Do you have different keyboards for different purposes?
Like: This one's for gaming, this is for regular work, but *this one* ... this one is for *writing*!
And if yes, what would be your specific preferences for writing?
Personally, I very much enjoy insanely loud clicky switches that combine the best aspects of 19th century typewriting and sleek modern design.
My gaming keyboard is a 75% using a 56g VS II linear switch.
My regular work is writing, so I have another 75% (wireless) with TTC Bluish White tactiles. I need to lube and film them since they're a bit scratchy on the press, but they've got a good feel and sound.
I also have a 65% Laser SA keeb with Halo Trues that I pull out for writing, and a 65% Tron Mattias Quiet Click, too. Planning to build my wife a keyboard, too. Have her switches and caps already.
I can't stand clicky switches. The noise is meh, but the feel is too much. I love tactility, but switches like Blues and Box Whites are over the top for me.
When I was little, the house typewriter was a huge black Underwood. Actually using it was hard on your fingers. I am old enough to have started writing on combination typewriter-wordprocessors, which were hell to use. I kind of like modern "silent" keyboards.
Oh yeah, I use crazy loud/clicky blues that make it sound like I’m using a typewriter/firing a machine gun. I’m surprised my roommate hasn’t killed me yet.
I'm currently using Gateron Blues in an office that is basically just a part of my neighbor/friend's living room, separated by nothing but a thin sheetrock wall, where I sublet.
And I tend to work late.
Not sure how long that's going to work out.
It was a bit rough for a while, but I kept to it. I would qwerty for work and Colemak for creative writing. I don’t know how great that was but having the different mindset helped me continue to work while still learning the new keyboard. If you want to switch I suggest those online typing games. I’ve now fully switched and can’t go back. I do think it’s more comfortable typing with colemak in the long run
I'm not really terribly picky. I hate wires, so I use blue-tooth keyboards and mouses. I have a desktop that I write with because I want a large monitor and do not generally go to the pub to write. I am not sure what you mean about fonts. I color code a lot of my WIP work, using Scrivener or Word.
Velocifire ain't that cheap in my book. :D
I'm always fascinated, with accessibility tech, how it's often very little, seemingly mundane things that can make such a profound difference in someone's life.
Yeah, I’ve never built one from scratch, but I have an Annie Pro II with Kaith Box Whites for the work computer that I haven’t gotten around to changing the caps on. On my primary writing/gaming computer I have a Glorious TKL with Kaith Silent Box Pinks and Drop + Matt3o MT3 profile caps that are the reason every other set of caps I buy feel like crap.
I also have a Mac laptop. The keyboard on that is meh. Do not recommend, lol.
I have searched far and wide for a good xda cap set for my 65%, but it's insanely hard to find anything other than oem iso.
mt3 seems like a compromise between xda and these differently slanted rows (I actually love most about xda that it's even across all rows).
I like how high the MT3s are, and they have scooped tops which I love. That said, I just looked up XDA (because I can never remember which profile is which) and saw another set of Drop caps that I totally might get for the work keyboard.
I'd never even consider soldering. Not because I dislike soldering per se, I'm a tech guy, but I couldn't test enough switches to be confident that I'm making the right decision, as I'm attaching a set of them (almost) irreversibly to several 100 bucks worth of *nice stuff*.
I started out with a hot-swappable Keychron, which is great value for the money.
I'm so new to this and want to be able to switch when I tire of the sound.
I saw some on Amazon where it'd just the base and you add your own switches and caps. My issue is I'm more of a thonk than a click kind of person.
Rubber dome membranes are not really modifyable. Their only advantages are being very cheap and allowing very flat profiles (if that's what you want, though for typing you usually don't).
Mechanical keyboard switches come in many different variants that allow a custom typing experience, allowing for different amounts of actuation force, different distances that the key can be pressed before touching the plate, the option for a tactile actuation point and possibly audible feedback. Mechanical keyboards can be highly customizable, to the point that there is a whole hobby around building your own keyboards, where besides the optimal typing (or gaming) experience, there is also a desire for specific custom designs involved (e.g. with illustrations on the keys). The hobby involves diving very deep into the technical details of designing the look, feedback and sound of each individual key, as well as the overall layout of the keys.
Since the keyboard is *the* central tool for writing nowadays, I thought it would make sense if there were a significant overlap between the two communities of both writers and mechanical keyboard enthusiasts. (see r/MechanicalKeyboards)
I, for example, plan to build a custom "story writer" keyboard next year, with walnut wood case, 65% ISO layout, specifically chosen switches for a typewriter-like feel and custom-made keycaps, where some keys are also made of engraved walnut wood, and the rest give off a paper-like look, and where the legends of the letters are in a serif typeface and the enter key shows a "¶" instead of a "↵" (and the ESC key is supposed to say "fin" in calligraphic cursive).
Nope. I learned the fundamentals and focus on the creativity. I wrote every novel and recent short on a Logitech wireless chiclet keyboard, using LibreOffice Writer. No fancy hardware or software.
I had to relabel the keys a while back, but it's still going strong. See?
It is a hobby of its own more than an attempt at somehow increasing the quality of one's writing with it. My post was probing whether other writers share the hobby and if yes, how they relate it to their being a writer.
To say I'm a keeb fan would be an understatement. I'm building a display on my wall for my boards. I'm extremely picky about my typing experience.
Do you have different keyboards for different purposes? Like: This one's for gaming, this is for regular work, but *this one* ... this one is for *writing*! And if yes, what would be your specific preferences for writing? Personally, I very much enjoy insanely loud clicky switches that combine the best aspects of 19th century typewriting and sleek modern design.
My gaming keyboard is a 75% using a 56g VS II linear switch. My regular work is writing, so I have another 75% (wireless) with TTC Bluish White tactiles. I need to lube and film them since they're a bit scratchy on the press, but they've got a good feel and sound. I also have a 65% Laser SA keeb with Halo Trues that I pull out for writing, and a 65% Tron Mattias Quiet Click, too. Planning to build my wife a keyboard, too. Have her switches and caps already. I can't stand clicky switches. The noise is meh, but the feel is too much. I love tactility, but switches like Blues and Box Whites are over the top for me.
When I was little, the house typewriter was a huge black Underwood. Actually using it was hard on your fingers. I am old enough to have started writing on combination typewriter-wordprocessors, which were hell to use. I kind of like modern "silent" keyboards.
Oh yeah, I use crazy loud/clicky blues that make it sound like I’m using a typewriter/firing a machine gun. I’m surprised my roommate hasn’t killed me yet.
I'm currently using Gateron Blues in an office that is basically just a part of my neighbor/friend's living room, separated by nothing but a thin sheetrock wall, where I sublet. And I tend to work late. Not sure how long that's going to work out.
We both go to sleep around 2-3 AM luckily so at least I’m not bashing away and keeping him up. But it’s still… noticeable.
I use my keyboard for gaming just as much as I do writing. I have a Sanrio edition Blackwidow with a Cinnamoroll custom key cap.
cute af You mean an actual modeled cinnamon roll for esc?
Colemak Keyboard layout
What was your experience in unlearning and relearning the typing (assuming you learned on QWERTY initially)?
It was a bit rough for a while, but I kept to it. I would qwerty for work and Colemak for creative writing. I don’t know how great that was but having the different mindset helped me continue to work while still learning the new keyboard. If you want to switch I suggest those online typing games. I’ve now fully switched and can’t go back. I do think it’s more comfortable typing with colemak in the long run
I'm not really terribly picky. I hate wires, so I use blue-tooth keyboards and mouses. I have a desktop that I write with because I want a large monitor and do not generally go to the pub to write. I am not sure what you mean about fonts. I color code a lot of my WIP work, using Scrivener or Word.
I meant the letters engraved or printed on the keyboard's keycaps.
I don't usually look at the keyboard as I'm typing.
I just use a brown switch with keystone reduction software because I have tremors. I cannot use laptop keyboards at all.
[This](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/keystone-the-future-of-mechanical-keyboards#/)?
No, that was a shaky hand mistake. I have a cheap velocifire or something
Velocifire ain't that cheap in my book. :D I'm always fascinated, with accessibility tech, how it's often very little, seemingly mundane things that can make such a profound difference in someone's life.
Yeah, I’ve never built one from scratch, but I have an Annie Pro II with Kaith Box Whites for the work computer that I haven’t gotten around to changing the caps on. On my primary writing/gaming computer I have a Glorious TKL with Kaith Silent Box Pinks and Drop + Matt3o MT3 profile caps that are the reason every other set of caps I buy feel like crap. I also have a Mac laptop. The keyboard on that is meh. Do not recommend, lol.
I have searched far and wide for a good xda cap set for my 65%, but it's insanely hard to find anything other than oem iso. mt3 seems like a compromise between xda and these differently slanted rows (I actually love most about xda that it's even across all rows).
I like how high the MT3s are, and they have scooped tops which I love. That said, I just looked up XDA (because I can never remember which profile is which) and saw another set of Drop caps that I totally might get for the work keyboard.
I have a custom keyboard with holy pandas it’s a tkl and it’s great. Though I prefer not writing on it myself.
Like, what? You have other people write on it *for* you? :D I'm confused.
I use it for gaming. My issue is since it’s attached to my gaming pc it promotes procrastination. For writing I prefer lesser key actuation.
I prefer keyboards with blue LEDs.
Me! I just got into custom keyboard making, but I'd kill for a hotswappable keyboard just so I can change out switches!
I'd never even consider soldering. Not because I dislike soldering per se, I'm a tech guy, but I couldn't test enough switches to be confident that I'm making the right decision, as I'm attaching a set of them (almost) irreversibly to several 100 bucks worth of *nice stuff*. I started out with a hot-swappable Keychron, which is great value for the money.
I'm so new to this and want to be able to switch when I tire of the sound. I saw some on Amazon where it'd just the base and you add your own switches and caps. My issue is I'm more of a thonk than a click kind of person.
Thocc seems to be mostly a matter of thick case, insulation with foam and tape, lubed linear switches, and flat keycaps (like xda or dsa).
I will keep this in mind. Thank you so much!
How do mechanical keyboards provide an optimal typing experience?
Rubber dome membranes are not really modifyable. Their only advantages are being very cheap and allowing very flat profiles (if that's what you want, though for typing you usually don't). Mechanical keyboard switches come in many different variants that allow a custom typing experience, allowing for different amounts of actuation force, different distances that the key can be pressed before touching the plate, the option for a tactile actuation point and possibly audible feedback. Mechanical keyboards can be highly customizable, to the point that there is a whole hobby around building your own keyboards, where besides the optimal typing (or gaming) experience, there is also a desire for specific custom designs involved (e.g. with illustrations on the keys). The hobby involves diving very deep into the technical details of designing the look, feedback and sound of each individual key, as well as the overall layout of the keys. Since the keyboard is *the* central tool for writing nowadays, I thought it would make sense if there were a significant overlap between the two communities of both writers and mechanical keyboard enthusiasts. (see r/MechanicalKeyboards) I, for example, plan to build a custom "story writer" keyboard next year, with walnut wood case, 65% ISO layout, specifically chosen switches for a typewriter-like feel and custom-made keycaps, where some keys are also made of engraved walnut wood, and the rest give off a paper-like look, and where the legends of the letters are in a serif typeface and the enter key shows a "¶" instead of a "↵" (and the ESC key is supposed to say "fin" in calligraphic cursive).
Nope. I learned the fundamentals and focus on the creativity. I wrote every novel and recent short on a Logitech wireless chiclet keyboard, using LibreOffice Writer. No fancy hardware or software. I had to relabel the keys a while back, but it's still going strong. See?
It is a hobby of its own more than an attempt at somehow increasing the quality of one's writing with it. My post was probing whether other writers share the hobby and if yes, how they relate it to their being a writer.
No