Maybe it depends on the switches.

What kind of switches does it have?

@steve blues
@MW maybe a scissor keyboard (apple style or suchlike) is the answer? Nah - I don't think so actually, I think I'll stick with the line that rubber-domes are actually fit for purpose.. they are 'good enough'

@MW to a certain extent it could simply be a case of 'what I'm used to', maybe 3 months is too short, but in that time, my WPM has become pretty much equivalent on both types.

I have a suspicion that I don't actually like the noise, I'm sensitive to that sort of thing, can't work with any noise present or music on

It could also be the minila is a little cramped, though I think the actual key spacing is the same, albeit theres fewer of them

In mech area you may experiment with different types of switches, they feel very differently as you type on them. I found out that I like both linear switches and tactile and prefer one or other depending of my mood,and I do not like clicky switches. All rubber domes are the same. I mean the budget mass-production rubber domes. They all have hard bottoming which I found unpleasant. You can change keycaps for your mechanical but not for rubber dome. Even if not making that a hobby, I believe that mech keyboard is a good tool to use daily.

@bph You should use what you feel confortable with. I used to absolutely love the old Macbook Pro keyboard, which I think is supposed to have a short travelling distance. And I think
that's what I love about it. I loved it so much that I got an apple keyboard (for desktop) which was basically exactly the same. However I started getting pains in my wrist to I switch to Kinesis Advantage. The KA uses Cherry MX swtiches which are supposed to be among the best. At the time I still prefered the feeling of the MPB. Having said that, the KA is good (I mean the switchest) and still works like a charm after more than 6 years of daily use. Now, I have Thinkpad laptop and the keyboard is great (IMO).

I have both (a Thinkpad and Cherry MX browns on my KA) and I think I prefer the feel of the Thinkpad keys. I like that the key actually stops and the feel of it.
With the KA I don't use the full travelling distance (which is too long to fully reach the bottom) and stop pressing just past the "click". I guess that's how it's intended to be used.

Note that I am only talking about the feeling of the keys not the overall keyboard. Overall, the KA is vastly superior (as it gives a wide/angle layout for free, and more ...)

PS: I have been typing this reply using both keyboard and in fact, I'm not even sure which one I prefer. I think they are just both great ;-)

Your last post is indeed the right interpretation as I've understood it  – above I used the word "mechanics". The one before seems like straw man argumentation? Who is the "you" that assigns these attributes to mechanical switches in general – and is this assignment so strong as to approach definition, as you seem to be suggesting?

Certainly, some mechanical keyboard enthusiasts will throw out statements about the genre. Mostly, I see those as "there exist A with attribute B" rather than "all A have attribute B" statements. ;-)

Reading /r/mk I see that "mechanical keyboards" and accompanying them attributes are collector items at first, having a collector items prices. The most prominent example is artisan keycaps.

i've got some o-rings on their way to try out

haven't arrived yet though

are you saying your not so keen on blues?

I'd be interested to know too..

I noticed you can get an apple scissor switch keyboard for not too many bucks (about £20 2nd hand) - might be quite a nice option?

Although I have claimed to like the clickety-clackety in the past, I'm now starting to think it irritates me

Potentially quiet is good?

I could do with popping into the keyboardco.com at some point and trying a whole bunch of stuff at once

haha - just read this -> https://www.pcgamesn.com/mechanical-key … o-anything

I don't feel that I belong in any of your types?
• I don't want to be heard, so I'm not getting a keyboard because it's showy!
• Also, I'm not a typing brute who want to mash. Ugh.
• I don't need to be completely silent either. Silence is fine, but no main attraction to me.
• I abhor typing on a flat surface, because I want tactile feedback. I like physical keys.

Where in your scheme does that put me? I know you said it's an oversimplification and all that, but isn't it somewhat of an artificial scheme?