Keyboard condition Poll

[denisky]

I just want to know which keyboard condition you guys prefer. Please describe the reason as well.

Personally, I like the shiny, heavily used keyboard, because I find that in this condition, I can type faster than a new keyboard . I typed on my dad's 5 years old T41, which had no longer upper matte layer on the buttons, it feels so much better than my 2 years old R51e keyboard. I typed on my friend's T60, it is 1 year old, and the keyboard is still in good condition, but I felt the buttons were not as soft as my R51e and my dad's T41. I think the layer caused my finger to slip when I type. Without it, the buttons become non-slippery.

[Trekk69]

I simply like the full keyboard layout on my X61T. I'd take a nice worn keyboard.

[gator]

Strange as this poll sounds, I actually agree with the OP. The shine that develops on the thinkpad keyboards makes them nicer. I have a well worn 600X and I love the keyboard, and part of the liking is because it is shiny.

[bobbarker]

For me, at least if a KB is shiny it means I liked the computer enough to keep it that long, so I pick shiny. The best part is how your thumb leaves one part of the spacebar shiny but the rest brand new.

[ryengineer]

For me the shine feels good on older thinkpads only; I have an IBM 701c and it's keys have minor shine which has slightly soften and moisten the keys, thus the shine has made the whole typing experience second to none, at least for me.

However, I can't bear shine on newer thinkpad keyboards.

[gator]

For me the shine feels good on older thinkpads only; I have an IBM 701c and it's keys have minor shine which has slightly soften and moisten the keys, thus the shine has made the whole typing experience second to none, at least for me.

However, I can't bear shine on newer thinkpad keyboards.

my feelings exactly!

[ajkula66]

I'm actually somewhere in the middle...don't mind the shine, but don't like it too worn...

[bobdsmith]

I like it decently worn...not worn through, but just to give the appearance that this is a working machine. for example, the coating on the sides of my lid has worn throw to smooth black, and some corners the silver allow is poking through. Same with the customer access panel (for ram, etc)..worn away matte, aluminium poking through.

*shrug bomber jackets look better after someone puts it between a concrete wall and a car doing 45 mph than new

I use my TP heavy dutily...it shouldnt look like a pink cupcake, imo.

[kunfuchopsticks]

I really like the click click aspect of the keys. On my VAIO the keys just presses with no click- not so satisfying.


On older regular keyboard for PCs, I noticed the clicking develop only after a long time- new keyboard don't click. I have a 6 year old Dell keyboard that clicks- i love it.

[bobdsmith]

I really like the click click aspect of the keys. On my VAIO the keys just presses with no click- not so satisfying.


On older regular keyboard for PCs, I noticed the clicking develop only after a long time- new keyboard don't click. I have a 6 year old Dell keyboard that clicks- i love it.

Have you ever seen the typewriter/USB keyboard hack? Apearantly you can wire a US keyboard to use a typewriter. You might enjoy this, if you can get an old typewriter with keys that go up and down and a cheap usb keyboard.

I'm actually thinking of dropping a couple hundred bucks for an IBM WheelWriter (1980s electric typewriter...think of it as ThinkPad senior) because I love the click feel when you type.


Smooth keyboard---the signs of wear indicate that the machine is designed for work and is not a toy. Kind of like a beat up bomber jacket, or construction equipment.

[AlphaKilo470]

Usually I dislike the shine. However, there was one odd case where I bought a 380D from a forum member (MadeInJapan) where the keys were so worn and shiny it actually looked as if it left the factory that way; as if it was supposed to have shiny keys. It actually looked good and the keyboard itself was incredibly comfortable.

In honesty, it's not a shiny keyboard that bothers me... It's a shiny palm rest. I used to have a T21 with this big shiny spot on the palm rest and the rest was matte and it looked so wierd. In that regard, I really wish Lenovo would bring back the rubberized palm rest (read: 600, X20, 770, 760). Aside from being incredibly comfortable for me, I thought the rubberized coating helped to keep the computer look new longer if treated right.

[AIX]

Give me the Matte, brand new keyboard!

[sarbin]

i've got one of each...
my a31p is a workhorse and has developed ome shine, but none of the letters have worn off.
my t43 has a new, matte keyboard and i like it too. new is nice!

[Temetka]

I prefer matte keyboards.

The shine makes my fingers slip sometimes and as such that KB usually gets pulled, sold and replaced.

[chrisbovee]

My only experience with notebooks has been with Macs (G3s and G4s) and the thing I like best about the feel of ThinkPads so far is the keyboard. It really feels like fine machinery (yes, machinery)to me and I really hated the feel of the Mac keyboards I've played with and thought the Macs felt cheap wimpy, sorry but it's the truth.
My T23 keypad is fairly shiny and at first that bothered me a little (some one else's vibes and germs?)but now that I have cleaned and condition it a bit with my shine and my wear I really love it. I don't like the matte feel on the lessor used keys as much.
I still wonder about one particular key that is the most worn and not one of the ones most likely one to be so, at least in my mind. I'll have to come up with a fanciful and lovely story for it as I'm not likely to find the original user from the corporate environment I presume it came from. Could have been a poet or writer of good love letters though.
T23 XP pro SP3
T22 2K pro SP4...someday Linux!
a bunch of crappy desktops XP home SP3
Chrissie

[denisky]

I completely agree with you guys who prefer shiny keyboards. It reminds me with '62 vintage Fender Jazz bass, which use old woods for its body and neck. The older the woods, the better it sounds (sings).

[dsigma6]

Love the used keyboard feel. Most things are better when they're broken in.

[Miller88]

I prefer the new keyboard feeling really. When laptop keyboards get too old, they really loose feedback. If I had kept my thinkpad, I would have bought a new keyboard for it.

I ABSOLUTELY HATE disgusting keyboards that haven't been cleaned in years.

[pphilipko]

I prefer the new keyboard feeling really. When laptop keyboards get too old, they really loose feedback. If I had kept my thinkpad, I would have bought a new keyboard for it.

I ABSOLUTELY HATE disgusting keyboards that haven't been cleaned in years.

As long as it's been cleaned carefully, I really do prefer the shiny keyboards. It has a nice rubbery grip, yet smooth enough to type quickly.

Shiny does NOT equal dirty.

[ThinkPad R]

It's a strange poll. I like to treat old keyboards as antiquity, as long as they work. In that sense, I do like old keyboards, but I would prefer new key boards over the old ones any day.

And.... shiny does equal dirty.... to a certain extent.