Spacebars, ease of pressing at any point

[killy]

I had one of those fat, creamy white vintage keytronics for a while and despite it being rubber dome I liked it quite a bit. Come time for a replacement I wanted to get a new keytronic as I had no problems, but I erroneously purchased a 'slim' version where the keys themselves were very short and the distance to actuation, I think (can't be sure anymore) is a shallower compared to their full size ones.

I don't really mind this keyboard, but sometimes I can't help but think I can do a bit better. So I'm looking for a mechanical.

I've pretty much set my sights on something with Cherry Blues, so I'm good as far as that goes.

However the spacebar is something that worries me. One thing I really like about this keyboard is that it has three actual rubber domes placed at the right, middle, and left side of the spacebar. The end result is that no matter where I press it, it will always smoothly actuate and will never sort of 'lock' up compared to cheap OEMs like Dells that only have a button in the middle of the spacebar.

Does this locking problem happen on keyboards with stabilizers? I imagine that it could if you press the extreme ends of the spacebar, but for this particular keytronic it really isn't an issue.

I can take pics on request.

[bladamson]

Nope.

I'm typing this on a Model M that is full of cat hair, crumbs, coffee grounds, staples, ash, hardened lava, reinforced concrete, yeti droppings, and the odd bit of unidentifiable radioactive funk of extraterrestrial origin.  The spacebar works smoothly and perfectly at either edge.

I've had some trouble with the shifts, but they don't have stabilizer bars, just plastic guides.  I expect that this could be remedied by cleaning the keyboard more than once every 5 years, though.

I never had any spacebar trouble with any of my mechanical apple keyboards in the years past, either.

[keyb_gr]

I've had some trouble with the shifts, but they don't have stabilizer bars, just plastic guides.  I expect that this could be remedied by cleaning the keyboard more than once every 5 years, though.

Either that, or the board needs a nuts/bolts mod or has a cracked barrel plate. These plastic inserts are a little fussy.

Is there anything known about the health implications of yeti droppings?

Anyway, stabilizers may be noisy (depending on construction), but usually they get the job done perfectly fine. Not sure about the all-plastic ones found in cheapo keyboards, but those with metal wire certainly do.

[msiegel]

plastic inserts are a little fussy

what goes wrong with them?

i'm planning on using 10 of them in a mod :-S

[microsoft windows]

If you liked the big old Keytronics, than an IBM Model M is definitely perfect for you.

[bladamson]

And you can still get brand new ones (albeit rebadged) at a decent price.

[bladamson]

Either that, or the board needs a nuts/bolts mod or has a cracked barrel plate. These plastic inserts are a little fussy.

Hm!  I shall have to tear it apart once my F gets here and goes into service. :3

Is there anything known about the health implications of yeti droppings?

That might explain why Elvis talks to me in my head.

[killy]

If you liked the big old Keytronics, than an IBM Model M is definitely perfect for you.

And you can still get brand new ones (albeit rebadged) at a decent price.

I actually have a model M downstairs, I believe. But it has a funny output, and I don't have the funny output to PS/2 adapter cable.

Problem is I think the model M is a bit loud and a bit stiff, so that's why I think I will try Cherry Blues. I decided against the Blackwidow as I read that it only has a single button in the middle and no stabilizers. I saw the ducky and I was interested, but no idea how good stabilizers are versus having real keys.

The rosewill RK9000 seems to have three keys (or one key + two stabilizers), I'm not sure since no one has popped their spacebar in a review I read.

I am considering waiting for EK's new stuff.

[killy]

From what I remember, it looked like an s-video input. Although I just checked, and I think someone tossed it out =\. Oh well.

That and I sort of appreciate the window key, I do frequently use it for shortcuts.

[Pylon]

From what I remember, it looked like an s-video input. Although I just checked, and I think someone tossed it out =\. Oh well.

That and I sort of appreciate the window key, I do frequently use it for shortcuts.

Then a Unicomp is for you.

[killy]

I got to poke the blackwidow keys at a computer store so I want to try Blues, as FWIW the buckling springs are just a bit too loud. My main question was whether stabilizers would distribute the load evenly compared to having three real buttons spread out under the space bar, as I game with the WASD cluster.