Clicky Keyboards!

Ok, time to accrue some nerd cred. I have recently been using a 'clicky' keyboard purchased from Unicomp. To be precise, it's the Spacesaver 104, which means it's moderately less leviathan than the rest. They have a niche - they sell keyboards based upon the old IBM series M line, which were desirable for any number of reasons. Let's explore some of them:

• Clicky Keys: these keyboards generate the good old-fashioned clickety-clackety you've learned to miss in the office. The technology behind this was developed in the 80's and is called the 'buckling spring'. This means that each button has in it a spring that compresses when the key is pressed and releases with that satisfying sound we all love (including everybody on your floor of the building). There is something very basely affirming about pressing these keys - each keypress is a statement! The modern alternative is called the 'rubber dome', which will be present in the vast majority of the keyboards you'll see these days. A look under the keys of such a keyboard reveals rows of little rubber nipples that, while cheap to manufacture and functional, are inferior in quality to their ancestors. Think Arabica vs. Robusta coffee beans. The main reason for this is

• Ergonomics: the action on this thing is lovely! Your finger feels cushioned very nicely throughout its downward travel, and I notice a significant (!) decrease in the amount of finger, hand and forearm fatigue compared to my crappy previous Dell keyboard. If you spend an hour plus typing at a time (if you're a student, Facebook chatterer, long-distance-email writer or some kind of hacker) you will feel very happy you invested in one of these.

Quite the compact wonder, wouldn't you agree?

• Durability: As old IBM keyboards have proven, these things will easily last for decades. There is a large metal plate upon which these keys sit. This keyboard weighs several pounds, and you could probably hurt someone with it. Just remember to clean them every once in a while!

• Eliteness: the indelible low self-esteem of most geeks requires constant gadget upgrades to ensure their status on the imaginary pecking order. This keyboard will earn you nerd points.

Have I convinced you yet? Here's a link to a far superior article on the subject on Dan's Data: http://www.dansdata.com/clickykeyboards.htm . The length and breadth of appreciation in his writeup is the stuff of which geekdom is made. I, for one, am happy with my purchase and feel no need to go any further into the 'vintage keyboard' market. Peruse for your own Unicomp keyboard at http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/