"Your Fab Five" Keyboard Contest (Winner Announced)

[seebart]

Could name a few IBM items I don't have, like an Unsaver, an Industrial Model F with buckling springs instead of OAK switches, and some other rare Model F and beam spring specimen. But I'll let those pass for a Knight keyboard and SAIL keyboard.

Honest, just reminded me of the time this guy showed up and everyone shit their pants...the guy never showed again.

photos-f62/80s-keyboard-party-t10963.ht ... rs#p237520

[alh84001]

@lot_lizard nice thread....this is going to be fun hard fun. No pics, because I'm lazy and most of them had already been posted. In no particular order:

• IBM 3279-2C - best switch one (so I'm told)
• IBM 4704 Kishy - cool small one
• IBM 5576-003 - oriental one
• IBM RT E57888 - (proto)topre one
• Kingsaver - alps one (close call with IBM 5140)
• Symbolics Space Cadet - 6th one, non-IBM one, historic one...ad infinitum

I don't own a single one And it's really hard for me to shrink this down to five. Probably the IBM topre one would go.

[davkol]

Hmm…

• Topre Realforce in tenkeyless JIS layout (91 keys) with PBT HiPro keycaps, silenced sliders and uniform, probably 30g domes… which doesn't exist, the closest thing is GL1TCH3D's mod:
  Spoiler:

  
• Dual-hand contoured Maltron keyboard in 89-series layout, with a custom controller… which is rare and would require some modifications; I might try to order a shell from Maltron and make my own keyboard around it. Picture of vivalarevolución's old model:
  Spoiler:

  
• Compact symmetrically-staggered keyboard based on NEC PC-9801-98-S02… which is, again, rather unobtainium for me. I have designed a new plate prototype, but need to have it cut. Photo of the NEC by hasu:
  Spoiler:

  
• Keyboardio Model 01… which is about to hit mass production these days. Official promo pic:
  Spoiler:

  
• Dactyl… I currently don't really have access to a 3D printer, but the Dactyl one of the reasons, why I'd really like to change it. Official glamour-shot:
  Spoiler:

  

[seebart]

Ugh that NEC PC-9801-98-S02, I had forgotten about that one...sooo nice!

[alh84001]

Wow. that NEC really is a special keyboard. And it has those two keys in the upper left which are similar to Sharp X68000's BREAK and COPY.

[lot_lizard]

Entries for this will close on Christmas let's say... just to give a date. We are going to try voting on these different than you might be expecting. Social experiment mwahahaha

[seebart]

We are going to try voting on these different than you might be expecting. Social experiment mwahahaha

Your not working with the russians now are you?

[lot_lizard]

Your not working with the russians now are you?

Maybe...

Just because some really beautiful boards are making it in here, I got a picture of this earlier today from someone I was PMing with. He is going to clean it up and post a thread after the holidays. Sorry to him in advance... but I can't sit on this pic. It's too gorgeous and would be after our deadline. I eagerly await the restoration thread though!!!

It's a 5251 66-key, but a spin I've never seen.

Spoiler:

dV387bb.jpg (509.63 KiB) Viewed 5381 times

[seebart]

It's a 5251 66-key, but a spin I've never seen.

W O W. So the question is of course...the blue keycaps. The 66-key is super rare but we've had it here before.

[Slom]

It's a 5251 66-key, but a spin I've never seen.

Beautiful

Lets see how many people change their list now
That layout (as in overall arrangement of blocks of keys) is similar to the kmac mini on my list ...

Spoiler:

[Laser]

My tongue-in-cheeck top 5 (half serious, though):

• 1. The keyboard from the movie "The Fly" (without the teeth ), and with modern sculpted PBT keycaps (matt3o's)
  2. A Symbolics-like keyboard (so that I can Symbol-Rub out-Hyper-Super-Meta-Ctrl-Alt-Del my operating system)
  3. A JIS HHKB to make myself 10 function layers, modded with Hasu's alternative controller (running TMK) and with Topre->MX stems, and further modded with a small LCD display to show the current layer (and to replace LEDs)
  4. A modern Hall-effect keyboard, tenkeyless, in a wood case (some strong essence though, not bamboo)
  5. A Blue Alps 60% keyboard with split spacebar and thick, tall, spherical keycaps

[seebart]

Half of that is fairy tale stuff Laser!

[Laser]

Half of that is fairy tale stuff Laser!

Is it? For example, the LCD stuff *is* possible with a custom controller But anyway, I don't intend to win!

[lot_lizard]

Half of that is fairy tale stuff Laser!

Certainly votable... hard to rally the troops behind, but an admirable rally none the less.


I am assuming everyone has read "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline?!? If not (and I don't read)... you are depriving yourself. It would be the one book for this group I would ever (and COULDN'T HOLD HIGHER) recommend. Laser's list reminded me of a certain console that belonged from said book that was missing.

[XMIT]

4. A modern Hall-effect keyboard, tenkeyless, in a wood case (some strong essence though, not bamboo)

Which wood case material are you after?

I've got access to CNC wood cutting equipment. What I don't have is time. But, if I ever get to it, I'll see about maybe oak or walnut or maple cases.

[Laser]

Half of that is fairy tale stuff Laser!

Certainly votable... hard to rally the troops behind, but an admirable rally none the less.


I am assuming everyone has read "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline?!? If not (and I don't read)... you are depriving yourself. It would be the one book for this group I would ever (and COULDN'T HOLD HIGHER) recommend. Laser's list reminded me of a certain console that belonged from said book that was missing.

I haven't - I do like good SFs, but I haven't read too many. Thanks for the recommendation! (I see that Spielberg is making a movie out of it). My favourite one is "Lathe of heaven" (Ursula K. Le Guin).

4. A modern Hall-effect keyboard, tenkeyless, in a wood case (some strong essence though, not bamboo)

Which wood case material are you after?

I've got access to CNC wood cutting equipment. What I don't have is time. But, if I ever get to it, I'll see about maybe oak or walnut or maple cases.

Thanks! I will probably pester you with this at that point in future when I'll buy the Hall-effect keyboard But I think you could make a small $$$ by making a larger number of wood cases (even a groupbuy) - in the 60% or TKL format.

[seebart]

Half of that is fairy tale stuff Laser!

Is it? For example, the LCD stuff *is* possible with a custom controller But anyway, I don't intend to win!

That's fine anyway Laser. When I first read this thread I thought about whether I should post keyboards I own vs. keyboards I'd like to own, I decided on the former because I can evaluate my own keyboards much better. But I guess that's not necessarily what this contest is about but that makes more sense to me anyway. I could easily compose a top ten of my ultimate "want to own" from just page one of this thread.

[Laser]

Indeed I actually based my post on the original post, the highlighted text specifically:

So I have decided to start a little contest... Name your "fab five" (most desired) keyboards. These could be ones you already own, but that wouldnt likely win unless your HaaTa

Also: except the keyboard from "The Fly", all the others are not fictional, i.e. they are either keyboards and keycaps or other parts that already exist, or they are in the making here or elsewhere (Topre->MX sliders at aliexpress or JTK groupbuy, Matt3o's PBT sphericals etc.). Even that keyboard from "The Fly", it's enough that somebody comes up with a SA groupbuy with that color combination - I'm not that picky About attaching a small LCD to either Hasu's custom controller (HHKB), or to another keyboard (powered by a Teensy) - I intend to do exactly that And a 60% Blue Alps PCB with split spacebar? I have the qHack 60% PCB, Alps version, I have the Blue Alps switches, I am waiting for a Teensy and for some free time to design&test a metal plate using swillkb's builder.

[Laser]

seebart's remark ("half ... is fairy tale stuff") stayed with me ... I think it's the nicest definition of desire I've ever read.

[alh84001]

And remember, a year or two ago, MF was a fairy tale thing as well

[Laser]

Righto

MF - from Membrane to Farad

[Phenix]

MF - from memory to future

[Khers]

Righto

MF - from Membrane to Farad

I like that! Or mediocre to fantastic

[seebart]

seebart's remark ("half ... is fairy tale stuff") stayed with me ... I think it's the nicest definition of desire I've ever read.

OK show me more fairy tale keyboards.

[webwit]

Thread ain't leet enough. If you don't have one of these, get out now.

[lot_lizard]

seebart's remark ("half ... is fairy tale stuff") stayed with me ... I think it's the nicest definition of desire I've ever read.

OK show me more fairy tale keyboards.

I'm nominating these to head this off so they will be ineligible

• Star Trek VI Console
  Spoiler:

  
• Matrix Zion Control
  Spoiler:

  
• F22 Raptor Cockpit (real and unreal at the same time)
  Spoiler:

  
• Tardis console
  Spoiler:

  
• Millenium Falcon Cockpit
  Spoiler:

  

EDIT: massively jealous of the following. Really is the nicest stock caps and layout (minus the cursor keys) I've ever seen. Have we ever done a side by side comparison with Round 4? Just curious how close he really got.

Spoiler:

[ramnes]

1. A nice Korean custom with Nixdorf switches, OG Cyrillic dye-subs and a red Clack. My very first keyboard dream, and I've actually made it! It still needs some adjustments to become my daily driver, but I'm almost there.

Spoiler:

2. FC660C with 30-35g domes, silenced and lubed Novatouch sliders, a PBT spacebar, GMK keycaps, a custom controller and metal case. I'm just missing the last two items on that wish list, but they don't exist yet.

Spoiler:

photos-f62/fc660c-with-35g-domes-and-mx ... 13218.html

3. Another dream that's almost fulfilled: a 5576-003 and its numpad, both with custom controllers. It took me a long time to get that keyboard... And since then I'm looking for a replacement spring/switch and for the numpad, but those are not easy to find.

Spoiler:

4. A black FSSK with a metal case, a nice Clack and unusual keycaps (blanks or APL maybe). I've got almost everything, but I need lot_lizard's help for the case.

Spoiler:

I'll just let you imagine that one.

5. The beamspring desktop! But with a more usable layout, preferably. I guess I'll never get that one.

Spoiler:

[Phenix]

I needed to think quite some time about my dreamboards

• clueboard with Nuclear Data and bluetooth
  Spoiler:

  
  eventough I love my clueboard in its DIY wood case, I finally want SA keycaps (and I love the colorway)+bluetooth should be a nice feature, eg to use with my mobile phone/tablet/whatnot
  
  Ergodox EZ
  Spoiler:

  I liked the Ergodox, but I feel the desire to get these tilt/tent kit from the dox EZ
  the Katy (K80CS)
  Spoiler:

  
  
  an Beamspring with an usable layout, readily-available, split spacebars, all metal case (it has to be over 4kg
  Spoiler:

  just imagine and dream about it, layout something like my clueboard, but with additional M15-style arrow keys on the left
  F-atomic
  Spoiler:

  an planck with IBM F switches. No pic, sorry. With MX it looks like

[seebart]

Your going way over keyboards now lot_lizard! That Beamspring desk is another great I had forgotten ramnes!

EDIT: massively jealous of the following. Really is the nicest stock caps and layout (minus the cursor keys) I've ever seen.

Who isn't ?!

[emdude]

I'm nominating these to head this off so they will be ineligible

• Star Trek VI Console
  Spoiler:

  

Yours wins for this alone, nothing beats classic 23rd century UI design.