on 7-17-05 10:55 AM, Dylan McDermond at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > If you like the feel of a mechanical keyboard os opposed to the > membrane keyboards that are common today, you should have a look at > the Matias Tactile Pro keyboard: > > http://matias.ca/tactilepro/index.php > > Be warned, the price is mighty steep.
You know, whenever I hear people talk about about how much a decent keyboard costs, I can't help but ask, "Well, how much are your hands worth?" I agree that laying out, say, $100 for the MT Pro can seem like a lot of money. At the same time, it should be pointed out that that particular keyboard comes with a 5-year warranty. So another way to look at it might be: if I buy this keyboard, I won't need to buy another one for the next five years. $100 divided by 5 = $20 a year. Isn't it worth paying $20 a year for a writing instrument that you might actually look *forward* to using rather than the cheap-a55 "keyboards" that manufacturers now try to fob off on a public that neither knows nor cares? Granted, it's not their fault: > The keyboard suddenly became less important around about the time that mice > started being commonly used. Before that, the keyboard was the only day-to-day > input device for almost all computers, and most users were tapping away at the > things a great deal. Keyboards mattered. People cared. There were actually > advertisements in computer magazines in which manufacturers bragged about how > kick-a55 their keyboards were....And when you don't need to use the keyboard > all day, you don't really care how good the 'board is, as long as it doesn't > stop working. So...for the poor/budget-minded (who, me?) I'd like to point out that the Alps mechanical keyswitches that are mentioned in the marketing literature for the Matias Tactile Pro are the exact same ones that Apple used for years in their Extended and Extended II Keyboards. Or any of these keyboards: http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/keybow/Apple.html ...for that matter. So if you'd like that same feel, but don't have the bucks, just get an ADB/USB adapter and use one of these older keyboards. Granted, you may not have the functionality you might have with the MT Pro, but, hey, you can't have everything at the next-to-nothing price point. I guess I'm just saddened by the fact that you now have to make a Special Effort to obtain something that was once so widely available. [sniff] Best, James Fraser -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[email protected]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com
