are getting old?

In leu of the financial crisis and the fact that Unicomp can't afford to maintain a domain (pckeyboard.com) do you think its worthwhile purchasing one in the chance that they may go under? Will my Filco ensure the unicomp would gather dust? I'm scared that it'll start a vicious cycle, slowly becoming a keyboard hoarder. Not that ... there's anything ... wrong with that -- *runs*. :bolt:

Anyway, sorry about the spiel and thanks for this great resource. :)

* Actually I messed up thanks to paypal's confusing system and ordered the brown switch one, but I just sent an email to elitekeyboard support requesting an order change. They got back to me and fixed my error before I could finish this forum post, in 15 minutes flat! :)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: wellington1869 on Thu, 24 September 2009, 16:25:39
Quote from: abio;120359

Actually, ripster's lego olympic ranking of keyboard technology pretty much convinced me to go for the Click Tactile switch based keyboard.

:doh:


Quote

Knowing that my Filco keyboard will soon arrive, in your wise opinions, do you think its still worthwhile to also get a Unicomp customizer 104?

if you like loud and clicky, then definitely ;) It'll also be a nice contrast to the lightweight blue cherries you ordered ;)

Quote

In leu of the financial crisis and the fact that Unicomp can't afford to maintain a domain (pckeyboard.com) do you think its worthwhile purchasing one in the chance that they may go under?

oh, they're going under alright ;) Just a matter of when ;)
But I'm sure ebay will continue to supply us with our buckling spring habit at least thru our own end-of-life spans ;)

Quote

Will my Filco ensure the unicomp would gather dust?

depends on whether you like light-and-ticky or meaty-and-clicky. You wont know till you try em! Maybe you'll like both!

Quote

I'm scared that it'll start a vicious cycle, slowly becoming a keyboard hoarder. Not that ... there's anything ... wrong with that -- *runs*. :bolt:

be afraid... ;)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: ch_123 on Thu, 24 September 2009, 16:49:53
Quote from: abio;120359
Knowing that my Filco keyboard will soon arrive, in your wise opinions, do you think its still worthwhile to also get a Unicomp customizer 104? I took a look at the photos at their website and the plastic cut looks a bit shabby. I'm guessing after a decade and a half of operation the lexmark moulds are getting old?

In leu of the financial crisis and the fact that Unicomp can't afford to maintain a domain (pckeyboard.com) do you think its worthwhile purchasing one in the chance that they may go under? Will my Filco ensure the unicomp would gather dust? I'm scared that it'll start a vicious cycle, slowly becoming a keyboard hoarder. Not that ... there's anything ... wrong with that -- *runs*. :bolt:

Good question. If you have the money, a Unicomp is always a sound addition to your stack of keyboards. The finish is crap, but they work and they last. If you like how light the switches on your Filco are, you may find the Unicomp too stiff.

However, if you want something special, I'd grab one of these. (http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-IBM-Original-PC-AT-Clicky-Keyboard-PS-2-AT_W0QQitemZ390094179659QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad36ccd4b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_3305wt_877)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: erricrice on Thu, 24 September 2009, 17:02:30
Quote from: abio;120359
* Actually I messed up thanks to paypal's confusing system and ordered the brown switch one, but I just sent an email to elitekeyboard support requesting an order change. They got back to me and fixed my error before I could finish this forum post, in 15 minutes flat! :)


Yep, they're quite awesome, we even have a rep as part of the forums!

Quote from: ch_123;120372
However, if you want something special, I'd grab one of these. (http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-IBM-Original-PC-AT-Clicky-Keyboard-PS-2-AT_W0QQitemZ390094179659QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5ad36ccd4b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_3305wt_877)


Shameless, shameless plug........lol don't get him hooked on that stuff yet, he needs to start off with a gateway then work his way up to the hardcore stuff  :biggrin:
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: rdjack21 on Thu, 24 September 2009, 20:51:45
Quote from: abio;120359
In leu of the financial crisis and the fact that Unicomp can't afford to maintain a domain (pckeyboard.com) do you think its worthwhile purchasing one in the chance that they may go under? Will my Filco ensure the unicomp would gather dust? I'm scared that it'll start a vicious cycle, slowly becoming a keyboard hoarder. Not that ... there's anything ... wrong with that -- *runs*. :bolt:


Yes be very afraid of the RED pill. Your wallet will hate you but your fingers will love you. If you like the blue keep it and run don't try anything else. Once you start trying other keyboards there is no turning back because then you have to try them all.

Quote from: abio;120359

* Actually I messed up thanks to paypal's confusing system and ordered the brown switch one, but I just sent an email to elitekeyboard support requesting an order change. They got back to me and fixed my error before I could finish this forum post, in 15 minutes flat! :)


Yea they are great but those brown cherry switches are nice. Other than a Topre board they are really great to use at the office where you may need a quite keyboard.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: timw4mail on Thu, 24 September 2009, 21:23:00
Quote from: erricrice;120376
Shameless, shameless plug........lol don't get him hooked on that stuff yet, he needs to start off with a gateway then work his way up to the hardcore stuff  :biggrin:

That was the third mechanical keyboard I bought, and it's still my favorite.

My parents weren't so happy about me getting that though...two nights of fixing someone's computer...just to buy a keyboard...

Oh well.

Yes, keyboards are addicting... (And I'm still feeling the urge to try more switches, like the blue NEC switches, and various ALPS switches...)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: erricrice on Thu, 24 September 2009, 21:41:09
Quote from: timw4mail;120418
That was the third mechanical keyboard I bought, and it's still my favorite.

My parents weren't so happy about me getting that though...two nights of fixing someone's computer...just to buy a keyboard...

Oh well.

Yes, keyboards are addicting... (And I'm still feeling the urge to try more switches, like the blue NEC switches, and various ALPS switches...)


No denying that....I don't think there is a single one of us on the forums that just bought a keyboard and stuck with that.  We might have gone back to it after buying new ones, but we still had to try :)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: timw4mail on Thu, 24 September 2009, 22:03:08
Yeah, I just bought a keyboard with those blue NEC switches...curiosity is going to kill my savings...
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: rdjack21 on Thu, 24 September 2009, 22:19:42
The ones that just get one board tend to leave pretty quickly. It us collectors that hang around if for no other reason than to find other keyboards to get and try out :)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: patrickgeekhack on Thu, 24 September 2009, 22:50:13
Should you get a Customizer 104? It's a tough question to answer. Although I only use mine once in a while now, I don't regret having bought it. My current favourite is my blue Cherries G80-3000. That does not  mean that I never use the others. It's like food, you don't want to eat the same thing over and over again exclusively ;-)

Be warned, the Customizer is very loud. But, like Welly said, they are meaty and sometimes meaty is nice.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 25 September 2009, 08:02:32
Quote from: rdjack21;120437
The ones that just get one board tend to leave pretty quickly. It us collectors that hang around if for no other reason than to find other keyboards to get and try out :)

Or we don't have enough to do at work.  I haven't bought a new keyboard in months.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: wellington1869 on Fri, 25 September 2009, 09:30:07
Quote from: itlnstln;120486
Or we don't have enough to do at work.  I haven't bought a new keyboard in months.


and I've promised for months that i'm done buying keyboards :P
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 25 September 2009, 10:16:47
Quote from: wellington1869;120496
and I've promised for months that i'm done buying keyboards :P

Fail.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: mike2h on Fri, 25 September 2009, 13:22:30
know what u mean. these bozos got me to buy a deck legend, now im considering the scorpius m10(or something else) for my wife with a possible filco brown down the road.
bad people, very bad people... lol
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: timw4mail on Fri, 25 September 2009, 13:34:02
Quote from: mike2h;120527
know what u mean. these bozos got me to buy a deck legend, now im considering the scorpius m10(or something else) for my wife with a possible filco brown down the road.
bad people, very bad people... lol

Well, at least you shouldn't have to buy a replacement keyboard...
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: rdjack21 on Fri, 25 September 2009, 13:45:21
Just take the RED Pill you know you want to....

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=4748&stc=1&d=1253904192)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 25 September 2009, 13:54:01
Just don't OD on red pills.  It can kill you.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: mike2h on Fri, 25 September 2009, 14:17:44
lmao. the way my wife is starting to look at me when i talk about kb's you would think i had already swallowed the friggin pills('tis possible) & that death was imminent ;)

tim, i really think that legend will be the last i need. notice how i worded that... im learning guys.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 25 September 2009, 14:19:08
Never talk to the wife about keyboards more than you absolutely need to.  It could save your life.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: mech on Fri, 25 September 2009, 14:29:15
I don't know about becoming a keyboard collector, but I have certainly always been fascinated by keyboards and human input devices.  Mechanical, chording, ergonomic, vertical, foldable, washable, wearable, laser... and then we move to QWERTY/Dvorak/Colemak discussions, touch-typing theory (bottoming out: should you care?), and all the rest.

This is the only place I've ever found where the people care about it.

So, I don't think one would necessarily need to be a keyboard collector to stick around.  I'm a pragmatic sort; I'll probably have a few keyboards that I rotate around my various machines.  Part of the point of investing in a good mechanical keyboard is that you shouldn't have to constantly be buying keyboards...
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: talis on Fri, 25 September 2009, 14:42:58
(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=4749&stc=1&d=1253907701)

(pardon the crappy PS skills).
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: rdjack21 on Fri, 25 September 2009, 15:14:09
Quote from: itlnstln;120533
Never talk to the wife about keyboards more than you absolutely need to.  It could save your life.



No you have it all wrong. Come birthday/Christmas time and she asks what you want tell her to get you a keyboard. Hey it worked for me. I got a really nice expensive keyboard that I wanted that way.

Hmm Christmas is around the corner maybe I need to ask for a µTRON :) She has already got me one from Japan for my birthday so just maybe I can talk her into the µTRON for Christmas.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: Hofy on Fri, 25 September 2009, 17:00:13
Some of us only take the [H]ard Pill.

(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/hofy/Hard_Pill.jpg)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: erricrice on Fri, 25 September 2009, 20:57:57
Quote from: Hofy;120582
Some of us only take the [H]ard Pill.

Show Image
(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/hofy/Hard_Pill.jpg)


Totally man.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: InSanCen on Fri, 25 September 2009, 21:42:31
Quote from: rdjack21;120551
No you have it all wrong. Come birthday/Christmas time and she asks what you want tell her to get you a keyboard. Hey it worked for me. I got a really nice expensive keyboard that I wanted that way.

Hmm Christmas is around the corner maybe I need to ask for a µTRON :) She has already got me one from Japan for my birthday so just maybe I can talk her into the µTRON for Christmas.


Worked for me too. My M13 arrived and I am now typing on it. Helluva birthday present.

You do need to prepare yourself for the shakes of the head, and muttered comments about your sanity though.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: rdjack21 on Fri, 25 September 2009, 22:31:04
Quote from: InSanCen;120642
Worked for me too. My M13 arrived and I am now typing on it. Helluva birthday present.

You do need to prepare yourself for the shakes of the head, and muttered comments about your sanity though.


Oh yea the head shakes and the muttered "Men" as they walk off. And lets not forget the fun discussions ( :argue: ) you get to have when they find out you spent $300+ on a particular keyboard. Actually we did not really have a argument she just really started on the mumbled "nutty man" comments as she walked off shaking her head.

But even more fun is when you take over the dinning room table so you can take that expensive keyboard apart and take pictures of it. Or tell her you need a better camera so you can take better pictures of your keyboard, but of course you don't tell her you need it for the keyboards you need it to take pictures of the kids or of her.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: timw4mail on Fri, 25 September 2009, 23:36:37
I need a better camera to take pictures of keyboards...
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: talis on Sat, 26 September 2009, 01:37:17
Quote from: ripster;120550
You're forgiven.


Apparently I'm incapable of posting images properly.

(http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=4757&stc=1&d=1253947021)
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: JBert on Sat, 26 September 2009, 13:57:07
I thought it was a combination of running a negative "feather" operation on a selection from a layer, then inverting the selection and then doing a 50% erase of the whole selection.
Result: the edges of the layer become slightly translucent and hence look less like a plain cutout.

That was just entirely off-topic.
Title: You guys got me hooked on keyboards :(
Post by: d2v on Sun, 27 September 2009, 00:43:24
Here's something interesting that may answer why we keep buying things -
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001301.html (http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001301.html)