What I mean by "only there for tactile feel" is that the buckling spring mechanism doesn't perform any of the actual electrical switching, unlike, say, the internals of an Alps or Cherry switch. That's all up to the membrane sheet (or the capacitive switches in a Model F.)
The buckling spring mechanisms perform the same mechanical role as the rubber dome sheet in a rubber dome keyboard.
I would respectfully disagree.
The rubber dome keeps the key up, but you still must press the key to activate the actual switch if I understand the design of membrane /rubber dome keyboards.
The buckling spring does provide the same supporting role as the dome, but further, its the collapse of the spring which releases the hammer to activate the membrane, making the spring an integral part of the switch activation.
So on a dome, you have the finger push first collapsing the dome, then the finger press continues and activates a switch.
With the BS, the finger push causes the spring to collapse, the collapse itself releases the hammer which activates the switch.
Also, because of this I feel it is correct to say that the click is a byproduct of activating the switch, unlike the Alps whites which have a completely seperate mechanism.
It is the integration of the actions and mechanisms into a single chain that makes the M feel so right.
