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  1. #1
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    Apr 2000
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    Finally, good/REAL keyboards! Buckling Spring, at a good price!

    I have gone through so many crappy keyboards. I can't stand the membrane dome one's, and I didn't know that the Buckling Spring type were still made. After I bought a new keyboard today and not liking the big keys and clumsy action, and after seeing that the keyboard was designed to have "Power", "Sleep" and "Wake" keys between the "delete", "end" and "page down" keys -- and above the "arrow keys" and realizing how bad it's gotten, I did a lot of looking and searching and I finally found a company that makes the real boards -- and for cheap too! My old Atari 800 XL keyboard is still in good condition, good action and smooth and none of the letters have worn off -- near 20 years old and better than any keyboard I have seen after being used for a few months with these new keyboards!


    So, I searched and found a comment on the TechTV web site by one of the TTV guy's, commenting on how he will only use the Buckling Spring style, if he can help it. He put a link to two sites (one was out there and was some bio security board that only worked if you had finger print matching and a security strip), but the other is the regular keyboard style (with either Buckling Springs or the soft dome membrane crap) and they have a few models -- and they have models that don't have all that extra "Internet hot keys" crap that I can't stand. Very good prices too. Anyone that's like me and needs to type a lot, type fast and have good action and smoothness without wear, breaking and things getting loose or slow down on the action (like all dome boards do) and you want a REAL keyboard (if you can deal with the clicking), check out some of this company's boards...

    I got this one:

    http://www.pckeyboard.com/customizer.html

    http://store.yahoo.com/pckeyboards/cus101usenon.html


    There's a few other models and they look real good -- stuff you're probably not going to find in any OfficeMax or Office Depot, etc. Finally, I can't believe I found this information after so long! I ordered one right away. I just can't stand the crap company's make for hardware anymore, so this is gold for me! *This is what geekdom is made of, people!* :-)

  2. #2
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    Dec 2000
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    Tim -- that looks nice, personally I favor the Happy Hacking keyboards, specifically the Lite 2:

    http://www.pfuca.com/products/hhkb/hhkblite2.html

    I never use anything on the right hand side of my keyboard, and it helped me improve my typing becasue my fat fingers are not constantly smacking the insert key accidentally any more.

  3. #3
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    Aug 2000
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    Tacoma, Washington
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    My Packard Bell does away with most of that stuff thankfully. It's there but as a thin line of rubber buttons along the top the keyboard, out of the way. Nice 'clicky' feel to the keyboard too. It's cream colored, but with an 'ice green' seethrough frosted plastic cover around the keys - nice looking keyboard

    Greg Moore
    Former Webhost... now, just a guy.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
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    1,029
    I have an IBM model M keyboard made in the USA and manufactured for IBM by Lexmark. I got it because I wanted a REAL keyboard. I'm tired of all the new keyboards that have keys in the wrong places along with extra keys that I have no use for. I also wanted a clicky keyboard, but this keyboard is more clanky than clicky. It wasn't quite what I expected. The keys feel more spread apart, and I have to push them harder. I'm used to it now, but I still don't know if I like it or not. I've tried another IBM model M keyboard and it didn't feel like this one does. I didn't have to press the keys as hard, and it was clicky, not clanky. There's too many variations of the IBM model M keyboard.

  5. #5
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    Nov 2000
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    Lancaster, PA
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    I agree with Allan about the Happy Hacking keyboards...very nice
    Matt Kaufman
    mkaufman@techboost.com

  6. #6
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    I don't think that I'd survive without my split ergo keyboard.
    -Mark Adams
    www.bitserve.com - Secure Michigan web hosting for your business.
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  7. #7
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    Some of those split ergo keyboards look like they'd be a handicap for me -- at least until I got used to it. Some of them look like they'd bother me more or provide more strain -- but some look like they would actually be more comfortable. Still, I want the buckling style keys more than anything. These dome keys just don't have the same feel and get sticky, loose or the action changes and some delay the response time -- and definitely over time (a short period of time for me). I figure a good buckling spring and maybe have a few spring loaded ink pens or some actual small springs set aside, and I can replace the springs every 10 years or so and I'm happy. If they have some of those ergo boards that have the springs, please let me know, as I'd be very interested in them. I actually looked at the Happy Hacker board the other night and it looks cool, but I didn't see anything about springs. (This is starting to remind me of an episode of MST3K, and those of you that saw that thing know what I'm talking about. Springs! :-)

  8. #8
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    Jan 2002
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    Ohio
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    Ohh... I got one of those and they're nice (the ones without all the new crap)... But the clicking bothered me sometimes, but I could really type on it... Plus it had no annoying windows keys I never use (THough on the keyboard I'm using now, I pulled them off). Now a friend of mine is using it after his keyboard broke.

    Its an IBM keyboard made in about 1992 I think and it still works fine. Of couse when he gets a new keyboard I'm going to get it back

    I hate the insert key too.. Its in a very bad spot.

    Thanks for the link
    Don't like what I say? Ignore me.

  9. #9
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    Oct 2000
    Location
    Israel
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    I bought a couple of original IBM keyboards from pckeyboard.com a couple of years ago - one for home and one for the office. There is nothing like an IBM keyboard.

    In addition, pckeyboard was great to deal with. They still offer keyboards based on the original IBM technology. I haven't tried them, but if I ever need another IBM keyboard, I'll buy from them without a second thought.

    BTW - For those who like the tactile feel but don't like the noise, they have silent IBM models. I haven't tried one since I like the noise :-)

    I still have my original IBM AT keyboard (84 keys?). That's my favorite keyboard of all time, but I don't use it because I get confused when switching between keyboards. The original AT keyboard had the F keys on the left side (where God intended them), but all the new keyboards have them on the top *sigh*.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
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    53
    You know, I never really pay that much attention to the keyboard I am using. yet, i'd like to know how many millions of characters i've typed with it over the past year.

    How about mice? what type of mice do y'all use?

  11. #11
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    Dec 2001
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    Mice? Real geeks don't use mice.

  12. #12
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    Apr 2000
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    Well, this sucks. I ordered that keyboard on the morning of the 28th and checked "FedEx" for delivery (because I'm impatient), and the person emailed me asking if I wanted it overnight or 2-day. I said that 2-day is fine, but I do _NOT_ want to use UPS. It seems every time I order something from UPS, it's always 3-day and takes a week or more to get here. I.e., it'll be sent on the 1st, and UPS will check it in on the 2nd and the next day will count as the first day of delivery.. and then it's Monday through Thursday and Friday is the no-work day to prepare for the no-work weekend, and then they start counting on the next Monday -- and then they are usually late. You can do the math! Anyway, I got an email today, saying it's been shipped FedEx with a tracking number. So, it took an entire day and 1/2 to get out, and I check FedEx and it's an invalid tracking number. I think "Hmm, that looks pretty much like a UPS tracking number to me", so I check and UPS shows it 2nd-day air to my town -- I figure it's correct and for me (I live in a small town, what are the chances this isn't my package being delivered via UPS!) Well, so much for TWO-DAY AIR! They friggin' get it sent out on Mar. 29th (today) in the afternoon. UPS just has "billing information received" and it's sitting, as I expected. So, between the 29th and the delivery date, ugh.. the delivery is "scheduled" for April second! And, with Easter, who knows!? So, I have to wait at least 5 full days from today, and 6 from the day I ordered it early in the morning! If there's any delays, it'll be 6 days to a week. Man, I HATE UPS! I told these people how upset I am that they didn't send it via FedEx, especially yesterday, since I'd have it today or tomorrow. Now, I have to wait up to a week (7 days!) to use this thing that I was so excited to finally find. My impatient nature is making this very not-fun -- especially with this funky keyboard design.

    /end rant...

  13. #13
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  14. #14
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    Originally posted by JG
    Now how about this keyboard!
    http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...168/19xte.html
    Ack, no thanks! :-) It's a neat idea and interesting technology, but I sure wouldn't want to use one, not if I could help it. I'd rather use what I'm on now. I need something to feel that's three dimensional, other than a flat surface, so I know where I'm at, although I guess it could be gotten used to... But, with my luck, that thing would give me cancer if I used it anyway.

  15. #15
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    Aug 2001
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    Yikes! eeeeew...that red keyboard looks like it would give you radiation posioning. I wouldn`t be in the same room with it.

  16. #16
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    Oct 2000
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    Israel
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    Originally posted by nleavens
    How about mice? what type of mice do y'all use?
    Mice are furry rodents. Mouses are computer peripherals used for pointing :-)

    I use a good quality wheel mouse - Microsoft or Logitech. Only one wheel. The two wheelers are usually crap, and I can't master the second wheel in any case.

  17. #17
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    Tim, I guess I still don't get what a buckling spring keyboard is. I guess I've never taken a keyboard apart to see how the keys were made.

    I use the old Microsoft Natural keyboard. The new ones have all them extra stupid keys, I think.

    I just know that the split keyboard I have is so much more comfortable than the old style. I have some mild carpal tunnel, and it really helps. Also, using a touchpad instead of a mouse helps. Mice hurt me.

    That "virtual" keyboard was covered on slashdot a few weeks ago. I thought it was pretty neat. Definitely cool for portable stuff. But could you imagine how that would hurt after using it for too long?
    -Mark Adams
    www.bitserve.com - Secure Michigan web hosting for your business.
    Only host still offering a full money back uptime guarantee and prorated refunds.
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  18. #18
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    Wel, I finally got it, I forgot to say. It took the full 6 days from the time I ordered it. I did order it on the Thursday or Wednesday morning and didn't get it sent out intil that Friday -- and they screwed up and I ended up paying over $20 for shipping for UPS "2-day air" (I really don't like UPS). Anyway, so of course it took a while to get. Anyway, I just wanted to post and say that this is what I've been looking for. It feels a little odd for about 5 minutes and then it's just noticeably so much better! I think I'm going to order another two or four of these -- for other systems and for backups -- although it'll last for years. This is just *really* nice and I'm hapy to be on a real keyboard again! (Even if it is loud, heh -- my wife is going to hate it!)

  19. #19
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    Nov 2001
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    USA
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    Originally posted by ToastyX
    I've tried another IBM model M keyboard and it didn't feel like this one does. I didn't have to press the keys as hard, and it was clicky, not clanky. There's too many variations of the IBM model M keyboard.
    Get the PS/2 keyboard that's from before 1988 ('86 was a good year). Lexmark's k/bs are poor imitations.

    Chris

  20. #20
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    Nov 2001
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    $49 for the keyboard and then $20 for shipping. Ouch.
    -Mark Adams
    www.bitserve.com - Secure Michigan web hosting for your business.
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  21. #21
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    Originally posted by bitserve
    $49 for the keyboard and then $20 for shipping. Ouch.
    And it's worth every penny -- although I only paid for 2-day to get it here because I'm impatient. Obviously it'd have been to my advantage to request FedEx (Note, I didn't want UPS, so it took the point out of it). Shipping would have been less and I'd have gotten it here at the same time (Don't you just love UPS!? Argh). Anyway, so, really, the shipping is irrelevant and not accurate and I'd have paid the average rate if I'd have known it would screw up. But, $49 for this keyboard is totally worth it. And, the fact it'll last years and years helps support that. It just feels so much better to type on, is what really matters. All around, it's very nice and I feel it's a good price.

  22. #22
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    Yes, UPS sucks, and so does Airborne Express.

    Generally, FedEx rules!
    -Mark Adams
    www.bitserve.com - Secure Michigan web hosting for your business.
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