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The obsessive pleasures of mechanical-keyboard tinkerers
- quercusa 4y agoThe IBM Selectric was a fascinating piece of equipment. Solid as a rock and the little dancing ball was just mesmerizing.
- cplusplusfellow 4y agoI would love to get into this hobby but I want keys that are absolutely silent. The mac keyboard of 2013 era is ideal for me.
- iamevn 4y agoCheck out Matias keyboards with their quiet click switches. They're very quiet and solidly tactile.
- HippoBaro 4y agoYou should look into Topre boards. They are very silent and have great tactile feeling. It’s not as quiet as a MacBook keyboard, but it’s as quiet as you’ll get I think
- nkingsy 4y agoGot their “low end” typeheaven used after hearing about it here. The sensitivity takes some getting used to, but it encourages hard typers like me to soften up, which is better for speed and comfort. Overall love it, totally silent
- sowbug 4y agoSilent red, a.k.a. pink switches, might be what you're looking for. The travel is a lot longer than the chiclet Mac keyboard, but you don't have to press all the way down to activate the switch.
- CTDOCodebases 4y agoI like mechanical keyboards but like you I like silence also when I’m not wearing my noise cancelling ear phones. Sound comes from the upstroke and the downstroke of the switches and echoes throughout the case. If you or anyone reading this comment would like to build a near silent board I would suggest getting some Silent Alpaca switches or U4 Silent Tactile switches with switch films applied. Make sure to use all the sound dampening mods available (foam/tape mod/polyfill etc) to deaden any echo inside the case you are using. Avoiding cases that have a lot of echo will help also. Plug the back of the stabilisers with generous amounts of Krytox 205g0 and straighten the wires. If you do the above the barely audible sound signature of the keyboard will resemble the soft pitter patter of rain.
- laserlight 4y agoCherry MX Silent Browns are the worst I’ve ever used --- despite that non-silent browns are acceptable. I suggest that you buy a key switch tester to find which one works for you.
- KVFinn 4y agoI still regret getting rid of whatever keyboard I had with my Intel 286 PC, probably a Model M from what I read about the times. Typing was an experience on that thing, like energy flowing through the keyboard into your body, the physicality of the springs was so strong. But strangely I remember typing extremely fast on it, even though it must have needed so much extra force. I have a decent store bought mechanical keyboard now and it's nice but still very different.
- tuatoru 4y agoYou can still buy them (updated with USB interface and Super key (Windows key)) from Unicomp.[1] 1. https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/UKBD https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/UKBD
- mamcx 4y agoSimilar, the original MS Ergo Keyboard. In my nostalgic mind with no way to confirm, I think was the best of all.
- Overtonwindow 4y agoI have this IBM PS two mechanical keyboard and I don’t know why but… I don’t really care much for the mechanical keyboards. My first laptop was made by micron, and the keys were very soft and sponge and quiet. The Macbooks from 2012 have a great keyboard.
- jasinjames 4y agoMy first computer was a Macboon Pro from 2012. I replaced it (well, the aluminum unibody, ship of theseus-style) with a 2017 Macbook Pro when I started college. Now I've got so much muscle memory with the Apple layout that at work I use a USB apple keyboard with my ubuntu workstation. My coworkers are almost all mechanical keyboard junkies, and they never let me hear the end of it.
- Sunspark 4y agoWhy don't you get one of the mechanical keyboards in an Apple layout?
- jasinjames 4y agonever considered it before! any good examples you can point me to?
- Jailbird 4y agoI use a WASD V3 with my Mac mini.
- Sunspark 4y agoMatias makes them with ALPS switches. You can also get other keyboards like buckling springs, etc. with Apple keys, but I prefer ALPS. I'm actually typing this on an old M0116 right now, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_(Standard)_Keyboard_M0116.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_(Standard)_Key... It's so much nicer having the control key where caps lock is normally found. This is the traditional location for it.
- mrtedbear 4y agoThe keyboard rabbit-hole gets pretty deep. I started off wanting a nicer typing experience, and ended up realising so much about the traditional keyboard designs didn't make sense to me (here's someone nicely summing up the reasons why https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrska7UU7BE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrska7UU7BE). For me the optimum is a split 34-key keyboard (the open-source Ferris Sweep https://github.com/davidphilipbarr/Sweep https://github.com/davidphilipbarr/Sweep) with a custom keymap firmware (QMK). Going even deeper, you can generate a PCB layout that's personalised to the shape of your hands: https://github.com/ergogen/ergogen https://github.com/ergogen/ergogen
- plutonorm 4y agoyeah, dipping your toe in this hobby is like dipping your toe into a triple A MMORPG. Make sure you are prepared for the toll it may take on your productive years.
- mrtedbear 4y ago100%. Going in I had no idea how all-consuming it would get.
- Enginerrrd 4y agoSame here, although once I'd spent an absurd amount of money and then even more time, I finally, settled on a really good setup and haven't had the desire to change it. IRIS keyboard (https://keeb.io/products/iris-rev-4-keyboard-split-ergonomic-keyboard https://keeb.io/products/iris-rev-4-keyboard-split-ergonomic...) with my own QMK keymap with 3 layers.
- jrumbut 4y agoOh wow that looks like what I'd want but it looks like they are selling a circuit board? How do I get one that I can pull out of the box and be typing within 60 seconds?
- JasonFruit 4y agoI sold my Model F to a collector, who wrote back to tell me he didn't care for it. I have regretted that sale many times, because I loved that keyboard.
- Sunspark 4y agoYou could buy one of the new model F remakes.
- JasonFruit 4y agoI have considered it, but there is, after all, a reason I sold it: I do not need to have so many keyboards.
- Sunspark 4y agoI knew one person who was buried with a keyboard. So, you COULD take it with you..
- spear 4y agoI waited four years for a reproduction (from https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/ https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/) plus another year to complete the keycaps. Worth the wait. Expensive and it has an oddball layout, but the typing feel is glorious.
- jonwest 4y agoI’ve had a few different mechanical keyboards and they’ve all felt … OK but not great. I bought a Unicomp Model M relatively recently and it has been awesome. Really appreciate the feeling of the keys. Would get absolutely crucified in an office setting but at home, it’s been a real treat.
- JasonFruit 4y agoMy Unicomp is the only mechanical keyboard I have not sold.
- plutonorm 4y agoI had my first mechanical keyboard delivered a few days ago and I must say I am thoroughly enjoying the experience. Each key somehow feels nicer. Placebo, or intrinsically more enjoyable sounds and tactile experiences? I believe it's the latter and I find myself particularly enjoying the 'thock' sound of the backspace and space bar.
- havblue 4y ago>Placebo, or intrinsically more enjoyable sounds and tactile experiences? Perhaps the enjoyment is knowing you're annoying people within earshot!
- TedDoesntTalk 4y ago$3000 for a single key cap?? “….whose Escape key Bassett had replaced with a keycap from a series called Mummy II, made by a keyboard artisan known as PunksDead. “That keycap is rare,” he said. “Right after I got it, a guy offered me three grand for it. And I was, like, ‘Hmmm, tempting—but no.’ ”
- er4hn 4y agoFWIW, they look nice, but not $3000 nice: https://keycap-archivist.com/maker/kbk-kwk/mummy-ii https://keycap-archivist.com/maker/kbk-kwk/mummy-ii. Feels like the equivalent of a "if you know, you know" luxury clothes brand.
- s5300 4y agoFeels like an NFT tier shit post tbh
- badlucklottery 4y agoIt definitely has that same conspicuous consumption vibe. I guess these at least these have some actual scarcity?
- Animats 4y agoMore like The Absolute Sound.
- postalrat 4y agoThey look like something you would get out of capsule vending machine for a quarter.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- riskable 4y agoIt was neat to see Thomas Ran name-dropped in a New Yorker article. He's one of the most brutal keyboard reviewers on YouTube (and quite hilarious). I sent him some of my 3D printed key switches not too long ago and he did a teardown video: https://youtu.be/H_Ym9528awM https://youtu.be/H_Ym9528awM Many have found the mechanical keyboard hobby to be quite deep... When you reach the point when you're ready to start designing your own key switches and actuation mechanisms contact me and I'll give you some advice :) If you're curious what a 3D printed (analog hall effect) keyboard using 3D printed switches (and keycaps) looks like: https://gfycat.com/firsthanduniformeasteuropeanshepherd https://gfycat.com/firsthanduniformeasteuropeanshepherd ...and it has some interesting features: https://gfycat.com/costlyglaringhyracotherium https://gfycat.com/costlyglaringhyracotherium
- pca006132 4y agoWhat printers do you use to print the keycaps? I tried this before but it takes a lot of work to sand the surface in order to remove the layer lines.
- nkrisc 4y agoI would imagine resin printers would be far superior for key caps compared to FDM.
- Symbiote 4y agoA while ago I tried using CurviSlicer to FDM-3D print a keycap. It modifies G-code to make slightly-curved top surfaces. The top of the keycap was nice, and wouldn't have needed any finishing. However, the slicer messed up the sides/insides of the keycap. Someone more motivated could try applying the curviness only to the 'dish' part of the keycap. Curvislicer: https://github.com/dhardy35/curvislicer https://github.com/dhardy35/curvislicer
- riskable 4y agoI use a Prusa MK2.5s with a 0.4mm nozzle most of the time. For fine detailed legends I use a 0.25mm nozzle. Here's some keycaps I printed recently: https://imgur.com/a/Ge0tlc5 https://imgur.com/a/Ge0tlc5 The key (haha) to printing great keycaps is to print them on their sides. That way their top surface is smooth (to your fingers) right off the printer. The keycaps in those images have not been post-processed in any way. That's exactly how they looked when I took them off the printer.
- Jailbird 4y agoPerhaps unfair to inject a mini-AskHN, but here goes: I'm a Mac user these days, and I have seen that one can go down the rabbit hole with keyboards. I have zero interest in building one. I do have a WASD keyboard, but I've also wanted a bit more, like (better) layers : I have a few fond memories of VT420 life, when those numpad keys and the GOLD/BLUE layers were awesome.) I also don't use Windows...so use of at least some Windows-focused firmware seems less accessible. Reddit seems much more about builds - interesting for keyboard porn and inspiration, I suppose, but not actionable. It also seems many good things are purchased via drops so I suppose that way can work if you know where to go and how long to wait. I've looked about for a good keyboard with programmable firmware, for a Mac...or even just a programmable numpad-looking macropad, but maybe there's more I've not seen. What resources are out there to find ways to find off the shelf options, for Macs? Edit: s/these/off the shelf options/
- edanm 4y agoI'm only a small bit into this hobby/obsession, but the two keyboards I'd recommend are the Moonlander or the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard. They're both split, but the UHK can be combined together (not so easy on the Moonlander.) They're very popular, so have a bunch of good out-of-the-box documentation and a good out-of-the-box experience if you don't want to go too far into the rabbit hole of configuring keys and stuff. I think the UHK is a bit more pleasant build-quality wise, and it's definitely easier to start with because it's not columnar, which is a whole other thing that a keyboard can be. (Some people like columnar layouts, some hate it, I'm undecided myself and use both.)
- koziserek 4y agoIn the realm of programmable keyboards, it doesn’t really matter which OS you will use it with… My golden medium is Anne Pro II, even though I own new model F. But more and more I’m getting drawn to an idea of building 36 keys custom. Watch something from a channel of this hugely underrated gent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_VuXVErD6E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_VuXVErD6E Edit: typos (ipad screen kbd…)
- badlucklottery 4y agoAny keyboard that supports QMK (wired) or ZMK (wireless) will be Mac-compatible, you just have to replace some keycodes in the firmware. QMK keyboards: https://qmk.fm/keyboards/ https://qmk.fm/keyboards/ ZMK keyboards: https://zmk.dev/docs/hardware https://zmk.dev/docs/hardware Note: I'm not 100% sure the ZMK list is up to date as it's under much more active development and new keyboards get support all the time since almost any keyboard that has QMK support can get ZMK support by swapping the AmTel-based Pro Micro for a nRF52840-based nice!nano board.
- j_m_b 4y agoI've recently switched from using cherry silent reds to blues and wow what a difference! The blues just feel amazing in my Vortex Race 3 keyboard.
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 4y agoI like my $35 Keychron :)
- immigrantheart 4y agoI currently use HHKB. In the past I used Microsoft Sculpt and I really liked it. My HHKB is not good for my wrist. I just ordered literally yesterday an UHK keyboard, with trackball module as well. Hopefully this can satisfy my HHKB + Microsoft Sculpt combo. If not, I might have to go dive the keyboard rabbit hole.
- aphroz 4y agoWas it really needed to have private jet for that? I feel it could have been shipped in an enveloppe.
- woevdbz 4y agoOnce, someone pointed out to me that we spend a large amount of time with our feet in shoes and our hands on a keyboard, but somehow a closet full of shoes is more readily accepted than even just a pair of keyboards to switch between. I felt good about buying a second keyboard after that
- thwoeruoi2343 4y ago
- rocket_surgeron 4y agoIt's impossible for me to be unbiased because I learned to type on a Selectric, (and I now own two of them) but my personal belief is that typing was perfected with the Selectric, and a Model F or M keyboard with buckling springs is the closest you can get to that perfection on the PC side of things.
- wellthisisgreat 4y agoI have assembled 4 or 5 keyboards, the last 2 all have switches assembled from different parts (springs, tops, stems etc bought separately). I don’t really care that much about the shape of the keycaps (cherry profile would do but good to have alternatives), but i am very particular about the layout. It seems to me the only logical resolution of my keyboard hobby is it design my own keyboard that will address most of my complaints. They are minor but the more I think about it the more I conclude that in the future people would be using fully custom (layout, spacing, etc) keyboards a lot. Unless the typing goes away.
- LAC-Tech 4y agoI like lots of keys. I have an 1800 keyboard (with a numpad). Which means going down the keyboard rabbit hole isn't that appealing - because they all tend to be tiny.
- kybernetikos 4y agoYeah, the mechanical keyboard community definitely have specific designs they like and if you're not into the same things then there's not a lot of choice. I like having a built in USB hub for example. The keyboard is the perfect place to plug memory sticks, hardware wallets, mouse (charge or wireless dongle), utf key. My ideal keyboard probably has at least 3 usb ports on it. The closest I've got so far is the das keyboard with 2.
- bschwindHN 4y agoUntil you realize you can design your own PCB at exactly the size and key count you want...
- LoganDark 4y agoI've been wanting to try this out recently, but have no idea where to start. I know the basic idea is to go grab KiCad (or preferably something else a bit faster, not Python-based), make something (??), send it off to JLCPCB or whatever, buy all the components you need individually and assemble them, etc. but that's about as deep as my knowledge goes. :/
- bschwindHN 4y ago> I know the basic idea is to go grab KiCad (or preferably something else a bit faster, not Python-based) Definitely start with KiCad, it's not slow. The majority of it is written in C and C++, but that shouldn't matter if the tool functions well and lets you design what you want to make. It's open source, and perfectly up to the task of designing a keyboard PCB. After the KiCad work, you generate what are called Gerber files. You zip those up, along with files that describe the parts you'll use, and where they get placed on the board. JLCPCB (or any other PCB fabrication shop) will create your boards, and optionally populate them with parts and solder them. In the mail you'll get your (potentially populated) PCBs. At that point, you add switches, stabilizers, keycaps, and hope your design works. Maybe design a case or a top plate for it as well if you want more sturdiness or a more "finished" look. The part you decide at the beginning is if you'll use an off-the-shelf microcontroller (most keyboards use what's called a Pro Micro), or if you'll have the microcontroller soldered directly on the board. If this is your first PCB, I'd recommend going the Pro Micro route. Leaving that circuitry to a tried and tested board means you focus just on the layout and wiring for your key switches. You can get away with just having the PCB shop solder on diodes for each key, you can solder them yourself, or design them as through hole parts to make the soldering even easier (I prefer soldering surface-mount parts to through-hole but I might just be weird). There are tons of guides out there on how to do this. I won't recommend a particular one because I didn't use any singular one when designing mine, but I will say that all the KiCad videos on the youtube channel Phil's Lab are extremely valuable and insightful when it comes to PCB design. Maybe dip your toes in by designing a really simple PCB. You'll quickly see it may not be as complicated as you might have thought. Keyboard PCBs are quite simple in the grand scheme of all the different PCBs out there, so I recommend just jumping right in and learning as you go.
- morsch 4y agoI occasionally think about getting a mechanical keyboard, because I'd like a nice keyboard. But I have no interest in it as a hobby, and the whole topic has a similar vibe as the audiophile community. I feel like the chance of getting punked is pretty high.
- LeetHacks 4y agoPlenty cheap boards out there with Cherry MX mechanical switches. A first board doesn't have to cost more than $100, maybe even towards $70 dollar range. Buy secondhand and you can go even lower. Go for Cherry MX Switches. Want clicky (and loud) take blue. Want tactile go brown. Want no bump at all when typing go red. I would find a cheap second hand board and see if you can appreciate the experience. It probably will not have lubed switches or may have a scratchy bump or hollow sound or whatever the hobbyist tell themselves to justify a new board. You probably will already be amazed by the quality improvement and won't care.
- f1refly 4y ago> Want no bump at all when typing go red. No, black. Red has an extra high activation point and much lighter springs (marketed to gamers for quicker reactions) that often misfires when the user rests his hand on the board and doesn't take special care not to press anything. Black is the standard office class linear one of the bunch with the weight matching brown and blue.
- Loocid 4y agoPersonally I'm fine with the occasional misfire to keep the nice light, floating typing experience that reds give. Blacks just feel a bit too heavy to me. It's all personal preference of course.
- ace2358 4y agoAt least with audio it’s really easy to skip the audiophile stuff and still get excellent advice and recommendations as audio work is a huge field with lots of professionals in it and heaps of companies that have been in the industry for 50 years. Computer Keyboards… not so much :(
- userbinator 4y agoAn interesting and slightly unsettling fact about Wrona is that when he competes, he has no strong preference for mechanical or rubber-dome boards, and usually just goes for whatever’s cheapest. As a fast typist myself (normally 140-160, brief bursts over 200) I can say that being able to type quickly is not something that most mechanical keyboards are optimised for; what's important is a very low actuation force and travel (but a long "cushion zone" past that), since at high speeds caring whether the key was successfully hit will make you hesitate and slow down.
- benreesman 4y agoIt must be twice a week that I think about getting involved in custom mechanical keyboards: it seems like such a cool interest! I've been pretty happy with the HHKB (no caps, obviously), but it just sounds fun to make something truly your own. Does anyone have a good pointer for the right place to start with this (huge) topic?
- CTDOCodebases 4y agoMy pointer is modify your HHKB if you like it. You can modify the domes, get adapters (sliders) to use MX style keycaps and even replace the case.
- benreesman 4y agoThanks for the tip! If you don't mind a follow-up question: what's a gentle transition from the HHKB's Topre switches into something more popular in the mechanical keyboard community? I honestly have very little intuition about the color-naming scheme for switches.
- CTDOCodebases 4y agoSwitches are categorised as follows: - linear (no tactility)(reds) - tactile (tactile) (browns) - clicky (sharp tactility + sound) (blues) The colours refer to the original Cherry MX switches and clones but it’s better to refer to them as linears/tactiles/clicky’s. If you want something tactile good and popular I would suggest Gazzew Boba U4T switches since the Topre board you are using is tactile. These are loud but they sound good. There are silent versions available. There is a lot of variety even with keyswitches alone and if you are super fussy like me it will take a lot of trial and error to figure out what you like.
- benreesman 4y agoThat’s extremely helpful. Thank you for taking the time with a newbie.
- ThePhysicist 4y agoFrom a reliability standpoint, rubberdome keys seems to be a superior technology. Each and every mechanical keyboard I used developed key chattering after several years (sometimes months) and had to be thrown out eventually. On the other hand I have various rubberdome keyboards that type away without issue after almost a decade of use. Maybe it's just that most modern switches are rubbish, as I've seen people type on old model M keyboards that must have had decades of use, so it might just be a manufacturing issue.
- hammyhavoc 4y agoI can kill a rubberdome keyboard in 3 days. No bullshit. Name brands including Logitech. Never looked back since going with a mechanical keyboard I can quickly swap switches out on. I have a very light touch, I just do a lot of typing.
- samatman 4y agoI've never had a Cherry or Kailh switch go bad on me and I'm hard on gear generally. Are you talking about generic switches, if not, how do you do it? Wreck them I mean, I've never heard this complaint before. I'd had the circuit board fail, two months out of warranty, and the ErgoDoxEZ guy refused to replace it. But that's on his factory's shoddy workmanship, not mechanical keyboards generally.
- Latty 4y agoIn stark contrast, I've never had a switch fail, but I've had rubber domes wear out and stop registering key presses multiple times when I was younger.
- rcarmo 4y agoThis reminded me that I’m still looking for a Bluetooth Planck. Ergodox seems to be stuck in the past regarding connectivity options, otherwise I’d have bought a Planck EZ by now.
- MrDresden 4y agoRecently got my self my first, a UHK[0] and couldn't be happier. The amount of macros I've been able to configure into it is astounding. [0]: https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com
- hot_gril 4y agoAm I the only one who prefers the most pleb membrane keyboards over anything mechanical? I already type super quickly on, say, a 2015 MacBook Pro, a default 2010 Apple external KB, or a $5 Logitech. There's just enough feedback to know that I pressed the key, it takes very little force, and I can glide my fingers around really quickly. I don't even bother with cleaning cause the oiliness makes it faster if anything. I've tried several mech keyboards. The longer key travel doesn't seem to improve speed, and I don't see how it would. Also most of them come with the concave key caps for some reason, which of course you can switch out, but I feel like any amount I spend fixing one would still result in something worse than what I already have.
- vladvasiliu 4y agoFor me, it's not so much a question of speed, but one of comfort. The longer key travel helps with avoiding bottoming out once you're used to your keyboard. On a short-travel keyboard, where keys are basically "either fully up or down", I don't think it's easy, or even possible, to not bottom-out. This also allows keys to not need so much force for actuation. Whenever I switch from my mechanical keyboard to my 2013 MBP or HP laptop (with a similar kb) I always miss letters because I don't press hard enough. I honestly don't know whether I type quicker or slower on a mechanical keyboard. But speed has never been a limiting factor in my work.
- laserlight 4y agoWhile I was using MBP keyboard, I used to think that shorter key travel was better and more ergonomic, because it required less finger movement. After using mechanical keyboards for years, I’m very surprised to discover how much strain bottoming out puts on my muscles.
- LoganDark 4y agoI also hate keyboards with a lot of key travel. It feels like I sink into the keyboard and then catch on the surrounding keys when trying to move. The 2015 MBP keyboard was peak keyboard to me. Not only can I not find any PC keyboards with the same feel, I also can't find any PC keyboards with the correct layout.
- bmitc 4y agoThe major downside is that people who use mechanical keyboards are almost unbearable to listen to over video (like Zoom) or YouTube or streaming videos due to the incessant and loud clacking of the keys.
- comfypotato 4y agoSilent keys (Zilents for a tactile example), o rings, and other more technical mods help with this!
- f1refly 4y agoThat just means the video conferencing software isn't set up right. Millions of teens use mechanical keyboards every day while talking to each other over the internet, all without transmitting the clicks. Anyways, you can still tell the other conferencee to either calibrate his voice activation or change his keyboard.
- dmix 4y agoHow can they not include a picture of the two keycaps he get delivered on a private jet? tsk tsk
- hydrolox 4y agois it just me or do articles never have enough photos
- RamblingCTO 4y agoYou don't have to get obsessive with it. I have a keychron k7 and I'm absolutely happy with it, no plans of changing anything. Well, I broke the on/off switch when disassembling because I spilled water over it. I contacted them and got new switches. I soldered on one of them and don't plan to open that thing again anytime soon.
- 0xCAP 4y agoI'd LOVE to buy a split keyboard, but I can't seem to find any prebuilt that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and soldering my own is not an option (I have some physical issues impairing my precision hand work).
- hosteur 4y agoMe too. I really would love to basically have everything mentioned here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrska7UU7BE&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrska7UU7BE&feature=youtu.be That is: - Mechanical - Split - Ergonomic - Non-qwerty - 30 % keyboard But I have one extra requirement: I am Scandinavian which means that I need to have keys for Nordic letters. This makes me extremely niche which in turn means that I cannot buy anything pre-built. And I do not find much joy in building my own keyboards. I want something prebuilt. There must be a business opportunity here for someone to make something that is split, ergonomic keyboard with good mechanical keys and which allows for customization such that Nordic letters could be mapped...
- benhurmarcel 4y agoMost of those keyboards are programmable, so any accented key can be mapped easily. If you want the keycap legend to match it's more complicated though. But if you touch-type you can be ok with it. I made up my own weird layout (including accented characters for 3 languages), but that's not an issue since I'm ok with fully blank keycaps.
- haspoken 4y agohttps://archive.ph/SFe8x https://archive.ph/SFe8x