In this installment, I'm going to talk about one kind of metaphysics in the programmer community: keyboards, specifically, mechanical keyboards. There is another kind of metaphysics, headphones. If the keyboard is the programmer's weapon, then the headset is the programmer's armor, but let's not talk about headphones in this issue.
First explain what is called metaphysics, metaphysics refers to those unknowable, incredible, science can not explain, can not relate to the doctrine.
In this way, it seems that metaphysics is pejorative. However, to declare in advance, the metaphysics in this issue does not have a pejorative meaning, but with a kind of worship, or rather, want to get close, but do not know how, no way, and with a kind of sour grapes psychological emotional color.
Speaking of which, some listeners may figure out the flavor, good guy, so you are not in the circle ah.
Yes, I'm not a member of the circle, three seconds of silence, one, two, three, and then dry your tears and continue to say.
By this point, being the thick-headed person that I am, I have to say that if you were looking for instructional-type knowledge about mechanical keyboards with this audio, you're going to be disappointed, because I was looking for that knowledge too. If you know, I also hope you'll let me know via Twitter. I really do want to know. Thanks in advance.
So, what do I say? I just want to throw this topic out there and talk about some of my own observations and opinions. If I'm lucky enough to be able to throw it out there and get some guidance, I'll do another installment of instructional audio when the time comes for the Rendezvous.
So, let's get down to business.
The keyboard, as an input device for electronics, appeared much earlier than the mouse. That's normal, because we didn't need a mouse until the days of graphical interactive systems. Until now, the keyboard has been an indispensable device for inputting content into our electronics.
We know that, in general, there are two main types of keyboards, membrane keyboards and mechanical keyboards. Also heard of a, called electrostatic capacitance keyboard, electrostatic capacitance keyboard is too rare, I have never seen, Baidu Encyclopedia said, electrostatic capacitance keyboard is the use of capacitance capacity changes to determine the keys on and off, in the press the key, the switch in the capacitance capacity changes to achieve the trigger, the whole process does not require the switch closure. It is because there is no physical contact point to realize tapping, thus less wear and tear, longer service life. It is more stable, rapid, all-key conflict-free, and incredibly sensitive. Often seen on large medical devices, but also as a more expensive high-end gaming peripheral.
Before the electrostatic capacitive keyboard has entered the mainstream, we will not talk about it, back to the membrane keyboard and mechanical keyboard. The difference between the two, simply put, the membrane keyboard keys, the surface seems to be one by one, in fact, each keycap is dependent on a whole sheet of film, press a key, the film will be pressed down on a point to the printed circuit board, sending out electrical signals. Mechanical keyboard, that is really a key, is an electrical signal switch. So, you know, why mechanical keyboards are much more expensive than membrane keyboards, because from the engineering point of view, the structure of the mechanical keyboard is much more complex than the membrane keyboard.
Although, in general, mechanical keyboards are more expensive than membrane keyboards, the paradox is that the early keyboards can be mechanical keyboards. When I was a kid, I played with the Ze Wang learning machine, which is the one that makes a weird sound when you turn on the machine - "Ze Wang, its fun ah", that is a mechanical keyboard. At that time, I still think it's quite hard to play the keyboard. But if, we look closely at the history of the development of the keyboard, it is not surprising, as with the car, the early car, purely handmade, the parts are craftsmen one by one to do out, but with the development of the automotive industry, the pursuit of industrialization, modularization, purely handmade cars will inevitably withdraw from the mainstream automotive market. Keyboard is also the same, with the development of technology, industrialization progress, film keyboard came into being, at once reduced the cost, but also increased portability. Why also increased portability, because since the mechanical keyboard each key is a small switch, it requires a certain amount of volume, while the membrane keyboard is just a press action, so the membrane keyboard can be made very thin. Why is Apple's MacBook line so thin? So even though its keyboard experience is known as a knockout, it can't switch to a mechanical keyboard, it can only build on the membrane keyboard and find ways to improve the comfort of the keyboard.
In theory, mechanical keyboards are about to exit the stage of history under the impact of membrane keyboards, just as floppy disks were replaced by USB disks, and the mechanical keyboard's good brother, the mechanical mouse (that is, the one with a rolling ball in its belly), was replaced by an optoelectronic mouse. But sometimes, some seemingly obsolete products live on, or are even resurrected. Just like a hand-built automobile may still have its niche market. History, such instances are not uncommon, such as Polaroid, some time ago, my friend also used Polaroid to take pictures of their own children as a souvenir; for example, the radio, we must know the rise of movies and television, that is the radio broadcasting the impact of the dying, but now the radio in the popularity of the automobile, in the new pace of life, and then vibrant. I as a programmer, are going to do radio in Dragonfly FM.
Here to insert a sentence, about the resurrection of niche products, we can look at the Aiki Art on Wang Ziru's talk show, "Technology Relativity", which the third issue of the first season is dedicated to the resurrection of niche products.
Let's get back to our keyboard. Mechanical keyboard why can be resurrected? I think, one reason is very important, that is, there are a lot of work, are to be a long time before the keyboard. Like editors, like programmers, a few hours a day on the keyboard that is less. Keyboard as a productivity tool, that is the equivalent of a warrior's weapon, who do not want a handy weapon? At this point, we miss the mechanical keyboard that unique feel and feedback, and even that crackling sound. That's why I think it's important to resurrect the mechanical keyboard.
In addition, programmers as a group have their own culture. Culture is imaginary and needs to be expressed in concrete things. As an important productivity tool for programmers, the keyboard is bound to be given a cultural symbol by programmers. In order to personalize the manifestation, in order to pursue differentiation, or even just to despise another programmer, just like this, the mechanical keyboard is surrounded by the power of membrane keyboard, a strong return.
Nowadays, mechanical keyboards, not only are there many types, but there are also many value-added ones, and even a lot of gorgeous little features, what with the breathing lights, running lights, nighttime backlighting, and so on. Let's move on to the sects of mechanical keyboards.
In the jungle of mechanical keyboards, there are four major sects, the red shaft that is as light as the wind, the tea axis that is both internal and external, the green shaft that is arrogant and straightforward, and the black shaft that is straightforward.
The difference between the sects comes from different insights into martial arts, but after all, they are all martial arts and have the same roots. So what is the **** same principle of mechanical keyboards?
First of all, no matter what axis, its mechanical shaft is composed of a switch cap, switch cap fixing card, spring, contact metal plate and base, and there is a part of the mechanical shaft in the jumper. Among these parts, the most critical parts are the switch cap, spring and contact metal piece, and their differences lead to different trigger pressure, feel and key life. First of all, the spring, the fewer the number of coils of the spring, the greater the feedback pressure of the spring, black & gt; green & gt; tea & gt; red, and then say the switch cap, the switch cap acts on the contact metal plate, press to cause the contact metal plate to connect or disconnect the circuit, the issue of electrical signals, the switch cap acts on the contact metal plate to generate resistance, resistance will let us feel the legendary sense of paragraph, coupled with the switch cap of a different nesting Coupled with the different nesting structure of the switch cap, the role of the base of the key range is different, will bring a different sense of rhythm, the red shaft and the black shaft is straight up and down feeling, while the tea axis and the green shaft has a certain sense of damping. Then talk about the contact sheet metal, mechanical keyboard single axis life is 20 million times to 80 million times ranging, if a key is used bad, generally speaking, is the contact sheet metal damage, it can be said that the contact sheet metal determines the mechanical keyboard single axis life. (To know, the membrane keyboard life is generally speaking 300,000 times, if a key, you press 100 times a day, 300,000 times on behalf of the key you can use 3,000 days, a small ten years, the mechanical keyboard single-axis tens of millions of times, it can be said that, before you get tired of it, it is not bad) Finished the three most critical components, and finally say the keycaps, the keycaps are the most direct touch of the keyboard is that we are knocking on the keyboard, is generally Different textures of plastic, keycaps on the word there are many processes, such as silkscreen, laser engraving, laser etching, heat sublimation, two-color molding, silkscreen is the most likely to let the word friction scratch or even disappear.
Is there only four schools of thought in the hot jungle? Of course not, in addition to the red and black tea green, there are green shaft, orange shaft, white shaft, gray shaft, and even strange shaft, some of them are different from the strength of the above shafts, and some are used for space bar such as a more special keys, they are relatively rare, some have been discontinued, such as the white shaft, and some are customized by the manufacturers of models, such as the orange shaft of the Reebok, so the jianghu is still very lively.
After talking about the basics of mechanical keyboards, let's talk about the metaphysical part, which is the mechanical keyboard experience.
It is said that the green shaft is the spring in the keyboard, because the green shaft triggers the deepest depth, the strongest sense of paragraph, the crackling sound is the largest, and the typing is crisp and refreshing, like bathing in the spring breeze to play the drums. It is said that using the green shaft is easy to be beaten by the people around you.
Some people say that the black shaft is recognized as the game axis, playing games black shaft is not a choice, because the black shaft has no sense of paragraph, straight up and down, a touch, play a game, all the passion.
Some people say that the tea axis is a gentleman in the keyboard, elegant and calm, it is comprehensive, between typing and gaming, compared to the green axis, the sense of paragraph is a lot weaker, compared to the black axis, and is not straight up and down, so there are people who will feel that it is mediocre and has no personality.
Lastly, the Red Shaft, which is generally recommended for girls because it is as straight up and down as the Black Shaft, and typing is light and fast, while at the same time, it has the lowest pressure factor and is effortless.
Hearing this, I don't know if you can clearly distinguish the difference between the four axes, in fact, really let you feel the four axes, may not be so obviously different, if you add those more niche axes, such as the white axis, orange axis, gray axis, green axis, you are more distinguishable. But being expressed artificially reinforces the difference. This gives rise to metaphysics. The tricky thing about metaphysics is that you have to pick the keyboard you imagine based on these experiences, and the odds are that the probability is that it's different from what you imagined. That is, it sounds plausible, and when you guide things, you may have to scratch your head. So, I think to buy a keyboard, or to buy the eye, as an appearance association is not bad, have the opportunity to it, or to feel it, feel like it is good, there is no need to choose based on the four shafts of the cultural orientation. Even if you choose the black shaft, the group will still be destroyed.
Regarding the experience mentioned above, it may be hard to have a ****talk without having been exposed to so many kinds, or without the experience of coding on a keyboard for a long time. You may also feel that these people are so pretentious ah, it is not just code words on the keyboard it, said the god, make a mystery. Yes, there is some mystery, culture is not so it, false reality, human beings are such a kind of animal that likes to listen to stories ah, the God in your mind cocooning, restore the historical situation, he will still let you move goosebumps? So, we still understand the mechanical keyboard as a programmer's lovely culture.
To summarize, the mechanical keyboard, relative to the membrane keyboard, there is no qualitative leap in the experience, typing is not necessarily faster, nor labor-saving, it may just release the instinctive desire for rhythm, but it gives programmers a great deal of pleasure to create a topic, but also an integral part of the programmer's culture.
Thanks for listening.