ALPS complicated and windows key

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bitonic

27 Aug 2012, 10:15

I really like ALPS complicated switches, but I also really need 3 modifier keys (usually Ctrl, Alt and Windows/Super key).

Most of the keyboards I know of with complicated alps only have Ctrl and Alt, since they came before Windows 95. Is there any keyboard I'm not aware of with these characteristics?

ndp

27 Aug 2012, 11:59

Try to pick up a Dell AT101/2W. There are some for sell in the marketplace section.
The build quality is very good. They come with Black ALPS.
It's a great keyboard and not too expensive.

User avatar
bitonic

27 Aug 2012, 18:45

ndp wrote:Try to pick up a Dell AT101/2W. There are some for sell in the marketplace section.
The build quality is very good. They come with Black ALPS.
It's a great keyboard and not too expensive.
well, the thing is that I'm afraid that those with win keys are too late to have complicated switches... I already have an Focus FK-2001 that I think was one of the first with the window key (the box says "With windows key for the nef windows 95" or something like that), and it has simplified Alps...

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Icarium

27 Aug 2012, 20:28

Hm...you could ask the oracle but I have never heard of anybody having that problem. For reasons that are actually a complete mystery to me as well many of the regulars here and on GH seem to be okay with not having a windows key. (I find it terribly annoying when it's missing. I usually use it for many shortcuts on windows and linux. It can be remedied pretty well by remapping, though. But that's of course work I'd rather not have to do.)

User avatar
bitonic

27 Aug 2012, 20:37

Icarium wrote:Hm...you could ask the oracle but I have never heard of anybody having that problem. For reasons that are actually a complete mystery to me as well many of the regulars here and on GH seem to be okay with not having a windows key. (I find it terribly annoying when it's missing. I usually use it for many shortcuts on windows and linux. It can be remedied pretty well by remapping, though. But that's of course work I'd rather not have to do.)
For me it's not an option, since I use Win as a prefix for my window manager (i3) and Alt & Ctrl extensively in emacs.
What I could do is to mod a filco zero as the keyboard porn guy did: http://keyboardporn.com/alps/filco-zero-tenkeyless/ , but that's a bit expensive...

User avatar
Icarium

27 Aug 2012, 20:49

It's time consuming but not expensive. I got one of the new alps compatible ducky boards for I think $25 last week.

ndp

27 Aug 2012, 21:01

ndp wrote:Try to pick up a Dell AT101/2W. There are some for sell in the marketplace section.
The build quality is very good. They come with Black ALPS.
It's a great keyboard and not too expensive.
Mine has complicated black ALPS. I'm pretty sure that is not an exception (I never heard of Dell with simplified ALPS).

25$ for a ducky is very good deal.

User avatar
bitonic

27 Aug 2012, 21:19

ndp wrote: Mine has complicated black ALPS. I'm pretty sure that is not an exception (I never heard of Dell with simplified ALPS).
Well, I think they stopped making complicated alps towards the end of the 90s, and they made dells at101 after that.

I'm pretty sure my colleague dell at101w, for example, has simplifieds - it's a pretty recent one, with PS2 connector.

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bitonic

27 Aug 2012, 21:20

Icarium wrote:It's time consuming but not expensive. I got one of the new alps compatible ducky boards for I think $25 last week.
Where can I find them that cheap? Was it used or new?

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Charlie_Brown_MX

27 Aug 2012, 21:42

I have a huge supply of cream (tactile, non-clicky) complicated Alps switches on hand if you go the Ducky route and want to do a switch swap.

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Icarium

27 Aug 2012, 22:13

It was used in the geekhack classifieds and I paid that much again to have it shipped to europe but these duckys are generally pretty cheap.

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bitonic

27 Aug 2012, 23:20

koralatov wrote:I have a huge supply of cream (tactile, non-clicky) complicated Alps switches on hand if you go the Ducky route and want to do a switch swap.
Thanks, you've got a PM :)
koralatov wrote:I have a huge supply of cream (tactile, non-clicky) complicated Alps switches on hand if you go the Ducky route and want to do a switch swap.
OK, I think I'd buy a new one, they're reasonably cheap as well...

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