What is SpaceFN and why you should give it a try
The SpaceFN concept - setting up your space key as a layer switch when held - is probably one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby. Let me explain how it works. My SpaceFN article on kbd.news made some rounds recently - quite surprisingly given the age of this concept. This piece you're reading is a condensed version of the full post. If you're left with unanswered questions, you'll most likely find the info you're looking for in the original write-up. On my imaginary top list of the most useful keyboard features, tweaks and hacks, SpaceFN would deserve a podium finish for sure. But what makes it so special? In short: SpaceFN is easy to implement, easy to learn, costs nothing, can be used with any keyboard, and can improve your productivity instantly. I will list its benefits below, but can state right at this point that the SpaceFN concept, setting up your space key as a layer switch when held, is clearly one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby....
Apr 30, 2024
And yea I agree with that statement about the faceplate, it makes any keyboard feel and sound better. Also, switches I am using are Outemu blues.
While you can compare different cherry switches to each other, I'm a gateron fan if I must go there; it's just not fair to compare them to proper switches as they are in a different league. It's like comparing the pleasure you get from driving a Toyota Corolla to an E-type Jag; yes, you can fit more shopping in it, yes, it's cheaper and it fits more people - but seriously, it's not a fair comparison. Cherries are linear switches that had tactility and click kludged onto them to compete with the predominant Alps designs of the time; they survived the mech switch holocaust of the 90s, because they were cheap enough to produce, they could compete with membranes on cost while offering a significantly better experience than them. But, there are few other mechanical designs that don't wipe the floor with them.
The unicomp might not be as nice as some early model Ms, it's still much much better than cherry switches; you get 90% of the model M experience with N key rollover plus USB compatibility straight out of the box - no need to get a socket set and soldering iron to make it work.
If you are into keyboards, you should at least experience the model M for a while, it's the baseline that all others refrence from.
PS - you can get very nice APL keycap set from unicomps website.
Here's my Unicomp. It's my backup. My favorite keyboard ever was a Matias with white ALPS switches. But I still had to change out the keycaps for a better bottom-out. The thing is, I've gone through two of them already. The big keys failed and I couldn't find anyone to repair them. The thing about fingers sliding: I prop my keyboard at a high angle so I'm not connecting squarely with the keys. The smoother the keys, the less accurate -- for me.