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.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
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?
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Of course, one could always just not spill soda on one's keyboard.
One could also buy one of those rubber, roll-up keyboards.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
They seem to do just fine in Trek...
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
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.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
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 by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
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.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
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 by machf (Member # 1233) on :
Go get an Atari 400, it has just the keyboard you're asking for. Or a Sinclair ZX-81/Timex TS-1000. Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
"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.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
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.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
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.
B.J.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Depends on the aplication: I guess that explains the LCARS wide button interface, eh?
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
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?
Posted by akb1979 (Member # 557) on :
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.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
I seem to remember seeing an ad for something like that years ago. Keyboards that were fully reconfigurable for games and what not.
Posted by Captain39 (Member # 1001) on :
Posted by Dat (Member # 302) on :
Uh... okay.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Keyboards should not be used for any game ever. Apart from FPSs. And some others. There is that device that I can't remember the name who's job it is to be a keyboard replacement, but I can't remember anything more about it. I shouldn't have bought it up. Sorry.
quote:Originally posted by Hobbes: 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.
Do you chop wood over your keyboard or something? Unscrewing everything to clean it is the physical equivalent of formatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows to reset your resolution.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by Topher: They seem to do just fine in Trek...
Trek is, frankly, a bit silly in regards to this. Unless there's something going on that we can't see (or feel, or whatever), I really can't see how they can sit at those keyboards typing without actually looking at them. Your fingers would end up all over the place.
(And yes, I do remember Tuvok's "tactile interface on" command in Year of Hell, which only serves to reinforce the notion that there usually isn't a tactile interface.)
Posted by Cartman (Member # 256) on :
Why do you always have to quote months-old, erh, quotes whenever somebody revives a dead thread? Eh? EH?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Because my point was not heard the first time. Damnit.
Posted by Captain Boh (Member # 1282) on :
clearly, sighted Starfleet officers have magic powers
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
Well kewl! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
It's not that expensive either if I remember correctly.