They just forced us into god-awful half-height pod-style “cubes” at the office. I’m sorely tempted to get the most machine-gun sounding keyboard I can find so I can “collaborate” with everyone. Good to know that blue switches are what I need.
Have fun working in the Panopticon! It’s funny, there was just a story last week or the week before on Arstechnica about how those half-height cubicles actually reduce face to face interactions between co-workers.
Buying “blind” so to speak is incredibly risky for a keyboard. But only heretics use red or black cherries. They’re meant to feel smoochie, I think.
You could get a switch sampler.
Get this - the person that heavily drove us to those cubes left the same week they were being installed.
But I’m happy to be able to print out and post ‘Welcome to the Panopticon’ on the wall now - thanks for that!
I think I just accidentally liked some post in this thread through some keyboard command, so I apologize in advance to anyone if you get notified.
I guess I’m one of the heretics (mine has Cherry MX Red switches, mostly because it was harder to get anything else when I finally bought the K95). I would like something with tactile feedback, but I like the key pressure required on the Reds and don’t think I’d really want anything stiffer.
Thanks, although I can’t take credit for it–a co-worker of mine made a comment like that in reaction to that story I mentioned when I sent the link around in an email.
I’ve been looking for a smaller mechanical keyboard. I’m finding that because I type on a laptop so much, it’s hard for me to write on a full sized keyboard. I had considered getting a Happy Hacking Keyboard, which are highly revered in mechanical keyboard circles, but they are about $220. I stumbled on this on Reddit. It’s called the Anne Pro 2, and it’s a new 60% sized keyboard with blue tooth and RGB. I picked the keyboard with brown switches and so far it offers pretty sweet typing.
I am using one and it is one of its kind, maybe because of how it feels and sound. If you don’t care much about these two, stay away. It is very expensive for a keyboard and some might think you are crazy to spend so much on a typing device.
So I’m looking into some mechanical keyboard stuff.
Any of you guys know of any other sites that will pre-install o-rings apart from WASD. Ideally on a wide selection of boards.
I’m kinda past the point of wanting to deal with that particular hassle (esp. on the modifier keys/space bars), but my gf is very interested in grabbing one or two mech keyboards that have been o-ringed up, for work and home use. Don’t mind paying a premium for it. Mostly that I was hoping for some slight differentiation in design from WASD’s ouvre :)
You can try https://kono.store/
I don’t know if they will pre-install O-rings but this store is run by a couple of enthusiasts and they are probably very accommodating.
One thing that turned me off is that the HHKB has no back lighting. My eyes aren’t what they used to be, and it’s hard to read dark letters on dark keys. I type about 250K words a year and I need a keyboard that I easily swap between devices, has a good mechanical feel, and satisfying sounds. I still hope to try a HHKB some day.
I agree - the black on black keys are hard to read. Go for the black on white keys. I love it!
http://elitekeyboards.com/products.php?sub=pfu_keyboards,hhkbpro2&pid=pdkb400w
O-rings? What are they for? Noise reduction? Longevity? Feel?
Mixture of noise reduction (she wants to use one of the boards at work) and feel (she’d like a slightly softer “landing” when she bottoms the keys out–she’s been getting a lot of finger-joint pain from typing, so in addition to other stuff like ergonomics and exercises, we’re looking into ways to soften the “blow” of typing–especially since she’s naturally a very “hard” typist).
Ah, gotcha. Yeah, I remember hearing about RSI from touchscreens at restaurants, store fronts etc. Those hard impacts take their toll! A million little cut–uh, pushes. I think I may be a hard typist too…
That’s a nice looking keyboard. I like the layout more than the HHK, the control key does not belong to the left, the esc key does.
One question about the software that’s included to remap the layout, does it persist on the keyboard or does the software have to be running on the computer?
Aren’t you the guy who pays $40 for a keycap???
Not sure what you mean. The Esc key is on the left like a normal keyboard.
I have only used the software once on my MacBook. I changed to a Mac layout, hit download, and haven’t had to fiddle with it since. There’s a pretty unique feature with the right side Shift, Fn1, Fn2, and CTRL. When I tap them, if I immediately tap them again, they act as arrow keys.
I banged out about 1,500 words and I like the feel of the keyboard a great deal. I normally like clicky blues, like on my Das Keyboard, but the gateron browns have a weirdly satisfying ‘clack’ to them.