[mattbriggs]

I find the feedback of a mechanical keyboard makes typing more enjoyable in a general way. At home I have a razor black widow which has cherry blue switches (which are my favorite), at work I have a dasKeyboard with cherry brown switches (much quieter so I don't irritate my team).

For me, nothing matches the visceral feel of mechanical keyboards. I have a friend who described it as feeling like he was typing with a machine gun

[bdunbar]

I've used a machine gun. Keyboards are a lot quieter, and have way less recoil. But your friend has a point.

Have you ever used a late-model IBM Selectric typewriter? Now that is the acme of keyboarding. IBM knew their users would spend hours at the keyboard, designed with that assumption in mind.

An IBM model M (now made by Unicomp) is the Selectric of keyboards.

[jgeorge]

The old (late 70s/early 80s) IBM 5211 Terminal used to include a large solenoid in the keyboard that fired a metal rod into the metal base of the keyboard as a mechanical "clicker". Holding down the spacebar was very akin to the sound of a machine gun!