atomic_fungus (atomic_fungus) wrote,
atomic_fungus
atomic_fungus

#4296: This is true.

JayG on "Things Writers Know", and it's all correct.

I have two of those IBM Model M keyboards. They use more power than modern computers can supply, which is why the great upgrade project of 2007 failed (only I didn't know that at the time). But they are, simply put, the best keyboards I've ever owned, and I fully intend to have one of them buried with me when the time comes. (I got them for free, used. How do you like that?)

Marko's answer was to buy a new and spendy one, but as a best-selling author he has more resources than I do. I'm used to the keyboard that came with Cephiro, so I've continued to use that one with Floristica. It has full-stroke keys, though they are membrane type, and the keycap spacing is perfect for touch-typing.

I've used a crapton of keyboards over the years, and some were better than others.

The worst was the Atari 520 ST keyboard. Holy crap did that suck; the keys were too close together and they didn't have a good stroke, and touch-typing was harder than it should have been.

The C-64 keyboard was pretty good, but for a few deficits. The biggest was the height of the thing; since the keyboard was essentially atop the motherboard it made for a too-high wrist angle when the hands were properly suspended over the keyboard. This way lies RSI and carpal tunnel. The other deficit was that it gummed up very easily: even though I didn't eat over it, I periodically had to disassemble it--desoldering the caps lock button to get the circuit board off--and clean the contacts with alcohol. It wasn't food or liquid, but simple dust contamination that made it flaky. Otherwise, it was a good full-stroke keyboard with excellent keycap spacing.

I have consistently eschewed any "chiclet" keyboards. They're fine for casual use, but not for serious writing.

The IBM Model M was the best. The Microsoft Natural I used for a while was pretty good, but it's hard to make the switch to-and-from a flat keyboard to a split, curved one, and I've found that my wrists don't need an ergonomic keyboard, regardless of how much I write.

I never used the Amiga 500 (bought used from a friend) enough to really decide how I liked its keyboard. Ditto for the Macintosh SE, and the TRS-80 Model I that I hacked around on during the summer of 1991.

The NEC MultiSpeed had a good keyboard. Once I had the Model M, though, I used it exclusively, until I had to use an MS Natural for work; and after that died, I went back to the M until I could no longer use it.

Now, at work they have a gamer's keyboard that has the nice clicky keys, full-travel, with the right spacing, and it's a snip at $150...why, I'll buy two!

*sigh*
Subscribe

  • #9689: Blizzard in Florida

    I saw a brief video, wherein was obvious blizzard conditions in Florida. They got almost eight inches at Pensacola, FFS. They got more snow in…

  • #9688: It's sure cold out there

    -7 this morning as I was going to work. -3 as I was getting home this evening. To my surprise, though, the trains were on time. Amazing. * * * The…

  • #9687: President Trump!

    Mrs. Fungus getting up for work this morning woke me up. Hydraulic pressure demanded I do too; and after that I needed a shower, so I took one. Went…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    When you submit the form an invisible reCAPTCHA check will be performed.
    You must follow the Privacy Policy and Google Terms of use.
  • 0 comments