The Wonders of Technology

For those of us that spend a lot of time at the computer, quality of the keyboard used is very important. I have always been a fan of the IBM Model M buckling spring keyboard which for years has been my entry tool of choice. Recently, I purchased the Das Keyboard and have been using it exclusively for the last few months. Here are my observations about this unique piece of hardware.

I won’t go into all the details about the differences and uses of mechanical switches on a keyboard. Suffice it to say that there’s a significant difference in the feel of the keypress from the average run of the mill keyboard provided with most computer systems today. I find it appalling that the primary input device used for personal computers is given such minimal consideration. I also hate laptop keyboards and try to avoid using them when possible. I have used hundreds of different keyboards and I have not been able to find one other than the Model M that I actually enjoy typing on.

Why try the Das Keyboard, then? For one thing, the original IBM keyboard is no longer made and even though it was engineered to last a very long time, mine has seen more than a few keystrokes in its lifetime. Even as durable as it is, the keys will eventually begin to lose their effectiveness. A couple already have. As a result, I constantly search for potential replacements. I thought long and hard about whether or not to get the Das Keyboard since newly manufactured buckling spring keyboards are available from PC Keyboard.com. A hard choice to make, considering my attachment to the Model M.

Das Keyboard

Does the Das Keyboard make the grade?

I had high hopes for this hardware when I first ordered it. I spent a great deal of time in research but the only way to know for sure is to purchase one of my own and spend some time using it. I thought I’d be on good terms since almost without exception this keyboard gets glowing reviews. The primary deterring factor mentioned is its price. This lovely tool will set you back $100 – $130 to own. Good reason to spend a lot of time in consideration. For the serious typist, such an investment is very important and spending the money is less of a consideration than the value of that investment. I’m adding my voice to the extensive list of others and hope I can provide a realistic review of what this keyboard has to offer.

The first thing that struck me after I took it out of the box was that the keys were a lot softer than I expected. The pressure required to engage each key is significantly less than any Model M. My first thoughts were that although the click is there as expected, the tactile feel is nothing close to what a buckling spring keyboard has to offer. Depending on what you’re looking for, this may not be a problem. The amount of pressure required for each key to register is very close what you will find in most keyboards manufactured today. The tactile response is far better, to be sure, but not anywhere close the buckling spring technology. I like to compare the Model M and it’s siblings to an electric typewriter’s keyboard. The key travel on the Model M is smoother than a typewriter and requires less pressure, but there’s no doubt you’ve pressed a key when using it. In contrast, the Das Keyboard feels only slightly firmer than the average dome switch keyboard. If you’re looking for a keyboard that doesn’t take as much force as a buckling spring unit, this very nice looking device just might suit you perfectly.

Included Cleaning Cloth

Loud? Not really.

The other comment in most of the reviews I read was that the click response is loud and may disturb others. That is definitely NOT my observation. The click heard from the keys is hardly enough to be heard ten feet away from the keyboard. It’s more of a ticky-ticky sound rather than the very obvious clack offered by the buckling spring key. From my observation, the sound is definitely not anywhere close to what the buckling spring keyboards produce. If keyboard noise is one of your primary concerns I think the Das Keyboard is a good choice. Truthfully the sound produced when the key bottoms out is much louder than the click that the switch makes. Louder than the mushy, crap keyboards generally provided with todays computers? Certainly. More durable? Absolutely. Nicer feel to the keys? Definitely. There are a lot of reasons to like this keyboard so don’t think I’m trashing it. After about a week of use I’m starting to get a feel for it and will probably decide to keep it. I also like that it’s heavy enough to stay put.

Speed and Comfort

The simple truth is that typing on the Das Keyboard takes some getting used to and as all things, will not be suitable to everyone. I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I’m not the fastest typist around but I don’t "hunt and peck" either. If you’re a typist that insists on resting your wrists heavily on the edge, you may not like this keyboard. I find that it is often more comfortable when typing on the Das Keyboard to keep the hands in the classic "level" position that typing instructors insist on. That or resting the wrists very lightly on an added wrist rest. I did find that the keys seem to be spaced very slightly narrower than my Model M and it took me a few days to get used to it. I’m beginning to adjust and find that I’m starting to make less mistakes than when I first started out. That and the significantly lower key pressure this keyboard requires can cause one some time to adjust. If you’re coming from an average keyboard rather than a Model M, you probably will not experience nearly the disorientation that I have. Also, if you tend to be very light-handed in typing, it should feel quite natural to you.

USB Interface

Another complaint I read relates to the two USB plugs on the other end. I really don’t see that as a huge problem. Look at it not as having to use two USB ports but as gaining one additional port. It’s a USB interface keyboard. You would have to use at least one port just for that. The addition of a USB hub in the keyboard provides an extension of that port plus one more. If you are right handed, this can work well for the mouse.

USB Hub Ports – Right Side

The object of this configuration is to bring a connection from the BACK of your computer up to the desktop and make it more accessible. From the additional ports provided one can add a USB hub and have all the devices you need, right there at the desktop. If you use the other port for your mouse you have just freed another port on the computer. I don’t see the issue. There’s also the added advantage that these ports are sufficiently powered to handle most devices. I read reports about a disk drive not working and that is my experience as well. It’s not clear why the drive is not recognized but this does seem to be one limitation to consider. Unlike some posts I read both connections are NOT required if only the keyboard is needed. Another thing that most reviews failed to mention is that each plug is clearly marked so making this choice is not difficult.

USB Plugs

Conclusion

Overall this is a very good keyboard and will fit the needs of many typists. Is it a worthy substitute for the Model M? Honestly, no. At least not in my situation at home. In my work environment there’s enough noise from the ventilation that there would be no difference in noise between the Das Keyboard and the cheap units usually shipped with the computers. I can heartily recommend it for an office environment. On the other hand, if any noise bothers you it might not be a good choice. For the buckling spring fans – don’t bother. The Das Keyboard is no competition here. While I’ve been using this keyboard exclusively for several months now and it is definitely fast, I still miss my Model M and have come close to returning to it several times. As mentioned, the Das Keyboard’s key response is closer to the rubber dome than a buckling spring keyboard. I would say, subjectively, that the noise and pressure required are easily less than half that of the Model M. If I were shopping for a new keyboard again and had the opportunity to test this one in the store next to a buckling spring device, the latter would win hands-down.

I have joined the smartphone crowd with the purchase of a Motorola Droid phone. What follows is some of my initial observations in using and getting used to the phone. I’ve had it now for a month and purposely did not jump right out there with some short-sighted write up about the device. I wanted to spend a bit of time with it first, letting the new wear off. This truly is a pocket computer, first. That it can communicate over WiFi and 3G makes it superior for quick access to a variety of resources. As a System Administrator I can see many beneficial uses for an Android-based device beyond that of a mere phone.

The first thing I notice about the Droid is the solid, compact, and excellent build quality of the Droid. It feels of quality and durability in your hand. It’s black with a few gold highlights and in contrast to some comments I’ve read, very attractive. The camera button could have been done better. Its appearance is that of a typical cheap plastic button on a child’s toy and I’ve read reports of the gold coating wearing off. Given the rest of the quality of the device this seems like a cheap shortcut on Motorola’s part.

The phone lays flat on the desk and thanks to a rubberized coating, stays where you put it. The speaker is on the back and sounds surprisingly good for such a small size. There is a slightly curved lip at each end of the unit on the back which serves to lift it just enough to keep from muting the sound. Nice touch.

The next thing that catches your eye is when the screen lights up. Others have commented on the display and I can completely agree with them. Truly beautiful. Even the smallest print is legible.. That’s the thing about this display– it looks like print, as in a book or magazine. It’s hard to believe that you’re looking at a computer screen. It’s that clear and it’s bright enough that I have to dim it to the lowest level most of the time. I’m a stickler for crisp, clean displays but even more so when there’s text involved. The display makes the Droid one excellent device for reading documents. I’ve also experimented with a few applications of interest. It’s delightful to be able to perform various tasks such as logging into my different computer systems and check status without ever leaving the easy chair. Yeah, I know. The laptop is suited for this as well but I don’t carry it around with me the way I do the Droid. Using the ConnectBot application I log in to the nodes on my Intranet WiFi. The secured connection setup could not have been easier. I have also used it to log into my public web server. Both connections work just as you would expect them to. Very handy. I’ll cover this app in more detail later.

One of the things I’ve always liked about OSS is the common attitude from most developers that the end user should be given flexibility in using the software. The Android OS is no different, at least with the Droid. There are many settings to allow the user to make their device unique and personalized. The variety of applications available for install sets the stage for hours of experimentation. As I’ve mentioned before — this is no mere phone. Phone capability is simply an additional benefit. This is a pocket computer that takes personal communication to a whole new level. For those into the very active social messaging world, the Droid opens up new vistas beyond imagining. If you can’t find a way to stay in touch you should probably avoid everything but land lines and pen and paper. I’m not a huge fan of the texting/twittering/facebooking rage but I can see value in each and do participate where it makes sense. I do think that greater courtesy and consideration should be given in social situations. While some research shows that this new medium is actually getting people more connected, too often it’s at the expense of talking to the person sitting next to you. That needs to change. Rude has taken on a new persona. Those who are tech-savvy are likely already familiar with ‘netiquette’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette) and I think there’s a definite need for some similar rules regarding this relatively new phenomena. I digress.

The Android platform has opened up some fascinating possibilities. The variety of applications available will only increase as new ideas for ways to use these devices begins to take hold. There are many quality applications available and most work just fine on the Droid. Here’s a list of some of the apps I’ve found useful:

• aCar – One of the best fuel/auto maintenance trackers you can find
• Astro – A MUST HAVE file manager that includes backup ability
• AudioManager – A handy “every volume dial in one place” tool
• Barcode Scanner, Shop Savvy, Scan Paste – bar code tools.
• BeamReader – Great for viewing PDFs
• Beautiful Widgets - Exceptionally well done clock, weather, and power control tools
• Battery Booster Lite – turn off those power-consuming features when not in use
• Book Mobile – Keep track of the books you’ve read
• Cadre Bible - Access to many translations with some very nice included features
• Cardio Trainer – A workout tracker
• Clock Apps - Handy timers
• S2 Calendar Widget - I find this the best for an on-screen calendar/appointment tracker
• Compass – Take your pick. Standard or marine.
• Bubble, 3D Level, Inclinometer – Carpentry or other construction? These are must haves.
• ConnectBot – A SysAdmins dream. Connect to all your systems with this.
• FBReader – eBooks are getting very popular and with this app you won’t be left behind.
• Locale – Put that GPS to work. Capable location aware activities.
• Musical Lite – One of my favorites. Metronome, pitch pipe, keyboard and more.
• MyIP – Need to check you’re Droid’s TCP/IP address? Use this.
• Note Everything – A great text editor.
• PicSay – Picture viewing and manipulating with full pinch zoom support.
• Places Directory – Looking for a gas station, bank, or restaurant (complete with reviews)
• Rings Extended – Use any sound for ringtones
• Screens – A handy tool for finding nice wallpapers
• Secrets – Lock up your passwords or other personal information.
• Shopping List Plus – Create shopping lists for anything, complete with pricing.
• Slacker – Streaming music
• Sweeter Home – A new Home screen environment. I’m waiting on the new release to actually test this one.
• Strings – Keeps my guitars in tune
• USA Today – National news on the go
• Wifi Analyzer – Look for the strongest signal
• wpToGo – Blogger? Keep it up to date with this tool.
• YellowBook – The Yellow Pages in your hand.

…and so much more. I’m not going to take space this time to describe each of these beyond what I’ve already listed. I’ll be reviewing some of them in upcoming articles. There are many useful tools available. I’ve found the level of quality ranges from excellent to why’d you bother? So far, most of the applications I’ve tried have worked as advertised under the 2.0.1 version of Android. This is sure to improve. There are updates almost daily. Google released the 2.0 SDK shortly after announcing the Droid and there has been a huge increase in registered developers. It’s only a matter of time before we see fixes for the apps that don’t currently work and even more fascinating tools to check out. Overall, I have to say that I’m impressed with the quality of the applications being added to the Android Market.

I’m in the market for a new phone and plan to move to a smartphone. This is the new moniker given to a phone that’s a PDA as well. Or is that a PDA that’s a phone? There’s a lot of choices these days and it really boils down to a person’s needs. The social networking rage is creating a demand for more features and greater connectivity. At the top of the list of preferred devices has been the iPhone. A nice phone, to be sure, but still far too limiting for my tastes. I was considering a Blackberry until the Android OS started taking off. For a long time I’ve taken the ‘wait and see’ attitude towards the smartphone industry. There’s a number of initiatives that build on a Linux kernel for phones and I’ve been waiting to see how the industry shakes out. Well, it looks like Google is out of the gate with a stronger presence than the others and it has my attention now. I have to admit to some surprise that Verizon seems to be changing their spots and has been working in close coordination with Google for a phone OS. I, like so many other subscribers, am fed up with their attempts to control everything. To me, a cell phone is a personal device and being a Linux user, I’ve become quite comfortable with customization of my personal devices. Naturally I want such flexibility in my portable communications device.

What I’ve really wanted for a long time was a PDA that has a phone in it. I just could not quite justify purchasing one. I was interested in a Palm based device as I’ve been using PalmOS for some years now and considered several times purchasing a Treo or similar device. Initially this was just to carry all the information I had in my PDA. Some of the limitations (and fees) kept me from taking that route so I’ve been considering a Blackberry with it’s excellent email support. I also found the iPhone a fascination but I must admit, I’ve never been much of an Apple fan and research showed me that the AT&T network could be a disappointment. As I got closer to my upgrade qualification date I found myself in a quandry, especially after I learned that just to buy a smartphone would also require a significant increase in my plan cost ($30). I was not sure I’d use it enough to justify the cost.

Then the Motorola Droid was introduced. I started reading about this unit before anyone was certain what the device would even be called, let alone what its features would be. That has kept me occupied and interested for the last few weeks. Now that the Droid is officially announced (to be available for general purchase on November 6, 2009) I’m hooked. There have been a flurry of reviews, including some good video reviews on YouTube, and the clatter on the web around the introduction of this phone is nothing short of astounding. Finally, a pocket computer that just happens to support 3G networking, WiFi, Bluetooth, and is a phone all in one unit. Best of all it runs the Open Source Android OS 2.0. I expect to get one, probably in the next couple of months. I will post my own observations after that. My plan is to use it for many of the things I currently use my computer for. Stay tuned…

I’ve been a Linux user and admin since the early Red Hat days. I’ve argued with MS Windows since 3.0. I was glad in those early days to have a CP/M machine handy to remind me that personal computing didn’t have to be painful. I already used Unix and VMS on a daily basis and had grown comfortable with a terminal interface. I’ll be honest. I’ve never really cared for the Microsoft offerings. Nor could I afford the Apple candy, not that I would have abandoned my Amiga for either. Job requirements drug me into the MS Windows world and it never quite grew on me. I learned it and used it out of necessity. Rather necessary if your going to administrate a number of MS Windows NT 3.5 workstations and servers. Even so, I found the point and click management interface limiting and often infuriating. I also had a lot of trouble adapting to the lack of control that MS Windows imposes on the end user. The environment was ugly and cumbersome to me. Needless to say, I kept my eyes open for alternatives. I eventually got into the Intel world and did own a couple of systems running MS Windows 95/98. I even dabbled in VB, partly because it was needed for my job. Eventually I took the leap and installed Red Hat 4.2 and never looked back.

This new beast called Linux, wearing a Red Hat wrapper, was far from perfect but it beat the twm environment I had experimented with at work. For someone willing to learn and customize, GNU/Linux was a delightful experience compared to the staid and severely limiting environment of MS Windows. The ability to change the look and feel at a whim was awe inspiring. Even my beloved Amiga was not quite up to some of the the challenges but it remained my favored platform.

There are a lot of reasons why a person would look for a different experience in the personal computer arena. I certainly had my reasons and it continues to drive my choices today. Personally, the freedom that Open Source Software gives a person is reason enough for me to continue to use it and learn about it. In these pages I will share my experiences and what knowledge I hold regarding the gadgets I enjoy and use. Much of the content will center around the computing world and how it affects our daily lives.

This brings me down to my preferred Linux Distribution. I’ve used nearly all the major variations at one time or another and still occasionally get the itch to install updated distributions to see what kind of progress has been made. I’ll share my thoughts when appropriate. My preference is based primarily on one factor: maintainability. How much effort and time it takes to update to new versions of the installed software and ultimately the energy expended to upgrade to a new version of a distribution. Although I started out with Red Hat, I soon found Slackware to be more to my tastes. Even so, I learned one thing from both of them. Dependencies interfere with and can even destroy simple system maintenance. I’m no different than the next person in that I’m interested in new things. I would often try to install new or updated versions of programs only to learn that these programs relied on other updated software. If you’ve heard of someone speaking of “dependency hell”, this is where it often comes from. But please, don’t think this is the way it must be. Problems generally only arise for those of us tinkerers that just have to try out the latest thing. If you have no interest in this sort of destructive behavior, then nearly any current Linux distribution will work without problem for the tasks at hand. Even so, there’s the updating thing that truly matters. It was then that I began to learn about package management. FreeBSD has had this for a long time but it took the Linux crowd longer to begin to realize the value and simplicity that can be had from using package management. Unfortunately, not all package management systems are created equal. Over the last few years there have been major improvements to all of them and the playing field is finally starting to level but it was not always that way. I learned early on that the Debian crowd had found the right way to do things and the maturity of their package management tools are still the standard other systems are often compared to.

So, my favorite? Why, any distribution built on a Debian foundation of course. I’ve used the core Debian distribution and found it to be solid, especially in the server arena. I will always have Debian in my arsenal and probably installed on one of my systems. For day to day use, however, I have to take my hat off to Canonical and the various flavors of Ubuntu. Say what you will, it consistently provides the user experience that most people are looking for. I’m writing this using the current 9.04 Beta and have been delighted with its functionality and flexibility. I’ll share some thoughts about this newest release next time.

There are a lot of attitudes about the impact that GNU/Linux has had on the personal computing world. I’m not here to add another. I simply plan to share my experiences and hope that others can benefit. If you’re a seasoned Unix pro then you’ll probably not find anything new here… but you never know. If you’re a Linux beginner, I hope you’ll find the information I offer helpful.