I worked at a company that gave people generous leeway to purchase computer gear they wanted.
We already had good computers and monitors, so fancy mechanical keyboards were the #1 purchase for most people. The mechanical keyboard fans nerded out over different switches and other hardware, spending countless hours doing research and trying out different types of keys.
And then slowly nearly everyone went back to regular old keyboards. There were a few die-hards who stuck to the mechanical keyboards, but most people eventually realized that the mechanical keyboard experience didn't really live up to the mechanical keyboard hype.
Some people love them, but the narrative that mechanical keyboards are objectively superior has gotten out of hand in recent years. In my experience, the average programmer doesn't really enjoy heavy mechanical keyboards over the long run.
(And before I get buried in comments that we weren't using the "right" switches or keys or whatever, trust me when I say that the office went through a lot of different variations and there was a lot of trading around)
I tried dozens of switches, key caps and layouts over the years. Soldering my own switches, trying different materials to soften the sound for the perfect “thocc”
It was/is a fun hobby but over time I grew out of it and now I am happy with a simple low profile keyboard.
My favourites (in no particular order) are: Apple Magic Keyboard with Numpad, Microsoft Surface keyboards, and the Logitech MX Keys.
I also used to really like the old Microsoft natural keyboards many, many years ago
Interestingly (to me anyway) is that even though I am British I have grown to prefer a US (ANSI) layout over an ISO layout. Not really sure why though if I am honest.
Buckled spring is about as mechanical as it gets though. I really hated those back in the day because of the clangy noise and the heavy resistance.
At the time I thought it was made to appeal to the tastes is mechanical typewriter users who were still very common in those days. I just had a cheap BTC foam-foil one which was really nice actually but did need a full take-apart and clean every year or so. But the touchwas so much lighter than the model Ms at my dad's work.
They feel very different than a Selectric I/II, but the Selectric III uses a similar keyboard action. A manual typewriter feels very very different (and is impossible for me to use, as someone who is a key pounder at times - like my cube mates could tell when I was writing an angry email by how my keyboard sounded, lol)
Some folks like to make a technical argument that no, it's not; the buckling spring on a model m keyboard isn't what actuates the keys on the Model M and similar keyboards; instead, the springs are mounted on top of a fairly traditional keyboard membrane layer, and it's the membrane layer that acts as the "switch".
So there are mechanical components and it mostly feels mechanical, but there's a membrane underneath it all that's what actually triggers the key presses.
It's kind of a pedantic argument, I guess? But they do say that "technically correct is the best kind of correct", so YMMV.
Sort of? they feel like different beasts, and both literally and functionally are different beasts.
It feels very very different than a mechanical key switch, to the extent that I love Model M's, but I'm generally meh about mechanical key switches (not enough auditory or physical feedback), a really good rubber dome keyboard is preferable to me over a mechanical key switch keyboard.
With a Model M, I type less harshly than on any other kind of keyboard, and thats because the keyboard gives me an auditory and physical feedback as soon as the keypress registers (back pressure rises right up to the trigger point, then it drops again after and then rises again right to the bottom out point). I regularly will bottom out a mechanical keyswitch keyboard, I never do on a Model M, and only occasionally do so on a rubber dome (it depends on the keyboard).
I've used enough mechanical key switch keyboard that have issues with key switches binding up, that I dont care for them, I shouldnt need to worry about lubricating my keyboard ;-)
I have an HHKB, but I think it's mostly fun (and I guess fashion?)
It's fun to nerd out about tools and play with them. There aren't a lot of ways you can customize standard hardware and keyboards are an easy case for all sorts of little things, different colors, etc. and you use it all of the time.
I don't think a lot of the details around key types matter in any serious way, but it's a fun computer related peripheral to play with.
As other posters mentioned, the recent "mechanical keyboard" subculture is all about show and boasting. It's not a surprise it seem to have boomed with gaming rigs and streaming channels.
The keyboard in these circles is all about status, not function.
If anything, I would compare it to "dubious" car mods like "cambered wheels".
Due to RSI I tried dozens of keyboards over the years. When I see these new keyboards being sold at these prices, especially the mechanical ones marketed with "improved layouts" and ergonomics, I have to laugh.
There's genuine difference between the various switch types, and I totally believe that for some people the acoustic feedback can be a valid alternative to the haptic one. Physical feedback while typing can really help. However it's clear to me most of these people are not really trying to solve an issue when you see reviews of switching performance after lubing...
>Due to RSI I tried dozens of keyboards over the years. When I see these new keyboards being sold at these prices, especially the mechanical ones marketed with "improved layouts" and ergonomics, I have to laugh.
If you haven't got to the opensource crowd of the mechanical keyboard world yet, you should. Ergonomic is one of the problems that people are trying to solve, and their solutions are opensource.
Oh I'm fully aware. This scene has been going on far longer than the current wave of mechanical keyboard craze (and it often doesn't emphasize switches as much either). I consider the two groups completely distinct.
MK are all hype (I own a Keycron and use a Fnatic gaming kb as daily work kb) but I would pay to have the feel of good old 20 years old rubber cheap keyboards again.
Layout and ergonomics are much more important than switches, my dream is to have a kinesis advantage with blue switches, but until then I much prefer my advantage over my regular keyboard with blue switches.
We already had good computers and monitors, so fancy mechanical keyboards were the #1 purchase for most people. The mechanical keyboard fans nerded out over different switches and other hardware, spending countless hours doing research and trying out different types of keys.
And then slowly nearly everyone went back to regular old keyboards. There were a few die-hards who stuck to the mechanical keyboards, but most people eventually realized that the mechanical keyboard experience didn't really live up to the mechanical keyboard hype.
Some people love them, but the narrative that mechanical keyboards are objectively superior has gotten out of hand in recent years. In my experience, the average programmer doesn't really enjoy heavy mechanical keyboards over the long run.
(And before I get buried in comments that we weren't using the "right" switches or keys or whatever, trust me when I say that the office went through a lot of different variations and there was a lot of trading around)