Keyboard preferences cognitive dissonance.

[ideus]

Since I remember, I have read here, and there comments on people that prefer commercial-grade keyboards; most of them are not mechanical ones. Threads like "unpopular keyboard opinions" is a good example. But I wonder why someone may keep contradictory beliefs and like to be in its stress regarding this humble element of contemporary life: A computer keyboard. Do you have an explanation?

[yui]

isn't it the American way of life? stress about the fact that your neighbor has a bit more expensive keyboard and so you want one more expensive than his? and then you can't accept that your new more expensive keyboard is not better than your old one. it is how apple market their products, more expensive is always better, everyone knows that
i can't say i am immune, i am in this community after all, but i try to find a middle ground and to give away part of that so that there are more equals and less < or >, i think it is somewhat a decent way to use that tendency for the good of all, although it tends to make all hobbies a tad more expensive

[hvontres]

I think part of it might be down to only having experienced a limited set of options and thus not knowing that there are better options out there. Personally, I was fairly happy with commercial rubber domes until I spent three months working from home on a Model M. The first day back at the office and trying to type on my trusty Lenovo rubber dome felt like absolute crap. That experience led me here and starting to tinker with custom keyboards. And I think that might be another place where a bit of dissonance can creep in. If instead of going slow and doing some initial research (i.e switch testers, different keycaps) I had jumped in and just bought the latest red-switch gamer board, I might have concluded that there is just too much hype around this hobby. And to be honest, a lot of the really over the top builds are more for form and not so much for function. Not saying that building a functional piece of art is bad, but when it comes to just typing, I can see how investing in good keycaps and switches makes more of a difference that how clean the outer case is or if the backside can be used as a shaving mirror.

[Polymer]

Since I remember, I have read here, and there comments on people that prefer commercial-grade keyboards; most of them are not mechanical ones. Threads like "unpopular keyboard opinions" is a good example. But I wonder why someone may keep contradictory beliefs and like to be in its stress regarding this humble element of contemporary life: A computer keyboard. Do you have an explanation?

Do you see a lot of this within the keyboard community?  There are very few objective things about a keyboard where this might come into play..do you have some examples?   Maybe bottoming out is one?

[ideus]

Since I remember, I have read here, and there comments on people that prefer commercial-grade keyboards; most of them are not mechanical ones. Threads like "unpopular keyboard opinions" is a good example. But I wonder why someone may keep contradictory beliefs and like to be in its stress regarding this humble element of contemporary life: A computer keyboard. Do you have an explanation?

Do you see a lot of this within the keyboard community?  There are very few objective things about a keyboard where this might come into play..do you have some examples?   Maybe bottoming out is one?

What triggered my curiosity were recent comments on rubber domes being better than some mechanical switches. I also recalled some similar posts that said that Mac's keyboards were better than some mechanical boards.

[Polymer]

Since I remember, I have read here, and there comments on people that prefer commercial-grade keyboards; most of them are not mechanical ones. Threads like "unpopular keyboard opinions" is a good example. But I wonder why someone may keep contradictory beliefs and like to be in its stress regarding this humble element of contemporary life: A computer keyboard. Do you have an explanation?

Do you see a lot of this within the keyboard community?  There are very few objective things about a keyboard where this might come into play..do you have some examples?   Maybe bottoming out is one?

What triggered my curiosity were recent comments on rubber domes being better than some mechanical switches. I also recalled some similar posts that said that Mac's keyboards were better than some mechanical boards.

And you consider that to be a case of cognitive dissonance? 
I don't see any inconsistency with someone liking some non-mech keyboards over some mech keyboards....

[Riverman]

I don't see that as being much different than liking both Cherry and Topre keyboards.  They can both feel great, but different.  A good scissor switch with rubber domes can have a very nice snap and tactility that a lot of mechanical keyboards are missing.   

I'll also say that the selection of decent looking mechanical keyboards for Macs is absolute crap, and it's driven me to use Apple's own keyboards or the occasional Logitech on multiple occasions.  Considering how much effort Apple puts into the industrial design of their computers, it's shocking that no one makes a keyboard that even attempts to match a Mac in the slightest, except for Topre, and those are hideously expensive Japan-only TKL or JIS models.  I spent way too much money on a Topre RGB, silenced it, painted the case silver, and then bought a Varmilo VA108 Mac just for the keycaps to put on the Topre.  That's what this hobby has driven me to. 

[jamster]

What triggered my curiosity were recent comments on rubber domes being better than some mechanical switches. I also recalled some similar posts that said that Mac's keyboards were better than some mechanical boards.

I have made this comment before- I would prefer to use some free PC keyboards rather than practically any linear switch. I'd draw the line at some of the worst Dell boards, the super-flexy skinny ones from about 10 years ago.

I don't think there's any cognitive dissonance in that though, I just find it really, really hard to type on linears. I get faster feedback from the bottom out of chicklets.

[hvontres]

Since I remember, I have read here, and there comments on people that prefer commercial-grade keyboards; most of them are not mechanical ones. Threads like "unpopular keyboard opinions" is a good example. But I wonder why someone may keep contradictory beliefs and like to be in its stress regarding this humble element of contemporary life: A computer keyboard. Do you have an explanation?

Do you see a lot of this within the keyboard community?  There are very few objective things about a keyboard where this might come into play..do you have some examples?   Maybe bottoming out is one?

What triggered my curiosity were recent comments on rubber domes being better than some mechanical switches. I also recalled some similar posts that said that Mac's keyboards were better than some mechanical boards.

And you consider that to be a case of cognitive dissonance? 
I don't see any inconsistency with someone liking some non-mech keyboards over some mech keyboards....

I can see how a decent rubber dome might be better than a really inexpensive linear. On the other hand, I don't see a decent Mechanical being worse than an OEM rubberdome any day. But given the difference in price, I am not sure that is a fair comparison. I also think that a lot of people, especially those using light linear switches take full advantage of the fact that a mechanical switch actuates about halfway through the stroke while a rubber dome switch requires one to bottom out hard to make contact. And if you are going to mash down on your keys, a decent rubberdome is probably perfectly acceptable.

[treeleaf64]

I like custom keyboard because I can get the exact feel I want

[ideus]

I like custom keyboard because I can get the exact feel I want

That's keyboard preference cognitive harmony. 

[suicidal_orange]

I have a case of this - I hate every light switch I've tried and often mock people who like them for being weak, but I loved the Matias quiet clicks in a board I borrowed and if I ever get an office job again they are what I'll be using.

[ideus]

I have a case of this - I hate every light switch I've tried and often mock people who like them for being weak, but I loved the Matias quiet clicks in a board I borrowed and if I ever get an office job again they are what I'll be using.

[Polymer]

And you consider that to be a case of cognitive dissonance? 
I don't see any inconsistency with someone liking some non-mech keyboards over some mech keyboards....

I can see how a decent rubber dome might be better than a really inexpensive linear. On the other hand, I don't see a decent Mechanical being worse than an OEM rubberdome any day. But given the difference in price, I am not sure that is a fair comparison. I also think that a lot of people, especially those using light linear switches take full advantage of the fact that a mechanical switch actuates about halfway through the stroke while a rubber dome switch requires one to bottom out hard to make contact. And if you are going to mash down on your keys, a decent rubberdome is probably perfectly acceptable.

I don't disagree with you on some of what you said...but those are our subjective opinions.

If someone likes some whatever keyboard (Apple switches, Dell Rubber dome keyboard) over some other mech keyboards then I don't doubt that they do.   Especially if they do like Mech Boards to begin with, that person is providing an honest opinion about what they like and dislike.  This is far more likely than someone that doesn't have an open mind about it.  Awhile back there used to be an argument whether Topre was mechanical or not..because if it is not then of course it can't be as good as a true mechanical keyboard...as if that argument makes any sense at all.

As far as not requiring bottom out...that's just a myth.  It is true that it doesn't require bottoming out to actuate..that's a fact but in reality, if you're trying to not bottoming out, you're actually slowing yourself down and frankly, wasting your time.  The myth comes in where people think that's what you're SUPPOSED to do or the intent of mech boards...and it absolutely is not.  Rubber domes are made so the collapse will bring you down to the bottom (same as Topre) so there aren't any issues there.  Of course earlier actuation I think is nicer and once you're used to it, the faster response is nice, not to mention it is inherently more consistent because you don't HAVE to bottom out even if you are a vast majority of the time but if you're typing to not bottom out, you're doing yourself a disservice.