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Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

keymacs.com

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Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#11

Post by spindle »

bloopernova wrote: post #9

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 keyb…

I love QMK, but IMO it's not so vital to have it now that there's a good alternative at the OS level: https://github.com/kmonad/kmonad#features

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#13

Post by Findecanor »

bloopernova wrote: post #9

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 keyb…

* The keyboard is a recreation of classic keyboards from Symbolics that had this layout. [1][2]

* It does support QMK.

1. https://deskthority.net/wiki/Symbolics_364000

2. https://deskthority.net/wiki/Symbolics_365407

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#14

Post by iamevn »

Findecanor wrote: post #7
coldblues wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I love my keyboard with Matias quiet click switches but they absolutely did have a bad batch that die super quickly. Had to buy a bag of spares to swap a few switches out.

These appear to not be Matias though based on the stems https://deskthority.net/wiki/Matias_switch

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#17

Post by pnathan »

Not sure why "some assembly required" is so popular in higher end keyboard circles. I'd rather buy something that was repairable. I'm not a skilled electronics worker - my skills are elsewhere. I'd probably introduce my own defects into the keyboard...

These days I'm using a Kinesis Edge with lifters: comfortable, ergonomic, and, likly, reliable.

Anyway I would probably get a Kinesis Advantage or Maltron 3D keyboard for these prices. Fully assembled, with a warranty. :)

I look forward to another iteration of a symbolics keyboard...

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#18

Post by lispm »

bloopernova wrote: post #9

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 keyb…

For the original keyboard layout of a Symbolics Lisp Machine keyboard see:

https://twitter.com/rainerjoswig/status/1464675225061240836?...

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#19

Post by AnimalMuppet »

pnathan wrote: post #17

Not sure why "some assembly required" is so popular in higher end keyboard circles. I'd rather buy something that was repairable. I'm not a skilled electronics worker - my skills are elsewhere. I'd probably introduce my own defects into the keyboard... These days I'm using a Kinesis Edge with lifters: comfortable, ergonomic, and, likly, reliable. Anyway I would probably get a Kinesis Advantage or Maltron 3D keyboard…

> Not sure why "some assembly required" is so popular in higher end keyboard circles.

I have heard that Betty Crocker cake mix initially wasn't very popular. Housewives didn't like it. They reformulated it so that it wasn't "just add water" - you had to add an egg as well. That made it a lot more popular, because people could still feel like "I made that cake".

I wonder if this isn't the same. "I built that" gives more pride of ownership than "I took it out of a box.".

Re: Keymacs: Modern Symbolics-Style Keyboard

#20

Post by duped »

zcam wrote: post #8

The price tag is ridiculous

The bulk of it is the custom keycaps (a keycap run is seriously expensive, especially if you're using weird key sizes), the enclosure, and the switches. They're probably being hosed by their suppliers too, since I can't imagine they have the money to invest in serious volume.

That said the board looks seriously under-engineered. It's a bit ridiculous to invest so much in high quality switches and an enclosure built like a tank without spending any time on designing the board to withstand any forces, passing the buck onto their customers to make sure everything is soldered correctly...

I'd be confident the enclosure survives a fall and lasts a lifetime but certainly not anything inside it.

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