tech needs to be pretty - discuss

Firefox · Post by **Firefox** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 6:12 pm 0

nitebycandlelite wrote:Bet it's a bitch to use, though...

It might be; the "keycaps" look a bit close together. Then again, I bet it's dead easy to tell which keys your fingers are resting on just from the feel of the pebbles. A lot easier than feeling around for the two miniscule plastic pips on the 'f' and 'j' keys on a normal keyboard, anyway.

I've recently come to realise that over the years I've spent a lot of time searching for the perfect keyboard. I always have a good look at all of the keyboards available in any shop I go into that sells them. The best one I've come up so far is this old Olivetti one I got for a fiver from a show. The original IBM ones with the sodding metal plate in the base were quite good, too.

Surely somewhere in the world there's someone who makes keyboards to measure? Listens to your requirements, perhaps even measures your hands and watches you type for a bit, then goes away and makes the perfect keyboard for you.

No amount of Googling has turned up such a craftsman/woman so far, though.

Jon · Post by **Jon** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 6:36 pm 0

Good point actually. Keyboards do seem to be kind of left out in terms of innovation and attention to detail. Maybe it's because designers don't want to change anything too drasticaly as it would alienate people who are very used to the design.

I like what you're saying about knowing what the keys are by the feel of the surface of them. It seems very logical to me to do it like that, rather than having the majority of keys on the keyboard the same size and texture.

nighthawk · Post by **nighthawk** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 6:42 pm 0

How about this.....

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/inpu ... ards/5c3f/

Darkflame · Post by **Darkflame** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 7:02 pm 0

Why dosnt someone invent an analog keyboard?

Seriously, I always puzzle way everyone says FPS games are better with a keybaord and mouse. (personaly, I think its just because they are used to them more then a controll pad).

But the problem is, keyboards dont have analog movement, you cant controll the spend of the player very well.
So why not have analog cursor keys?

Jon · Post by **Jon** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:41 pm 0

nighthawk wrote:How about this.....

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/inpu ... ards/5c3f/

I like the look of that illuminated keyboard but it's still just a normal keyboard in terms of functionality, IMO.

the first commercially available computer keyboard that remains totally visible even in dark or low-lit workspaces.

The light does make it look lovely but I don't see the point in it really. I think it's benefits in low-lit workspaces are minimal because most people don't do to much typing in very dark conditions...do they?

Saying that though, if I was in the market for a keyboard, it'd look nice on my desk.

Bog · Post by **Bog** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 8:48 am 0

I can kinda see the point of the illuminated kb. A gamer friend of mine swears by hers - myself, I can't see how people can use computers day-in and day-out and at not at least learn some basic typing - a book costing a fiver from Blackwells will teach you how to train muscle memory so you never have to look at the keyboard again.

Ho hum. They are darned pretty, though, all the same. I found it appallingly squishy and soft, though. I likes my clicks, I do. I also like big fuck-off IBM XT keyboards with huge steel plates in the bottom that can defeat the top armour of a T-80 when dropped from a height of six metres. You know when the key's travelled with those beasts. Admittedly, even in the next room, but hey.

korruptor · Post by **korruptor** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:16 pm 0

Jon wrote: The light does make it look lovely but I don't see the point in it really. I think it's benefits in low-lit workspaces are minimal because most people don't do to much typing in very dark conditions...do they?

Well, I have a keyboard that glows in the dark, and while I can see your point, personally, I'd never be without it.

I like coding in minimal light conditions, and I like photoshop in minimal light conditions. I've also started using my laptop in the mix, hooked up to my mixer and technics. It's a fucking god-send in those situations...

Definitely one of those things that you don't realise you need, until you've got one...

skab · Post by **skab** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:19 pm 0

Bog wrote:Ho hum. They are darned pretty, though, all the same. I found it appallingly squishy and soft, though. I likes my clicks, I do. I also like big fuck-off IBM XT keyboards with huge steel plates in the bottom that can defeat the top armour of a T-80 when dropped from a height of six metres. You know when the key's travelled with those beasts. Admittedly, even in the next room, but hey.

That's exactly what a KB should be like. I remember when I was having a practice course somewhere where they had some original IBM ATs as workstations. I was hammering those MF2 keyboards that hardly, when I came back home I nearly destroyed the KB of my Amiga...

And even though I love the looks of my G4 Cube, I bought an ADB adapter and use my old Apple Extended KB II. It's a huge beige brick, but it feels just llovely.

mattley · Post by **mattley** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 4:53 pm 0

skab wrote: I bought an ADB adapter and use my old Apple Extended KB II. It's a huge beige brick, but it feels just llovely.

[Comic book guy]

Best Keyboard Ever

[/Comic book guy]

Jon · Post by **Jon** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 5:00 pm 0

korruptor wrote: I like coding in minimal light conditions, and I like photoshop in minimal light conditions. I've also started using my laptop in the mix, hooked up to my mixer and technics. It's a fucking god-send in those situations...

Definitely one of those things that you don't realise you need, until you've got one...

Ah yes of course. For music related stuff it must be perfect, darkened clubs etc. I see you're points.

moobaa · Post by **moobaa** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 3:32 am 0

mattley wrote:
skab wrote: I bought an ADB adapter and use my old Apple Extended KB II. It's a huge beige brick, but it feels just llovely.
[Comic book guy]

Best Keyboard Ever

[/Comic book guy]

Maybe not the best, but it's pretty bloody good. What was it's code-name in development? I think it was the name of an aircraft carrier, because it's so big..

The Mac Plus keyboard was great too - very clicky, key travel was llovely

Never thought I'd see a decent keyboard on a laptop until I got my ThinkPad...

MadHippo · Post by **MadHippo** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:08 pm 0

As far as I'm concerned, keyboard design peaked at the IBM PS/2 model 50 keyboards. Solid metal and tough plastic construction, individual microswitches for each key, removable keycaps for easy cleaning, really long, flexable cables...

I've just got a new PC here at work and it's keyboard is horrible. It's like typing on dry seaweed. Except for the smell, obviously.

As for tech design generally - there's a bit on the BBC site about "Mr iMac" - Jonathan Ive, the designer who refused to carry on using beige for Mac design..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2959278.stm

korruptor · Post by **korruptor** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:16 pm 0

See, I'm not a fan of those keyboards *at all*. Fucking horrid. Give me a nice, silent keyboard, with minimal travel on the keys and I'm nearly happy.

I also like small keyboards -- I have real difficulty moving from Lapzilla's keyboard to those fucking noisy, chunky things that sit on desks...

Not trolling, just expressing an opinion. My CPC had a lovely keyboard, still one of my favs to this day. Not much bigger than the one I'm using now, actually...

moobaa · Post by **moobaa** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:44 pm 0

korruptor wrote:My CPC had a lovely keyboard, still one of my favs to this day. Not much bigger than the one I'm using now, actually...

This, of course, made me think of my beloved C64, whose keyboard was so trashed at the end of it's years that I had to type CONTROL-M a lot. I also wired a pushbutton switch in to cover for the dodgy RESTORE key, too... my first case mod

Ahchay · Post by **Ahchay** » Wed Jun 04, 2003 2:54 pm 0

korruptor wrote:See, I'm not a fan of those keyboards *at all*. Fucking horrid. Give me a nice, silent keyboard, with minimal travel on the keys and I'm nearly happy.

Horses for courses...

For those of us who learned to type on mechanical writetypers though - the IBM keyboards (up to and including the PS/2 keyboard which I still use today) rule

My attrition rate is about 2.5 OEM keyboards a year...

Cheers
Chris