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Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

keymacs.com

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Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#2

Post by 1MachineElf »

In my mind, this is the pinnacle of keyboard craftsmanship.

It hits a lot of checkboxes for high-end custom keyboards, but combined with Alps-type switches and totally custom-made keycaps, this really sets a new precedent.

Personally, I'd rather use something with ortholinear or column-staggered keys. If I was a row-staggered person however, then this would be it.

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#4

Post by systemvoltage »

Marketing gripe: “Over-engineering” is a negative thing for me. That means that the engineers didn’t think through the boundary conditions and requirements. They couldn’t produce optimal solution. They couldn’t bother with perfection. Instead they just slapped things together without calculation and hope it will hold up.

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#5

Post by minimilian »

Wow; finally a keyboard with enough modifiers and no false assumptions about their names. Does this use the same kind of switch as the Space Cadet? How does it compare to the buckling springs of the IBM Model F? Can one flash QMK onto it, or another free firmware that allows one to do all configurations in plain text (for those of us who hate graphical interfaces)?

While I like the layout and the keys and the legends, I don't love the case; this, I think, has more character:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Space-cadet.jpg

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#6

Post by coldblues »

minimilian wrote: post #5

Wow; finally a keyboard with enough modifiers and no false assumptions about their names. Does this use the same kind of switch as the Space Cadet? How does it compare to the buckling springs of the IBM Model F? Can one flash QMK onto it, or another free firmware that allows one to do all configurations in plain text (for those of us who hate graphical interfaces)? While I like the layout and the keys and the legends…

It uses Alps switches. They are considered to be the best of the best. https://keymacs.com/keymap.html can be used to reprogram the keyboard.

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#7

Post by Findecanor »

coldblues wrote: post #6
minimilian wrote: post #5

Wow; finally a keyboard with enough modifiers and no false assumptions about their names. Does this use the same kind of switch as the Space Cadet? How does it compare to the buckling springs of the IBM Model F? Can one flash QMK onto it, or another free firmware that allows one to do all configurations in plain text (for those of us who hate graphical interfaces)? While I like the layout and the keys and the legends…

It uses Alps switches. They are considered to be the best of the best. https://keymacs.com/keymap.html can be used to reprogram the keyboard.

Restored genuine vintage Alps or Matias Click.

Whether the Alps are "best of the best" is a matter of personal preference.

Matias' switches are modern clones of the vintage Alps switches. They have a poor reputation for reliability though, sadly.

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#9

Post by bloopernova »

I really want to like this, but there's several negatives in my opinion.

  * No arrow key cluster
  * Alps rather than Cherry switches, which in my opinion means much less choice of switch and keycap.
  * No QMK firmware (I think?)
But all those extra keys could be really nice to customize.

I'm really looking forward to getting my Keyboardio Model 100. Going to have fun customizing the keys and getting used to a split keyboard. I'm definitely going to get another small macro pad so I can have arrow keys.

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