+1 from me. I am completely converted to using the MS "Natural 4000" style of "ergonomic" keyboard (curved, split keyboard but normal 102+ keys), I find it far more comfortable for the large amount of typing I do for work and play.
I tend to wear out the keycaps long before the rest of the keyboard gets old and cranky. Replacement keycap stickers work for a while, but I wear them out too. I'm on my fourth (or maybe fifth?) version of that keyboard, and IMHO the under-US$60 cost is a reasonable amount to pay for my typing comfort. 1.5-2 years is a reasonable ROI for me. I never saw the attraction of "mechanical" keystroke sound and feeling. It never really did anything for me, though I remember it very well from the real-iron 3270 hardware I used. I am told gamers love those sounds and feelings though. Peter -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Steve Smith Sent: Tuesday, July 4, 2023 7:27 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Programming Hardware imho, investing in the tools of my trade is a no-brainer. For us, it's far cheaper than many professions. A mechanical-switch keyboard is worth it, even if it only lasts for a year. (I (so far) haven't ruined one with a spill, and both are going strong after several years. Decent ones can be had for $60-80. Another option is old mechanical-switch keyboards from the '80s... if you happen to have an old IBM PS/2 one laying around, check eBay for how much they're worth. DIN/USB converters are cheap. The one thing Microsoft does well is mouses. Logitech is also good. The ones I use average around $60 each. I usually use wired for the best in precision, and just to avoid battery changes... but it's a fine line, good wireless mouses seem to have imperceptible lag these days. I have a 32" 2K monitor. I didn't really go high-end on that, maybe $500. My paycheck depends on my productivity, and these not only directly help with that, they make me feel better. Quality matters, and compared to the fact that my work takes up 1/3 of my time, 1/2 my energy, and provides my means of living, the costs are trivial. When I have to use a laptop as-is, it's always a grind... maybe half-speed. And that's if I have a mouse handy. If I'm stuck with touchpad/eraserhead, maybe half of that. sas On Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 5:50 PM Bob Bridges <robhbrid...@gmail.com> wrote: > ... > But, oh boy, do I miss tactile feedback! IBM's software is famously > hard to use, but their hardware is reliably exceptional. Heck, I > liked the old Selectrics, too. > > -- This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail and delete the message and any attachments from your system. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
