Author Topic: Filco FKBN87M/EB ordered. Novice. (Read 7576 times)

ocdonkb · « **on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:04:56 »

Not sure how I stumbled upon this site yesterday, but wasted a whole day reading here, and watching youtube videos... at the end, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist, so went ahead and ordered the FKBN87M/EB(87key, cherry brown-switch)

I'm a software engineer by trade so typing is kinda big deal. While reading this site, I literally lol'd many times - it's cool to finally find like-minded people, and that I wasn't totally insane going crazy on keyboards.

My kb experience(or lack thereof), mostly just rubber-dome/scissor: MS natural pro's, currently typing on an Enermax Aurora(scissor switch), I actually like it okay because the feeling is very close to my Thinkpad keyboard at home.

My Filco is intended for use at the office. I hope I made the right choice in the brown-switch, as a loud clicky board isn't an option in my shared-office environment.

I remember about five years ago, working with this old-timer, but kickass programmer, who used the HHKB. I used to laugh at his "weird" keyboard.... now it's come full circle

AndrewZorn · « **Reply #1 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:09:00 »

at least the decision was easy for you
and yeah my new brown 104key filco is not much louder than a rubber dome (clicker, musical almost, but not much louder) so you should be good

msiegel · « **Reply #2 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:09:20 »

congratulations; and welcome, to the black hole of keyboards!

once sucked in, it's harrrd to get out

itlnstln · « **Reply #3 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:09:32 »

You made an excellent choice.

Welcome to GeekHack!

patrickgeekhack · « **Reply #4 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:17:00 »

Quote from: ocdonkb;123486

My Filco is intended for use at the office. I hope I made the right choice in the brown-switch, as a loud clicky board isn't an option in my shared-office environment.

Welcome to Geekhack!
My Filco is the quietest in my collection. I tried it a few times at work, and felt like I had the quietest keyboard around.

elbowglue · « **Reply #5 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:18:27 »

Nice - I am seriously contemplating this keyboard too, got one of the used Cherry USB POS boards from ebay for $45 shipped on the way to test out the Cherry Brown switch, although the 87 key filco is probably 50% smaller than my credit card reading keyboard coming in. (lol) Make sure to post how you like it.

texteur · « **Reply #6 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:51:09 »

Welcome ocdonkb !

I'm also new in this wonderful forum. The paradise for keyboard-addicts (I've stopped smoking -- I imagine that typing is less dangerous for health).

I've tried staks of keyboards, but... none with brown Cherry switches. Because of your post, I now have half a mind to test one of those Filco FKBN104M/EB... At this very moment, I'm typing on a Majestouch Tactile Click "Otaku", which is greaaat. But I'm a freelancer, so I don't need a silent keyboard...

ocdonkb · « **Reply #7 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 15:53:55 »

Thanks for welcome's everyone.

Yeah, I'll be sure to update this thread again with my impressions of the Filco. Hopefully elitekeyboards.com ships it out today.

AndrewZorn · « **Reply #8 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 16:46:37 »

dip switches > nothing

msiegel · « **Reply #9 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 16:51:41 »

Quote from: AndrewZorn;123526

dip switches > nothing

:lol:

that's what the engineers said

ch_123 · « **Reply #10 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 17:40:24 »

I love how Ripster always manages to find the most irrelevant reasons to dislike keyboards =P

AndrewZorn · « **Reply #11 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 18:35:28 »

or perhaps after SPENDING $244 they can not afford much

timw4mail · « **Reply #12 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 18:45:11 »

Quote from: AndrewZorn;123557

or perhaps after SPENDING $244 they can not afford much

Better than a Maltron, Kinesis, or a DataHands.

timw4mail · « **Reply #13 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 19:53:58 »

Why were they called DIP switches, anyway?

msiegel · « **Reply #14 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 20:23:29 »

DIP stands for Dual Inline Package... the component has 2 rows of pins connecting it to the circuit board

timw4mail · « **Reply #15 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 20:28:20 »

Quote from: msiegel;123591

DIP stands for Dual Inline Package... the component has 2 rows of pins connecting it to the circuit board

I thought that was a memory term...whatever.

msiegel · « **Reply #16 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 20:37:43 »

Quote from: timw4mail;123594

I thought that was a memory term

certainly, DIPs have been very common for memory

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=CAT24C44LI-ND

quadibloc · « **Reply #17 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 21:06:11 »

Quote from: ripster;123532

Maybe the marketing department specified it.

I have to agree that a key to press to select a keyboard layout would have seemed more sensible. But they didn't want to use up a valuable capacitative rubber dome key for such a purpose.

And the keyboard isn't programmed with DIP switches; you just set them once to select your desired layout, from a limited number of preset layouts, and forget about them. DIP switches are not really an unsuitable tool for that purpose.

patrickgeekhack · « **Reply #18 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 21:08:12 »

Quote from: ch_123;123542

I love how Ripster always manages to find the most irrelevant reasons to dislike keyboards =P

When I first a comment from ripster, I was asking myself why he had to say things like that. Then I realised that he was just poking fun. Typed message has a higher chance of being misunderstood because we don't see the body language nor hear the tone used.

quadibloc · « **Reply #19 on:** Tue, 06 October 2009, 21:08:28 »

Quote from: timw4mail;123594

I thought that was a memory term...whatever.

Actually, that was the whole idea. Integrated circuits, like the famous 7400 series of TTL chips, came in dual-in-line packages, and these switch modules were designed so that they could fit in the *same kind of socket* as a normal integrated circuit - so that you could add little switches to your design without doing anything special.

ch_123 · « **Reply #20 on:** Wed, 07 October 2009, 03:57:33 »

Quote from: ripster;123616

Not entirely just poking fun. A high end board like the HHKB2 should be able to be programmable.

The specific layout is it's main selling point, iirc, it was designed for use with programs like Emacs. They're are plenty of programmable keyboards out there if you need one.

Besides, haven't we all established that the price is because of the Topre switches?

Quote

It requires software. Maybe the Japanese are amateurs in software.
Strange though, it says Happy Hacking Professional on it?!?!?!

I'd imagine that the target market for the HHKB is mainly comprised of people who will refuse to run some random software on their machine just so that their keyboard will work. That's the beauty of the DIP switches - they are completely platform independent, and make the electronics more simple inside without sacrificing any real functionality.

itlnstln · « **Reply #21 on:** Wed, 07 October 2009, 07:47:40 »

The problem, Ripster, is that we are talking about the Happy Hacking Keyboard. If you're hacking, it's more than likely not your own machine, and they may not have your programming software installed for your convenience. That, and it's a lot faster to just flip a couple DIP switches than to fire up your rig and **** around with some software. That would seem like over-engineering, IMO.

wellington1869 · « **Reply #22 on:** Wed, 07 October 2009, 09:08:33 »

Quote from: patrickgeekhack;123604

because we don't see the body language nor hear the tone used.

ripster, we need to see your body language.

>

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Author Topic: Filco FKBN87M/EB ordered. Novice. (Read 7576 times)