"How do you get people interested in a USD 1500 keyboard? Simple, turn each key into an OLED screen. When you hit caps lock, the keys change to show they're upper case. Play a first-person shooter and the WASD keys turn into arrows. The Optimus Maximus keyboard brought this audacious idea to life, although since it was first shown in 2005 the hardware has gone through many delays. So many delays, in fact, that Art. Lebedev was accused of promoting 'vaporware' up until the price was announced, at which point there was a whole new set of sticker-shock-induced complaints."
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Member since:2005-06-29
That Sun keyboard is a Type 5. I have one too for my UltraSPARC machine - great keyboard, excellent build quality, just awesome.
That other one you showed, the IBM - I have that one too in storage. Great keyboard, but a tad bit too long a keypress for my taste.
Good stuff though.
Member since:2006-10-08
"That Sun keyboard is a Type 5."
Yes, it is, that's why I said "similar". I have a type 6 USB with the three button mouse (I hate mousewheels, they hurt):
% dmesg | grep "^u[mk]"
ums0: Sun Microsystems Type 6 USB mouse, rev 1.00/1.02, addr 2, iclass 3/1
ums0: 3 buttons
ukbd0: Sun Microsystems Type 6 USB keyboard, rev 1.00/1.02, addr 3, iclass 3/1
"I have one too for my UltraSPARC machine - great keyboard, excellent build quality, just awesome. "
Sun always built great devices. They did not carry a "low quality segment" where the keyboards or mice were crappy. So if you bought an expensive, but excellent workstation (you mentioned one), you get an excellent keyboard, too.
But sadly, at least in the PC consumer sector, keyboard quality lowers and lowers. Even for desktops you hardly find a keyboard with real keys. Most of them are already "notebook keyboards in a desktop package". Ever tried to repair them? Nearly impossible. If you spilled Cola or soup over your IBM keyboard, everything you need is a screwdriver to chop out the key carriers, then open the device (3 screws), disassemble it into less than 5 parts and put it under the shower. :-)
"That other one you showed, the IBM - I have that one too in storage. Great keyboard, but a tad bit too long a keypress for my taste."
I agree, it's very individual how you feel the quality of a keyboard. For me, these notebook keyboards' keypress way is to less. I've seen some patethic rubber-like keyboards enthusiasts migrating to this particular IBM model.
"Good stuff though"
And worthful. See prices at eBay, at least in Germany.
Member since:2006-10-31
Member since:2006-10-08
"Power to the old IBM keyboard! I have one of these things, they are indestructible and they feel so much better than any other keyboard I've tried..."
Yes, they are indestructable. Just drop a "modern" keyboard off the table - it will disassemble immediately.
There are only two kind of keyboards that feel better (at least to me):
The first one is the original IBM XT keyboard. The construction is similar, but the mechanical parts seem to be slightly different, the "klick" is better. Strnage thing, cannot explain, must feel it. This is how it looks like:
http://www.clickykeyboard.com/2005/ibm_emr/ibm_emr-003.jpg
By the way, I've got this one, too:
http://www.wbnoble.com/forsale/computer-related-images/ibm-3180.jpg
Sadly, it seems to be neither XT, AT or PS/2 compatible in any way. And the cross shaped cursor section is not as handy as the upside-down T shaped one.
The second one is the family of the robotron keyboard that have contactless (!) keys, utilizing Hall elements. If a key breaks, replace the mechanical part with the spring and the magnet. If the Hall element fails, make four soldering points. See the K7637 and similar ones:
http://www.robotrontechnik.de/bilder/Zubehoer/Tastatur_K7637_2.jpg
http://www.robotrontechnik.de/index.htm?/html/zubehoer/tastaturen.h...
Additionally, I have a huge collection of keyboards down in the cellar, but nothing is comparable to the IBM keyboard mentioned first. I'm a devoted keyboard guy. =^_^=
Edited 2008-01-09 01:46
Member since:2005-07-22
Member since:2005-11-02
Member since:2006-09-01
I was just about to make "but is it buckling spring" post. 
Seriously though, at $1.5K it better be mechanical in some way.
The IBM Model M really is the pinnacle of keyboard design. I have one that I use and three more that I keep as spares, not that the one I use is going to wear out anytime soon. The weight of the keys is just right, the effort is lighter then the Dell SK-8135 I have to use at work, and the click gives me positive confirmation that the key has been fully depressed. Above all the action is crisp and linear. There is not pop like on dome switch keyboards.
The Model M is still being made by Unicomp. They've been updated with USB as an option which is nice as PS/2 may become scarce in the future.
Dell SK-8135
http://xa.beareyes.com.cn/2/lib/200506/29/235/image001.jpg
Member since:2005-07-22
Really wish I had one of the older Model Ms, with the detachable cable. The cable on mine is frayed, but the keyboard itself is very solid (minus the caps lock key, which I threw out after reading a John C. Dvorak rant).
Works fine with a USB adapter, if I plug it in before turning the computer on. Very hit or miss otherwise.
Ought to buy one from Unicomp with a Mac layout.
Member since:2006-09-01
Member since:
2006-10-08
I've been waiting for this cool device. Wow... but sadly, the article does not mention how the feel is. Remember? Look and feel. Looks good. Feels... hm?
Furthermore, I don't like the new layout of the function keys:
http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/optimus_maximus_01w.jp...
The old one was much better, do they still offer it?
http://cliftonsnyder.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/01/keyb_001.jpg
It reminds me to my Sun USB keyboard, similar to this one:
http://homepage1.nifty.com/y-osumi/parts/keyboard/sun/sun_type5c.jp...
So far, so good.
For heavy typists, usually those who learned typing on a real typewriter and who need to type very much (programmers tend to be such subjects), a real IBM keyboard still seems the best imaginable solution:
http://www.theochem.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/~axel.kohlmeyer/pics/ibm-key...
These devices are that popular, still years after their introduction and extinction, that they go away on eBay for 50 ... 100 Euro.
Allthough they don't have OLED keys, you can replace the caps of the keys by simply pulling them upwards, so you can make a Dvorak layout from a QWERTZ / QWERTY keyboard within a few minutes, just using your hands (no tools needed) and your favourite text editor to tweak you ~/.xmodmaprc. :-)
Ah yes, and you can pull the HIL plug from the keyboard to disconnect it (for example if you want to free your desktop a bit). Still they are secure (in opposition to wireless solutions).