How many keyboards do you own? [poll options on log scale]

[jacobolus]

There’s another thread about this topic, http://deskthority.net/topic10197.html, but it has a poor set of poll options, maxing out at “more than 10”, which is currently 46% of all respondents. Also, the question it asks “How many special keyboards (custom made, modified or collectible) do you own?” is somewhat ambiguous. What makes a keyboard “special” or “collectible”?

A poll with log-scaled options should give a better representation of the community (or at least, of the folks who bother answering the poll).

[davkol]

In the spirit of good old /. polls: I CAN'T VOTE YOU INSENSITIVE CLOD.

I mean, seriously. What would count as a fraction (still assuming rationality) of a keyboard? It's a keyboard, thus a board of keys, thus if you have just an isolated key... Keychains?

[Chyros]

In the spirit of good old /. polls: I CAN'T VOTE YOU INSENSITIVE CLOD.

I mean, seriously. What would count as a fraction (still assuming rationality) of a keyboard? It's a keyboard, thus a board of keys, thus if you have just an isolated key... Keychains?

wat

[Muirium]

How many nits make a pick?

(Correct answer: 1/128. So…)

[webwit]

Elitist!

PS: Why is this not in base 16?

[jacobolus]

In the spirit of good old /. polls: I CAN'T VOTE YOU INSENSITIVE CLOD.

I mean, seriously. What would count as a fraction (still assuming rationality) of a keyboard? It's a keyboard, thus a board of keys, thus if you have just an isolated key... Keychains?

If there’s a board, then it’s a keyboard. If it’s isolated, it sound’s like there’s no board anymore: not a keyboard.

[jacobolus]

PS: Why is this not in base 16?

Here it is in binary, just for you webwit:
0
1
10
11–100
101–1000
1001–10000
10001–100000
100001–1000000
1000001–10000000
10000001–100000000
>100000000

[davkol]

What does still count as a keyboard, if it's disassembled/unassembled though?

I'm probably not the only one, that has at least a dozen of keyboards stored in parts separately.

[Muirium]

Then you must sum the fractions.

Mind, for me, six half built keyboards isn't as good as three complete ones. It's worse than zero! Because I need that space back, damnit.

[seebart]

That's all wrong jacobolus, you need to apply 7bit's complex permutation model.

[clickykeyboards]

>256

[Muirium]

Naturally!

Good to see you're not storing them stressed by one another's weight. With so many boards, it all adds up.

What boxes are those? Could be handy for us IBMers!

[seebart]

Only works like that because it's the same dimension over. I wish I could store like that.

[XMIT]

cliclykeyboards, you would fit more of them in the bins alternating which side is "up", I think. Also - I wouldn't group the 1989 boards together, there seem to be a couple of different iterations of them. I think that was the year that the new barrel plate was introduced?

[clickykeyboards]

@Muirium

By compartmentalizing into clear cases, I was less worried about the individual keyboards

... and was more worried that the concentration of model Ms in one stockpile might crack the cement floor.

@seebart

I do have a couple of vintage non IBM keyboards, and I know what you mean about other keyboards' dimensions being out-of-spec

@XMIT

I need to take time and do another photo comparison of model M differences among the years, to highlight the design and materials differences in the various iterations.

[Blaise170]

If you count boards that are in the mail, around 40 or so, otherwise around 30 or so. Too many to count!

>256

At first I had no idea what I was looking at, then I realized those lines were keyboards!

[jacobolus]

This poll definitely is doing a better job at staying flat than the other one. We’ll see if it ever makes it up to 140 or whatever responses the other one had.

Even if this isn’t a representative sample, this community has impressively many keyboards: 36% of respondents have at least 33 keyboards, and among the 44 respondents so far, there are at least 1434 keyboards (probably more like 1800–2000, but the data isn’t fine-grained enough to be sure), >32.5 keyboards per capita. Wow.

[TacticalCoder]

Thought I had about 15 boards so I voted between "9 - 16" but I have between "17 - 32".

Let see: HHKB Pro JP (daily since two years I'd say), HHKB Pro 2 (ex-daily), real Industrial Model M (ex-ex-daily), 4 "fake" industrial Model Ms (with NOS shells), one Ambra M, one black M13, Cherry MX-5000 ISO, my rare white-ALPS Smartboard prototype from Datadesk (split keyboard), a few Cherry boards, one apple board and an army or regular Model Ms. Yup, I'm above 16, I voted wrong :-/

[Blaise170]

I voted for > 32. I have as of today:

AAK, M0115, M0116 (x3), M0110A, M0487, M3501 (x4), BOS Model M, Avid Mechanical User Interface (MUI), Zenith Z150-AT, Grass Valley VPE-141, Focus FK-8000, Rapoo V500, NeXT 2237, Cherry ML4000, IBM 6112884, NTC KB-6851NA, KBP V60, Zenith ZA-3034-NP, Amtelco KB163, Keycool 104 RGB, Alps Glidepoint Keypad, Famicom BASIC keyboard, Strong Man MPC-KB2, FILCO FKB-107J-AI (x2), MacWay TP-U22PW-TI, SEJIN SKR-2233, Sharp X68000, Fujitsu OAKB-407, NEC 61305812A, Loas TNK-205K, Magnavox VideoWriter. I think that's all of them.

[amospalla]

Holy duck, I thoguth I had like 4-5 keyboards, started counting them and realized those are more like a dozen. Waiting for my first Model M to arrive, and slowing me from buying more.

I'll never have anything like a box full of keyboards, only the 2 or 3 good ones to rotate between them, they said

[JinzoDefiler]

I took 5-8 here I have 7

1. Azio Mgk1-k
2. IBM Model M x2
3.Apple extended keyboard II
4.Dell AT101w x2
5.Unicomp Space Saver Black.


I use my Azio and Model M on a daily basis. The Azio on my desktop for gaming. Its quieter and the other keyboards I think my dog hears and she doesn't like the sound if cause she barks when I used them. could be an inaudible to human squeak of the springs. The Model M is on my computer in the Shop in the basement and my dog doesn't go down there.

[berserkfan]

Thank God I'm merely on the upper end, I'm not an extreme outlier.

[alh84001]

>256

I call shenanigans! There are only 105 boards in that picture



I presume no rubber domes count for this poll?

[TuxKey]

>256

I call shenanigans! There are only 105 boards in that picture
I presume no rubber domes count for this poll?

i still have my "Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000" can't seem to get rid of that one..hahaha..
If i had to use a rubber dome.. that would be the only one i would care to use..

And not forgetting my wireless apple keyboard.. that i don't like because it has a ISO layout and i prefer ANSI..

[czarek]

Infinite supply of ErgoDoxes and GH60s

And a collection of vintage and modern keyboards, but I only keep those that I like:
- couple Model Ms (normal ANSI and ISO Polish layout, both made in UK surprisingly)
- Realforce 55G
- HHKB
- Filcos with Gateron Blacks (tenkeyless modded from Cherry MX Brown which I don't like that much), and Cherry Blues (Fullsize, metallic blue case, never opened - it's my wife's favourite keyboard)
- Code with Gateron Blues (modded from Cherry MX Blues which felt broken in this keyboard)
- KBP V60 with Matias Quiet in Aluminium case
- obviously my Amiga NMB Hi-Tek which are probably best linear switches ever)

I also keep some keyboards that I don't necessarily like, but I feel they're unique and worth keeping:
- Macintosh Plus M0110A (it's scracthy as fingernails on chalkboard, gives me creeps when pressing keys, I keep it for my Mac plus though)
- Apple Extended keyboard with beige Alps which I don't understand, some of them are clicky some of them are dampened tactile, they're also a bit scratchy, especially when hit off center
- Model Fs (AT and Terminal, I quite like their feel, but not as much as Model M - the layout is unusable though and I don't want to mod them)
- Terminal Model Ms (they're just too big but I keep them for spares)
- Some Acer clicky keyboards but they're fullsize and some strange ISO layout so I don't use them
- Numerous G80s and G81s that I keep for spares

Unfortunately Model Ms and 55G Topres messed up my fingers and I can only use light switches at the moment. My current daily driver is HHKB, but I sometimes rotate it with GH60 in HHKB layout sporting MX Blues from around 2011 (probably last good batch of MX Blues). I also use my ErgoDox with Vintage Blacks modded with light cherry springs (from MX Blue switches), but not as often as before.

But if you ask me for the best feeling boards out there, it would be my ANSI Model M from 1988 (lucky find, most vintage model Ms are not so good) and Realforce 55G.

[KRKS]

Do keyboard layouts drawn on paper count? Just kidding, although I made quite a bunch of them. But at least now I know that my custom will be either like Matias Mini or a straight up 75%. Or maybe 75% with spaces in F-row. I should probably stop daydreaming about it and actually look up how much a plate would cost locally.

Back on topic, I currently have three boards: Ozone Strike Battle(Brown) and two rubberdomes(A4Tech and HP).

[tigpha]

I reckon that the logarithmic scale is a good choice, but that the unit should be individual key switches to weigh the scale toward the mighty 122 key battleships, and lessen the impact of the puny 60% and 40% specimens

[czarek]

I should probably stop daydreaming about it and actually look up how much a plate would cost locally.

If Poland is locally enough, FalbaTech can cut you 75% plate of your design for 20€.

[scottc]

Hey czarek, speaking of GH60s, when will those be available on the website?

[czarek]

Hey czarek, speaking of GH60s, when will those be available on the website?

Within 1-2 weeks, PCBs are being made at the moment