jacobolus wrote: ↑
These SP “Space Cadet” keycaps have a broken profile. Putting those on your Topre keyboard is a big step down as far as typing comfort or efficiency is concerned.
I sort of feel that your analysis of the SA profile, while maybe technically accurate, greatly overstates a largely irrelevant issue, at least for me. Typing comfort and efficiency is of little concern to me. For 35 years my hands have learned to accomodate whatever keyboard I put in front of myself, which includes everything from mid-70s terminal keyboards and IBM Selectrics to the mech boards I use now. At the moment I like the feel and performance of MX reds (linear) and Topres (tactile). Beyond that it comes down purely to aesthetics.
Now, If a manufacturer were to come out with a new Hall Effect board with angled stems, and SP made the Space Cadet keyset (and the Honeywell set too please; I love them both) to accomodate them, I'd certainly try it out and maybe even really like it. But since that won't happening any time soon, I go with the next best thing. And the next best thing, whatever it may be, must, out of necessity, provide MX stems.
As far as switches that I've used in the past that I think are overrated or under-appreciated, I'd say that buckling springs are vastly overrated; all those loud, pingy Model Ms were a scourge on humanity for over a decade. The Alps in the Apple keyboards I owned were very nice, and if SP made my favorite keysets with Alps stems, I'd consider looking into Alps again, but they don't. My fondest memories are of the old pre-1980 terminal keyboards with spherical keycaps, and I think Hall Effect is tragically under-appreciated. The only reason they were abandoned was cost, but the mech keyboard community is one that spends lots of money on quality (past or present), and I think it is a real shame that Hall Effect switches never survived long enough to enjoy a modern revival.
