Can I buy mechanical keyboards locally?

[slackerinabox]

I hate my mushy microsoft keyboard and am looking for a mechanical one- any national retailed (best buy, circuit city, compusa) carry any? Any brands to look for? I've tried but the keyboards are not really labeled MECHANICAL or not.. NewEgg has one for $24 shipped but I'd rather pick one up locally... I really hate that almost all keyboards are membrane based now!

 

[Spac3d]

You mean like a typewriter?

 

[Booster]

Cherry G80 series are fully mechanical keyboards, IIRC. They go for $50 or so.

 

[Schadenfroh]

you mean an IBM/Lexmark model M?

 

[MichaelD]

What's a "mechanical keyboard?" Like the "clackety-clack" kind? Why on earth would you want a keyboard that sounds like a thousand mice wearing wooden clogs tap dancing on an aluminum sheet, when you type?

Are you hearing-impaired?

 

[Azraele]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
What's a "mechanical keyboard?" Like the "clackety-clack" kind? Why on earth would you want a keyboard that sounds like a thousand mice wearing wooden clogs tap dancing on an aluminum sheet, when you type?

Are you hearing-impaired?

I prefer the soft type myself.

Some people do like a good crisp click clack though I guess.

 

[Booster]

AFAIC, mechanical keyboards are used mostly in businesses where employees type all day long, you have an idea. Even a fairly decent membrane keyboard will last maybe just a few months of heavy use, then one or two keys don't work, then it craps out completely. I don't think anyone would want it since it's much louder than a membrane one, and lots more expensive.

 

[Monel Funkawitz]

I wouldn't mind getting a good microswitch/clackety keyboard myself.

 

[jlee]

I have an old(ish) IBM keyboard..the thing is built like a tank.

 

[dman]

I've got a bunch of IBM PS/2 style keyboards (The old, solid ones). I prefer the ones without the click sounds, which I'm using right now, only because it doesn't annoy anyone to hear my machine gun typing sounds coming from across the way.

Anyway, check out goodwill or salvation army or other types of thrift/charity stores. I've seen a few keyboards for dirt cheap that are still good, I'd have bought some but mine still work fine.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
What's a "mechanical keyboard?" Like the "clackety-clack" kind? Why on earth would you want a keyboard that sounds like a thousand mice wearing wooden clogs tap dancing on an aluminum sheet, when you type?

Are you hearing-impaired?

I love my original-style IBM keyboard. My fingers *always* know when they've hit a key and I can type much faster on this than any spongey keyboard.

Visit swap meets and look for true-blue IBM keyboards. Or go to http://www.pckeyboard.com and order from the factory that bought the rights to continue manufacturing 'em.