>In terms of shape and weight, it looks more like the good old >type 5 than the type 6 did.
I have a type 7, 6 and 5 here and what I would say is that I like the 7 best. It's (only) slightly heaver than the type 6 (much lighter than the type 5). The type 5c was about as lightweight as the type 6. The type 7 has a builtin 3-port USB hub (unpowered) including a "hidden" USB socket much like where the type 5 has its mouse connector. >However, I don't think the quality of the plastic or the "feel" >is anywhere near as good. ISTR the old keycaps being two layers >of plastic, with the letters being the inner black layer poking through >matching holes in the outer layer; by contrast, the new keycaps appear >to be merely printed. I think the travel is a bit shallower and the >clear point of resistance when pressing the keys is less crisp than >on the type 5, although perhaps better than the type 6. And the case >quality doesn't compare to the type 5 either. I don't remember ever seeing a keyboard with such a construction (i think I have used type 4/5/5c/6/7) whatever was current with the 3/50, and 3/140 and everything since. I've checked the three keyboards here and they are all printed and the keycaps are all similar and pretty much interchangeable. They can all be removed quite easilyan dshow the same underlying mechanism (a white plastic ssquare thingy with a round center and two diagonally opposing placeholders) >And while a true keyboard power-on may be impossible via USB >(best one could expect would be a wake-up which would still take >some standby power), the other capability of the pre-USB keyboards, >namely a keyclick from the keyboard that could be turned on or off, >remains missing (although I'm having trouble determining if USB >standards describe the control of keyboard audible feedback). Not a feature I'd miss. The older keyboards have a beep, I don't think the type 6 or 7 have them. >Nevertheless it's enough of an improvement on the Type 6 (esp. with the >optical scroll wheel mouse too) that it's tolerable, although it leaves me >with the feeling of getting less than full value for the price. Doesn't it always come with the mouse in a single package? >There's a design for a homebrew Type 4/5 to USB convertor; that'd be >great if I was into building hardware at that level. Unfortunately, I tend >to use a soldering iron better for inadvertent cauterizing than for soldering. I have no great love for the older keyboards they're a bit klunky and really only better at self-defense. Casper _______________________________________________ opensolaris-discuss mailing list opensolaris-discuss@opensolaris.org
