Remember those tank-like IBM keyboards of the 1980s?

[kenny]

Many folks miss them.
They dislike today's cheaply-made, mushy keyboards with inferior tactile feel, and little audible feedback.



Originals had that satisfying click and tactile feel, which was painstakingly designed to emulate the experience of typing on an IBM Selectric, the typewriter with that ball of letters that moved fast.




The original IBM PC keyboards model F was made to last decades, not years.
It was solid and contained five pounds of metal.
IBM stopped making them, but keyboard aficionados today hunt for the vintage ones to restore them.

Now they're back, sort of ... if you can afford one ... not from IBM, but from these folks:

Brand New Model F Keyboards – The Model M Predecessor: Mechanical Capacitive Buckling Spring Keyboards with NKRO

www.modelfkeyboards.com

 

[dk168]

I miss the sound of keyboard bashing when one typing in anger.

The new keyboards don't make such a sound.

DK

 

[foxinsox]

We have a couple of different mechanical keyboard choices at work. They’re great! Not the big heavy IBM ones but their feedback and tactile feeling is really good.
The wired ones are hella noisy tho.

 

[kenny]

Don't watch this unless you a super duper hopeless geek.

 

[Karl_K]

I still use a model M and have a bunch of them around just not on my main computer anymore.
I think I may have a model F someplace unless it got lost.

 

[pearlsngems]

I still have the Adler J5 manual typewriter that was my h.s. graduation present!
It has a lovely feel.

 

[TooPatient]

Pretty sure we have a few of those in the garage. I think I almost have DH convinced to donate the ancient computers to a museum. Of course he has been trying to get them to boot first .

 

[LLJsmom]

They are very very back. My son builds them from scratch. I have multiples and love using them. Will post pic tomorrow.

 

[Ally T]

I loved my clicky old keyboard

 

[Avondale]

Many folks miss them.
They dislike today's cheaply-made, mushy keyboards with inferior tactile feel, and little audible feedback.

Eh.

Today's market is flooded with mechanical keyboards with blue switches which are sifficiently tactile and definitely very loud.

Trying to find a low profile silent keyboard on the other hand... now that's a challenge. I finally found one which was supposed to be quieter than other standard keyboards and... well, it could be worse, but it could be better as well. Right now, I miss my laptop.

 

[Arcadian]

I have 2 in service, 2 in backup.

Gamers love the old clicky boards because they're very tactile. They also have fantastic feedback and are pretty hard to kill. currently the prices are through the roof on the old IBM Model M's. it didn't used to be that way.

I love them because I kill everything else! The loudness doesn't bother me. I learned on a much louder keyboard manual typewriter

However, connecting to windows can be a big PITA (I manage to get around it with a mini din to USB connector so I don't have to rewire anything)

 

[Karl_K]

Eh.

Today's market is flooded with mechanical keyboards with blue switches which are sifficiently tactile and definitely very loud.

Trying to find a low profile silent keyboard on the other hand... now that's a challenge. I finally found one which was supposed to be quieter than other standard keyboards and... well, it could be worse, but it could be better as well. Right now, I miss my laptop.

Search amazon for a chiclet keyboard and ignore the sponsered items and you will find dozens of models of low profile quiet keyboards.

 

[lambskin]

“Computer says ‘no’.”

 

[LLJsmom]

Here is my current. I have 4-6 sets of keycaps. Hand assembled and soldered by my son, down to the switch. I love it.

 

[Karl_K]

The advantage of the model M and F is that if needed they make good self defense weapons.
You smack someone on the head with one they are not getting up soon.

 

[monarch64]

One of my favorite ASMR sounds is keyboard tapping. I never could remain alert in an office job because the entire setup with clicking and tapping and paper rifling just put me to sleep. No joke.