We all love mechanical keyboards, but are there any normal keyboards that hold a special place in your heart?
I for one love the keyboard on the old IBM thinkpads.
I also have a special place in my heart for the old Dell membrain keyboards that used to be in every school library in the 90’s
I know its technically still a ‘mechanical’ keyboard but its not an MX style switch: IMB Model M. I still daily drive one for work even though I can’t use some shortcuts (no win/super key) and I have a handful of modern mechanical keyboards at home.
If not that, then probably the one I had for work a few years back, similar era but membrane, unknown brand. It had a little bit of an old smell to it and found it in an abandoned warehouse at work. Left it for my replacement when I left that job.
I really liked my Microsoft Natural Keyboard in the late ’90s.
It was so huge, I ended up learning to mouse with my left hand, so I wouldn’t have to reach so far.
Yup, best keyboard I’ve ever used. They made slightly different versions over the years that fit my hands as well, but none that lasted the way those do; mine is still fully functional.
I was also thinking old Thinkpad keyboards, and Dell membraine keyboards. Those were both widespread enough that nearly everyone back then had used them, and some of us still remember them lol
I bet someone has taken the original thinkpad keyboards and put it in a housing to use like an external keyboard, just haven’t looked into it. I have the shinobi which is a mechanical interpretation of the thinkpad keyboard. It’s OK but I prefer the original.
Someone certainly has… IBM and Lenovo themselves! Both have sold external ThinkPad keyboards over the years that are (in some cases) literally laptop keyboards, with a TrackPoint, in housing.
I hadn’t heard of the shinobi, I might have to check that out! Cheers.
This thing is actually what got me into Mechanical Keyboards a a year and a half ago or so. Doesn’t seem to be available anymore.
I spent way too much money building mechanical keyboards, and I could never get to like the feel. So now I am using non-technicals. Guess I am just weird.
It’s almost like how I spent so many years configuring Arch and tweaking it and now I just use debian.
I have a Logitech G100 combo of a mouse and keyboard. Rubber domes, came with a grub cover. It’s been over a decade and it’s my go-to “need to work on a computer” set.
Actually, the mouse out of that one is still in active use right now.
I’m a fan of my MX keys, though Logitech does make a mechanical version.
I will always have a soft spot for the Unicomp line for carrying forward the old Model M legacy. For odd ducks in the truly commercial space, the layout of the TypeMatrix can’t be beat!
My first nearly proper computer was an Atari XE Game System. The keyboard is well known to be fairly crap, but it didn’t feel that way at the time.
Apple’s Bluetooth keyboards have been pleasant to type on, albeit a bit pricy.
