I would use the blues at work, but that's mostly because I want to remind a few people what work sounds like.
I get lots of compliments on my Model M; lots of folks come by and ask to touch it. They all leave with this look of awe. #my20yroldkeyboardbeatsyournewkeyboard
you work at a slightly...different...kind of place than most.
It can be done, we just need graphene or some really strong, conductive, and bendable material to hold an immensely small amount of gas in a tight container. We use extremely small amounts of electricity to heat or cool that tiny amount of gas through the strong and conducive [graphene/otherwise] which will make it harder to depress the key. Think small balloon beneath each key that blows up with electricity, and shrinks with lack there of. Could be powered via usb.
signed, professional engineer.
Would've gone with magnetoviscous dampers myself. Each key would drive a plunger through a spring-dashpot mechanism filled with magnetorheological fluid; the fluid viscosity (and as a second order effect reaction force) would be continuously-modulated via current through a solenoid wrapped about the keyswitch housing. Reaction force profiles could be defined per-key based on personal preference, key displacement, and key travel velocity. The keyboard would ship with several default profiles emulating popular keyswitch force/displacement/velocity profiles. It would need a good feedback sensor though; possibly an LVDT under each key to measure plunger position. Careful filter design would remove the solenoid drive effects from the LVDT signals. It would be expensive as hell due to NRE but could be manufactured relatively inexpensively and be fairly robust. Would probably need a dedicated power source.
After about two months of use my Zowie keyboard just feels like a natural extension of me. The quality of construction is fantastic and I'm learning to type on browns without bottoming out. Highly recommended if you don't require macro functionality.
I'm not sure if I type faster, but I do type a bit quieter. Bottoming out produces most of the offending noise and contributes to some fatigue. I always liked blacks because the extra force required helped tame me a bit, but I'm starting to get used to the tactile bump on the browns enough where I'm typing with much less noise. I am hitting that tactile bump and backing off the key rather than bottoming out. It took me a good solid month to get used to, and another month of practice to get really good at it, but now I'm typing quieter on browns than I ever did on blacks with less fatigue.
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midga"There's so much hot dog in Rome" ~digi(> ^.(> O_o)>Icrontian
I'm pretty sure they are at the bottom of box and will not be found for a while.
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midga"There's so much hot dog in Rome" ~digi(> ^.(> O_o)>Icrontian
I've been messing with this thing for days, and I keep going back and forth on it. The blues are out. Even though I like the feel, the clicking would really get on my nerves. I even stuck some earbuds in my ears and turned my music up, but I could still hear the clicking. Spamming frostbolt would just be unbearable. Because I like the feel of the click, though, I would have thought the browns would be the awesome, but for some reason it just doesn't feel...right. I dunno, it's tough to put my finger on (lolpun), but something about the way the key moves over that bump just doesn't feel very stable. I really want to like it, but it bothers me and I can't very effectively express why.
The reds and blacks are pretty awesome. I think for typing I'd prefer the resistance and stability of the blacks, but for gaming I'd definitely have to go with the lighter reds or risk fatiguing my 'w' finger. I think I'll need to o-ring the reds, though. And actually, the browns might feel better with an o-ring on them. Dunno.
So, yeah, thanks a crapload for picking this up and letting us pass it around, @Tushon. I might be able to semi-confidently buy a mechanical keyboard now
I started to get the carp and decided I should probably use a lower-impact keyboard, so I bought a Griffon iMate ADB/USB converter and hooked up my old Apple Extended Keyboard II. It is just as awesome as I remembered and is less distracting to my colleagues to boot.
@drasnor said:
I started to get the carp and decided I should probably use a lower-impact keyboard, so I bought a Griffon iMate ADB/USB converter and hooked up my old Apple Extended Keyboard II. It is just as awesome as I remembered and is less distracting to my colleagues to boot.
but if they can't hear you typing from outer space, how will they know you're actually working?
ive been thinking about mechanical for a while now, (to replace my cheap-o wireless logitek keyboard) but i have been paralysed by fear of picking the wrong switch type. so when i read this i was excited to find out that there is a sample available. before i run off and buy one, does someone still have the sample, and would they mind sending it to me?
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midga"There's so much hot dog in Rome" ~digi(> ^.(> O_o)>Icrontian
Comments
signed,
space engineer (pe eit)
Who's got the sample keys now? Someone coming to ICSP? If not, let's chat about getting those shipped my way.
I have a set. I'll be sure to bring them.
I think @midga is the current possessor, but it could have been moved again in another thread.
I have it. Been out of town for the last month. @Annes shoot me a PM with shipment info and I'll get it headed that way
If you're going with the above anyway you probably aren't too worried about power consumption...
After about two months of use my Zowie keyboard just feels like a natural extension of me. The quality of construction is fantastic and I'm learning to type on browns without bottoming out. Highly recommended if you don't require macro functionality.
Ugh, that enter key though....
Is there a benefit to this? Apparently I use the full travel distance of the keys no matter what keyboard I'm on.
You type faster if you use less travel, barely.
I'm not sure if I type faster, but I do type a bit quieter. Bottoming out produces most of the offending noise and contributes to some fatigue. I always liked blacks because the extra force required helped tame me a bit, but I'm starting to get used to the tactile bump on the browns enough where I'm typing with much less noise. I am hitting that tactile bump and backing off the key rather than bottoming out. It took me a good solid month to get used to, and another month of practice to get really good at it, but now I'm typing quieter on browns than I ever did on blacks with less fatigue.
Were there o-rings along with this sampler?
Nope
Coolio. Well, whoever wants it next, just let me know. I think I've gotten all the poking mileage I can out of it.
I kept the o-rings for my own purposes.
I'm pretty sure they are at the bottom of box and will not be found for a while.
I've been messing with this thing for days, and I keep going back and forth on it. The blues are out. Even though I like the feel, the clicking would really get on my nerves. I even stuck some earbuds in my ears and turned my music up, but I could still hear the clicking. Spamming frostbolt would just be unbearable. Because I like the feel of the click, though, I would have thought the browns would be the awesome, but for some reason it just doesn't feel...right. I dunno, it's tough to put my finger on (lolpun), but something about the way the key moves over that bump just doesn't feel very stable. I really want to like it, but it bothers me and I can't very effectively express why.
The reds and blacks are pretty awesome. I think for typing I'd prefer the resistance and stability of the blacks, but for gaming I'd definitely have to go with the lighter reds or risk fatiguing my 'w' finger. I think I'll need to o-ring the reds, though. And actually, the browns might feel better with an o-ring on them. Dunno.
So, yeah, thanks a crapload for picking this up and letting us pass it around, @Tushon. I might be able to semi-confidently buy a mechanical keyboard now
You're welcome! I'm just glad to get more use out of it that my own purchase.
I started to get the carp and decided I should probably use a lower-impact keyboard, so I bought a Griffon iMate ADB/USB converter and hooked up my old Apple Extended Keyboard II. It is just as awesome as I remembered and is less distracting to my colleagues to boot.
but if they can't hear you typing from outer space, how will they know you're actually working?
ive been thinking about mechanical for a while now, (to replace my cheap-o wireless logitek keyboard) but i have been paralysed by fear of picking the wrong switch type. so when i read this i was excited to find out that there is a sample available. before i run off and buy one, does someone still have the sample, and would they mind sending it to me?
I still have it. Just PM me an address