SGI keycaps on Apple Extended

[mr_a500]

Just for the hell of it, I decided to try SGI granite keycaps on my Apple Extended Keyboard. Here's how it looks:



There are a bunch of keys that don't fit. All the keys on the top row are not exchangeable because the switch is oriented vertically instead of horizontal (horizontal on the SGI). The Caps Lock switch is slightly more to the right on the SGI, so it can't be used or it will snag on the A. Numeric keypad Enter and 0 can't be used because the stabilizer bars are on opposite sides from the ones on the SGI. The SGI has one large + instead of two smaller keys for + and -.
(I just noticed I have grey * / and - wrong, so I switched them. The - is actually an =, but there's no grey = key.)

Maybe Control can be switched with CTRL, but obviously there is no substitute for the option and Apple keys.

I like the font on the SGI keys better, but it looks a bit odd having two different fonts so I might switch it back. What do you think?

[mr_a500]

So... nobody has an opinion?

OK, I'll ask another question: does anybody know a cheap source of nice ALPS-compatible doublshot keys? I was going to try some TRS-80 Model 100 keys, but I can't find any dead Model 100s. (and certainly don't want to use my working one)

[The Solutor]

So... nobody has an opinion?

 Personally I prefer the granite look of granite as is and I like it more than the apple keyboard. Btw I prefer the latter with the original keycaps.

P.S. are both equipped with the same kind of dampened switch, if not how they compare ? what do you prefer ?

[mr_a500]

I like the SGI granite, but prefer the feel of the AEK. Orange ALPS feel better than white.

Anyway, I can't use the SGI keyboard (except on the Indy) because I don't yet have a PS/2-USB adapter and I need the Apple keys. (using it on a PowerMac)

[The Solutor]

Anyway, I can't use the SGI keyboard (except on the Indy) because I don't yet have a PS/2-USB adapter and I need the Apple keys. (using it on a PowerMac)

I understand...

Orange ALPS feel better than white.

Given the ALPS science so is complicated, can you elaborate more ? (Recently I've tried just some white dampened)

Do you have any cream dampened too ?

[ch_123]

Dampened whites are the same as Creams as far as I know. Why Alps made some with the white colour is one of those great Alps mysteries.

@mr_a500: It woulnd't be too difficult to swap the switches from one keyboard to the other. It could be done without a soldering iron, although using a soldering iron would speed the process up a lot.

[mr_a500]

@mr_a500: It woulnd't be too difficult to swap the switches from one keyboard to the other. It could be done without a soldering iron, although using a soldering iron would speed the process up a lot.

You mean put orange ALPS in the SGI granite? There's no point because the SGI doesn't have Apple keys. And there's not really that much difference between orange and white to make it worth the effort.

[theferenc]

I did this, in the other direction. I put the AEKII keys on a Dell AT101W. I only did it because I was missing some keys on the Dell, though.

But I don't like the single tone aspect of the apple keyboards. I never have. I like my modifiers to be different colors than the rest of the keys. Maybe that's retro, considering these days it's pretty rare, but I actually prefer it.

[The Solutor]

What about dye  in gray the aek large keys ?

[False_Dmitry_II]

You could do that. I decided against doing so because I wanted to preserve the one tone look. Otherwise I'd have held off on the wasd keys as well to do them in a different color. I will be doing so on more or less the rest of my boards (that I go ahead and do stuff to).

The AEK he has does not have dampeners at all. It does have the gray switchplates that make blue alps better. White is to blue as black is to orange.

I was pretty sure that the SGI has click leaves and dampeners. If they do I don't know what to call them, because they are no longer white or cream alps at that point.

[The Solutor]

I was pretty sure that the SGI has click leaves and dampeners

I thought the granite had the same switches I have: white, dampened and not cklicky