> Whoa!

When I first stumbled upon geekhack, and the Keyboard enthusiasts I had the same feeling.  But beware, getting a mechanical is like getting a tattoo.  You'll probably justify one, only later to find that you have a selection.  Twelve months down the line, you'll be reaching for some solder.

It's worth investing in a chair, keyboard and monitor.  I think they might save you from later problems.

I have tried two sessions 1hour each back to back with and without mechanical keyboard for comparison and found out that with a mechanical keyboard, I can add 10wpm to my speed.

How about you guys? (and gals :-)

Yeah... the "noisy" ones with tactile feedback (Buckling Springs, Cherry MX Blue...) seem like the ones I'd be most interested in.  The browns don't seem bad either from what I read, since they still produce feedback and require less force.  A keyboard with the Dvorak layout (Unicomp allows ordering with it) or completely blank keys (Das Keyboard) seem to be my most likely first choices.

I'm not so sure I see the point in the Cherry MX Black and Red... seems to me like a linear switch would be only slightly better that the typical membrane/rubber dome keyboard.  No doubt they would have their uses, though... maybe the weight of the Blacks would make them superior for learning a new layout, since more force required would probably translate to fewer mistakes/accidental key presses?  In that case, I still think the lack of tactile feedback would be its main drawback.

The Alps switches seem interesting too, but I wouldn't even know where to start with them.  There seems to be no reliable way to distinguish between them even by color (from what I read there seems to be no clear and consistent color coding), and there's less information in general.  Not to mention, they seem to be used more rarely in commercial keyboards.

It would be awesome to achieve more words per minute with mechanical key switches... it sounds hard to believe that it would be possible, but yet the affirmative sound and "kickback" of the keys, I would assume, would trigger the brain to immediately go for the next key with practice.  So it doesn't sound too far fetched.  My only problem is... I've only ever used cheap rubber domes, so I don't know how much training it would take to get used to the feel and not bottom out every (or every other) key.

I can't argue with your "piano-black plastic" comment, honestly.  While I really like black electronics, I am no fan of the smudge-, smear-, and dust-magnet shiny finish that is unfortunately so common today, no thanks at all to Apple for this disgrace.  Drives me especially nuts on screens (and portable systems and devices)... I'm glad my monitor has a matte finish!  That said, occasionally I will take a quick break from typing and when I start back up again I will look down at the board for a second just to make sure my hands are both positioned correctly.  Occasionally I will subconsciously look at the letters printed on the next key or two, and unknowingly enter the QWERTY letter for the first key press... so a good keyboard with no markings sounds like it could have some real use.

Also, I still intend to give Colemak a try at some point and plan to use it as my secondary layout, and for the above-mentioned reason a blank keyboard would probably be the best bet (at least once I've got the basic layout down).  Especially if I intend to be switching between two layouts occasionally, I figure there would be some use in avoiding that confusion.  The only problem is, I would have to remember the symbols on the top row... because I never even tried to.  They're just too much of a pain to reach accurately (and I even have long fingers), so I don't even press them the proper touch-typing way... but I guess it's not too late to try to start.

I believe that's how I got RSI.

Kinesis ships anywhere, I think. I recently bought a Freeestyle for my wife, got it in 4 days (Europe). Otherwise, I bought my Advantage on amazon.co.uk. If I were to buy one today, I'd write Kinesis and ask if they could make me one with blue switches. By the way, the standard Kinesis Advantage can be programmed to make a tiny beep whenever a key activates. I use that; it really helps not bottoming out.

@innovine: I'm still working on not bottoming out the thumbs. It's really difficult. I don't have problems with thumbs, though, so I don't lose sleep over it. I've seen people complain on the internet that the Kinesis thumb keys are too high, straining your thumbs. Maltron should be better. Maybe get that, or a foot pedal to unload your thumbs?

I actually just ordered the 3-way pedal myself. I'll post a review later if anyone is interested?

OMG, I had that disabled before I had typed 20 characters... cant stand it!

I'd be very curious to hear about the foot controller, please give a review when you've had a chance to test it.

Yes, interested!  I wonder whether foot-hand coordination will be precise and quick enough for typing.

It really depends on where you live. If you live in America you can get the Das keyboard for a very reasonable price. If you live in Europe you will have to pay much more for it due to the shipping fees. Therefore if you are in Europe it would be cheaper to buy a Cherry keyboard for example since they are made in Europe. You could probably get really cheap Filco's if you live in Asia. So where you live might greatly influence your BRAND choice. However most mechanical keyboard use the same kind of switches - Cherry MX switches. The most important thing is to select what switch you wan't and simply what you use your keyboard mainly for:

Typing (Noisy): Blue, also my favorite
Typing (Silent): Brown
Typing (Heavy touch): Clear
Gaming(Light touch): Red
Gaming(Heavy touch): Black

As for the Kinesis Advantage it is an amazing keyboard non the less, but you will find yourself handicapped (horrible feeling) when you sit on a normal ISO/ANSI keyboard.

Another option is Realforce keyboards, which come along with Topre capacitive spring switch. It's tactile, good for typing, and quieter than Cherry brown and red switch.

Their price is quite expensive, around 300USD.

I agree with not going 100% tenkeyless--which is why if I did get such a keyboard, I would also have to get separate numpad.  I could imagine some definite advantages with having the mouse closer to the main keyboard, and a separate numeric keypad further to the right and pushed out of the way until it's needed.

Anyway... I have since found one keyboard using Cherry MX Clear (alternately Cherry MX Black) switches... and it's an expensive, fully-backlit board meant especially for gaming: the Deck Legend.  That thing lights up like a Christmas tree, but some of the colors do look pretty cool.  Heh.

No, I was always more of a console gamer and a Nintendo/SEGA fan, and on those rare times I play a PC game it is usually either from the DOS era (ie. Duke Nukem 3D, Wolfenstein 3-D, the DOOM series, Epic Pinball, etc.) or some flight simulator.  There are some exceptions, but lately that's all I really care about.

If I had to, I would eventually get a board with special switches just for gaming.  But... PC gaming is such a low priority for me that I wouldn't feel the need to for quite a while, so it's not like I would have to plop down a couple hundred bucks on two keyboards overnight just to be satisfied.  Typing is my primary use.  But it wouldn't hurt to start thinking about the gaming options for when I am interested in buying a new keyboard specifically for gaming.

I wish there was a store or some other place around here that had demo keyboards of the various switch types available on display for a direct comparison... but, can't get that lucky.

I agree with pinkyache about backlight being useless if you touch type, since it just dis-concentrates you from the screen. If you don't touch type then you  shouldn't get one either since you should learn to touch type and not look at the keys. As for the NumPad, depends on whether you use it or not. I personally find it very nice to bind many of my controls to them in games (like say flight simulator) since they provide a very intuitive setting.

UltraZelda64 if you don't game, then get cherry blues or browns. Difference is that blues are a bit more tactile, slight stiffer and click when they go trough the actuation point. You should be able to try out a steel series 6gv2 and the razer blackwidow (both marketed as gaming hardware) trough the holes in the case in your local tech/game store. They have those pretty much anywhere.  You can get a feel of the tactile switches from the black widow and a feel of the linear ones from the 6gv2. See which you like better and whether you like the sound of the blues. Then you can proceed to choosing.

General note of advice: If something is marketed as gaming, it is not good for gaming. :)
If you are looking for quality in America you have 2 good choices: The DAS or a Filco which is more expensive.

Edit:The happy hacking and the topre keyboards I have no experience with. They have many good reviews, but they are crazy expensive as well. + they are not really mechanical switches.