I’ve been using computers since the early 90′s. Not as long as a lot of people, I know. But one of the first computers we owned was an IBM PC. Either the AT, or the XT, I forget which. But those of you who have used one probably remember the keyboard. It was a tank. It was built to last, and the keys used buckling spring switches, not the modern rubber dome technology.
Those switches were noisy as all get out… but they WORKED. They never wore out, and you /knew/ when you’d hit a key successfully. I miss those keyboards. Modern keyboards just don’t have the same feel, and I’ve wanted it back for a while.
On another front, I’m a self-taught Dvorak typist. I abandoned qwerty years ago, in favor of the much better layout Dvorak offers. I make do with software layout changes, but I’ve always wanted a keyboard that actually used the Dvorak layout internally, and that had the keycaps printed correctly. I’ve also recently started to look at the traditional Linux layouts that swap Caps Lock and Control, putting useless Capslock key out of the way in the corner and making Control much more accessible. It looks like a good plan, and I’d like a keyboard that does it.
In the last year or so, I’ve started hearing about a little company called Unicomp. They’re not very well known yet… at least not by their current name. It turns out, they’re the current owners of the IBM keyboard designs from so many years ago. In fact, they still make them in the same plant, from what I understand. So I started poking around their store, eyeing the keyboards and wishing.
They mention that you can request custom languages, so I got ahold of their support department, and asked if they can do Dvorak layouts. It turns out, they can, though currently only in their PS/2 model keyboards. Apparently, they don’t yet have a customizable USB board. Wierd, but oh well. And they can also swap the Control and Caps Lock keys at the same time, all for only $10 over the regular cost one of their keyboards.
Needless to say, I’m excited. As soon as I have the cash, I plan on buying one of their Customizer 104 keyboards, with buckling springs and my Linux Dvorak layout. If I like it, I’ll probably buy a couple more. One for work, and one for storing at the server colo, so I can have my preferred layout available there as well.
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