Canon 6311 and other questions

[False_Dmitry_II]

Alright, so I'm new here - I saw a link to here on some random review of a mechanical keyboard and decided to show up.

So about a year or two ago (besides early gradeschool stuff that I really have no idea what was on the computers for things like oregon trail, etc.) I had my first run-in with a mechanical keyboard. For about 5 or so years I had been using the same $5 keyboard from a computer store (I build my own computers, so it's not like my parts came with any keyboards and at the time I actually preferred the feel of it versus more expensive rubber dome keyboards that they had there) and really had no thoughts of replacing it. It seemed like it would just keep working forever, besides a very small amount of the keys are starting to have their key lettering fade.

I was brought over to look at a computer for some people who wanted me to either fix it or if it was worth it, etc. It wasn't since it was a rather slow P4, so they decided they wanted rid of it. They told me to take it and it's entire setup, speakers and monitor and all because they had laptops now and why not just put one of those where it had been physically instead of getting something new. So I asked about if I could keep the keyboard too, since I saw it has a PS/2 end and I hated USB keyboards (for a much smaller set of reasons than now) it seemed like USB ones were everywhere and I wanted a few backups just because. So I brought it all home.

I then poked at the keys on this odd Canon keyboard, I didn't know they made keyboards. It went click-klack

I was like, what is this? I don't even

So I decided to plug it into my computer to try it out, I've been using it more or less ever since as my main keyboard and did plenty of reading (hence why now I must have mechanical, I just plugged in my old $5 one and it feels like mush) and expanded dislike for USB keyboards. It's from 1994.

This isn't me but it shows this keyboard, can anyone tell me anything about it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbtFcJJceQk

I also ended up buying a used black Dell AT101 for like $25-30. It was okay, but my main annoyance at it was that alot of the keys were shiny, I had never seen that before. The canon isn't shiny at all, and from the way the lettering looks I think its keys are dyed. What do people think of the dell?

[Pylon]

Judging by the name, it might be a rebranded Acer 6311 with their own switches.

[False_Dmitry_II]

Because if I use a Canon camera the world might explode? I think my digital really is a Canon though...

How are you supposed to safely remove a key? Just a screwdriver or what?

[Pylon]

http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:7018

[keyb_gr]

As the comments on the video already indicate, the board is made by Acer indeed. 102-key versions were called 6312. I have a board like this, if in a different case. Similar to complicated white ALPS (which they had used in the old 6011) but somewhat lighter.

[False_Dmitry_II]

Heh, yeah it is definitely Acer. I popped one off using the two small screwdrivers (I've got plenty of these laying around) and it has Acer written on the switch. Anyone still want a picture or...?

So what do you guys think of it or the dell at101w?

Is there anything I can do about the shiny keys on the dell so they don't feel as ridiculously smooth? (like sand it or something)

[theferenc]

You can get new keys for the Dell. I've got a mostly dead one that you can have for the cost of shipping. One of the switches is stuck down, but the rest of them are all clean and shiny on the inside, in case you need/want more of the switches.

Taking the keys off an ALPS type switch can be really hard or really easy, depending on how you do it. Unfortunately for me, I didn't know how at first and managed to snap one of the stems.

I actually really liked the Dell keyboard, but then, I like ALPS. You might even want to try an Apple Extended Keyboard (either the original or the II). The II is nice and quiet, as it uses dampened sliders. Both feel really nice, though. The downside is the adapters are hard to find, though some are for sale here in the classifieds.

And if you want to go for the holy grail of old and clicky, get yourself a Model M. Preferably bolt modded with new springs and a detachable cable. PS/2, of course.

[False_Dmitry_II]

Hrm, what color is your Dell? Mine is the black one, so I'm wondering how funny it would look if I got keys for the other color.

Yeah, I've been looking at getting an Apple Extended, the only reason I didn't get one off of ebay yet is the ADB thing. (most of them don't seem to go for all that much for probably the same reason) I'm also running win7 so while the adapters I've seen say XP, and it'll probably work, it's not like I'm 100% sure.

I did just last night win a model M on ebay, item number 310296537881. It's made in the UK during the time of Lexmark in the US.