Blind Not Dumb (Posts about typing)https://www.feoh.org/categories/typing.atom2024-01-21T01:02:42ZChris PattiNikolaA few random thoughts on keyboardshttps://www.feoh.org/posts/a-few-random-thoughts-on-keyboards.html2015-07-28T00:00:00-04:002015-07-28T00:00:00-04:00cpatti<div class="line-block">
<div class="line">I've recently been very underwhelmed with the keyboards Apple ships with their computers. They're trying to make them all feel like laptop keyboards, which is an idea I</div>
<div class="line">rather disapprove of.</div>
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<div class="line">In particular the recent <a class="reference external" href="https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MB110LL/B/apple-keyboard-with-numeric-keypad-english-usa">Apple Keyboard</a></div>
<div class="line">has such shallow key travel it's very easy to fall into the bad habit of pounding the keys, and the overall layout feels squished</div>
<div class="line">and constrained.</div>
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<div class="line">I've had a couple of the old school model A1408 "Apple Keyboard" (and its wireless cousin) in my drawer for years because I remember</div>
<div class="line">liking them.</div>
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<div class="line">Thus far it's definitely a big improvement over the current squashed and squishy laptop like keyboard, but my gold standard for</div>
<div class="line">keyboards is the <a class="reference external" href="https://www.razerzone.com/store/razer-blackwidow-ultimate">Razer Black Widow Ultimate</a> - I use one at work with my</div>
<div class="line">Linux desktop PC and it feels glorious to type on. Beautiful mechanical keys with very distinct tactile feedback and a satisfying</div>
<div class="line">(if perhaps somewhat loud for your officemates :) click.</div>
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<div class="line">The original Apple keyboard definitely has a better typing feel but lacks the tactile feedback of the Razor or other modern</div>
<div class="line">mechanical keyboards making the typing feel still come off a bit squishy for my tastes.</div>
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<div class="line">I may end up investigating other modern mechanical keyboards to replace them - we'll see. One irritation I have with the Razor is</div>
<div class="line">that they're platform specific. Is there REALLY any good reason for this other than to try to get me to shell out another $100 for</div>
<div class="line">yet another keyboard? I rather resent that as other brands seem to cope just fine in both platforms.</div>
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<p><em>UPDATE 02/22/2016</em></p>
<p>I ended up buying a Das mechanical keyboard for home, and thus far it's made me appreciate my Razer Black Widow even more.</p>
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<div class="line">It's not that anything is particularly bad at all about the Das, it's a perfectly fine mechanical keyboard, I just prefer the</div>
<div class="line">more 'clicky' feel of the Razer, and really appreciate the niceties like the lit, labeled keys.</div>
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<div class="line">As it turns out, choosing the Das with no labels on the keys has turned into an enormous pain. I touch type fairly well, but</div>
<div class="line">even still when I occasionally need to press some fairly arcane sequence of keys (Yes I <em>DO</em> need to hit Alt+F15 occasionally :))</div>
<div class="line">the lack of labels really rains on my parade.</div>
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<div class="line">There's also the little tidbit that <em>occasionally</em> you might want your spouse or other friend who doesn't touch type be able to use</div>
<div class="line">your keyboard and they simply won't be able to do it. At all.</div>
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<p>So, unless you REALLY know you like it, don't do that :)</p>