deskthority

I just started a new job and was told that I could order a keyboard for work as membrane keyboards tend to give me sore hands. At home I use a Das Keyboard.

I was wondering if anyone knew of any decent models that are likely to be available from the suppliers that are used by big companies. Preferably something with Cherry Blues and a bit of subtlety. I'm open to considering Browns or something more silent due to the open plan office.

I found the G80-3000 from one of the suppliers but I'm not really a fan of the rather flimsy construction of the later cherry boards:
http://www.reichelt.com/Keyboards/G80-3 ... 000LPCDE-0

I'll be very grateful for any advice/help.

Blues probably are a bit loud for most offices.

Have you tried typing on browns? I recommend giving them a test before committing. I was surprised when I gave them a shot. And I'm not alone. MX clear feels like the definitive quiet tactile Cherry switch to me. But some people do really love browns as they are, so it's definitely a personal preference.

I suppose they won't stretch to buying you a Topre?

I think he was shocked when I said the keyboards I had ran me to about 120 Euros. Might be worth a try though

I'll have to go back to my Mr Interface switch collection and try the clears. I am also underwhelmed by Browns.

Clears are every last bit as tactile as Cherry gets. People's main criticism of them is the spring is too strong for their taste. That's the motivation behind the ergo clear mod. But if, like me, clears feel just fine to you, they make a sterling quiet switch. Cherry definitely has keyboards fitted out in them.

Muirium wrote:Clears are every last bit as tactile as Cherry gets.

Or you could go with greens — I've heard that they feel more like Alps.

If you can get used to brown, it's surprisingly pleasant.

I would be surprised to find a major supplier stocking any mechanical boards, and even then I can't imagine it being anything besides Cherry, and Cherry's G80 series lacks browns, lacks clears in most layouts, and they're flimsy as hell.

Ideally for an office you'd go with the Matias Quiet Pro — Mac and PC layouts in several languages, very tactile, very quiet.

If you bought it yourself, then it would remain your property forever :)

http://www.keybo.de has a bunch of cherry keyboards, IIRC i did find clears and browns among a sea of blacks there (or more likely on the official cherry site); but since it's a official cherry distributor you might just ask them.

Matias keyboards are indeed worth considering. But I'm not sure if they will be competitive on price with Cherry's, in a bean-counting sense. Isn't Matias just as unlikely as Filco to get the corporate supplier's seal of grudging acceptance?

I think the bigger problem is that none of them are likely to be available from approved suppliers. I'm going to ask for a list today and have a nose around. I'm lucky enough to work somewhere where the bean counters do not reign supreme.

An alternative might be something easily unpluggable that I can stash in my draw. IIRC HHKBs have that mini USB plug on the board. Something like that might be handy.

Yes, the HHKB connects via a mini USB jack on the back (it also has a two port USB hub, but this is unusual besides Apple keyboards). Many mechanicals have the same port, but not all. Filco's a prominent example of someone late to the party.

Well, seems my boss approved a Das Keyboard. We'll see what IT say about it.

This is probably the least flimsy Cherry-board available (but only with MX-blacks AFAIK):
http://www.access-is.com/retail_banking ... keypad.php
Check the "Glitnir Bank - Bank Teller Keyboard" and imagine it without the card-reader .

Sadly, they have a MOQ of 10 I hear ..

oooo I love those orange keys.

Muirium wrote:Blues probably are a bit loud for most offices.

They are definitely too loud for my office, but I still use mine everyday! I love the sound but I'm not sure that my colleagues do