Comments on: Mechanical Switch SMK 85 Keyboard http://dannychaoflux.com/mechanical-switch-smk-85-keyboard/ portland artist and designer Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:51:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: khephret http://dannychaoflux.com/mechanical-switch-smk-85-keyboard/comment-page-1/#comment-118 khephret Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:23:45 +0000 http://dannychaoflux.com/?p=105#comment-118 I've been using keyboards since the Dawn of Time (roughly 1985 or so) and to be honest none of the keyboards I've used have ever been quite so liberating as the spring-and-click unit that came with the early IBM PC and PCjr. I miss them terribly. Apple has embarked on a pitiable failcruise with the last several units they've supplied with their machines. the Mac Pro keyboard (the white-keyed, clear-bottomed mostrosity that came with all the desktop models up until the Intel generation) is easily the most uncomfortable peripheral I've ever had my hands on--the throw on the keys is a mile long, they don't actuate accurately, and the keysprings are far too stiff (My wrists act up after an hour on the bloody thing), not to mention the fact that the @($*&@#$ spacebar is a mile long and prevents easy use of the Command key...The new keyboards are no better. I've been very very happy with, surprisingly enough, the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 5000. It's amazingly comfy, the keys are proportionally sized, they actuate very nicely, there's plenty of interesting media buttons to geek out over, and it's comfy in the lap as well as under the hands. Not only that, <i>it integrates perfectly with OS X</i>, which floored me completely when I installed the drivers. Yes, I've been seduced by the Dark Side, and it never felt so good. Mmmmmmm. -k. I’ve been using keyboards since the Dawn of Time (roughly 1985 or so) and to be honest none of the keyboards I’ve used have ever been quite so liberating as the spring-and-click unit that came with the early IBM PC and PCjr. I miss them terribly. Apple has embarked on a pitiable failcruise with the last several units they’ve supplied with their machines. the Mac Pro keyboard (the white-keyed, clear-bottomed mostrosity that came with all the desktop models up until the Intel generation) is easily the most uncomfortable peripheral I’ve ever had my hands on–the throw on the keys is a mile long, they don’t actuate accurately, and the keysprings are far too stiff (My wrists act up after an hour on the bloody thing), not to mention the fact that the @($*&@#$ spacebar is a mile long and prevents easy use of the Command key…The new keyboards are no better.
I’ve been very very happy with, surprisingly enough, the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 5000. It’s amazingly comfy, the keys are proportionally sized, they actuate very nicely, there’s plenty of interesting media buttons to geek out over, and it’s comfy in the lap as well as under the hands. Not only that, it integrates perfectly with OS X, which floored me completely when I installed the drivers.
Yes, I’ve been seduced by the Dark Side, and it never felt so good. Mmmmmmm.

-k.

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