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For coding, you're gonna be fine with literally any keyboard, including some $20 logitech piece. Mechanical keyboards can be fun if you enjoy their feel, or if

For coding, you're gonna be fine with literally any keyboard, including some $20 logitech piece. Mechanical keyboards can be fun if you enjoy their feel, or if as a gamer, you're needing to be able to hit a key 5+ times per second and have it pick up each and every one. But honestly, for coding, you can get it done on just about anything, as speed isn't the necessity, planning is.

jiggy2011 14y ago
I find it would be nice to be able to tab , backspace and arrow key a bit faster. Not sure how much a mechanical keyboard would help there though. While I agree in principle with planning, I often find that it's easier for me to write and refactor a bunch of times rather than try and get it perfect first time. So being able to type faster would give me slightly less friction per refactor.
- quaunaut 14y ago
  Possibly. It might just be a difference in approach- I figure out the right way the first time, then generally make small revisions afterwards for the sake of performance. You would be able to do those things faster- but when I say that the difference would be minimal, I don't know how to stress it enough. Professional Starcraft players frequently will tell you that until you're operating at above 150 actions per minute MINIMUM, you're not gonna get a damn thing out of a mechanical keyboard that you couldn't from some normal trashy piece. But, there's nothing wrong with splurging and getting yourself something nice if you just want the satisfaction. Admittedly, there is something just nice about using one. I think they totally end up justifying their cost for myself personally, in the same way that driving a nice car just makes you feel a little better. It isn't that it drives that much better(it does, just not by a huge margin), it isn't that the seats feel more comfortable(same), and it isn't that it looks nicer(often I think they don't). There's just something satisfying about hitting that level of luxury. But that doesn't make it entirely wise economically, or a requisite, whatsoever. It's just nice. And that's okay.
jfb 14y ago
I don't understand this attitude. The keyboard is the arguably the most important piece of hardware you will ever use as a computer programmer; and they're not by any means interchangeable. You owe it to yourself as a professional to use professional tools -- do the research, try as many different styles as possible, never stop attempting to do better.
- quaunaut 14y ago
  This is like saying a web developer needs the newest i7 processor because it "just makes you better". Except even that is more valid than the keyboard argument. If you want nice tools that's fine. I've got nothing against it, and I plan on buying many more mechanical keyboards in my life. But a keyboard doesn't change how you code, it doesn't change the real speed of your coding. It might change your satisfaction level during the day if you get caught up in that, but frankly, if you're typing so much that you need the extra precision of a mechanical keyboard to save time, you need to do something about your boilerplate code.
justlearning 14y ago
quanaut, sorry if i sound pedantic. Here's my question - could you please share your experience with a mechanical keyboard to conclude on your statement "For coding, you're gonna be fine with literally any keyboard, including some $20 logitech piece". I am genuinely interested to know. In my opinion, what you wrote in reply to jiggy2011 is b.s. Mechanical keyboards are good for gaming and equally good for coding (or for that matter even data entry/processing jobs). The reason is they are way more responsive and quicker than a membrane one that usually is on a laptop. It (imho) also helps in your wrist pain and is easy on fingers (as in you don't have to go pressing a key all the way down). If you have hands on a blue-cherry mechanical keyboard, try for a month and then try typing on a laptop keyboard. @jiggy2011 - i have many keyboards of varied styles. my personal favorite is the CM QuickFire Rapid(tenkeyless and cheaper compared to others). If you are looking for the best in the class (go Filco - made in japan and flawless). Don't fall for the hyped keyboards - daskeyboard,razer,steelcase etc. They are good, but not up there in quality. Specially daskeyboard used to be good when they started out - i would not pick on any daskeyboard built after 2008. They used to make keyboards sourced from Taiwan(better quality), but now source it from an OEM from China. good luck!
- quaunaut 14y ago
  My experience is that while a mechanical keyboard is more enjoyable and slightly easier, I've never once in my life gotten frustrated at some cheapo keyboard while coding. I've never needed to know the exact millisecond a key was pressed, the rebound is just fine. Lets be honest here. Programming is not some intensive exercise. Nor should you be getting carpal tunnel as a programmer- if you are, you need to dial back the boilerplate. I don't enjoy laptop keyboards if only because they force my palms to be raised- I have large hands, so for me it's natural to rest the bottom of my palms on the desk or even on the side of the desk, whereas on a laptop it's at an equal height to the keys- which is annoying as hell. I also dislike the shape of too many laptop keyboards, if only because they seem to prioritize style over feel and key differentiation(lookin' at you, Apple). But this isn't intense stuff. If you're gaming, or doing high-speed data entry, or even if you're a prolific writer, you may have a real claim. But as a programmer, claiming that you need a mechanical keyboard is nonsense. They're nice, and if you want nice tools, that's okay, and I encourage you to invest. But they're not required, and they're never going to make you a better programmer.

jiggy2011 14y ago

I find it would be nice to be able to tab , backspace and arrow key a bit faster. Not sure how much a mechanical keyboard would help there though. While I agree in principle with planning, I often find that it's easier for me to write and refactor a bunch of times rather than try and get it perfect first time. So being able to type faster would give me slightly less friction per refactor.

quaunaut 14y ago
Possibly. It might just be a difference in approach- I figure out the right way the first time, then generally make small revisions afterwards for the sake of performance. You would be able to do those things faster- but when I say that the difference would be minimal, I don't know how to stress it enough. Professional Starcraft players frequently will tell you that until you're operating at above 150 actions per minute MINIMUM, you're not gonna get a damn thing out of a mechanical keyboard that you couldn't from some normal trashy piece. But, there's nothing wrong with splurging and getting yourself something nice if you just want the satisfaction. Admittedly, there is something just nice about using one. I think they totally end up justifying their cost for myself personally, in the same way that driving a nice car just makes you feel a little better. It isn't that it drives that much better(it does, just not by a huge margin), it isn't that the seats feel more comfortable(same), and it isn't that it looks nicer(often I think they don't). There's just something satisfying about hitting that level of luxury. But that doesn't make it entirely wise economically, or a requisite, whatsoever. It's just nice. And that's okay.

jfb 14y ago

I don't understand this attitude. The keyboard is the arguably the most important piece of hardware you will ever use as a computer programmer; and they're not by any means interchangeable. You owe it to yourself as a professional to use professional tools -- do the research, try as many different styles as possible, never stop attempting to do better.

quaunaut 14y ago
This is like saying a web developer needs the newest i7 processor because it "just makes you better". Except even that is more valid than the keyboard argument. If you want nice tools that's fine. I've got nothing against it, and I plan on buying many more mechanical keyboards in my life. But a keyboard doesn't change how you code, it doesn't change the real speed of your coding. It might change your satisfaction level during the day if you get caught up in that, but frankly, if you're typing so much that you need the extra precision of a mechanical keyboard to save time, you need to do something about your boilerplate code.

justlearning 14y ago

quanaut, sorry if i sound pedantic. Here's my question - could you please share your experience with a mechanical keyboard to conclude on your statement "For coding, you're gonna be fine with literally any keyboard, including some $20 logitech piece". I am genuinely interested to know. In my opinion, what you wrote in reply to jiggy2011 is b.s. Mechanical keyboards are good for gaming and equally good for coding (or for that matter even data entry/processing jobs). The reason is they are way more responsive and quicker than a membrane one that usually is on a laptop. It (imho) also helps in your wrist pain and is easy on fingers (as in you don't have to go pressing a key all the way down). If you have hands on a blue-cherry mechanical keyboard, try for a month and then try typing on a laptop keyboard. @jiggy2011 - i have many keyboards of varied styles. my personal favorite is the CM QuickFire Rapid(tenkeyless and cheaper compared to others). If you are looking for the best in the class (go Filco - made in japan and flawless). Don't fall for the hyped keyboards - daskeyboard,razer,steelcase etc. They are good, but not up there in quality. Specially daskeyboard used to be good when they started out - i would not pick on any daskeyboard built after 2008. They used to make keyboards sourced from Taiwan(better quality), but now source it from an OEM from China. good luck!

quaunaut 14y ago
My experience is that while a mechanical keyboard is more enjoyable and slightly easier, I've never once in my life gotten frustrated at some cheapo keyboard while coding. I've never needed to know the exact millisecond a key was pressed, the rebound is just fine. Lets be honest here. Programming is not some intensive exercise. Nor should you be getting carpal tunnel as a programmer- if you are, you need to dial back the boilerplate. I don't enjoy laptop keyboards if only because they force my palms to be raised- I have large hands, so for me it's natural to rest the bottom of my palms on the desk or even on the side of the desk, whereas on a laptop it's at an equal height to the keys- which is annoying as hell. I also dislike the shape of too many laptop keyboards, if only because they seem to prioritize style over feel and key differentiation(lookin' at you, Apple). But this isn't intense stuff. If you're gaming, or doing high-speed data entry, or even if you're a prolific writer, you may have a real claim. But as a programmer, claiming that you need a mechanical keyboard is nonsense. They're nice, and if you want nice tools, that's okay, and I encourage you to invest. But they're not required, and they're never going to make you a better programmer.