The wiki thread

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I would have probably left the photo topic where it was, so that people visiting the photo subforum would see it, since it's the people going there who have all the best photos already taken :)

As for those orange MX switches, I guess the only way to be sure is to check a contemporary Cherry catalogue and hope there's a diagram of the switch in there (it won't say "orange stem" of course) and see whether it has an MXnn-nnnn model number. The page itself doesn't say much about the switch.

[webwit]

Photo topic is now in both subforums.

[Acanthophis]

Yes, all my keyboard pictures are in the public domain.

I aimed for your written content.
I will do the pics myself.

[webwit]

Feel free to use that as well for the wiki.

[Acanthophis]

Thanks. It definitely will come in handy.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I think we should agree on a naming format for articles and such.

Personally I think it makes most sense to not have "switch" in the article name and rather have them in a category.

Example:

Instead of "ALPS CM Switch" just name the article "ALPS CM" and have it in a category "ALPS Switches". What do you guys think?

Sometimes the word "switch" is there to solely differentiate the company from the product, e.g. NMB switch, Acer switch, when the product name is not currently known. This does mean that you get an inconsistency when it comes to switches where you don't need it, e.g. Alps CM, Cherry MX.

The only one that is obviously wrong is "Buckling Spring", and I wasn't going to move that page until I was sure what the correct name should be. If we're putting "switch" only where strictly necessary for differentiation purposes, then I guess it would just be "Buckling spring".

[bhtooefr]

Also, the fun one is that buckling spring is actually a class of switches, not all of them actually called buckling spring, including:

Catastrophically buckling compression column switch and actuator (IBM, 1971, not actually produced)
Buckling spring torsional snap actuator (IBM, 1978, Model F)
Rocking switch actuator for a low force membrane contact sheet (IBM, 1983, Model M)
Push button switch with actuator for applying transverse force to buckling spring (Alps, 1989, "Alps buckling spring" (Teradrive))
Mechanical key switch for a membrane keyboard (Chinese, 1992, used on some atrocious keyboards, and I'm not entirely sure how they got a patent for that)

Buckling spring is the common name, but it's not the only switch with catastrophic buckling - Alps plate spring and IBM beam spring, as two examples, also experience catastrophic buckling.

[JBert]

Ooh, in that case it should be named "Buckling helical spring"! (Joking of course)

At any rate, I prefer to leave out "switch" unless it makes the name unclear. Those few inconsistencies simply mean that we didn't do enough research to find out who made the switch and what their internal product number was, so I wouldn't go and add the word "switch" back in all other instances. To me it makes things look pedantic.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Yeah I only just moved Type IV Simplified to Simplified Alps Type IV switch, and created Type III the same, so now I have to move both of them back to not having switch in the name …

[AKIMbO]

I added 2 pics of an Old Dell Logo and an Old Dell with pink alps. Hope you guys don't mind.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Mind? We're still very short on photos — there's still everything in http://deskthority.net/wiki/Category:Pa ... lustration that needs illustrating, and that's only the beginning (I've tagged a few switches tonight for example). There are also plenty photos that could do with a new version uploading, e.g. my own AT102W photo is a bit rubbish, but that's all the light I could muster for it (the white steel plate reflects too much light if you use the flash). My G80-3000LQCDE-2 photo is even worse.

Many of my photos need replacing with better ones, but since hardly anyone is adding photos at all … I'm also annoyed that people are ignoring direct requests to copy their own photos to the wiki :( (One guy has a fantastic set of Quiet Pro shots for example, going nowhere.)

The full-size photo is cropped a bit weird though :) On the page itself, the lack of clear border gives it a strange appearance.

[fossala]

Can someone with a filco board do a side profile shot of the keycaps on a table and add it to the wiki?

[Acanthophis]

Sure.

[fossala]

Sure.

Thank you. Can you post a link when you have done it?

[fossala]

Anyone get around to doing it?

[Daniel Beardsmore]

This any good?

http://deskthority.net/wiki/File:Filco_ ... e_view.jpg

I haven't put the keycaps back on my keyboard − makes for interesting typing.

[webwit]

Good! Only needs more vertical crop.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I don't know if it's good as it depends what he needs it for, and I have no clue. I avoid vertical crop because it screws up galleries if the aspect ratio of images differ – I wish people would leave images at 4:3 wherever possible. Again, I don't know why he wants the pic.

[RougeRambo]

siig minitouch need updating, just found one with what im sure isnt any of the below
wiki only says Rubber dome, white alps and monterys

[webwit]

I think all versions with white alps have those under the smaller function keys, it's the small variant of the white switch.

[002]

Looks like a full sizer to me? At least compared to the half alps in the PC convertible

[webwit]

Yeah, hmm, I think someone once explained why these needed to be under the smaller keys, but I can't remember.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

The wiki says white Alps clone, most likely Hua-Jie AK series. Salmon Alps are completely different, outside and inside. You should read [wiki]Alps CM[/wiki]: salmon Alps are in the top-right photo, and I've included recognition diagrams that show how to quickly tell Alps CM/Fuhua from common clones.

Your switches are four-tab clones with centre-bottom numbering. Take a look at [wiki]Focus FK-2001[/wiki] — your switch is the one depicted, right down to the numbering scheme. I've seen other photos that confirm the internals, but never the numbering on the MiniTouch switches before. This is reassuring to know, as it all but proves that it's the same switch (every clone maker uses different numbering.) I'm still working on getting samples from Hua-Jie; I already have a Xiang Min sample with these internals (their LED switch) and they numbered each sample with both the Xiang Min (KSB) and Hua-Jie (AK) part numbers, which given the crossover in internals, suggests that they come from the same factory, except with different colour stems. In which case, modern Hua-Jie may resemble Xiang Min now, as most Xiang Min switches have reduced-metal parts .... (some sneak preview photos at [wiki]YH-B Alps clone[/wiki])

I see webwit beat me to a handy-dandy photo, but that still doesn't explain why those top switches differ in spec.

[webwit]

I'll take a look at it to see if I can remember... I still think it was related to dimensions but it doesn't appear so in the photo.

P.S. I think Salmon Alps was just a typo/brain fart which he already corrected.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Yeah, except he corrected it *after* I read his post.

In fact, if you read [wiki]Alps mount recognition[/wiki], you'll see that the only switch that matches the photo above, is Hua-Jie AK series. I know that the FK-2001 used AK series (per 002's photos), and I imagine that all Focus keyboards with yellow clone LED switches will be Hua-Jie, although I've not ruled out unknown versions of the Type IV. Still no clue who made those. There's another clone that's the copper leaf analogue of the Type IV that mirrors Taiwan Tai-Hao's move to copper leaf, and the Type IV just looks like a clone of their switch anyway.

[webwit]

At first sight, the only difference appears to be the code on top of the casing and mounting direction on the pcb: the whites have the code on the north side, the yellows south. They appear to be of same activation force and clickyness.

[RougeRambo]

/me hides in a corner and lets mommy and daddy sort it out

im no alps expert, more an IBM man, it just seemed strange and my first thought was salmon alps.

[002]

Maybe you mean you're a Buckling Springs man because IBM had heaps of Alps boards

[webwit]

I'm hardly an Alps expert (IBM BS is my game)... Beardsmore however seems dangerously close to crack it. To loosely quote D.A.:

There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers the exact code of Alps and derivatives and why they are here, the Universe will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

There is another theory which states that this has already happened.

[002]

Haha - I dunno man I don't think we'd get another reset after Alps.
I think Alps is the end boss and Beardsmore is the ultimate Player 1