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[blgentry]

For those not familiar, modern keyboards use membrane switches, which are basically plastic bubbles with printed traces inside them that make contact when you compress the membrane.  The keys on your keyboard press down on these as you type.

Modern keyboards are OK if you've never used anything else.  But if you've used a mechanical keyboard, you can REALLY tell the difference.  Mechanical keyboards use real switches with plungers and springs.  Every key is directly attached to the plunger of a switch.  As it's pressed down the switch has resistance from the spring and eventually the electrical contacts inside make the connection, which transmits the key press.

The *feel* of a mechanical keyboard is totally different.  Depending on the type of switch, you will get varying levels of tactile and audible feedback.  In other words, your fingers will feel the switch "bump" as it makes contact and your ears will hear the "click" as the switch does it's job.  Some switches are louder or quieter.  Some switches have more or less feedback.

The keyboard I'm typing on right now, the Code 87 (ten key-less) keyboard, has Cherry MX Blue switches, which are the "standard clicky" switch.  They have great feedback and are on the loud side.  In some environments, the clicking would be way too much.  For example in a shared office environment.  For me typing where no one really has to hear me, these switches are *wonderful*.  I'm actually enjoying the act of typing again.

I feel like I'm typing faster if not more accurately.  The keyboard itself is laid out nicely.  I chose the ten key-less model because I never use the number pad on a standard keyboard and having the keypad removed lets me put the mouse closer to my keyboard, thus using less desk space and being more comfortable for my arm that uses the mouse.

This keyboard has some neat hardware options activated via DIP switches on the bottom.  I think CapsLock is useless.  This keyboard lets you remap CapLock to Control.  This is awesome for someone like me that uses Control a lot.  It also has a setting to swap Alt and the "OS key".  This is for Mac because Mac has the "OS key" and Alt swapped compared to a PC keyboard.  Since I use a Mac, this is a must have option.  Or at least a highly appreciated one!

The Code keyboard is made by WASD, which apparently has a reputation for making good keyboards.  In case anyone is interested:

https://codekeyboards.com/

If you've always found your stock keyboard to be mushy and imprecise, you might want a mechanical keyboard.  I'm thrilled with mine.

Thanks for reading.

Brian.

[InflatableMouse]

Those look really nice. I'm in the market for a ten-keyless to take to work in my laptop bag. I might consider a quiet one.

I've been a mechanical keyboard fan since I started working with computers (Z80-era). My all time favorite was the IBM keyboard I had, with one of those large DIN plugs (before PS/2).

Years later after upgrading my PC I was forced to "upgrade" to a PS/2 keyboard. I then got a new IBM mechanical keyboard with PS/2 connector at work, they had piles of them at the time just laying around. I was happy for a long time. I don't know what got into me, but dumped it years later. I remember, embarrassingly I might add, because it didn't have a windows key  .

I'm now a big fan of Filco. I've been using one for many years now and I'm totally in love with this keyboard. No fuss, no media keys, no features, just the keys I need. Perfect layout (look at modern keyboards how they positition the F1 key half way over 2 and 3 or make certain keys larger/smaller) with Cherry Blue switches. I love the sound ... sooths my mind.

[mwillems]

I feel like I'm typing faster if not more accurately.  The keyboard itself is laid out nicely.  I chose the ten key-less model because I never use the number pad on a standard keyboard and having the keypad removed lets me put the mouse closer to my keyboard, thus using less desk space and being more comfortable for my arm that uses the mouse.

I learned to type on old mechanicals in the 80's and early 90's, and I noticed that my typing words-per-minute dropped drastically in the late 90's.  At the time I just attributed it to laziness and lack of practice, but once I finally got a mechanical again a few years back (with a click on actuation) my WPM went right back up like I'd never left.  I hadn't realized that it wasn't me that changed, just the keyboards   

I've been a mechanical keyboard fan since I started working with computers (Z80-era). My all time favorite was the IBM keyboard I had, with one of those large DIN plugs (before PS/2).

Years later after upgrading my PC I was forced to "upgrade" to a PS/2 keyboard. I then got a new IBM mechanical keyboard with PS/2 connector at work, they had piles of them at the time just laying around. I was happy for a long time. I don't know what got into me, but dumped it years later. I remember, embarrassingly I might add, because it didn't have a windows key  .

I'm now a big fan of Filco. I've been using one for many years now and I'm totally in love with this keyboard. No fuss, no media keys, no features, just the keys I need. Perfect layout (look at modern keyboards how they positition the F1 key half way over 2 and 3 or make certain keys larger/smaller) with Cherry Blue switches. I love the sound ... sooths my mind.

Also a big fan of Filco with the Cherry Blues.  I need the numpad most of the time so I bought two of the Full-sze majestouches a few years back, one for home and one for work.  One of the best computer investments I've ever made.  The key positioning is perfect and the action is really nice.  I've been toying with getting a 10-keyless to carry with me when I travel.

Now that I've rediscovered the joys of noise (and properly positioned keys) , using emacs without the happy clacking of a keyboard just feels discouraging 

[blgentry]

Now that I've rediscovered the joys of noise (and properly positioned keys) , using emacs without the happy clacking of a keyboard just feels discouraging 

Mwillems knows and USES Emacs???  My world has changed!

I'm starting to like this Code keyboard as much as my old OmniKey 101.  I'm not sure what kind of switches it used, but they were pretty awesome.

Oh and to Mr. Inflatable Mouse:  My OmniKey had the big old style keyboard connector.  I used it on ONE PC with that connector and then on several more with a convertor cable from "big old KB connector" to PS/2 style. 


Brian.

[mwillems]

Mwillems knows and USESES Emacs???  My world has changed!

These days I *live* in emacs.  Once upon a time emacs was just this text editor I used once in a blue moon, but after learning org-mode two years ago it really changed my life.  I've kind of crawled inside emacs now and use it for everything I can manage.  I use it for writing, e-mail, note-taking, calendar/to dos, personal accounting, scripting/coding, web-archiving, reading pdfs, project management, etc.  It's amazing the amount of extension that's happened to the old emacs core.  For example, with some fiddling I managed to get my emacs/org calendar to sync automatically with my phone's calendar.  For my own personal computing, I pretty much only leave emacs for web browsing, games, and a few GUI utilities like JRiver.  Obviously family facing computer systems are different.  I'm actually tinkering with a CLI MCWS wrapper so that I can (among other things) control MC from emacs. 

I knew I was beyond hope my .emacs passed 1000 lines 

It is indeed "a thermonuclear word processor."

[blgentry]

Emacs is a general purpose operating system that also happens to edit text.  I'm sorry to hear you fell into the well.  I hope you enjoy it down there!  Emacs geekery is one of the highest forms. 

Brian.