I feel like a perv, but I love the mushy soft travel of membrane keyboards. I have four Logitech G11-s for all my devices - the 3x18 extra keys are also great - they go strong since 15 years.
The feats of mechanical do appeal tho, and I fear what happens when they broke - but none of the switches could come close to this typing experience, and all I tried were way too loud.
Honestly credit for knowing what you like and not caving to hype/peer pressure. Membranes get a really bad rap, but if that's your groove then power to you.
Hah! I know a guy who has a literal stockpile of the black wired Microsoft ergonomic keyboards. I only found out because I too love this keyboard and we both think the obsessing over MKs is silly
Same I stocked up on Microsoft curve 2000 because these have great response, are quite firm and still have a long travel.
When they went out of production I stockpiles four and I'm on my last pair (home and office)
I had a mechanical keyboard before these were fashionable, but are honestly too loud to use in a shared environment without feeling like amasshole.
Oh and there's also the fact that cherry stuff have ludicrous prices for what what they are and what marginal improvement they offer. Heck, most of them are still in the straight slab form factor, it's clear they mostly appeal to nostalgia and not actual ergonomics.
Some of us are too young (not that young…) to have stocked up on older Microsoft/Logitech ergonomic keyboards. I didn't realize mine would eventually wear out; by the time it did they were no longer available.
The options I found were
- something with laptop-style keys, which I find very uncomfortable to type on (I borrowed an MS Sculpt for a day)
- a split, membrane keyboard, which (from reviews) often seemed lacking in build quality
- a split, mechanical keyboard, either manufactured or as a DIY kit, and either a standard layout or something "weird".
I chose the third option. It was easy enough to ignore everything covered in LEDs or with loud switches. I chose to assemble a kit, as I hadn't done any electronics for years.
A month later I saw a Kinesis Advantage II visiting an office. That looked like a very good option too. I would probably have chosen that, if I'd seen it myself before deciding.
(I also checked with my colleagues, and no-one is bothered by the sound -- it's within the range of all the other "normal" keyboards in the room.)
> it's clear they mostly appeal to nostalgia and not actual ergonomics
There's no objective criteria what's ergonomic, different people have different opinions.
Once upon a time, I found a new job where people were using some MS ergonomic keyboards. I tried to adopt for a month or so, then I asked for another keyboard, with traditional form factor.
Nonsense, the amount of wirst bending to move sideways across a straight keyboard is a known finite quantity, not some exoteric 'nobody knows really' thing. Just because you don't feel it, doesn't mean the strain isn't there
I do agree however that some of the ms ergonomic keyboard went far too overboard with the concept to the point of being unusable. (I.e. those with the keyboard split in the middle instead of gently curving all the way across)
But the good one are are way better than the straight slab.
> the amount of wirst bending to move sideways across a straight keyboard is a known finite quantity
That amount is not a universal constant. I have large hands with long fingers, and I’ve played piano when I was a teenager. I don’t bend wrists to type stuff, at least when using furniture which suits me, and a full-sized desktop keyboard.
Those were my keyboard of choice too! Bought a few when the industry seemed to think the home/delete/insert/page-up/down/end island needed a reshuffling.
Second the Cloud 9, had been seaching for something like it for a (very) long time. I was a MS 4k user for decade +. There are some issue with it, but so far I'm still on board. The massive space I can spread left/right completely changes my shoulder posture, which is good for me, question will be wether changes impact my fingers (more pressure required I think?!). I find the key feel a little variable, enter key stabilizer bar in particular I'll have to grease if I was actually into that (am not), and some keys feel very slightly softer than others, but not distractingly so.
It's also super macro-able with Karabiner, far more than 4k on Mac, if you're into that.
As someone who loves mechanical keyboards - there are many good membrane keyboards out there, if I had to use a membrane that would be Lenovo Preferred. They are a joy to type on.
I like both. I love the feel of my (former) 2015 MacBook Air membrane keyboard, and I love the feel of my Cherry MX Browns. Both of them are unique in their own ways and suitable for some things.
The feats of mechanical do appeal tho, and I fear what happens when they broke - but none of the switches could come close to this typing experience, and all I tried were way too loud.