Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#71

Post by mgraczyk » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 9:55 PM UTC

avolcano wrote: post #4

Mechanical keyboards are awesome. Model Ms are cool, but if you want something a bit more modern (with media keys, a slightly smaller footprint, and slightly quieter keys), look into any keyboard that advertises having Cherry MX switches. You can get a great keyboard for only ~$80 (look at the CM Storm QuickFire line - ignore the goofy "pro gamer" marketing, they're wonderful for hacking too!). If you're interested,…

I agree 100%. I used to use a Model M, but I've been using a Green switch CM Storm keyboard for a few months now. The green switches are much stiffer than the blues (in a good way). I would recommend green switches for anybody who wants a similar feel and responsiveness to the old bucking spring keyboards. Also the CM keyboard is very well built (almost identical to Filco's keyboards) and comes at a great price.

As a bit of anecdote for those who are considering buying a mechanical keyboard but aren't sure which to buy:

A friend of mine has a $160 Filco with green switches that he's been using for over a year. He types on it at around 95 WPM. Once I had him try out my $100 green switch cooler master. After a few rounds on typeracer, he was averaging 110 WPM. For experienced typists who are already very fast, the extra stiffness of green switches can be a huge boost for productivity. Plus they sound extremely sexy.

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#72

Post by BrokenPipe » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 9:56 PM UTC

I'm spoiled but I went with a das keyboard. And or cherry is also good. Model M is a good alternative, a bit heavy and I miss having the windows button which I use as function key.

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#73

Post by jmspring » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 9:56 PM UTC

rootbear wrote: post #7

I have Das Keyboard mechanical keyboards on all of my home systems. I have spinal nerve damage that reduces sensation in some of my fingers. The positive tactile feel of the switches and the clicky sounds are very helpful in compensating for the reduced feeling in my fingers.

I have a Das Keyboard as well as a Unicomp Model M. Unfortunately, the Unicomp needs to go in for repair. In terms of overall size, I like Das Keyboard better, but I haven't tried the smaller Unicomps. That said, I think the tactile feedback of the Unicomps is much closer to the Model M than the Das Keyboard.

Both are far superior to many cheap keyboards.

I only wish Unicomp or Das Keyboard came in a bluetooth version. The Das Keyboard using 2 USB ports is a tad bogus.

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#74

Post by korethr » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 9:57 PM UTC

lalos wrote: post #15

I'm currently in the process of building my own Ergodox ( http://ergodox.org/Default.aspx ), pretty excited for my first mechanical keyboard and mostly want to try out the parallel key arrangement instead of the slanted keys. Fun fact: keyboards are slanted because typewriters' keys would get stuck if parallel and we are still using a design that was produced to solve a problem we no longer have!

You may find that the non-staggered key layout will reveal some bad typing habits, mainly reaching for keys with the wrong finger. But after taking a few weeks to get used to it, you will probably start to find it much more comfortable. While I still love the tactile feedback I get from my Model M, its staggered layout is beginning to feel a bit alien to me.

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#75

Post by dbbolton » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 10:03 PM UTC

One day I went in to my local Goodwill store and noticed they had a good bit of computers/electronics. I picked up a keyboard and liked the clicky sound (at the time I didn't know anything about mechanical key switches) and bought it for $5 US. I had never heard of the company. It was just marked "2001" along the top. I also had to get a PS2 adapter - that's right, this was an AT device.

A few years later, one of the switches went bad and I looked into finding a replacement. It turns out I had bought a Focus FK-2001, which nowadays sell on eBay for around $60. After that, I started looking at Goodwill for more mechanical keyboards, but I have never again seen one.

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#76

Post by cdjk » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 10:10 PM UTC

lalos wrote: post #15

I'm currently in the process of building my own Ergodox ( http://ergodox.org/Default.aspx ), pretty excited for my first mechanical keyboard and mostly want to try out the parallel key arrangement instead of the slanted keys. Fun fact: keyboards are slanted because typewriters' keys would get stuck if parallel and we are still using a design that was produced to solve a problem we no longer have!

The parallel arrangement takes a little getting used to. I switched to a Kinesis Advantage, which has parallel keys, and it took me about a month to get up to speed with it - and another month to get comfortable on a "normal" keyboard again. After that I didn't have any problems switching back and forth, however.

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#77

Post by davidgerard » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 10:12 PM UTC

RexRollman wrote: post #70

davidgerard wrote: post #59

Buy a Unicomp, they make the Model M now. New (not 20-30 years of cruft) and USB. http://unicomp.com/

Oh man, I love the look of their Classic 101 keyboards. No dreaded Windows key!!

Unicomp have a fantastic product and apparently NO GRASP WHATSOEVER OF MARKETING. Their URL is just passed around by word-of-comment. AAAAAAAAAAAA.

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#78

Post by dredwerker » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 10:13 PM UTC

bane wrote: post #36

When I was just young lad I worked part-time at one of those mom and pop computer fixit shops. Every once in a while the owner would buy a palette of Model M keyboards. I'd get stuck with the job of refurbishing them for sale or inclusion with new systems. I'd spend a couple weeks taking off all the keys, scrubbing the keyboards down with a dishwashing tools and soap and then toss 6 or 7 into the kitchen dishwasher f…

You toss your keyboard in the dishwasher and it still works ??? Not just the keys?

I would never have dreamed of doing that. :)

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#79

Post by davidgerard » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 10:13 PM UTC

ronnier wrote: post #50

p4bl0 wrote: post #40

I'm sorry to say that, and I didn't even visited the link, but I actually laughed when reading the title of this link. After the thread about what 4chan thinks of HN, this is like HN trying to parody itself :-D.

It's unfair to the office mates of those who use these hipster keyboards. They are extremely loud. It's amplified by those who have odd typing patterns too.

TYPE HARD OR GO HOME.

My wife forbade me from using my Model M (now deceased ... it turns out cat pee can in fact kill one) after 9pm :-(

Re: Why I use a 20-year-old IBM Model M keyboard

#80

Post by lgleason » Sun, Nov 17, 2013, 10:22 PM UTC

I love mechanical keyboards but prefer a Kinesis Advantage. If you really like the click cherry blue switches could bed added to the Advantage. Then you don't have to worry about RSI and can have the clicky feedback.

The biggest issue is that you get noise complaints in offices....but they do make o-rings to quiet that up....if noise is an issue you are going to want to use cherry mx-browns and forgo the clicky cherry mx blues....