First Experience! It arrived today...

[forTruce]

So I think I am still below 100 key presses as I type this.  My filco tenkeyless with browns just arrived and it is a weird and exciting experience.  It helps to know that I am coming from a Razer Arctosa rubber dome keyboard.  Besides just getting used to the mechanical feel, I also have to get used to having full sized keycaps.  The keycaps on the Arctosa are laptop style, slim profile.  I must say I am much preferring the feel, and sound!, of this keyboard.  It is a much more solid typing experience than anything else I have ever used before.  I now know that my money was well spent, and I have a feeling I will seek experiences with more switches in the very near future.

I understand you all have probably heard this shpeel a few times over, but I am very excited and just thought I would share.

Oh yea...I'm bottoming out like its the most fun thing to do in the world haha.

Another side note, I like how the indicator lights aren't blinding like they were on the Arctosa.

Pics incoming - When my phone decides to cooperate with me...

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[strum4h]

Good choice. Filco tenkeyless with browns was my first also.

[forTruce]

It seems to be a very common first.  I also have a Model M coming in about a few days that I am excited to try out.

[Quarzac]

Glad to hear you like it. How's the whole TKL thing treating you?

[forTruce]

Glad to hear you like it. How's the whole TKL thing treating you?

 
It's only getting better as I type on it more.  As for the tenkeyless, the only thing I have reached for to find missing was the enter key.  Sometimes I used to use it when I was using the mouse at the time, but I am not really sad it is gone (and the regular enter key is much closer now anyway).  I think I like tenkeyless a lot better than I would have a full.

[Lanx]

you could always buy a numpad add-on if you seriously miss it, of course only number crunchers need apply no one else really has a need for numpad (i did use to game exclusively on the numpad but don't game no more)

[forTruce]

you could always buy a numpad add-on if you seriously miss it, of course only number crunchers need apply no one else really has a need for numpad (i did use to game exclusively on the numpad but don't game no more)

Thats a very interesting way to game.  I could see it working pretty well for lots of hotkey access.  Kind of like a ghetto mans gamepad (that actually has another use) haha.  I don't think I need a numpad add-on.  It is as you say, I have no particular need for a numpad.  Besides, I have to get used to the smaller form factor gradually, one of my favorite keyboards aesthetically is the HHKB.

[nhwhaup]

Congratulations on your new keyboard. It's exciting to dive into this world.  Just beware once you start down this path, there is no turning back. What's your next choice?  :tongue:

[Quarzac]

Thats a very interesting way to game.  I could see it working pretty well for lots of hotkey access.  Kind of like a ghetto mans gamepad (that actually has another use) haha.  I don't think I need a numpad add-on.  It is as you say, I have no particular need for a numpad.  Besides, I have to get used to the smaller form factor gradually, one of my favorite keyboards aesthetically is the HHKB.

I've been looking at the HHKBs recently. They're beautiful things. It's a shame the price point is so high though.

[forTruce]

Congratulations on your new keyboard. It's exciting to dive into this world.  Just beware once you start down this path, there is no turning back. What's your next choice?  :tongue:

Don't tempt me! haha.  I actually already have a IBM Model M on the way, and I have actually already put a lot of thought into another board.  It happens to the best of them right...To answer your question though, I am not entirely sure.  I would love to try mx blues, mx reds or topres for my next board though.  Those aren't the only switches on my watch list, just my top three at the moment.

I've been looking at the HHKBs recently. They're beautiful things. It's a shame the price point is so high though.

They most definitely are very sexy in my opinion.  I just might have to find a way to justify the price point one of these days.

[theferenc]

Quarzac, forTruce, I'm not sure if you're professionals or students, but in either case, if you spend a lot of time on the keyboard, just think of it in terms of dollars per hour. For me, so far, I think I'm in the pennies per hour range, or at most nickels. I bought mine in October last year. I mostly only use it when I'm mobile, but I've probably logged nearly 1000 hours on it, at least. When I use it, it tends to be for 6-8 hours per day.

If you like the layout, you can convert the Model M to that, as well. All of mine are.

[forTruce]

Quarzac, forTruce, I'm not sure if you're professionals or students, but in either case, if you spend a lot of time on the keyboard, just think of it in terms of dollars per hour. For me, so far, I think I'm in the pennies per hour range, or at most nickels. I bought mine in October last year. I mostly only use it when I'm mobile, but I've probably logged nearly 1000 hours on it, at least. When I use it, it tends to be for 6-8 hours per day.

If you like the layout, you can convert the Model M to that, as well. All of mine are.

I am a student, and while i see your point, it's a lot harder to think like that as a student.  I might have to just set aside money periodically for a keyboard fund.  Besides, at the moment, I cannot really utilize multiple keyboards, my new filco should do me fine for now.  I just like to dream a bit haha.

[theferenc]

No, I totally get that, which is why I even mentioned it at all. When I was an undergrad, I totally couldn't have made a purchase like that, since what I had *worked*, even if I hated it.

But for a professional, especially a professional working in IT, it's definitely not only easily justifiable, it's also a valid expense.

[forTruce]

No, I totally get that, which is why I even mentioned it at all. When I was an undergrad, I totally couldn't have made a purchase like that, since what I had *worked*, even if I hated it.

But for a professional, especially a professional working in IT, it's definitely not only easily justifiable, it's also a valid expense.

I agree completely, and it just so happens I will be going into some form of IT so somewhere down the road I can write it off as a valid expense.  I am kind of skeptical as to whether or not I will really like the layout though.

[Quarzac]

Quarzac, forTruce, I'm not sure if you're professionals or students, but in either case, if you spend a lot of time on the keyboard, just think of it in terms of dollars per hour. For me, so far, I think I'm in the pennies per hour range, or at most nickels. I bought mine in October last year. I mostly only use it when I'm mobile, but I've probably logged nearly 1000 hours on it, at least. When I use it, it tends to be for 6-8 hours per day.

If you like the layout, you can convert the Model M to that, as well. All of mine are.

Wait, are you saying you can convert a Model M to the HHKB layout or a TKL layout? HHKB could be fun, since that would make it tiny and invincible.

[theferenc]

The Sun Type 5 layout, specifically. See the link in my sig.

Note: I said layout, not form factor. It's still a full size Model M, or a Mini, or an aircraft carrier, or whatever. But the physical layout of the keys is the same as that on the HHKB, at least with the keys that overlap. My current workstation keyboard is a 122 key Model M in UNIX layout. Physically, it's almost identical to the Sun Type 5 I based it on.

[Quarzac]

The Sun Type 5 layout, specifically. See the link in my sig.

Note: I said layout, not form factor. It's still a full size Model M, or a Mini, or an aircraft carrier, or whatever. But the physical layout of the keys is the same as that on the HHKB, at least with the keys that overlap. My current workstation keyboard is a 122 key Model M in UNIX layout. Physically, it's almost identical to the Sun Type 5 I based it on.

Oh, right. I should have noticed that. The main selling point of them is the Form Factor for me, not the key overlap. Thanks though!

[Lolcakes]

The Sun Type 5 layout, specifically. See the link in my sig.

Note: I said layout, not form factor. It's still a full size Model M, or a Mini, or an aircraft carrier, or whatever. But the physical layout of the keys is the same as that on the HHKB, at least with the keys that overlap. My current workstation keyboard is a 122 key Model M in UNIX layout. Physically, it's almost identical to the Sun Type 5 I based it on.

Hi! I have a Filco TKL and recently I remapped my Caps Lock key to be Control with a simple registry modification in windows 7. I was expecting that there will be an adjustment time but I was surprised how quickly I got used to the new Control location.... Simply not having to curl my pinkey finger is such a huge improvement for me (=. It took me less than a day to start loving the new location ^^

Even with that though, I wish I had a HHKB pro - there is something sexy in the way those look :3

[theferenc]

There are a few more differences, but that seems to be the one that everyone latches on to. I'm not sure why, exactly.

But yeah, control on the home row is a definite improvement. Even better is ESC on the number row. And backspace on the QWERTY row just rocks.

[hcry4]

Even with that though, I wish I had a HHKB pro - there is something sexy in the way those look :3

Go buy one.

[N8N]

But for a professional, especially a professional working in IT, it's definitely not only easily justifiable, it's also a valid expense.

I agree, and I don't think that you would need to even qualify it.  I don't work anywhere close to IT, and I can't believe that it took me so long to get a good keyboard for work.  Even when I'm making lots of job site visits, I still am sitting in front of a desk at least 20 hours a week, and having a keyboard that I like and fits my personal typing style makes such a huge difference in comfort that it is literally impossible to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it.

Of course, since I had to find this place first before I could determine what that keyboard *was,* I not only put together a good keyboard for work, but now am starting to buy frivolous stuff like red "ESC" keys and RGB sets to give my desk a little more bling.  And am still hoping that Ascaii's old school doubleshot GB happens, because that would be awesome.  Or maybe some Dolch caps...  yeah, you see where this is going, don't you.

[vun]

Of course, since I had to find this place first before I could determine what that keyboard *was,* I not only put together a good keyboard for work, but now am starting to buy frivolous stuff like red "ESC" keys and RGB sets to give my desk a little more bling.  And am still hoping that Ascaii's old school doubleshot GB happens, because that would be awesome.  Or maybe some Dolch caps...  yeah, you see where this is going, don't you.

So I'm not alone then. I ordered red esc keys and coloured WASD caps along with my first two boards, but somehow that's just not enough anymore...
I try to stay out of the group buy forum here because I don't have the economy to justify buying a bunch of different keycaps right now.
I see where this is going, yes.

[theferenc]

It is rather like a disease, yes. Kinda like Lays potato chips: betta ya can't have just one.

Edit: Oh, and to avoid the keycap disease, stay away from the Cherry MX based keyboards. Buckling spring, topre, and ALPS keys are much less common, so it isn't as easy to overspend on them.

[hcry4]

Buckling spring, topre, and ALPS keys are much less common, so it isn't as easy to overspend on them.

Yea, but you spend way more on them when they are available.

[theferenc]

But not nearly as often! And they are super shiny when you do.

[vun]

Aren't buckling spring boards relatively cheap though?
Well, for those of you living in the US. I was looking at Model Ms at ebay, every board was in the US and I could buy two Topre boards for the shipping costs alone on some of them.

[theferenc]

I was assuming he was talking about Topre caps, actually, since they tend to be quite expensive. There aren't many sources of BS caps, anyway.

And yes, they are relatively inexpensive here, since new ones are made here, and there are truckloads of old ones kicking around.