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My Mechanical Keyboard

joeposnanski.com

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Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#181

Post by gnicholasgreen »

cm3 wrote: post #82

I cannot type comfortably on anything but MX black or browns, so I wasn't able to use an ergonomic keyboard yet. There's one company in Australia that builds to order ergonomic keyboard with mx keys, but the price is in the same range as HHKB, which makes it hard to order blindly from across the world, and custom built on top, which means hard to send back for quality deficiencies. Are there other ergonomic keyboards…

The Ergodox EZ can be purchased pre-built, and is a fantastic mechanical ergo keyboard. You can choose your switch type on purchase.

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#182

Post by gnicholasgreen »

jccalhoun wrote: post #135
isaac_is_goat wrote: post #125

Mechanical keyboards are overrated. They're great , don't get me wrong - and I've used them for years - but they are not the end all be-all to everything your fingertips will press down. I've actually given up on my Cherry MX Brown DAS and switch to a Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Desktop and it's absolutely fantastic. The design is odd at first, but after using it for a few hours I realized that the way I thought about…

I wish there were some split mechanical keyboards. I know there is the "Ultimate Hacking Keyboard" but that is out of my price range.

You can buy the Ergodox EZ pre-built, which is a nice split mechanical keyboard. If the price is too high, there are people on r/mrchmarket who are selling ones they've built using generic parts for half of that price, sans keycaps. Either way there are split mechs out there.

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#183

Post by Void_ »

gf263 wrote: post #138
Void_ wrote: post #95

This is some amazing writing. I couldn't care less about what kind of keyboard I use, but I kept reading and reading because this was just so easy to read. Can anybody explain why what made this such a good read? Or point me in a direction where I can improve my own writing?

You might be interested in "On Writing Well" ( https://smile.amazon.com/Writing-Well-Classic-Guide-Nonficti... ) The author explains why we get drawn into good writing about topics we don't care about. Has some great examples in it too.

Thanks, ordered!

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#184

Post by michaelgrafl »

sixothree wrote: post #156
michaelgrafl wrote: post #77

I don't know or care if mechanical keyboards increase my typing speed and/or precision, but they feel great and make me enjoy work more. If I can choose between a rocky desk and a sturdy one, I'll choose the latter, although they both do the job sufficiently well for my needs. A few months ago I got myself a tenkeyless with brown Cherry MX switches, and I am getting a second one now, because I can't be bothered to ty…

As a programmer I am disappointed with the lack of innovation in mechanical keyboards. They all look the same and have extremely similar layouts. What I could really use is some navigation keys to the left of the keyboard; maybe two columns of keys that are programmable; any innovation actually would be nice.

There's stuff like this: https://ergodox-ez.com/

Or this: https://shop.keyboard.io/

You can get keyboard without a numpad and add a Filco TenKeyPad to the mix.

Navigation keys on the left would be cool. But I'm also really happy with a default tenkeyless. I think that fact that they mostly look the same is good. Like most electric guitars look like Stratocasters or Les Pauls. But then I'm not a big fan of novelty in design in general.

There are people who build their own keyboards using mechanical switches in interesting designs.

Freaks.

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#185

Post by Steeeve »

gnicholasgreen wrote: post #176
Steeeve wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been eyeballing one of these for christmas: https://ergodox-ez.com/collections/keyboard-bundles/products...

I took the dive on an ergodox ez a couple of months ago. It took me nearly a month to get fully comfortable with it, but now typing on a regular keyboard just feels less than ideal. I just ordered a second one for my home computer.

Question - did you go with the default blank keys? And how do you like them? I'm trying to figure out which keys to get, but I have yet to see one in person.

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#186

Post by wst_ »

stanmancan wrote: post #123
wst_ wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they only were as much available to buy as much people talk about them. I never used it before, I tried, I loved it, I researched a lot, I've finally chosen one ... and only got disappointed by availability. They're nowhere to be in stock. I found it only on Amazon UK and they want almost the same as keyboard price for a shipping. And no, it's not some bizarre custom made thing - it is just a normal Ducky One TKL.…

Look for different models. Corsair and Razer both make excellent mechanical keyboards as well.

In the end I've chosen Ducky One without back light. Not a big deal as I usually work with some small light on. There was shop in Indonesia which has not that bad shipping rates around Asia. Sooner or later I will probably buy PBT keycaps. I am good for now, still, that wasn't the best customer experience. I am talking about market in general, not this specific shop.

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#188

Post by hossbeast »

Steeeve wrote: post #185
gnicholasgreen wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I took the dive on an ergodox ez a couple of months ago. It took me nearly a month to get fully comfortable with it, but now typing on a regular keyboard just feels less than ideal. I just ordered a second one for my home computer.

Question - did you go with the default blank keys? And how do you like them? I'm trying to figure out which keys to get, but I have yet to see one in person.

Also, is it wireless?

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#189

Post by brokenmachine »

gnicholasgreen wrote: post #176
Steeeve wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been eyeballing one of these for christmas: https://ergodox-ez.com/collections/keyboard-bundles/products...

I took the dive on an ergodox ez a couple of months ago. It took me nearly a month to get fully comfortable with it, but now typing on a regular keyboard just feels less than ideal. I just ordered a second one for my home computer.

I absolutely love my Ergodox!

I can't type on a horrible staggered keyboard anymore. Once you get used to it (about a week for me), it just feels so natural. I can never go back. Staggered keys are perverse, all the contortions necessary just to locate the keys with your fingers.

The only problem is that now I look like a total retard when trying to use anyone else's keyboard, which is a pretty regular occurrence unfortunately as I'm in IT.

Re: My Mechanical Keyboard

#190

Post by brokenmachine »

fnj wrote: post #78
kpil wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A colleague snapped once at the recently delivered $5 keyboard attached to a really expensive workstation, and ripped out the cheap rattling keyboard with keys that twist and hooks into others, and smashed it into a pillar and then broke it in half. Keys where flying over the office. Silence. And then applause. I don't really understand why professional tools are allowed to be so absolutely horrible.

Destroying a keyboard is actually pretty hard - something like physically cracking a CD. I have accomplished it however. I am notorious for keyboard rage, and have hurt the heel of my right hand pretty badly on multiple occasions pounding mercilessly on keyboards. I'll say one thing about my Unicomp keyboard. I have beat it savagely while enraged at some other screw-up in the computer or OS. I have sent keys flying,…

My keyboards nowadays are so expensive and difficult to replace that I wouldn't ever dream of breaking them on purpose.

My Ergodox took me countless hours to plan, more to assemble, then even more hours after that tweaking the firmware. It wasn't cheap either, but some of the best money I've ever spent regardless.

The horrible hp membrane keyboards at work, however, I would love to nuke from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

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