Why few/no high contrast keyboards?

[TheGreatAmphibianPling]

Ok, I know you are supposed to be touch typing, but still - wouldn't it make more sense for the standard keyboards to use more contrasting layouts? Black keys on a black chassis, beige on beige doesn't really make a lot of sense to me. I'm almost sure that the older workstation kbs I've seen used more contrast - I think that I remember seeing beige chassis and a mixture of black, brown and muted orange keys. Even the boutique makers seem to offer only the low contrast set ups. Yes, I know you can change keycaps - but why does no one (?) offer a reasonable contrast set-up out of the box? You'd think that it would be a nice way for one of the smaller manufacturers to stand out.

[cobraj]

Is it that much harder to read the letters if there is no contrast?
I can see where you are coming from, but I've never really noticed not being able to read it.
But I do agree that they should offer more options; saves money if you have to change around the keycaps the moment you get your keyboard (if only I had a penny for every time I have read on this forum "Never used Stock Keycaps, removed straight away" )

[daerid]

Contrast of keys to case really doesn't matter that much.

Also, once you've got touch typing down, it really doesn't matter what color your keys/board are.

[rootwyrm]

I'm .. pretty sure you can't get any higher contrast than black on white.

[TheGreatAmphibianPling]

Is it that much harder to read the letters if there is no contrast?

Reading the letters isn't altered by cap/chassis contrast; it's about seeing the overall keys.

[TheGreatAmphibianPling]

I'm .. pretty sure you can't get any higher contrast than black on white.

This is true, but not quite right in context:

1. Contrast isn't the same as visibility - at least if you can view colour. Colour vision is really complicated because of the "wiring" of the eye - which is why some colours "swim" when used as text and bg. "B&W" is best is rarely true in system designer for users with colour vision.

2. Once again: this has nothing to do with the contrast of KEYCAP and CHASSIS - you're thinking of the text and overall keycap colour. I'm not talking about text visibility at all, but why older workstation kb designs that used different colours for the keys and chassis - and normally grouped the keys into several colour groups - have disappeared.

[TheGreatAmphibianPling]

Contrast of keys to case really doesn't matter that much.

Also, once you've got touch typing down, it really doesn't matter what color your keys/board are.

It doesn't matter that much if you can touch type, but a lot of people can't. As long as you think it is worth putting symbols on keys, you are using visual cues - so you might as well use the best ones possible, rather than ones that are (in this respect) the opposite. If people want to see the type of kb I'm referring to they should go to WASD's keyboard designer and select "Old School Remix" from the presets:

http://www.wasdkeyboards.com/wasd-v1-custom-keyboard.html

I'm not saying that this is a big thing, just that its interesting that the design has changed as kbs have been "commoditized".

[IvanIvanovich]

Back in the day, I think most of those colorful keycaps were more about brand association, using the brands colors to stand out not so much for any usability. A lot of brands had thier colors and used them for everything, you know what they are before you even see the logo.
Though, I don't disagree with you it dosen't hurt to mix it up and offer something besides white, biege, grey and black. If you look for them, there are some options out there though, just harder to find limited edition stuff mostly.

[TheGreatAmphibianPling]

Back in the day, I think most of those colorful keycaps were more about brand association, using the brands colors to stand out not so much for any usability. A lot of brands had thier colors and used them for everything, you know what they are before you even see the logo.

That's an interesting point - I hadn't thought about brand associations.

[rowdy]

Just get backlighting

[tp4tissue]

I think it's just the case that "normal people" don't give a sheeeet about what their keyboard looks like.

[cobraj]

I think it's just the case that "normal people" don't give a sheeeet about what their keyboard looks like.

T dat.

[Rafen]

Contrast of keys to case really doesn't matter that much.

Also, once you've got touch typing down, it really doesn't matter what color your keys/board are.

I agree I think this is why most people tend you go with blank keys. I know I love those it helps to keep my fiance off my computer. )

[crthell]

Ok, I know you are supposed to be touch typing

I think you just answered your own question. Most "enthusiasts," vision impaired or not, know how to touch type. Your average grandmother is not going to be rocking an expensive keyboard like a Topre anytime soon

[lazerpointer]

I think the white keys on black case / black keys on white case look is the best. I do it with all my boards. (Except the Vortex Gray Thick Dyesub set from Feng - those will be gray on the black case of the WASD V2 TKL (browns)

[BucklingSpring]

I think the white keys on black case / black keys on white case look is the best. I do it with all my boards. (Except the Vortex Gray Thick Dyesub set from Feng - those will be gray on the black case of the WASD V2 TKL (browns)

I own two Unicomps like this

Apparently you can't dye white lettering onto black caps, these were pad printed by an external contractor. They didn't do a great job, they wore off far too easily, and Unicomp discontinued them.

I didn't use them that much. So far the white is still there.

[TheSoulhunter]

Just get backlighting

This could actually turn into a contrast ratio battle like we had with flatscreens!
"The new Ducky Shine 3 - Letter to keycap contrast 10,000,000:1" @_@

[lazerpointer]

I really want new caps for my Customizer 101. Constantly lurking for some good buckling spring sets. (right now I just have the black, blank keys. IDK - the quality of them is just not the greatest. You can see the inconsistency in the plastic, and it just doesn't feel like good PBT keys.) Best keys I've tried so far would be the blank black Ducky PBT set which I got from mechanicalkeyboards.

[cobraj]

Just get backlighting

This could actually turn into a contrast ratio battle like we had with flatscreens!
"The new Ducky Shine 3 - Letter to keycap contrast 10,000,000:1" @_@

I LOL'd.
Twice.

[rowdy]

Just get backlighting

This could actually turn into a contrast ratio battle like we had with flatscreens!
"The new Ducky Shine 3 - Letter to keycap contrast 10,000,000:1" @_@

I think it might have been the WASD V1 keyboard had ultra bright LEDs in it - there were a few threads about how to dim them.

The backlighting on my Ducky Shine (version 1) is pretty awesome on full.

[jkercado]

Since I'm no touch-typer, and I didn't like a lot the gray shade of the Unicomp keys, I did this: