My boss doesn't like mechanical keyboards

[macharius]

Today I decided to bring my IBM Model M2 but a few minutes later my boss has banned my IBM Model M2 keyboard because of the noise, and he said that I have to use the same keyboard that all people, a rubber-dome 1€ value. I have in the office another ACER 6312-ta but the touch is very very bad for the ACER switch ...

What to do now?

[Halverson]

Preferably tell your boss off. But since I'm sure you want to keep your job..,maybe look for a mechanical board that's quieter?

[macharius]

What is the most silent MX switch? Brown with o-rings?

[Muirium]

It may be his office, but they are your hands. Imagine if he pulled a stunt like that on someone using one of these:

The DataHand may look like something from science fiction (indeed, they used one in Contact) but some people really do need them and other ergonomic keyboards because of RSI.

Objecting to the noise of buckling springs is one thing, but if your boss is truly serious about forcing the same crap keyboards onto everybody, he deserves to come face to face with the expensive issue of injured employees. RSI is not pretty. And with an attitude like that, one day he will be culpable.

Everyone has a right to choose their own keyboard. Honestly, their employers should be paying for it. It's a health thing, plain and simple.

[Jmneuv]

sounds like a plan, for o-rings you need tall oem caps though (afaik)

[Halverson]

Between all my MX boards, I would say brown or black, depending on how hard you bottom out. O-rings help a lot for noise as well.
The new matias quiet switches are quite nice and quiet as well.

[macharius]

It may be his office, but they are your hands. Imagine if he pulled a stunt like that on someone using one of these:

The DataHand may look like something from science fiction (indeed, they used one in Contact) but some people really do need them and other ergonomic keyboards because of RSI.

Objecting to the noise of buckling springs is one thing, but if your boss is truly serious about forcing the same crap keyboards onto everybody, he deserves to come face to face with the expensive issue of injured employees. RSI is not pretty. And with an attitude like that, one day he will be culpable.

Everyone has a right to choose their own keyboard. Honestly, their employers should be paying for it. It's a health thing, plain and simple.

Man, have you ever worked in Spain? The workers work without a helmet, taxi drivers drunk driving, honestly in Spain we are years of European countries in occupational health issues.

[Muirium]

Man, have you ever worked in Spain? The workers work without a helmet, taxi drivers drunk driving, honestly in Spain we are years of European countries in occupational health issues.

True. But the law is still the law. Europe wide, too.

I've an old friend here in Scotland who does gardening with loud equipment and, as this is for local government, he and his teammates are issued ear protectors. They just never, ever, use them. Don't want to look daft to the other guys. So they are all going deaf.

My friend thinks he can take up suing the authorities for a hobby when he retires. But the appropriate gear was always there for him to use. He chose not to. Bloody idiot.

Now imagine if they were forced to go without instead. Whole different story.

[guilleguillaume]

No se como se te ocurre llevarl el IBM al trabajo. Sabías de sobra que hace mucho ruido

I don't know what lead you to think it was a good idea to use the IBM at work. You knew it was loud as hell.

[macharius]

No se como se te ocurre llevarl el IBM al trabajo. Sabías de sobra que hace mucho ruido

I don't know what lead you to think it was a good idea to use the IBM at work. You knew it was loud as hell.

I had to try... after fixing the capacitor and clean the keyboard I was excited to take it to work.

[BimboBB]

I can recommend mx browns with o-rings. Its as loud as any standard rubberdome.

[7bit]

It is fully OK, to use IBM at work. That's what they are made for!

Also: You never get fired for buying IBM!

So, just carry on and ignore your boss.

[Halvar]

I also first brought my Model M2 to work because I liked it so much. My coworkers never said anything negative, but it was clear they didn't like the sound. It' really loud, you have to admit that. I then switched to MX browns (without O-rings), which I think was ok with them. Now I'm using dampened Alps (SGI Granite) at work, which are not really any louder than rubberdomes but still feel much better.

I don't actually think that mechanical keyboards help to prevent RSI. Surely not buckling spring keyboards like the M2.

[Muirium]

I don't actually think that mechanical keyboards help to prevent RSI. Surely not buckling spring keyboards like the M2.

Neither do I. It was the bit about "use this company issued crap or get outta here!" that got me going.

[Findecanor]

I agree that the Model M2 is a little bit too loud for an open-plan workplace. It must be one of the very loudest keyboards available, I think even louder than the Model M.

I have used MX Browns, MX Blacks, MX Clears and Topre at work with no complaints. (only some "Ooh"s and "Aah"s )
However none of them feels close to buckling springs of a Model M2. My favourite switch is the MX Clear -- the tactile point is a bit higher than the buckling spring but the spring is hard. Like it, it does cushion the stroke at the bottom which makes it easier not to bottom out.
I would install O-rings if I used Blue, Brown or Red.

[JBert]

I use MX clears at the office and people haven't complained. It's heavy and tactile enough to keep your hands trained for buckling springs, yet it's not all too loud (it only makes some noise on the return).

[Peter]

'It's to loud, it's to noisy' ..
People are such cry-babies nowadays

BritishOfficeWithTypists.jpg (172.96 KiB) Viewed 7030 times

I'm thinking of trying this stuff on a Model M

Code: Select all

Super Lube®
Silicone Lubricating Grease

A 'ghetto-Silent Touch 8184692' or *7 in my case, because it is true,
they are LOUD by modern standards .

[cookie]

I use a board with cherry MX Blues at work and noone complained yet.
Before that I used my QFR with reds and I liked it a lot but I missed the tenkeyless at home for gaming so I swapped them.

A Model M is really loud, I would never use such one or any clicky alps at work, if someone would complain about the noise of the blues I would swap them with a quieter board.

jsut my 2 cent.

[webwit]

If you bring an M2 to work and are surprised they don't like it, there's something wrong with you and your emphatic capabilities. WTF...

[Compgeke]

It might be that after using buckling springs for a while you don't notice the noise, I don't notice the noise anymore after using my Model M for a while.

[hoggy]

You could try the dental floss mod before the grease...

[cookie]

If you bring an M2 to work and are surprised they don't like it, there's something wrong with you and your emphatic capabilities. WTF...

Word!

[phirestarter]

Well macharius, my colleagues complained about my fk-2001, until i took a model M to work one day. Now everyone loves the focus...

Must be an "iberical" thing...

[macharius]

Well macharius, my colleagues complained about my fk-2001, until i took a model M to work one day. Now everyone loves the focus...

Must be an "iberical" thing...

My boss is from Portugal LOL

[bhtooefr]

Hmm, there's not many options here, for stealth.

The Acer 6312-TA looks like it's a white keyboard, and you need quiet.

How about a Realforce 104? Could blend in nicely.

But, really, bringing in buckling spring is just asking for trouble, unless you know the workplace well, and know you can get away with it. (Myself, I'm doing it, but not with an M2 - with a Unicomp EnduraPro.)

[phirestarter]

Well macharius, my colleagues complained about my fk-2001, until i took a model M to work one day. Now everyone loves the focus...

Must be an "iberical" thing...

My boss is from Portugal LOL

That explains it !

I'm enjoying a G80 that i bought cheap, for work use, seems about as quiet as a typical rubberdome.

[Half-Saint]

I don't notice the noise my SSK makes.. but my co-workers noticed my MX Blue board and whined about it.. after I swapped it for a squishy logitech rubber dome, I noticed how hard some of them (my co-workers) bottom out and it started getting on my nerves I still prefer the clicky sound.

[Okeg]

It may be his office, but they are your hands. Imagine if he pulled a stunt like that on someone using one of these:

The DataHand may look like something from science fiction (indeed, they used one in Contact) but some people really do need them and other ergonomic keyboards because of RSI.

Objecting to the noise of buckling springs is one thing, but if your boss is truly serious about forcing the same crap keyboards onto everybody, he deserves to come face to face with the expensive issue of injured employees. RSI is not pretty. And with an attitude like that, one day he will be culpable.

Everyone has a right to choose their own keyboard. Honestly, their employers should be paying for it. It's a health thing, plain and simple.

Man, have you ever worked in Spain? The workers work without a helmet, taxi drivers drunk driving, honestly in Spain we are years of European countries in occupational health issues.

Well, you got me looking into the datahand again, so far I have 2 things to say; Thank you, and fuck you!

[TacticalCoder]

What to do now?

HHKB Pro 2 Silent version

[ne0phyte]

Even a non silenced Topre keyboard is quieter than any Cherry switch

I am using my normal HHKB Pro 2 at work and didn't get any complaints at work.