OT: recommendations for computer keyboard?

Try Elesar

Also Das Keyboard resellers.

Sometimes IBM keyboards come up on ebay at not-silly prices but be warned passive IBM or PS2 -> USB adapters do'nt always work with the older keyboards.

Owain

Apart from Buckling Switch style, Cherry keyboard switches are generally thought to have the best 'feel'. They are fitted in (some) Cherry keyboards, as well as keyboards from many other makes. There are many different ranges of Cherry keyswitches, often distinguished by colour. I am typing this on a KB with 'Cherry Blue', which is great but a bit clacky, for instance. At work I have a Filco KB, again with Cherry Blue; they also come with other colour/style of keyswitch.

Sadly you need to be able to try them out to be sure which style suits. These people:

I think have the best range in the UK. They also do some sort of 'try and return' arrangement, which is probably what you need.

UK Model M IBM keyboards do still come up on eBay.co.uk, if you really want one of those. You have to be sure about the connection to your PC though.

HTH Jon N

in UK do the Unicomp (IBM type) and many others. Filco are good.

If it's action, Cherry make some decent heavy keyboards.

We have a couple of Das Keyboard fans at work. I'm not fussy enough to want to pay that much.

Andy

I was a huge fan of IBM keyboards from before the IBM PC.

FWIW I'm reasonably happy with Dell keyboards, and a year or so ago I picked up an HP keyboard on a huge reduction in Sainsburys and that has quite a good "buckling spring" feel. It's actually a bit less sloppy laterally than the Dell. (It is very light, but it lives under a monitor stand to access my FreeNAS box so that is no real hardship).

That depends what you mean by feel. I actually like modern keyboards over the clackerty Cherry switched kind we used to have. Any switched keyboard is going to cost more as most of the common ones use membranes these days as they are cheap. I'm using a wireless Logitch at the moment and it feels reasonable but nothing like an old type cherry one did. Brian

Much as I value a good keyboard, some of those prices make me gulp. ?100 for a keyboard isn't exactly cheap.

Got an old Dell KB and its great to use but the switches are wearing out now using a proxy HP one at the moment but its no bloody good for the size of my mitts!..

I'm typing this on my Acorn one - shared with the PC via a KVM switch. No 'windows' keys of course, but I can live without them. And I have three of them, so a spare. But all still perfect.

All the later keyboards on laptops etc have some obvious wear.

Thanks! I hadn't found them - order placed.

Somebody else recommended

Thanks for all the responses, I've ordered a keyboard from the UK company that was recommended above.

I paid £130 for this keyboard. It weas cheap at the price. In daily use since 1989.

That's an impressive life. Is it an IBM keyboard?

Yes, a Model M. I have several now.

No perceptible wear except that one corner is slightly smoother where I have worn away the 'grain' resting my hand.

It must be built like a battleship and I see it's pretty big! My desk is too small for a keyboard like that.

I use an old Compaq keboard which I

It also has lead weights to stop it moving.