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New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

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Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#161

Post by jseliger »

benlumen wrote: post #10

I told myself this would be my next keyboard years ago. So know this about mechanical keyboards in general - choose wisely, because you'll be stuck with it. First, you won't ever go back to rubber dome like everyone always says, but second, the damn things don't seem to wear out. I'm still using the original Razer Blackwidow that I bought in first year uni - 2010. I thought I'd managed to kill it with beer in the fir…

I used a Unicomp Model M/Spacesaver for a couple years, but once I switched to an ergo keyboard I'll never go back: https://jakeseliger.com/2011/07/17/further-thoughts-on-the-k...

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#162

Post by ghostpepper »

executesorder66 wrote: post #77
schwartzworld wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I probably don't speak for everybody, but I can try to speak to your points above: - They are loud They can be loud, depending on the switches you get. However, some people feel that they benefit from it. The loud clicks are satisfying in some way. Maybe it's an ASMR thing for some people. For me, the sound feels like feedback. - They are expensive They can be. But so can regular keyboards. My first mechanical was li…

I did not know you could get low profile keys. That's interesting and I'll look into that. Why aren't they the default though? But even with everything you say, I still don't see the point. You'd have to find specific switches and keys (which will probably be more difficult to find and more expensive) just to end up with something that roughly matches a rubber dome keyboard. And yeah, I admit they look cooler overall…

This is not strictly a feature of mechanical keyboards, and sure you can often do some limited remapping in sofware, but enthusiast keyboards tend to have a wider variety of layouts as well. IMHO everyone who uses the Ctrl key on a regular basis should try remapping Caps Lock as Ctrl for a day.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#163

Post by quercusa »

3dbrows wrote: post #5

There are probably several dozen of us reading this thread who are still using ancient Model Ms. I have a Greenock-made UK model (built 1988-11-15) which feels indestructible. The Greenock IBM factory closed down years ago, sadly, so there won't be any more coming from there. The factory has been the site of some interesting urban exploration. [1][2] [1] https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/ibm-greenock-dec-2008....…

ClickyKeyboards.com maintains a database of old Model M keyboards where you can find the siblings of yours. I've got a 1987 and a 1989.

https://www.clickykeyboards.com/model-m-archive-project/

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#164

Post by freeone3000 »

executesorder66 wrote: post #80
freeone3000 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find mechanical keyboards much nicer to type on - the keys have enough force to actively push back into position, which gives a great pressed/not-pressed response. This definitely helps when typing quickly. The key travel distance should be about the same as a membrane keyboard - activation happens at the midpoint, not the terminal point, so if you're using the full travel distance you're typing too hard.

> the keys have enough force to actively push back into position, which gives a great pressed/not-pressed response. I'm not sure I understand this. How does a rubber dome keyboard not do this? > The key travel distance should be about the same as a membrane keyboard I must disagree. I've tested them side by side, and all the mechanical keyboards activate at at least twice the distance. (I've tried like 5 different on…

It's so you don't bottom out. The goal is for you to press the key, it activate, and you release for the return without any jolts along the way. (Some models, like browns, have a tactile bump where the resistance changes). The "bonus" 50% travel is to avoid the shock of bottoming out and pressing against an inflexible surface.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#165

Post by mamcx »

mewse wrote: post #75
schwartzworld wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I probably don't speak for everybody, but I can try to speak to your points above: - They are loud They can be loud, depending on the switches you get. However, some people feel that they benefit from it. The loud clicks are satisfying in some way. Maybe it's an ASMR thing for some people. For me, the sound feels like feedback. - They are expensive They can be. But so can regular keyboards. My first mechanical was li…

> They can be loud, depending on the switches you get. It’s worth noting that for folks who don’t know proper typing technique (which is probably nearly everybody under the age of 40, as nobody really teaches it any more, at least in the countries where I’ve lived) it almost doesn’t matter what sort of mechanical switch you’re using, in terms of noise. In my experience, the majority of mechanical keyboard noise for m…

> and so everyone’s just typing with much more force than necessary

This is interesting!. I learn typing in a VERY old mechanical typewriter, then in an electronic one, then in a computer keyboard.

You need to hammer the keys in the old typewriter, like hitting with all the force in the world. But in the electronic it was so soft! Then the computers come and was like in the middle.

I made my own mechanical keyboard, and looking at it, I bottom up around the "middle", not going full force. Also, I HEAR if I hitting it too hard, so I can "lower" the sound mid-tipyng! Cool to have feedback!

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#166

Post by cordite »

formerly_proven wrote: post #2

The IBM Model M hype is absurdly overblown. Anyone who has used decent mechanical keyboards should be able to pretty much immediately notice just how cost-reduced that keyboard is. It is quite literally the cheapest buckling spring keyboard IBM managed to make in '89, and it shows. Cherry boards are often bashed for their flexing and wobbly cases, but the IBM Model M is hardly better with the top and lower parts of t…

How can you use vim without the escape key? These model F reproductions lack that.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#167

Post by Dirlewanger »

amelius wrote: post #131

I'm still waiting for a hacker's keyboard. Should have a lambda key for sure. And special symbols like ⊥, ≤, ≥, ≠, ≔, ¬, ∀, ∃, → ... And a large escape key. Otherwise should just be a US keyboard.

I mean, a real hacker would just assemble it themselves. You can get all the parts needed. You can get custom caps printed with whatever symbols you want.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#168

Post by ihuman »

__float wrote: post #111
executesorder66 wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did not know you could get low profile keys. That's interesting and I'll look into that. Why aren't they the default though? But even with everything you say, I still don't see the point. You'd have to find specific switches and keys (which will probably be more difficult to find and more expensive) just to end up with something that roughly matches a rubber dome keyboard. And yeah, I admit they look cooler overall…

Low profile mechanical keyboards seem to be pretty slim pickings, still. https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k1-wireless-mecha... is one of the first I saw gain pretty wide popularity.

Another option is getting speed switches like Cherry's speed silver or Kailh's Copper/Bronze/Gold. They're the same size as normal switches and support the same keycaps, but you only need to press them halfway compared to how far down you need to press other switches to activate them. Some even have a shorter activation distance than the one you linked.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#169

Post by dayvid »

skocznymroczny wrote: post #26
formerly_proven wrote: post #2

The IBM Model M hype is absurdly overblown. Anyone who has used decent mechanical keyboards should be able to pretty much immediately notice just how cost-reduced that keyboard is. It is quite literally the cheapest buckling spring keyboard IBM managed to make in '89, and it shows. Cherry boards are often bashed for their flexing and wobbly cases, but the IBM Model M is hardly better with the top and lower parts of t…

I think a lot of the hype around mechanical keyboards in general is overblown. I had a period of transitioning to mechanical keyboards. I couldn't get used to the high-rise keys and long travel times which made my wrists hurt and made typing a chore. I kept convincing myself that I just had the wrong type of switch, so I changed keyboards every few months seeking that perfect feeling. The closest I got was low-profil…

Mechanical keyboards are kind of annoying because:

1. You have to try out a few to find one you like and most of them are only available online. 2. Mechanical keyboard enthusiasts drown out casual mechanical keyboard users. Most discussions you can find focus on overly advanced topics and most manufacturers cater to the enthusiast crowd. I don't think most casual users care aren't that nitpicky about performance or aesthetic, but the customization options appeal to the enthusiast crowd I suppose.

In my experience, I like low-profile mechanical keyboards with blue or brown switches. I was happily using a keyboard I found on Amazon for $40 that's now unavailable. I ordered two more expensive ones later on and hated them.

I recently got a Keychron K3 low-profile keyboard with optical switches and enjoy it a lot. It might be worth giving that one a shot when it's available again.

Re: New Model M Is an American-Made Keyboard That Puts a Spring Back in Your Typing

#170

Post by EForEndeavour »

apocalyptic0n3 wrote: post #146
__float wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Low profile mechanical keyboards seem to be pretty slim pickings, still. https://www.keychron.com/products/keychron-k1-wireless-mecha... is one of the first I saw gain pretty wide popularity.

I bought the K3 from them (low profile, 75% layout) and I gave it an honest shot for a few weeks, but before long just went back to an Apple Magic Keyboard. I liked the feedback, but the travel was still longer, the keys were much louder, I wasn't a fan of the layout, and frankly, I just prefer chiclet keys. I really wanted to like it, but after that experience and working with another, more traditional mechanical fo…

I'd had my eye on the K1 and now the K3, and have hesitated for the reasons you cite: at the end of the day, flattening a mechanical keyboard just feels like incompletely reverting back toward what is admittedly the superior typing experience of the Apple Magic Keyboard.

I'm actually typing this on a Keychron K2 version 1 with Gateron brown switches, and it took a few weeks of trial and error as well as a wrist pad to be able to type anywhere near the comfort and speed of what had worked for me for years (but seemed like a recipe for disaster): hunched over my laptop's built-in keyboard and display at a standing desk, no external monitor or keyboard needed or desired.

Infuriatingly, the Keychron series' spacebar is noticeably longer than on Apple keyboards. The Keychron spacebar partly overlaps X and comma, whereas Apple keyboards for as far back as I can recall are exactly aligned with the outer edges of C and M. I also miss the Fn at far lower-left of Mac keyboards.

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