deskthority

Tulip's first laptop from 1989.

I recognise those switches: Alps integrated dome, I think. Nice enough, for a dome. And once again paired up with some pleasantly decent caps.

It's a very sophisticated little rubber dome. Before I popped a keycap and identified, I wasn't quite sure if it was spring or rubber.

How do they feel?

I don't have it here right now (it is at my office), but my first impression was 50-55g activation and linear-ish. But I didn't type much, just hit some keys. Wiki says tactile (may be about another variant), I'll check again tomorrow.

I could confuse those (top) keycaps with Cherry...

I have a bit similar (Apls cap compatible rubberdomes + old Apls under led cap) on my draggable Sharp 7000 but they are white. White are linear'ish and shorter key travel than on the few keys with old Apls.

Here was the Sharp 7000:

webwit wrote:I don't have it here right now (it is at my office), but my first impression was 50-55g activation and linear-ish. But I didn't type much, just hit some keys. Wiki says tactile (may be about another variant), I'll check again tomorrow.

Since they are officially domes (right?) then it's surprising to hear that they are not squishy

Findecanor wrote:I could confuse those (top) keycaps with Cherry...

The grey ones? The particular bit is that those are dyesub, and the white ones doubleshot.

Ducky Nordic wrote:

Surprise! Note to self: always check all keys of old Alps/Alps clone keyboards.

Just how many bleeding variations are there of these integrated dome switches?

They come apart really easily (far easier than the CM switches) — let's see what's inside them! (Need to get them properly checked out before they can be formally documented. For example, the internals are not always the same — some of them have a coil spring inside for some reason.)

The ones in the Supersport are definitely not linear — that's what struck me: what had Alps done to make such a wonderfully tactile switch? I thought they were mechanical from the nice metallic sound they emitted, so I was surprised to find little domes inside.

If it's nearly linear, it's possible that yours have the same pathetic domes Alps used in the AppleDesign Keyboard, which are just limp and squishy. That, or you've got a linear version …

If that's not confusing enough, knock-off supremos Maxi Switch made their own version:

[wiki]Maxi Switch integrated dome[/wiki]

(Plus I see I've been raised Alps low-profile oval slider with LED …)

For reference:
http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... -t668.html

The Zenith Supersport's domes are definitely, unmistakably tactile and just night and day compared with the hideous mush-master AppleDesign keyboard which I loathe. The Zenith's closer to a Topre than any other dome I've tried. Definitely on the heavy side, like 55g Topre switches, and not quite as quick to type on I find. But a richer, clickier sound, like Daniel described. Not bad at all given the PCB mount.

webwit wrote:For reference:
http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8 ... -t668.html

I just need to see the insides of one before I can document it, in case there is another surprise awaiting me.

Come on people, let's see what's inside those apparently linear switches!

I tried, but it didn't open with a knife and a key which were all I had at the office I'll take it with me and try at home in the weekend. It's not truly linear, just light.

Oh wow! I've still got my Genius mouse from about 1986/7.

I forgot that I'd already found a square slider Alps integrated dome on MouseFan's site, making the white ones above the fifth variant of them. (Assuming they're the same switch — i.e. the low tacility is the result of just poor domes.)

Anyone?

Shit I still need to do that, sorry, my excuse is I was occupied in the exciting world of notaries and tax consultants. I'll try to get to it soon, but I need to stop making exact promises

I was also hoping to see inside those white ones.

Necro.

I think they look the same as the blue ones inside. I think I have some in a baggie in a box at the bottom of a pile of boxes, and also some of the integrated domes with the square sliders. Once I start taking pictures of all the various discrete Alps switches, I’ll definitely include the domes too.

I wonder if these keycaps fit an ortek mck-84