Homer wrote:
Verily I say unto thee, that Gregory Shearman spake thusly:
On 2009-02-07, Homer <usenet@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
What are Microsoft *really* good at?
[...]
Did I miss anything?
I just bought a new Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse. It is an
excellent product and what I've come to expect from Microsoft
keyboards and mice.
They should stick to making keyboards and mice.
I heard (from Chris, IIRC) that the lettering on the keys wears off
easily, on the newer MS keyboards. But anyway, AFAIAC /all/ membrane
keyboards are crap, regardless of who manufactures them.
Personally, I'd rather have one of these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard
Newer models (design now owned by Unicomp):
http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net
Originals still available:
http://www.clickykeyboards.com
They do a Linux model too:
http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/linux101.html
Meanwhile, Microsoft apparently do an *anti*-Linux keyboard:
[quote]
Have you gone keyboard shopping lately? Microsoft are a big player in
this space, but have you seen what they've started to do with the INSERT
key?
Either they find INSERT an affront to humanity, or they are trying to
make life hard for the Linux community because they have relegated the
INSERT key on their newest keyboards to an ALT position on the PrtScn /
SysRq key.
For those who don't know why this matters, think about the linux / unix
terminal. Want to copy something? You can't use CTRL-C because that
sends and escape command, so you you use CTRL-INSERT instead.. Well I
don't even know HOW to do that on a new Micrsoft keyboard.
[/quote]
http://linuxscorecard.blogspot.com/2007/11/microsoft-anti-linux-keyboard.html
I also found this comment (on the same page) rather interesting:
[quote]
As an aside, while looking through the latest keyboards from Microsoft I
noticed that they need up to 100MB of free disk space for drivers!!!!
ARE YOU F**KING KIDDING ME? In 1982 I was playing chess on a Dragon 32..
a wopping 32k and Microsoft need 100Mb for a mouse and keyboard driver!
[/quote]
For those who (for some reason) actually prefer membrane keyboards, I
recommend the Tux Keyboard from Zareason:
http://www.zareason.com/shop/product.php?productid=16189&cat=0&page=1
They also have some other interesting GNU/Linux products. ;)
yah, I'll stick with my PS/1 clicky keyboard, methink... <g>
But seriously, Microsoft's Mark I Natural is/was an excellent piece of
hardware, I'll certainly give it that. I wouldn't mind getting my hands
on another Mk.I, the last one I had attached itself to someone's duffel
and walked off. The mice, unfortunately, I didn't get much chance to
play with as Microsoft are and always have been anti-Lefty and I can't
use a device moulded for the right hand. On looking though, they also
seemed solid enough to be able to withstand some amount of rough
handling. The ambidextrous opticals though, I didn't like at all - the
cables just weren't flexible enough and tended to quickly break at the
so-called strain point, rendering them useless. I'll stick with Logitech
trackballs since a: they don't move around the desk, b: they're the
right size for my piano player hands, and c: they're comfortable to use.
Still on the subject of ergonomics, the Duke controllers for the classic
XBox are the right size for my hands, so if anyone's got one or two
going spare (I know a lot of people didn't like the Duke as they
considered it far too big) then mayhaps we can arrange something... one
of a few other things Microsoft have actually got right.
--
Disclaimer: No fluffy warm creatures were maimed, dismembered, tortured,
deplumed, discarded, deflowered, dropped, twisted, wrungOut, extended,
respliced, broken, humiliated, irradiated, browbeaten, pickled, deluded,
duped, detained, mishandled, desiccated, bronzed, belittled, coddled,
expelled, deported, imbibed, elected, marginalized, placated,
misrepresented, overworked, underpaid, underappreciated, prepackaged,
overly petted, genetically altered or cloned during the making of this
product, except of course for Bunny and Bear
- IE4 Easter Egg
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