Computer Keyboard
 

Anyone here swear by a particular computer keyboard? I need a 104 key (number pad) and prefer wired. Looking at ergonomic ones and at mechanical ones.

Well, I swear by this, but I'm not expecting you to want it for 2 reasons (1 It's expensive and 2 To most folks it's a little scary)

https://the-gadgeteer.com/wp-content...01-600x446.jpg

< edit >In the absence of that as an option, then I'd recommend a Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic. Sorry, you did say that you prefer wired. I used to use cheap ($20) wired Microsoft ergo keyboards.< /edit >

It seems the closest that you can get today is the "Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 4000 keyboard" $50
https://compass-ssl.microsoft.com/as...00v2_large.jpg

I like this one (for fat finners)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1583268681.jpg

My wife swears by the Cherry switches in her Corsair keyboard. She does not like the Logitech proprietary switches as well as Cherry, but there is a lot of programming she can do for work on her Logitech with the extra G keys. Saves her a ton of time.

For work I use an Amazon basics short stroke keyboard. It is $10.

Reminds me I should dust off my old Northgate Omni and find a DIN->PS/2->USB adapter chain that works ....

Check out this https://www.daskeyboard.com/p/4q-smart-rgb-mechanical-keyboard/

Apparently you can set individual keys' backlight to alert you when you have an email, when a stock price moves, when a reminder arrives, etc. Weird.

Radio Shack...Oh wait.

You can get the Kinesis Advantage with Cherry MX Brown or Cherry MX Red switches.

She likes the Red better. Better tactile feel she says. She was the first one at our house years ago to get a gaming keyboard because she likes the Cherry switches and the LED, not for games.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KlJ8eTuFe9U" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

a heavy input load may induce someone to re-train themselves to use the Devorak (sp) keyboard - is that in your pic masrum??

the Qwerty ones were designed for mech. typewriters to prevent users from typing too fast for the machine

I used to love the std. Qwerty layout mech. keyboards but switched to Apple & now use one of their muchy wireless ones with a numeric keypad

Yes, the image in my post in Dvorak. I swapped many years ago. It made sense to me, and I had some spare time. The theory is that you end up typing twice as frequently on the home row(~70% vs ~35%). It also alternates between the hands more frequently, and many of the common two letter dipthongs are typed in such a way that they start toward the outside and move towards the inside (pinky-->thumb) which is natural (think of strumming your fingers on a table). It took a while to get used to it and get back up to speed.

I too have read the story about the typewriter keyboard being set to the QWERTY layout to slow folks down when typewriters were mechanical and still somewhat immature and therefore unable to key up with fast typists without jamming. I think I've also read that is incorrect. I do know that QWERTY is much like VHS or Bluray. There were originally a bunch of layouts, and QWERTY won the race.

IBM Model M (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard)

Serious tank of a keyboard, but best feeling/most tactile I've ever used.

If you'd consider wireless, I swear by my Logitech K350

https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-keyboard-k350-business

I have DAS keyboard. They offered a silent and a clickety model. The clicky model is very loud! I like it,but it is IBM loud.

I love my Logitch wireless. It has programable keys for different functions and the AA batteries last forever so no problem with constant replacement. The Dongle for the keyboard also works with a wireless mouse so I only need to use one USB port.

I looked it up. DAS Model S Professional Mechanical Keyboard, Switch Type: Clicky - MX Blue.

It has two USB 3.0 ports on the keyboard.

Big subject among technical folks that type all day (I'm a software engineer).

I have been on a DAS Keyboard with Cherry MX brown switches for 2 years. LOVE it. The brown switches have no click, and go straight down. Clacky vs. Clicky.

Warning: If you get a mechanical keyboard, you are going to be hooked.

I can get a used DAS Keybosrd on eBay for $60 or so. Looking for the blue because I want loud!

used to love the original MS natural keyboard.
it was big
it was heavy
it was clunky
it was durable and easy to clean...

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...yboard_Pro.JPG

Current MS natural keyboards are way to light

They had a second one, which was slightly less good because of the Arrow keys being cross instead of inverted T.. not so great for gaming

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_SX355_.jpg

I used to have several of those old white MS natural ergo keyboards. You could pick them up for $20 all day long. They were great.

dunno why but i’m attracted to this one

https://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=3504

Oh crap, I found about all the custom keycap and custom remapping stuff ... I could rationalize doing this...

DAS sells refurbished keyboards direct for about $75

And I looked up my model from Woot, it was the 4 Professional with the Blue Cherry switches.

New one at MS i hadn't seen before
ordered it , maybe it'l do the trick..

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07XVRSLQS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
wired.. am tired of the batteries running out...

the New MS ergonomic arrived, it's great
took me 2 minutes to remember how i used to type on my old natural , and am already typing blind.
And better blind then on my old flat wireless dell keyboard.

Only thing that bugs me is they put the function keys directly over the numbers.
no gap.. and above backspace is another delete button... da faq, why.. the delete below insert is much closer anyway.. Now i hit a delete when I hit backspace

Build is solid, very comparable to the old natural .. at least how i remember it
the space button improved, still heavy.. but there isn't that resistance that the old one had
old one had to be slammed

It still raised from the front, but there is a better foot to do it..so also improvement

payed 50 euro for it, new.. which quite frankly is amazing value for money
it's wired. which i like.. wireless keyboards lag in games, and you always run out of battery at the worst possible time.. for keyboard i'll take wired.. any time.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1584652125.jpg

Looks pretty much like a gray version of the old beige model. Those were awesome. I think at one time I had 3-4 of those and had paid about $20 each. Still, $50 for a new version is nice.

Agreed, a wired keyboard is a good thing.

indeed, the old ones.. it's black now, not grey
but it feels like meeting an old friend i hadn't seen in years.

even the sound it makes... as far as I can remember, it's the same sound

small differences, most improvements
like the hand rest, isn't hard plastic, it's a soft cushioned material

Returning to this thread. I bought a Microsoft Ergonomic exactly like what svandamme showed, because my wrists were sore. Liked it, keys are ehh but my wrists stopped hurting. And it was only $50 and has a quality feel and look.

Well, 7 months in and the keys are starting to stick. No, I don’t eat over or dump soda into my keyboard.

So, I need to investigate the warranty situation.

And I resume my search for the One True Keyboard. I’d still like a mechanical keyboard, but now I really want an ergonomic mechanical 101 key (number pad) keyboard ...

... which no-one makes, period. How can this be? Is this not 2020?

Arrgh.

So I’m trawling eBay for 101 key mechanical keyboards, maybe I’ll get one even if it is not “ergo” and use it until my wrists hurt and by then I’ll have wangled a replacement from Microsoft.

And... what is this - weird. But intriguing.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/184395253531

There’s some old IBM Model M keyboards on there. P/S 2 but I guess there are USB-A adaptors. And a lot of similar looking, similar vintage, putty colored 101 keyboards of different brands, Compaq and so on..

Plenty of used DAS keyboards. They look nice and got good reviews upthread.

Lots of crazy mechanical gaming keyboards for almost no money, but few are 101 key and I think I decided to not buy ultra cheap Chinese stuff.

yeah, mine did the same, one key sticks, it's not entirely as durable as the old MS natural
it doesn't stick bad, just one key, pop it out, wipe it all down , works fine again
There was dirt behind mine,but the old Natural keyboard would have just ground it to powder , this one gets sticky :D


my main gripe with it, is they put 4 keys over the numeric.. =/*-
above it has a clear () backspace.. and i keep just hitting that back space when i want a -
or i hit that clear when i want the numlock to the left.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1604040453.png

pop out - I’ll try that, just put a knife blade or flathead screwdriver under key and lever up? I don’t have any special tool.

Any way to remap keys?

yeah, the four keys above the numeric are useless.

you really need to get away from the computer periodically - maybe don't buy the UPS and trigger a power outage every 20 minutes

also, do some Tensho or Wing Chun for the wrists

Yellowish you meant.

The key travel is old school !

I loved having the parenthesis keys on the 10key pad on my OLD Microsoft Office Keyboard. Life in excel is much easier.

I just replaced it with a Razer Huntsman that I got on Prime-Day for 1/2 off. I love the feel of the opto-mechanical keys, but they are very loud. Makes it difficult to talk on the phone while typing.

yeah, something not to sharp.. butterknife is fine

SHIFT ENTER CTRL and SPACE are different, those have a metal hinge in it.. and are a bit fidgety to get back on, the rest are just like this one.. pop on and off, easy peasy.
To give you and idea of the dirt that traps behind em.. and why they stick..


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1604096563.jpg

the special tool is a handle with 2 loops of wire on it - flattened at the ends - costs $3 & worth it

Popped off the offending keys, clean as a whistle behind and under. Hmm. Well, maybe just removal and reinstallation helped.

This YouTuber is really, really, really into keyboards and he seems to like the older mechanical ones. Pretty cool. https://www.youtube.com/user/Chyrosran22

pckeyboard.com is Unicomp who made the IBM Model M and still make it today. The Youtuber guy reviewed it. I’m thinking about that - $100, brand new, no eBay fuss, and it is a genuine made in USA product from a small company in Kentucky. I don’t need any bells and whistles. Just a really nice keyboard. And time away from it.

AH HA!

Ergo, mechanical, kinda spendy.

https://c9ergo.com/