PoorMansMech

[Mrinterface]

Hi!

It's been a looooong time since I've been active in the keyboard scene. One of my new year's resolutions was to change that and finish the biggest project I started but never got to finish.

Due to various circumstances, I had to let go of my love for computer interfaces , but like all true loves : you will always try to find a way to connect again.

I certainly missed the connection with DT and viewing the pictures from a long ago past where I organised keyboard parties in The Netherlands brought some strong memories back. The memory I cherish most was the kindness of the members of this community. Somehow I knew I would connect again and this year it is time.

I have undertaken a rather massive project based on the foundations I have laid with my simulators ( some of you might remember the old mrinterface website where all my keyboards where sound emulated ). The project is called PoorMansMech and is aimed to get sound and vision simulated computer interfaces out into this world.
PoorMansMech is a software tool that enables you to simulate the sounds of the most common typewriter and computer keyboards from the past ( and the present ) in the background of your computer, so you will be able to use these sounds within any program you choose. The software also enables you to create your own keyboard sound samples and share them with the rest of the community.



I have created a workable teaser for you on http://mrinterface.com and shows the direction I want to go with this.

Here is a video for those who can not run webgl : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCsS7Qcfnyk

Feedback is welcome and greatly appreciated. Feel free to ask any questions you might have as well.

Regards.

P.S. Don't forget to lower your volume before you try the simulator demo.

[XMIT]

Cute! I like how it seems to simulate typebar interference. Is there a way to skip the intro if you have seen it before? My kids will love this.

WELCOME BACK!

[Mrinterface]

Is there a way to skip the intro if you have seen it before?

Not yet, but I will make it so
EDIT : I shortened the intro text. Have fun!

[Mrinterface]

Cute! I like how it seems to simulate typebar interference.

In my opinion , the most annoying feature of the typewriter wasn't the fact that you had to type s l o w l y ( or else the hammers would stick ) but there was no backspace key. Using the simulator you immediately understand how frustrating that really is. On the other hand, you were forced to put some more thought into what you were trying to put onto the piece of paper. A mistake meant you had a delay of around 30 seconds where you would repair the mistake ( with correction lint or other means ) These corrections were always visible so many mistakes made your piece of paper look like it was typed by a 10 year old child and more often than not you would retype everything on a fresh piece of paper in the hope it would come out perfect.

[Mrinterface]

Another fact about typewriters : the hammer jam problem caused the QWERTY layout we use today. The most used letters were evenly spread out over the typewriter so the typist would slow down his typing speed. The weaker fingers were using the more frequent letters.

[Findecanor]

Long time no see! Of the four founders, you only see webwit post here now and then these days. Sixty seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth. Our biggest wiki contributor has disappeared as well.

I have Webassembly disabled in my web browser because it is a security risk.

Another fact about typewriters : the hammer jam problem caused the QWERTY layout we use today. The most used letters were evenly spread out over the typewriter so the typist would slow down his typing speed. The weaker fingers were using the more frequent letters.

That is a myth, and all evidence point to there not never having been such a plan. The layout started out laid out in alphabetic order, except with vowels separately, and was then tweaked. The exact reasons for each tweak might have been to reduce type-arm jams though - but no documentation of the reasons for those tweaks has been found. I wrote a long section about the history of QWERTY in the Wiki.
Scholes did continue to develop the typewriter after it had been introduced, and he may very well have used statistics to develop another layout after QWERTY had already become mainstream. In the article, I reference a patent that he got granted: for a layout that has some similarities with Dvorak's layout 47 years later.
Then there is Blickensderfer's "Scientific Key-Board" layout that was based on letter frequency in the English language.

[Mrinterface]

I have Webassembly disabled in my web browser because it is a security risk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCsS7Qcfnyk

[matt3o]

welcome back Mr! I still have a switch sample kit you provided like... 4-5 years ago? ohshoot time passes when you are having fun.

anyway, nice simulation but the cylinder doesn't rotate when going to a new line!