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Another useless poll - What keyboard do you use?
- Thread starter monkeybagel
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yea, I rather not get their white keyboard, I don't like discoloration/dirt to show up, especially on a keyboard that costs $$$
Wired all the way.
Ditto. I wasted money on wireless (Bluetooth) Apple keyboard and mouse, but the 2010 MP's Bluetooth stinks (antenna issues it seems so was always dropping the connection), the keyboard ate batteries, and the Bluetooth mouse was so fragile it died after one drop from desk to floor.
So sticking with wired keyboard and mouse.
Ditto. I wasted money on wireless (Bluetooth) Apple keyboard and mouse, but the 2010 MP's Bluetooth stinks (antenna issues it seems so was always dropping the connection), the keyboard ate batteries, and the Bluetooth mouse was so fragile it died after one drop from desk to floor.
So sticking with wired keyboard and mouse.
Does having blacked out keys cause some problems every now and then? Love the look but I think I would get confused every now and then.
Yeah, I'm glad they finally listened and made a ten-keyless. I hardly ever use the numpad on my full-sized Tactile Pro and ten-keyless layouts are a lot more ergonomic. But they really need to offer this in the silver/black color scheme as well. Their white keyboards are so hard to keep clean...
EDIT: Well, I guess they do offer a silver/black one with Mac layout (with their new quiet switches), but it's BT wireless only. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer wired keyboards. No batteries to replace, no fussy BT to mess with.
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I use the full size Apple keyboard on all my Macs. We had a number left over after we did an upgrade early this year. Half the Macs we bought are run headless, so we had left over mice and keyboards. Plus, most of our guys don't use the Mac mice. They use one of them Intuos pads instead. (fricking artists).
I actually like the mac keyboard, just wish they'd make a backlit black keys version identical to the MBP keys. I hate how the white keys get all dingy looking.
I actually like the mac keyboard, just wish they'd make a backlit black keys version identical to the MBP keys. I hate how the white keys get all dingy looking.
Not so useless a thread at all, especially if anyone can clearly answer this related issue: Assume your time is evenly split between OS X and Windows. In my case I don't think I've ever used the "Windows key" in decades, just CTRL/ALT/Function etc. On OS X, the "Apple key" (Command) get used often, which I understand is mapped to the Windows key on a Win keyboard.
So what's the better option, all other things being equal, except there are fewer choices on the Apple side...a Windows keyboard or an Apple keyboard?
So what's the better option, all other things being equal, except there are fewer choices on the Apple side...a Windows keyboard or an Apple keyboard?
Mine is probably evenly split, and I use neither! My old Northgate OmniKey was designed for MS/DOS and doesn't have a Windows (or Apple for that matter) key. I use it on both Windows, where I never used a Windows key, and on my Mac, where I map the Caps Lock key to be Command.
IMHO "Caps Lock" is just as useless as "Windows" keys.
Non-gaming
Apple keyboard, magic trackpad & mouse
Gaming, aka battle.net action
Microsoft Natural keyboard and Logitech MX518
Apple keyboard, magic trackpad & mouse
Gaming, aka battle.net action
Microsoft Natural keyboard and Logitech MX518
Hehe, yeah, pretty much. It's useful to see if your KB is getting power tho.
Gotta love the green light!
hehe, yeah, pretty much. It's useful to see if your kb is getting power tho.
+1
Hehe, yeah, pretty much. It's useful to see if your KB is getting power tho.
or speed up your AE render.
This thread prompted me to dig out some old keyboards. I had an Apple Extended Keyboard originally acquired with a Mac IIcx many years ago, and two copies of the Apple Extended Keyboard II, one of which was acquired with a Mac IIci (the first Mac I bought with my own money). They were filthy, but I took some time to clean them, bought a Griffin ADP-to-USB adapter (from Amazon), and tried them (first the Extended Keyboard, then the Extended Keyboard II -- the remaining one is still being cleaned). They worked well. I like the feel of the keyboard, and have the perception that I can type faster and more accurately with them than with the original keyboard that came with my Mac Pro. Pictures of the original (top of frame -- came with the Mac Pro) and Extended Keyboard II (bottom of frame) attached.
Attachments
The Windows keys are really convenient, it you have them, and are using Windows. I, in fact, miss them on the Model M and think that is one of the only things that Lenovo changed to the good on the ThinkPads since they acquired the PC business. I have been a PC user since MS-DOS 2.11 so have used many keyboards over time, but the Windows key is nice because it is in a convenient location and does add some nice functionality to Windows.
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I bet that does type nice. I like the aluminum one that came with the Mac Pro and use it daily - weird how I like keyboards on both extreme ends of the spectrum. HP had a few nice ones I think with their old Vectra PCs, and actually the Dell keyboards from a few years ago are pretty decent. But there are some really crappy, cheap $.99 keyboards out there that come with new computers.
IMO, the mice that come with the new Dells are terrible. They weigh nothing, feel cheap, and have bad ergonomics.
I have mixed feelings of the Magic Mouse. I like the scrolling of it in OS X but the number of times the right click registers as a left click can cause some annoying issues while trying to be productive.
I'm running on a 1986 IBM Model M extended keyboard using a PS/2->USB adapter. The left ALT key has been remapped to Command with KeyRemap4MacBook. I haven't found a replacement keyboard to date that's a worthy replacement.
They are indeed tanks. I have three and my wife has one. One is still new in the box!
I really wish Das would offer the "silent" version in a Mac layout. I would have bought that over the Tactile Pro otherwise because it's black instead of white (the keys dirty up pretty easily). They do offer replacement keycaps for Option/Command, but no other Mac-specific functions.
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Yeah, those are great keyboards. I had one for a long time until it met its unfortunate demise with a spilled beverage.
I use the Das Keyboard Model S Professional For Mac. It's not as noisy as some make it out to be. It's certainly not silent though. Great for accuracy.
Depends on the machine
I was planning to buy a new keyboard anyway and couldn't make up my mind between a Corsair K70 and a Logitech K810. Then the G5 decided to quit on me so I bought a new machine in a hurry that I found on sale. That came with a pretty cool keyboard, which has awesome backlighting, though the logitech stabilizer on the spacebar squeaks. (The backlighting can be set to one of ~15 different colors)
I ended up fixing the G5 (it was a fan controller problem, oddly enough), and so the apple keyboard is back on there now.
I was planning to buy a new keyboard anyway and couldn't make up my mind between a Corsair K70 and a Logitech K810. Then the G5 decided to quit on me so I bought a new machine in a hurry that I found on sale. That came with a pretty cool keyboard, which has awesome backlighting, though the logitech stabilizer on the spacebar squeaks. (The backlighting can be set to one of ~15 different colors)
I ended up fixing the G5 (it was a fan controller problem, oddly enough), and so the apple keyboard is back on there now.
Well, MX Blue switches certainly aren't as noisy as non-dampened ALPS-type switches (like the Tactile Pro uses) or buckling springs (IBM and Unicomp Model M boards).
What initially sold me on the Tactile Pro over the Mac layout Das was two things: 1) Tons of Mac functions and extended key symbol legends (I don't think anyone else does the extended legends); 2) The USB hub on Tactile Pro doesn't require a separate connection like the one on the Das does.
I was really hung up on getting an MX Brown board when I was shopping for a new keyboard, but it appears that only this small company called DSI (IIRC) actually makes a Mac-specific board with Browns, and it's quite expensive and hard to find.
I'm just mad that 5 months after I bought my Tactile Pro, Matias started shipping an ALPS-type board with quieter switches.
Oh well.
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