Weird Keyboards

Really Weird Person · April 05, 2006, 05:02:55

You know what's really weird. 2 things that I have.

!. A virtually indestructible keyboard
@. A keyboard without a num pad

I have a really weird keyboard called "The Virtually Indestructible Keyboard". It is the 85-key version, so it does not have a num pad. GrandTec (the company that makes the keyboard) makes a 109-key version of the same keyboard, & it does have a num pad.

DavidN · April 05, 2006, 09:06:48

You also have a three and a half of clubs, which is pretty weird. What makes the keyboard virtually indestructable?

My laptop has a Dvorak keyboard, a layout that's been developing something of a cult following recently. I always meant to learn to type on it, but never got round to it.

Really Weird Person · April 05, 2006, 11:40:48

It is made of a silicone-based rubber; therefore, it is water resistant. It can also be rolled up for easy portability. What makes it not have a num pad? The way GrandTec designed it (without 1) does that. I know that you did not ask that question, but I through it in there just for the fun of it.

speed-goddamn-focus · April 05, 2006, 13:05:46

Wasn't the Titanic virtually indestructible? Can your keyboard handle icebergs? :wink:

Really Weird Person · April 06, 2006, 00:17:38

That is a good 1. :lol: I do not know if it can handle those if I threw it into 1. I do know that it can handle wetness, however.

DavidN · April 06, 2006, 09:46:26

I found this page on it, and it looks pretty interesting: http://www.grandtec.com/vik.htm

But how is it for typing? I remember the days of trying to type on a rubber Spectrum keyboard, which was appalling - are the keys touch-sensitive or do they need to be physically pressed down?

Really Weird Person · April 06, 2006, 11:52:57

Did you notice that there are 4 (the 2 models of the normal keyboard (black (85-key & 109-key versions (I have the 85-key version.))), the GloType, & the MediKeys keyboards). They also say something on their site about something called "The Virtually Indestructible Mouse", but I have never seen it say anything other than "Pre-order today". The siite says that it was supposed to be released last moth (unless they mean March of next year), but it still said pre-order last time I checked. BTW, Did you receive the song (Strangestest (2).it)? The main thing that I am finding annoying about this keyboard is the fact that my arrows (or their functions (I have not seen both quit working yet. It has just been 1 or the other so far.)) quit working sometimes. Right now the Home function does not work. To fix that I just unplug the keyboard, then plug it back into 1 of the USB ports on my computer. I will do that right now. My keyboard just rebuilt its home now (meaning the Home function works now).

Waxhead · April 06, 2006, 17:26:19

While talking about keyboards... I would really like to have a keyboard where each key light up when you hit it (unlike backlit keyboards). If anyone know of such a keyboard let me know

qbg · April 07, 2006, 01:35:33

Quote from: "Wong"
My laptop has a Dvorak keyboard, a layout that's been developing something of a cult following recently. I always meant to learn to type on it, but never got round to it.

I only type using a Dvorak layout. (Have used very little QWERTY for a long time) I map the layout on my laptop (it has a QWERTY layout) using software that is included with every major OS...

Really Weird Person · April 07, 2006, 04:30:41

DVORAK? That is french isn't it? Or is it Spanish? I do not think that it is Spanish. I think that it is French. Maybe it is neirther of those languages. So basically, you would not like GrandTec's GloType 1, huh? I think that, that 1 has a backlight. I do not know of any keyboards that have keys that light up when you hit them (except the 1 in Typer Shark, but that is a game, so that does not count). I use the QWERTY layoout, BTW (the American QWERTY layout). There are several languages that use a QWERTY layout for their keyboards, but the symbols (shift + the numbers) (the home row 1's) (especially noticable with the 6) are slightly different.

DavidN · April 07, 2006, 08:34:00

Dvorak isn't a country-specific keyboard, but was developed to allow faster typing speeds. Even though it doesn't seem like it because we're all used to it, the familiar QWERTY keyboard is a fairly insane layout as far as ease of typing goes, and this layout was intended to replace it but never became too popular.

I wrote an article about this at http://wongchungbang.livejournal.com/145003.html , which is terribly exciting as you can imagine. It includes a couple of links to truly mad keyboards.

Really Weird Person · April 07, 2006, 23:11:14

Wow! That's winteresting (weird & interesting mixed together)! That looks like it would definately take some getting used to. I also noticed that all of the vowels were in the middle row where the A, S, F, G, & H keys are.

qbg · April 08, 2006, 14:04:46

Quote from: "Really Weird Person"Wow! That's winteresting (weird & interesting mixed together)! That looks like it would definately take some getting used to. I also noticed that all of the vowels were in the middle row where the A, S, F, G, & H keys are.

It was quick to learn actually.

http://dvzine.org is site to check out if you want to learn more about the dvorak keyboard.

Really Weird Person · April 08, 2006, 22:53:52

Wow! The DVORAK layout is weird. It is kind of hard too. That is probably because I am used to the QWERTY layout, though.

Really Weird Person · April 09, 2006, 04:18:52

I wonder where the symbol above # choices came from. Do you know that? By symbols I mean the following items.

1 = ! 2 = @ 3 = # 4 = $ 5 = % 6 = ^ 7 = & 8 = * 9 = ( 0 = )