One month and still going

[LLRnR]

It's been officially one month since I started my internship and I'm sharing the office with a co-worker... that I strategically forgot to brief on the awesomeness of mechanical keyboards. I've been using my 'new' Filco Minila with Cherry MX Blues (that I got from cheesebaron here), with O-rings, that's true, since day one. So far, my coworker didn't complain I hope everything will continue to go as smooth and that I'll be able to clack away. I would prefer to use BS at work (as I do at home), but I think it would be wiser not to force my luck.

What's your experience with noisy mechs at work?

[idollar]

I close the door and mute the telephone while on telcos.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I gave a colleague my Matias Tactile Pro. To be fair, it's got a duller click than Cherry MX or old-school Alps, but it's still fairly loud, and he's getting used to it. It's strange, because he's said that he hates it (or words to that effect) yet he's kept it. No-one seems to be bothered by it — I think we're all used to having weird and wonderful keyboards around by now.

Someone else had my modded AT102W for a while (70% or so of the switches are hybrid blue/black, and it's pretty loud — good old-school clicky sound) but he left and no-one else ended up with that — still sat in the corner.

After that, the next loudest is my MX Red Poker II, then a colleague's G80-3000 with clears, which is quieter as it's PCB mount.

The ironic thing is that—as a scissor switch user—my boss once commented that my Realforce was loud!

[LLRnR]

Ha, nice, so you have been somewhat able to 'convert' your colleagues! I'm just shyly advocating, but even though everybody around me is coding or at least writing a lot, they do not seem genuinely interested.

Besides, I couldn't borrow my keyboards either -- let aside the fact that besides my Filco with MX Blues and my Logitech with MX Browns that my boyfriend is using I only have buckling spring boards, my colleagues are paralyzed when they see QWERTY in France. I still get the question "and how do you do to type French characters with this keyboard?" (e.g. é, è, ê, ù, ç, à, etc.)

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I can type those on my own PC! Well … except when Windows reverts back to United States layout. Windows 8.1 still has a bug that switches layout randomly — I don't know if that's because I have a third-party layout that's years old, as other people have reported the same problem. I can also type superscript 1–3 (¹²³), arrow →, actual minus instead of hyphen-minus (−) and plenty more, including Unicode code points ("→" is one).

The G80-3000 is in German layout, which causes confusion (I bought it from Germany—might end up with Tai-Hao caps on it), and my Poker II—if you can see past the retina-searing green LEDs—is even worse as most of the keys are outright missing.

[LLRnR]

I can type those on my own PC! Well … except when Windows reverts back to United States layout. Windows 8.1 still has a bug that switches layout randomly — I don't know if that's because I have a third-party layout that's years old, as other people have reported the same problem. I can also type superscript 1–3 (¹²³), arrow →, actual minus instead of hyphen-minus (−) and plenty more, including Unicode code points ("→" is one).

Oh wow, I had no idea. Yet another reason to skip Windows 8.x altogether. I'm seldom using Windows anyway, and layout switching under Linux works like a charm.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I find the bugs in everything :)

[Ascaii]

I actually got a nickname from my time as intern in a large engineering office of a theatre. They jokingly called me machine gun due to the sound I made when i typed. They had an open door policy and my boss actually said he got the feeling it improved efficiency because the other people could hear me working hard. I brought an ergo clear modded g80-1851 with thick devlin doubleshots for when i needed to type up things (like memos telling actors how not to kill themselves) and was still bottoming them out pretty hard.

[DanielT]

Well, I have a HHKB at work and bring from time to time one of the MX Boards, behind me is alinh with his MX Blue Ergo, next to him a coleague with CM Storm and in front of me a crazy guy with a terminal Model M ( which he got from alinh and we helped him with soarer and bolt mod)
Now who would complain ? ....

[LLRnR]

@Ascaii: Nice story, that's the way to go! And your then boss seems to have been very open-minded.

@DanielT: Oh wow! That's just ideal, working among people who not only tolerate, but actually share in your madness!

My loudest keyboard is my Unicomp Model M. I don't know why, but it sounds very different from any IBM Model M. It has a resonant sound to it, quite pingy but with a very strong "plastic" component to it. Quite difficult to describe, but I kind of like it. The only person I've used it around is my boyfriend and, although he would be willing to try out an IBM Model M himself (azerty), he simply cannot stand my Unicomp, saying it must be the worst keyboard ever. If I ever want to get fired from somewhere, I know what keyboard I need to bring with me

[Daniel Beardsmore]

From my experience, the sound of a Unicomp Spacesaver is more "flat" or "dry" — more "plastic" could be another way to put it. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing depends how much you like the IBM twang sound. My 1996 Model M has the full-on twang that you expect.

[elecplus]

This thread reminds me of car shopping several years ago. I buy a new car infrequently, like every 10+ years. So I expect it to be something I will want to ride in that long. The Ford was very "plasticky" on the inside, and had terrible acoustics. My husband wanted to try out a Scion, so we did. Felt like sitting in a tin can with carpet! Even with all the doors and windows closed, the traffic sounds were terrible. We finally got a Subaru, and I have been driving it for the past 11 years

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It's a matter of opinion, as the Model M twang is pretty extreme, and I used think it was just too annoying. I won't be able to give a verdict myself on what I prefer as I don't anticipate using my Model M in the near or even distant future. Even the gold glitter in Unicomp keycaps soon stops being noticeable …

[LLRnR]

Thanks for the terminological clarification. Ha, so it's a 'twang', that's how it's called. It's very peculiar. I think I prefer the classic 'ping', but then again my Unicomp, being so recent, has a uniform and consistent key feel everywhere, so by associating this feeling of consistency with the board itself, I've actually come to appreciate the 'twang'.

Just trying to picture the feeling of being inside a "tin can with carpet" makes me laugh. Glad you finally found a car you like.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Well … The term "ping" is highly contentious. Switches with springs inside will always make a ping sound because, like, there's a spring, man! However, people argue about how much ping is expected and normal, and how much is wrong. I've had MX Brown switches on my (other) Filco make more ping than normal, and it actually was really annoying; it wasn't the whole keyboard, just a few rogue switches. You're not guaranteed to hear any ping — I never hear any ping at all from my MX Blue Filco, nor my Poker II with MX Red switches. My Himake (?) KPT keyboard pings healthily, on the other hand.

The Model F and Model M spring sounds on the other hand, are far louder and there's no escaping it. Model F switches seem to have much more variance in pitch between keys, rather like Futaba clicky switches seem to (from the one single video made of them).

Oh, and today's top tip:

Open a YouTube video, make sure Flash Player has focus, and press all four arrow keys in rapid succession (doesn't appear to be any specific order). Observe what happens. (I had a video paused to check my Filco's pinginess and I just mashed the nearest keys, with an interesting effect.)

[Touch_It]

I got my co-worker/best friend a keyboard louder than mine so no issues with me using my unicomp m.

[JBert]

I can type those on my own PC! Well … except when Windows reverts back to United States layout. Windows 8.1 still has a bug that switches layout randomly — I don't know if that's because I have a third-party layout that's years old, as other people have reported the same problem. I can also type superscript 1–3 (¹²³), arrow →, actual minus instead of hyphen-minus (−) and plenty more, including Unicode code points ("→" is one).

Oh wow, I had no idea. Yet another reason to skip Windows 8.x altogether. I'm seldom using Windows anyway, and layout switching under Linux works like a charm.

I can't say I have noticed this, even though I have 3 possible layouts.

One reason you would switch your old Windows installs to 8.x is that they finally changed the default of "keyboard layout per application" to "global keyboard layout" (with an option somewhere to revert it). Oh, and they added a better UI for layout switching than blindly pressing LShift + RShift (at least if you disable those), now you can press Winkey + Space and get a pop-up with the selected layout.

And concerning Linux: when setting up Arch on my home box, X wouldn't pick up my keyboard layout from xorg.conf. Windows is braindead in certain spots, but at least it's upfront with most keyboard stuff...

[LLRnR]

Well … The term "ping" is highly contentious. Switches with springs inside will always make a ping sound because, like, there's a spring, man! However, people argue about how much ping is expected and normal, and how much is wrong. I've had MX Brown switches on my (other) Filco make more ping than normal, and it actually was really annoying; it wasn't the whole keyboard, just a few rogue switches. You're not guaranteed to hear any ping — I never hear any ping at all from my MX Blue Filco, nor my Poker II with MX Red switches. My Himake (?) KPT keyboard pings healthily, on the other hand.

The Model F and Model M spring sounds on the other hand, are far louder and there's no escaping it. Model F switches seem to have much more variance in pitch between keys, rather like Futaba clicky switches seem to (from the one single video made of them).

Not sure if I used the term right: the 'ping' for me is the reverberation effect after releasing a key, made by the spring while it's still jiggling. It's essentially very metallic. It would appear that MX switches, apart from browns sometimes, do not produce any (noticeable) ping. Futaba switches sound awesome, judging from the video! I don't have an F myself, but from all the videos I've watched, it looks as though it's the king of pingy-ness! I must get a Model F AT in my life

I got my co-worker/best friend a keyboard louder than mine so no issues with me using my unicomp m.

Wait, what keyboard is louder than a Unicomp Model M?

And concerning Linux: when setting up Arch on my home box, X wouldn't pick up my keyboard layout from xorg.conf. Windows is braindead in certain spots, but at least it's upfront with most keyboard stuff...

From a fast search, I see it is most often advised to add a new file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d for the InputClass section.

It's not very elegant but... if you found the setxkbmap options that you need, couldn't you try adding that line to ~/.bashrc? I use Caps Lock to toggle between layouts; my setxbmap command is this:

setxkbmap -option grp:caps_toggle us,fr,ro -variant ,oss,std

I check if everything is correct with setxkbmap -query.

[Touch_It]

Well … The term "ping" is highly contentious. Switches with springs inside will always make a ping sound because, like, there's a spring, man! However, people argue about how much ping is expected and normal, and how much is wrong. I've had MX Brown switches on my (other) Filco make more ping than normal, and it actually was really annoying; it wasn't the whole keyboard, just a few rogue switches. You're not guaranteed to hear any ping — I never hear any ping at all from my MX Blue Filco, nor my Poker II with MX Red switches. My Himake (?) KPT keyboard pings healthily, on the other hand.

The Model F and Model M spring sounds on the other hand, are far louder and there's no escaping it. Model F switches seem to have much more variance in pitch between keys, rather like Futaba clicky switches seem to (from the one single video made of them).

Not sure if I used the term right: the 'ping' for me is the reverberation effect after releasing a key, made by the spring while it's still jiggling. It's essentially very metallic. It would appear that MX switches, apart from browns sometimes, do not produce any (noticeable) ping. Futaba switches sound awesome, judging from the video! I don't have an F myself, but from all the videos I've watched, it looks as though it's the king of pingy-ness! I must get a Model F AT in my life

I got my co-worker/best friend a keyboard louder than mine so no issues with me using my unicomp m.

Wait, what keyboard is louder than a Unicomp Model M?

And concerning Linux: when setting up Arch on my home box, X wouldn't pick up my keyboard layout from xorg.conf. Windows is braindead in certain spots, but at least it's upfront with most keyboard stuff...

From a fast search, I see it is most often advised to add a new file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d for the InputClass section.

It's not very elegant but... if you found the setxkbmap options that you need, couldn't you try adding that line to ~/.bashrc? I use Caps Lock to toggle between layouts; my setxbmap command is this:

setxkbmap -option grp:caps_toggle us,fr,ro -variant ,oss,std

I check if everything is correct with setxkbmap -query.

Only keyboards louder than ibm m's that I've personally heard are futaba clicky switches, the SOLIDTEK KB-6600BU With white alps clones, and ibm f keyboards.

[LLRnR]

Only keyboards louder than ibm m's that I've personally heard are futaba clicky switches, the SOLIDTEK KB-6600BU With white alps clones, and ibm f keyboards.

OK, thanks. I just learned about the Futaba switches thanks to Daniel Beardsmore mentioning them. I'll be checking out that Solidtek with white alps clones (if someone made a recording, that is).