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Ask Slashdot: What Kind of Keyboard Do You Use With Your Computer and Why? 363

Posted by msmash from the what's-your-story? dept.
An anonymous reader writes: Hello all. I am looking to buy a good mechanical keyboard for my everyday usage — programming and writing. I see some good offers on certain keyboards -- thanks to Black Friday deals. Just this week, Razer launched what looks like a good mechanical keyboard for people who are looking for a budget gear. One of the issues I have come across looking for a good keyboard is how most of them are designed for Windows OS by default. (I know you can customize keys, but.)

Slashdot has run keyboard discussion posts in the past -- the best laptop with best keyboard, greatest keyboard ever made, and quest to find a good keyboard , but I don't see any recent story on this. I was curious to know what kind of keyboard you use and why did you choose the one you have?
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Ask Slashdot: What Kind of Keyboard Do You Use With Your Computer and Why? More

Ask Slashdot: What Kind of Keyboard Do You Use With Your Computer and Why?

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  • Alienware (Score:2, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Last years black Friday i got myself an alienware 13 R3. Its keyboard was one of the main reasons. I had a macbook air and haven't looked back ever since.

    • Inverted dvorak (Score:4, Funny)

      by goombah99 ( 560566 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @03:15PM (#57685344)

      I use a split keyboard arranged devorak style and and I swap the left and right hand units. That way not even people who know dvorak can type on my keyboard.

    • Matias Tactile Pro (Score:4, Informative)

      by fyngyrz ( 762201 ) on Friday November 23, 2018 @12:25PM (#57688622) Homepage Journal

      I presently use a Matias Tactile Pro 4 [matias.ca].

      Pros:

      o Normal key travel depth means typing skills apply without relearning
      o Positive "click" clearly indicates success of keystrokes — uses Alps mechanical keyswitches.
      o N-key rollover — doesn't lose keystrokes.
      o Has OS X keys where they should be.
      o Nicely marked with option-key and other uncommon characters.
      o Durability is high (I type a lot and these last longer than anything else I've tried.)
      o Dual USB ports, very convenient at times.
      o Nicely symmetrical shift, control, alt/option and command keys.
      o Properly shielded cabling, keeps RFI low (I do a lot of radio work.)
      o Sculpted keytops — aids in keeping fingertips where they belong
      o Excellent build quality — case, feet, keys, cabling, connectors, jacks.
      o Laser-etched keytops provide excellent legend durability.
      o Actually has an ESC key. And proper function keys. 18 of them. :)
      o Has a numeric pad.
      o White with dark key legends: very easy to see, which I need when not typing on the conventional keys.
      o No batteries to wear out — it's powered through its USB cable.
      o No connection issues — communicates with the computer over USB.
      o Available in US, UK, German and Japanese layouts. I use a US layout version, it's great.

      Cons:

      o Price: They're presently about $150.00, US. To me, absolutely worth it, but that's in the "ouch" range.
      o Keys are not illuminated - I really, really wish they were. I prefer a darker room.
      o Difficult to clean (I've no suggestions here, it's just an observation.)
      o Although durability is far better than anything else I've tried, these still last me only about a year. Could be better. I think what usually happens is the keyswitches come loose from the printed circuit board underneath, a conclusion I have drawn based on the behavior of the intermittent keypresses.

      And...

      I have to emphasize that I type a lot. About eight to ten hours a day, at about 65 WPM in long bursts (sometimes several hours at a time.) I suspect that for most people, these keyboards would last a very long time.

    • Re:wikipedia: List of mechanical keyboards (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Vrallis ( 33290 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:33PM (#57684920) Homepage

      Sadly none of the ergonomic ones on that list fit what I want. Ideally I'd like to see a keyboard with the layout of the MS ergonomic keyboard but with proper mechanical keys.

      I've used nothing but these split-style keyboards for nearly 20 years. I definitely think I've saved myself from needing carpal tunnel surgery in doing so, as it immediately relieved the wrist pains that started just before then.

      • I wish I had mod points, because I completely agree with you. I also started getting pains in my wrist, which went away when I switched to a split-style keyboard (and putting the keyboard in a tray that is lower than my desk surface and angles it downward at the far side).

  • Exotic Keyboards (Score:5, Insightful)

    by geekymachoman ( 1261484 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:23PM (#57684850)
    I just wish laptop people would stop inventing new stuff just for the sake of it.

    Every time I buy a laptop, there's some retarded stuff going on ... last one I bought (low end) was Lenovo Ideapad 310. They put the shift key AFTER the arrow key up. It's like UI/UX people in web design, just making changes for the sake of it.

    Check this out:
    https://www.waresphere.com/sto... [waresphere.com]

    Takes quite a while to adapt.

  • Daskeyboard Prime 13 (Score:3, Informative)

    by Michael64b ( 4922787 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:29PM (#57684880)
    https://www.daskeyboard.com/p/... [daskeyboard.com] - minimalist and white backlight.

  • Loving the quiet again. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by PopeRatzo ( 965947 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:29PM (#57684884) Journal

    After spending a bunch of money on mechanical keyboards, I finally figured out that I really prefer membrane keyboards for both gaming and typing. I never really enjoyed my mechanicals, but the hype was so strong that mechanical was the way to go that I kept trying, thinking that I just needed to find the right one.

    Finally, I was in some store one day and they had a Razer Cynosa Chroma on display and I tried it and decided on the spot to give my mechanicals away to friends and now that Razer is my absolute favorite. Less than half the price of my cheapest mechanical, too.

    • I feel you.

      Every time I see people talking about keyboards nowadays it concerns which mechanical keyboard to buy. It is tunnel vision, nothing else. Just look at this post. "What Kind of Keyboard Do You Use With Your Computer and Why? [...] I am looking to buy a good mechanical keyboard"

      Meanwhile, the performance of my Logitech K800 has been absolutely fantastic over the last decade. My fingers just fly over the keyboard, with great ease, accuracy, and silence. I'd love it if we could get past the nostalgia

      • Personally I like the feel of mechanical keyboards, but others are free to use whatever they like. I just don't understand the cost associated with higher end membrane keyboards. With mechanical keyboards the high price is somewhat justified, but with membrane keyboards the cost of building them is very cheap, but anything remotely good stilll costs as much as a mechanical keyboard.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by qzzpjs ( 1224510 )

        Meanwhile, the performance of my Logitech K800 has been absolutely fantastic over the last decade.

        I absolutely love my K800. I have never had another keyboard that I could type on so easily, quietly, accurately, and quickly. And it has a nice back-light so it's easy to use at night. I have never understood why some people want loud keyboards and harder to press keys that probably lead to early arthritis.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      You can get mechanical boards that are very quiet. Cherry MX switches are good for that.

      Filco make done nice ones, but lately I've been enjoying a Realforce board which uses slightly differently weighted keys in different locations. It really helps you keep position and also makes using your weaker fingers easier, although my problem as ever is that I didn't learn to type properly and use the wrong ones.

      I have some nice membrane keyboards too. Elecom make the best I think, they have reliable wireless and th

    • Same.

      My personal keyboard is the Microsoft X6. It was marketed as a gaming keyboard. But I love the ability to move the numberpad to the left side, don't use any of the gaming feature and like the fact the keys are relatively close together.

      The only downside is I have literally worn the paint off left shift, S, L & C. So now they are more gently glowing red squares.

  • I know it’s kind of a joke in some circles to avoid using Razer products, and for the most part, I agree with them.

    But with that being said, give the Chroma Ornata a try. It has some of the best switches I’ve ever typed on. I’ve gotten two friends to buy one just by having them try mine out for a few sentences.

    Go find a micro center or whatever your nearby equivalent is and find one to test out. 10/10 would recommend.

  • It's cheap and its good. I have cherry blue and cherry brown version and like them both.
    It's worth paying more than $50 for a good keyboard, but when people start charging more than $100, we get into golden cables territory...

  • IBM Model-M (Score:4, Insightful)

    by jrq ( 119773 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:31PM (#57684904)
    IBM Model-M.
    No contest.

  • That new Razer one looks nice, apart from being wired. Wireless was one of my must-have features, so after much research I went with the Drevo Calibur and I've been very happy with it. I've had it for about 9 months.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0... [amazon.co.uk]

    What I _don't_ like about it is the small return key (it's like a shift key, one row instead of two) and the wireless battery life isn't great, it can only go about a day without charging. As much as I wanted wireless, I just leave the USB cable plugged in now lo

  • Keys are programmable, and the lights can give feed back on expected statutes

  • KeyTronic E03601U1 (Score:3)

    by zamboni1138 ( 308944 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:32PM (#57684916)
    Allow me to introduce you to the KeyTronic E03601U1 [newegg.com] full size 104 normal keys keyboard. Durable and reliable. Full size keys that don't have quite the pop/click of the old IBM lead monsters, but you'll know that you've hit the key. It's wired USB so you never have to worry about batteries dying. It does have a Windows key, but most non-Windows OS have a switch to control that key somewhere in the OS interface settings, so not sure why that would be an issue.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by DERoss ( 1919496 )

      I have a Keytronic wired E6101U1 on my PC. I have tried others, and either they did not last or were not really suitable for my use. I chose Keytronic because:

      * My wife's PC has a Keytronic on her PC, which was purchased more than 6 years ago. The keyboard is still in excellent condition.

      * The E6101U1 is beige with black labeling on each key. This is easier to use than white labeling on black keys.

      * The 12 function keys at the top are in groups of 4 with a space between each group. This allows me to

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Mal-2 ( 675116 )

      No more beige keyboards. They always get so fantastically filthy, so fast. I also don't want a big-ass Enter key (yes that's actually what high-end keyboard enthusiasts call it) that just serves to make Backspace that much harder to find.

    • The place I worked previously had piles of those. They used to have a local company build whitebox PC's and that was the standard issue keyboard. They weren't terrible, but looked and felt like a knock-off of the Model M. They were kind of mushy but otherwise had good feel, travel, and spacing. Beige dominated, especially since they held out switching from biege cases as long as possible, but there were a few black versions around too. They also came with a Keytronic mouse which was absolute garbage.

      Th

  • Why? It's built! Nice tactile feedback and loads of quality most modern keyboards just don't have. Built like a battleship.

  • It's inexpensive and works pretty well

  • wired, mechanical, soft touch almost like a Selectric II, and backlit. the keyboard the company provided with out new HP laptops was almost as bad as the one on the Atari 400.

  • Windows having 80%+ market share of the desktop OS is why most of them are designed for Windows.

    • If you're talking desktops, it's probably well over 80%. Most people with Macs probably use the laptops, and very few people use a separate keyboard with their laptop. The iMac models come with a keyboard, so the market for aftermarket keyboards on Macs is probably quite small.

  • ... because the goddam letters keep fading.

    I'm deaf so I type aggressively, so I can hear the keys. Drives my wife nuts but we've been married 38 years and she knew what she was getting into and she won't close the cupboard doors EVER SO THERE'S THAT! I'm OK now.

    I buy the cheap Microsoft wireless. I don't even have to set up the new one because the drivers are the same.

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by freeze128 ( 544774 )
      Avoid using hand sanitizer just before you begin using your keyboard. The alcohol in it will dissolve the ink/decals used for the letters, and that may be why your keyboards don't last very long.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Jamu ( 852752 )
      The time it took me to learn to touch-type is something I've never regretted. Alternatively look at double-shot injection molded keys.

      • I a two-finger pounder. I never learned to type. I was a programmer who wrote thoughtfully, so speed was not that important.

        I did hire a propeller head who was an awesome, brilliant programmer, but typed so fast that he made a lot of mistakes. I handed cleanup over to a cooler head.

        I'll sure look at the double-shot keys. Thank you.

  • I use an Alienware M17R2 at work. I use a Dell XPS 13 at home. I'm not using an external keyboard with either. I do wish the Dell didn't have the chicklet-type keyboard though, the bezel between keys is annoying.

    The home desktop computer, that doesn't get a lot of direct-on-box use anymore has a USB Sun keyboard on it. In the past I've used a Gateway 2000 "Anykey" 124 key macro programmable keyboard, swapped the Sun on to try it out, and then haven't directly used the computer much since then. I like t

  • Logitech Wave - for arthritis/Security Concerns (Score:5, Insightful)

    by mykepredko ( 40154 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:42PM (#57684972) Homepage

    I find the shaped keyboards to work best with my arthritis. Either the Logitech or Microsoft feels better for long sessions of coding/typing.

    My biggest concern is the Logitech Set Point software when I'm working on my Windows machine. I really shouldn't have installed it. The keyboard works fine on my Linux development machine and doesn't require Set Point.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Das Keyboard with the 'red' cherry MX clicky keys. I just like the way it feels, though I was a bit disappointed with the fact that the legs to angle it are just cheap plastic and fall out easily.

  • Logitech G19 gaming keyboard. Having a glowing keyboard is really useful working at night and having a room light disturbed those in other rooms (doorways had glass windows above the door). The built in mini LCD screen was a nice touch. Mini apps could be written for it, even an X-windows driver.

    A $10 keyboard from the supermarket.

     

  • Anne Pro (1st version). Love it. I found that since I started using it it made me to learn more efficient way of working with Vim and Bash.

  • Keyboard? What's a keyboard? (Score:5, Funny)

    by LynnwoodRooster ( 966895 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:53PM (#57685038) Journal
    I svitdhfd yfars afo tp tie Appmf Whefl! [youtube.com]

  • Still the only Multitouch keyboard, as far as I'm aware. Only available second hand.

    Nothing beats it for coding. You can't hit quite the same CPS as with a mechanical keyboard, but that's more than made up for by zero-switch-time mousing and gestures. Being able to just drag code around as you're writing it is fantastic.

    For tasks involving a lot of free form text--emails, documents--I switch to a mechanical keyboard.

  • Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 (Score:3, Insightful)

    by ToTheStars ( 4807725 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @01:56PM (#57685048)
    My wrists yellowline pretty quickly when I have to type on a rectangular keyboard. The split keyboard works like a charm!
    • with that layout. I'm on a MS Natural too (one of the older ones). I like the layout but I miss mechanical switches.

    • The RSI pain in my wrist disappeared a week after I started using this keyboard.

      That was 15 years ago. I will never go back to a straight keyboard.

      Disclaimer: This is the only Microsoft product I use. I use it for my Linux desktop and as an external keyboard for my MacBook.

    • My wrists yellowline pretty quickly when I have to type on a rectangular keyboard. The split keyboard works like a charm!

      The MS keyboard is pretty good. I used it for years. But then I discovered Kinesis... and now my wrists never, ever hurt, no matter how much typing I do. It takes a few days to get used to the Kinesis shape, and it's very frustrating at first because you keep hitting the wrong keys. After you get past that, though, it's amazing. Fast and completely pain free because you don't have to move anything but your fingers.

    • +1

      Very long-lasting, very comfortable, handy customizable quick-access buttons, my personal fav by far.

      Funnily I opted to get a new one a few months ago (the pad does start to wear after several years, I believe the one I replaced was from around 2007), and about a week after I got it someone was giving away a mint one a few doors down..so got a back-up as well. ;)

  • Hi!

    I split my time in thirds between coding/science, management, and creative/business/other writing. That means several hours of "demanding" typing on a daily basis. I need sturdy and comfortable keyboards.

    My MacBook Pro doubles as my workstation (in fact, it mostly lives on my desk and becomes a portable only during business travel, about 10 days/mo). That one is set up with a 27" monitor, Trackpad, and the Mattias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard. I chose this keyboard because:

    1. Full size
    2. Push-key suppo

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ciurana ( 2603 )

      Oh, one more thing: the IBM keyboards may be finicky about which PS/2 to USB converter you use, when combined with USB-C. You'll need PS/2 USB USB-C. The mid-range ($5 - $10) converters tend to work best. The ultra cheap ones may not work at all.

      Cheers!

      pr3d

  • My keyboard came with my last computer (Dell) because my current computer didn't come with one.

  • Madly comfortable. Too bad you can't buy one without numpad and mouse in kit. Mouse and numpad never left the cardboard they came in.

  • In the olden days, you could select from a few different decent keyboards. Lots were cheap crap, but they were at least trying to be legit.

    Today, you can go to a big-box electronics store and try out an array of keyboards, everyone one of which is just utter crap to type on, and rearranges the shit out of any key outside the primary alpha and numeric keys. Or, you can go online and trawl a keyboard-fetish forum, but you're going to have to take a risk to order it unless you can find someone local willing

  • Just changed jobs two weeks ago. Theyâ(TM)re absolutely shocked I do everything on a 13â
    MBP. Even though I write code and work in analytics, I live on a single screen.

    It just makes no sense for me to be moving back and forth between different peripherals as I spend most of my day working in between meetings or otherwise not at my desk.

    I prefer consistency and not using a keyboard or monitor just makes the most sense for me.

    • I felt that way before I was 25 or so. I even swore by the IBM Trackpoint. Never needed to take my fingers off the keyboard.

      In their late 20's, most people's shoulders, necks, backs and wrists start to ache either reaching up to the keyboard, or leaning over their display. It's ok for short periods of time, but after more than a few days...

      If not, count yourself lucky.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by garcia ( 6573 )

        Iâ(TM)m almost 40. If I had a 4 digit UID and was in my 20s, that would be impressive.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Dr. Evil ( 3501 )

          Meh, anything's possible.

          Impressive is being almost 40, sitting at a laptop all day for decades and not having a spine shaped like a Frito.

  • Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard (Score:4, Insightful)

    by mspring ( 126862 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @02:16PM (#57685124)
    ...4000 [wikipedia.org], because my wrists really need the split design and my muscle memory needs the standard cursor and number block. I'd be happy to try out another brand with these these 2 must-have features, if someone were to point out one.

  • I have 3 of them. Also, it has two small USB slots on the back, perfect for the Logitech dongle that talks to a m570 trackball. Three identical setups, 2 at home, one at work. Observe that esc and ctrl are in the correct place with the HH lite. Just right for Emacs.

  • For the last ten years, I've held RSI at bay by using split keyboards (and judicious use of break reminder software). I've used the Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic in the past. I'm now using the Kinesis Freestyle2 and quite like it. I've set it up such that there's a trackpad in between the left and right part.
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C... [amazon.com]

  • I have a Microsoft Natural Gen 1.
    None of the ones they've built after seem to have the same all round satisfaction, easiness of typing and robust feel.
    Had it since they released it, and it's been going strong since; I'll be sad on the day it finally gives up the ghost.

  • Siig model JK-US0312-S1 . Gives you more space on your desk.

  • Simple (Score:5, Informative)

    by freeze128 ( 544774 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @02:38PM (#57685218)
    What keyboard do I use?

    Wired.

    It's just a dell keyboard that came with the computer. It doesn't have clicky switches, or RGB LEDs, or music navigation buttons, or a volume control, or even the power/sleep/suspend keys. It's just a keyboard.

    Why?

    Security. Simplicity. Availability. Affordability.

    My requirements for a keyboard? It needs to have an ENTER key that is NOT shaped like an "L", and the backslash should be placed just above the ENTER key.

  • I'm right handed but I've been hoarding a small pile of them since discovering having the numeric pad on the left ended my mouse RSI. I guess by letting me hold it closer to centre in a more natural pose.

    Not bad keyboards, still using the 1st one after more than a decade, only the multimedia buttons and scroll wheel have died so far. Nice soft action and robust.

  • I've always preferred the old IBM 3270 style KB's.They allowed for more than 3 key combinations which gave a distinct advantage in FPS directional movement. You could jump, move forward and strafe or circle strafe in a left or right direction while also firing or even combo firing. Many newer KB's top out at 3 key combinations designed around the ctrl-alt-delete setup but ignored a fourth or fifth input. I am not sure what KB's out there mimic that behavior or if newer models even do. I have several boxes f

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by redback ( 15527 )

      On most cheap keyboards, it depends on how the matrix is laid out. You can press some combinations of keys but not others.

      The USB keyboard standard only allows for 7 simultaneous keypresses.

      There are keyboards that allow you to press every key at once and it still registers, and they work around the USB limitation by presenting multiple keyboard devices to the system.

  • My ideal keyboard would not have one.
  • I use a Corsair K95 RGB (the non-RGB had problems with the backlighting). Cherry MX Brown switches and 18 dedicated macro keys are what sold me. I even bought a spare that's still in the box in a closet when they discontinued the 18 macro key model.
  • What happened to /. Its been almost 100 posts and nobody has yet to mention the best keyboard [kinesis-ergo.com] on the market. Its mechanical, programmable and will cure you of CTS in a couple of weeks. Its expensive but worth it. Thought everyone already knew this...
    • Mod parent up Kinesis will permanently eliminate all traces of CTS. And make you a faster typist, too.
    • I don't use Advantage 2 (the one mentioned by Parent) but I've used the Freestyle and Freestyle Pro (https://www.kinesis-ergo.com/shop/freestyle-pro/) on my Mac systems for over a decade, replacing the no-longer-made KeyTronic Flex Pro (which I used on Windows and Mac machines). I built a simple platform so I can crank these up to near vertical, and they saved me from what probably would have been crippling CTS. Takes a while to get used to this orientation, but if you're a touch typist (and who isn't the

  • Don’t buy it. Miserable keyboard for a touch typist. Right hand always ends up on the wrong keys. Nice that it is rechargeable though and pretty looking...

  • It's the best affordable and f*-proof durable keyboard, and comes with USB for the mouse. It has all keys at the normal place.

    Nothing more nothing less, it has media keys and gamers may like to install the macro software. It's just rocksolid. I don't even know if they are still available since they last that long....

  • Verbatim. Same keyboard even. I've worn the black plastic off the comma, period, l, semicolon, a, s and left shift keys and have worn a depression in the middle of the space bar. Usage still feels like new.

  • It has a metal case that conducts static charges to ground instead of building up and resetting USB interface and eventually frying the keyboard. My last one (Logitech) died this way.

    It's not obnoxious. No ridiculous backlights and over the top gamer shit. I almost got the version with no printed labels.

    Went with cherry blue to break habit of striking thru. It has helped to apply just enough pressure and slightly improve typing speed.

    Volume control wheel is nice but the damn wheel is reversed.

    Sleep butt

  • I take whatever's the cheapest I can find, 5$ is good enough as long as there's a numeric keypad and the thing is black. If the mouse comes with it and the lot is under 10$, all the better.

  • Its only a fairly basic keyboard but it gets the job done.
    I have considered the Unicomp but I have heard its not so good for fast paced gaming. And I cant justify spending that much on any keyboard if I can't at least get a feel for what its like to type on.

  • It's an earlier USB 1.1 revision, not a later USB 2.0 revision. (And you can only distinguish the two by plugging them in and using `lspci` or such. There's no means by external visual inspection to determine if the integrated USB hub is 1.1 or 2.0 - thanks, Apple!)

  • IBM KB-8923. Fairly chunky & heavy, decent key travel. Made in 1996. So long since I touched an M I can't say how far off "the master" it is, but it's way better than most modern ones.

    It's also completely filthy.

    And a Microsoft Natural Pro that's big enough to turn over and use as a bed. Tend to use it with the RPi since it has a USB connector alongside the normal one, even though it looks silly.


  • I use this keyboard because it is indestructible, still "just works" and has "rad" features like multimedia keys - I can play a CD with a button on my keyboard!

    Look at this baby -> https://i.pinimg.com/originals... [pinimg.com]

    That's like a good woman that always done right by you, worth holding on to. Just cause she got old and needs a USB adapter doesn't make it right to abandone her...and I know her so well I always push the right buttons.

  • Plug (Score:4, Informative)

    by ElizabethGreene ( 1185405 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @08:35PM (#57686294)

    Logitech deserves a look for their Unifying line of wireless kit. They have been incredibly reliable for me, latency low enough that I don't notice them, and the batteries last forever.

  • Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro from 1999 (Score:3, Informative)

    by JakFrost ( 139885 ) on Thursday November 22, 2018 @10:05PM (#57686522)

    I am still using the old Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro [wikipedia.org] from 1999 both at home and at work through the PS/2 connector event thought it has USB also. I used the original Microsoft Natural Keyboard from 1994 before that but I had to switch it for some reason or another and that one had the old large AT connector on it. My next one is most likely going to be the 4000 or 7000 model depending on which one I find when one of these breaks.

    I still have the Elite version of the keyboard given to me by a friend as a backup for my media center PC when I need to fix the thing after Linux goes nuts on it once in a blue moon or thrice a decade.

    Ergonomics

    I like the ergonomic split angle design and the convex shape of the key plane with a nice wide wrist rest and natural angle for my wrists towards my forearms and elbows which rest on the arm-rests. It just seems natural towards the body's posture versus trying to bend your wrists outwards to type. I'm a wide shouldered person at over 6-feet tall who lifts weights and has developed shoulders with thick forearms and upper arms so having some space and being able to spread my arms away from my body to type is a must.

    Cleaning

    I clean this keyboard twice or thrice a decade also whenever it gets disgusting enough or in case something gets spilled into it, which is so rare after so many years of developing muscle memory of avoiding drinks on the right side of the keyboard where the mouse is and most of the movements take place. Drinks and water only on the left side has worked for me for 3-decades of keyboard usage.

    Mechanical vs Membrane

    I've been following up and reading stories on the trend of mechanical keyboards with their cherry keys of different colors and resistance levels and better controllers that prevented key ghosting and allows more keys to be pressed at the same time and I didn't care for any of that marketing hog-wash even through I used to play fast twitch FPS games back in the old days of Doom, Quake 1 & 3, and all the modern shooters.

    I've had co-workers exalt the benefits to me of mechanical switches over membranes and the amazing original IBM Model M keyboard design but I don't see or feel the benefits. It seems like just another fad and skipped it. All of those keyboards also lacked an ergonomical angled split design and were designed for WASD games whereas I'm an ESDF gamer for the movement keys.

    IBM Model M

    I used the original IBM Model M [wikipedia.org] in my youth at libraries or in school and I did not like it because of the height of the keys, concave slope of the key plane, the force required to depress the keys, and the very loud and annoying clacking sound that the keys made. Also the gap between the keys and the housing was so large that it sucked dirt and debris in so easily.

    I'm not sure why people like it but then again the fad of the Hipsters liking old stuff just because it's old so that they can be unique unicorns that are misunderstood about their coolness due to rarity is also something that I don't get nor understand, I'm guess I'm too old after my 4-decades here.

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