This one for APL of course: http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/adcolkey.html
Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
31–40 of 47 posts
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#32I really love Dell's keyboard http://www.dpro.ru/netcat_files/catalog/1_12005.jpg I found it quite ergonomic.
I agree, especially in contrast with all those horribly overpriced "hacker"-keyboards. I've used it for 5 years now, and love it. My only complaint is that I wish it had no key pad as it takes up too much space between the typing keyboard and the mouse.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#33I think one of the biggest failings of Macs/Macbooks is the "feel" of their keyboards. I'd love to see what their industrial designers could do if tasks with making an IBM Type M sort of feel with an Apple twist.
I guess there's no accounting for a person's preferences: I recommended them elsewhere on this page because I love their feel so much :-)
Never liked the loud "clickety" sound nor the feel of the Type M keyboards.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#34Here's an excellent (and funny) overview from Ars Technica of different kinds of switches in keyboards. http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2011/02/ask-ars-ergonomi... The "Happy Hacking" keyboard looks very nice, and has no numeric keypad. But it's ridiculously expensive. edit: apparently RMS http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?13526-Richard-Stallman-%2... and Bjarne Stroustrup http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?1855…
I've been using the Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite2 for a few months now, and I can't imagine going back to anything else. Its small size and intelligent, minimalist layout just works for me.
It's well worth the $70 I paid for it.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#35After having tried many keyboards in the past, now I only go for those that have the following features in order of priority:
1. mandatory: no built-in numpad, i.e. tenkeyless. This reduces the right hand mouse sweep and reduces strain on teres major, rotator cuff and right wrist.
2. mandatory: adjustable forward-back tilt, must be able to flatten to horizontal. Reduces wrist strain strain and makes it more comfortable to tuck elbows backwards and into your sides - the optimal position.
3. mandatory: wired and USB connectivity. Wireless/Bluetooth optional. Not a fan of worrying about input lag or driver support across varied hardware or OS.
4. optional: mechanical keys - tactical not clicky and equal to or lower than 45g actuation, i.e. Cherry MX Brown not the fancy clicky Blue (also has "bonus" of annoying coworkers), heavy Red, very heavy Black or quiet and heavy Clear. Topre switches are ok but hard to find and expensive. If normal rubber dome keys, then it better be a very good keyboard otherwise!
5. optional: full split with 40cm+ separation capability. I would rather have a Happy Hacking or normal tenkeyless keyboard than a full split keybard with less than 40cm+ separation.
Given all of the above, I use a Kinesis Freestyle Solo with Kinesis Low-Force Numeric Keypad.
Also, oddly enough some of the best keyboards are "gaming" keyboards due to how robust and well-spaced the keys are. But good luck finding one that is tenkeyless.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#36I'll second the motion for Unicomp, Ultra Classic.
It's an IBM Model M keyboard, with updates.
It's clicky. I like this, personally. My hands love they keyboard, the feedback from the 'clicky'.
You mentioned 'looks' twice. This confuses me.
When I use a keyboard, I don't spend a lot of time looking at it. It's an input device. A tool.
What matters is how well it works, not that it looks sleek and ready to spring into the air. Get one your hands like, not your eyes.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#37I find the feedback of a mechanical keyboard makes typing more enjoyable in a general way. At home I have a razor black widow which has cherry blue switches (which are my favorite), at work I have a dasKeyboard with cherry brown switches (much quieter so I don't irritate my team). For me, nothing matches the visceral feel of mechanical keyboards. I have a friend who described it as feeling like he was typing with a m…
I've used a machine gun. Keyboards are a lot quieter, and have way less recoil. But your friend has a point.
Have you ever used a late-model IBM Selectric typewriter? Now that is the acme of keyboarding. IBM knew their users would spend hours at the keyboard, designed with that assumption in mind.
An IBM model M (now made by Unicomp) is the Selectric of keyboards.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#38I find the feedback of a mechanical keyboard makes typing more enjoyable in a general way. At home I have a razor black widow which has cherry blue switches (which are my favorite), at work I have a dasKeyboard with cherry brown switches (much quieter so I don't irritate my team). For me, nothing matches the visceral feel of mechanical keyboards. I have a friend who described it as feeling like he was typing with a m…
I've used a machine gun. Keyboards are a lot quieter, and have way less recoil. But your friend has a point. Have you ever used a late-model IBM Selectric typewriter? Now that is the acme of keyboarding. IBM knew their users would spend hours at the keyboard, designed with that assumption in mind. An IBM model M (now made by Unicomp) is the Selectric of keyboards.
The old (late 70s/early 80s) IBM 5211 Terminal used to include a large solenoid in the keyboard that fired a metal rod into the metal base of the keyboard as a mechanical "clicker". Holding down the spacebar was very akin to the sound of a machine gun!
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#39If you're looking for a cheap tenkeyless cherry blue that you can easily find locally, I recommend the cmstorm quickfire. Warning: it's gamer ugly.
Re: Ask HN: What is the best Keyboard nowadays?
#40I will join philh and sepeth in saying I really like the TypeMatrix 2030. Even if you don't make the switch to Dvorak, which the TypeMatrix makes trivial--like the old "DVORTYboards" the switch is done at the keyboard, no messing with translation on the computer side--the non-offset rows of keys will give your hands a break. It does have CTRL where IBM keyboards put it rather than where God/DEC intended (next to the…
Duh. Make that "explanation and address".