I hate regular keyboards. Especially the fact that crap tends to fall between the keys and the only way to clean it out is to take the whole damn thing a part.
I was I could build this in real life. It would have a smooth flat black surface, like many microwaves do for their buttons. Only there would be a light inside lighting up the keys.
Spilled soda on the keyboard? No big deal, there's nowhere for it to get inside to mess with wiring or whatever. Just spray some windex type shit on the surface and wipe off.
-------------------- I'm slightly annoyed at Hobbes' rather rude decision to be much more attractive than me though. That's just rude. - PsyLiam, Oct 27, 2005.
Registered: May 1999
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posted
The problem is, your primary interaction with your keyboard isn't visual, but tactile. How do you know when you've pressed a key? How do you know where your fingers are?
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I never understood why we dont have interactive touchscreen's in addition to keyboards: I've used a color touchscreen on a Xerox digital press for over ten years and it's far faster than point/click with a mouse.... More fun too: the closest thing on Trek was Dax trying to call up interactive holographics in The Visitor.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
With no tactile interaction, perhaps a barely auditable clicking sound, replicating the sound of a keyboard stroke, would serve that function. Similar to the sound my browser makes when I click a link.
posted
I've never actually spelt soda or anything on my keyboard, but I've heard of people doing it.
All I know if cleaning out my keyboard is a pain in the ass. I have to unscrew everything, take out all the circuit panels and try to get shit that falls between the keys. Whereas with this, I could clean it in seconds.
I just think it looks cool, a little more Star Trek like.
-------------------- I'm slightly annoyed at Hobbes' rather rude decision to be much more attractive than me though. That's just rude. - PsyLiam, Oct 27, 2005.
Registered: May 1999
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posted
It does look cool. I'm thinking the keys would have to be uber sensative, though, too. But not TOO sensative. Not so sensative that it can distinguish between a finger that's trying to push the key and one that's just resting in the key. But sensative enough that a light tap will trigger the key.
Not impossible. Wacom tablets have all kinds of levels of sensativity.
posted
Go get an Atari 400, it has just the keyboard you're asking for. Or a Sinclair ZX-81/Timex TS-1000.
Registered: Feb 2004
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Cartman
just made by the Presbyterian Church
Member # 256
posted
"With no tactile interaction, perhaps a barely auditable clicking sound, replicating the sound of a keyboard stroke, would serve that function."
Same problem. You still wouldn't have any feedback about where your fingers were on the keyboard.
"I never understood why we dont have interactive touchscreen's..."
1) Because they are expensive. 2) Because they are tiring to interact with for longer periods of time. 3) Because they are only suitable for a select class of applications. 4) Because they are expensive.
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted
hmmmm....not more expensive than most large flatscreens.
I was thinking of touchscreens more for laptops than for upright PC's- nothing tiring thenL it's be like a Padd from Trek.
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
Hobbes, you're wanting a membrane keyboard, made mostly for industrial or heavy-duty situations. They don't usually make ones with a standard layout, but I found one manufacturer - Matric: http://www.matric.com/ibm1.htm
As for touchscreens, your finger isn't near as precise as a mouse pointer, plus you'd have to clean off the fingerprints constantly.
posted
Depends on the aplication: I guess that explains the LCARS wide button interface, eh?
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted
what if the buttens were slightly raised then? Still not exposing the innerds, but you'd be able to tell where they were (or if they had a different texture from the rest of the surface)
As for cleaning touch screens, what about a stylus?
Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Why don't you get that new infrared device that superimposes the keyboard on any surface and detects key touching by your fingers passing through the beam. Saw a gadget show a few months ago and the guy was using on a pub table! Well kewl! It's not that expensive either if I remember correctly.
-------------------- If you cant convince them, confuse them.
Registered: Apr 2001
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![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
Well kewl! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
It's not that expensive either if I remember correctly.
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