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torifile
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
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2010-11-04, 08:56

I recently sold my MBP to make way for an iMac (my iPad had taken over all mobile duties. Oddly enough, I don't even miss the MBP. Well, a little, because it was so cute but that's not that important). Since I need to use Windows periodically and while in Windows, I need a USB keyboard/mouse from time to time, I want to just go ahead and get a nicer set. I tried the Logitech MK710 or whatever and it's not that compatible with OS X (see this thread for info) so I need to continue looking. I would really like to keep it under $100. I also need it to be able to deal with Windows when it hasn't booted yet and I need to make a selection from the safe mode screen, for example. Any thoughts?

If it's not red and showing substantial musculature, you're wearing it wrong.
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torifile
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2010-11-06, 05:58

No one?
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2010-11-06, 12:05

Apple Wired Keyboard? It feels nice and you can just use the same keyboard when you switch between Windows and Mac.

The only big gotcha for Windows use is that it lacks some keys that some Windows apps require, namely the following:
  • insert
  • numpad lock
  • print screen
  • scroll lock (does anything use this key any more?)
  • pause/break
  • help
Sheesh. Never mind. Bad idea.

If you're a real keyboard warrior, there's no better "PC" keyboard than the IBM Model M with its buckling spring key-switches. Unicomp acquired the manufacturing rights some time ago and has this crappy-looking Yahoo storefront. I have a coworker who has been using the same Model M for decades; these things are built to last.

http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/keyboards.html

It looks like the SpaceSaver 104 would be a good buy at $69.

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chucker
 
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Location: near Bremen, Germany
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2010-11-06, 13:46

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brad View Post
Apple Wired Keyboard? It feels nice and you can just use the same keyboard when you switch between Windows and Mac.

The only big gotcha for Windows use is that it lacks some keys that some Windows apps require, namely the following:
  • insert
  • numpad lock
  • print screen
  • scroll lock (does anything use this key any more?)
  • pause/break
  • help
Sheesh. Never mind. Bad idea.
Windows keyboards don't have a Help key, actually. What's labeled "help" on a Macintosh keyboard is the same as "insert". IOW, the Apple Wired Keyboard does have all that. Insert is the key to the right of Backspace, Print Screen is F13, Scroll Lock F14, Pause/Break F15. Numlock should be the Clear key above 7. Some of these may require…

…I was typing all that crap, only to realize that Apple has made a wonderful chart:

What you see:



What Windows gets:



Stuff like the plus key being single-size rather than double-height and the F keys being slightly narrower to fit Eject in there aside, it maps just fine. If you don't want to get used to those slight differences for motor memory reasons, though, you're gonna have to buy something different.
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2010-11-06, 14:34

I couldn't get num lock working at all the last time I tried to use an Apple keyboard on a Linux machine. I guess with Boot Camp, Apple has a driver that remaps those keys?

edit: aha indeed:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1168
Quote:
Below is a chart of keyboard functions specific to Microsoft Windows, and equivalent key combinations as they are mapped to Apple keyboards by the Apple Keyboard Support driver.

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chucker
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: near Bremen, Germany
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2010-11-06, 14:46

Right; you need a driver for the mappings. In the case of Windows (which is what torifile asked about), you can use Boot Camp's driver, which does pretty much all of the mappings you'd want which does some fairly funky mappings — e.g., why is alt alt+ctrl?.

Of course, this is all moot if he prefers mechanical key-switches.
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