Mechanical Keyboard Sound Isn't That Simple
Figure 1: I couldn't think of a more literal way to represent this article if I tried... Looking back just a few years ago, there’s no doubt that the huge influx of people that joined the hobby at the peak of the COVID pandemic were drawn to keyboards by way of YouTube, TikTok, and other audio-visual content platforms. Even as the output from these content creators has waned in recent months, their collective impact and legacy on the keyboard hobby is rather firmly etched in the history books. As a result of all of their sound tests, build logs, and opinion videos, the message is clear to any new person joining the hobby: mechanical keyboards are all about the sound. Thock this, clack that. Whether it’s keyboards, keycaps, or even singular switches, seemingly everyone new to the hobby meticulously pores over each component of their keyboard not in an attempt to figure out how it will feel in hand, but how it will sound as they’re furiously grinding their way out from...
Mar 27, 2024
Admittedly, I'm definitely new Massdrop. And I have almost fallen in love with many drops I've seen here but I'd much prefer an hjkl set. I've recently seen images of the ADM-3A terminal that was used to create the vi text editor and to me they are striking.
After failing to find much history or evidence of hjkl keyboards I thought maybe I'd ask here. Is there something I've missed or are hjkl just not in demand? I've got to believe there are a good number of vi or vim users who would appreciate an hjkl key set. I know I would.