Extremely interesting!  This posting really clicked with me.
 
When I'm not on a laptop, my desktop keyboard is still the famous Maxiswitch 101 / Tucson 101 with the rubber dome keyswitches, which I've been using since 2006-2007 (yes, even the same unit - it lasts forever - and I got two spares back then which I still have NIB).  It is totally silent (which I prefer), but has a clear-cut rollover effect that's not too far off the IBM clicky keyboard.  This model did become the standard in many typing rooms in industry over the years of its availability.
 
An honourable mention also goes to Keytronic, and I have two NIB units of their superb KB2000 model, which has characteristics very similar to the Maxiswitch 101.
 
Frankly, I have no idea how secretaries and receptionists can be productive using today's crappy keyboards.
 
Hartmut Sager



On 14 September 2013 21:56, Adam Thompson <athompso@athompso.net> wrote:
Enough people have wondered/asked/complained to me about this that I'm
posting this now as a public service.


IBM Model "M" keyboards are still available, *NEW*, today.  They are
expensive, but they are the original design that you can use as a melee
weapon.  The catch is that they don't say "IBM" or even "Lexmark" on
them.  They are available for purchase from the manufacturer, Unicomp,
who can be found online at http://www.pckeyboard.com/.

You can also find some vintage NIB units from time to time at
http://www.clickykeyboards.com/.



There are also a number of other manufacturers now making similar, but
not quite as good, keyboards.

- CVT Inc., the maker of the Avant Stellar (I own two of them), which
is the direct descendant of the Northgate Omnikey, seems to have
restructured and no trace of their keyboard manufacturing operation can
be found online.  However, Northgate keyboards are still available
new-in-box from (this is a horrible site, beware)
http://www.northgate-keyboard-repair.com/.

- The Happy Hacking keyboard (now owned by Fujitsu, apparently) is
equally comforting to some people despite having a totally different
feel.  They, and many others, can be had from
http://www.elitekeyboards.com/

- Das Keyboard

- Anything using Cherry MX Green, Blue, or White keyswitches.  The
"green" switches apparently are the closest anyone's come yet to
emulating the IBM/Lexmark/Unicomp switches... and they can be had in
MUCH cheaper keyboards, like the Rosewill RK-9000
(http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823201040 and
http://techreport.com/review/23405/rosewill-rk-9000-series-mechanical-ke
yboards-reviewed).

- And there are an increasing number (yes, again, after the big die-off
ca. 2009) of speciality manufacturers of "ergonomic" keyboards that are
making clicky keyswitches available as an option.  One of the better
ones is a tiny shop in Ontario, but I can't find the name right now.


References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicomp
http://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX

-Adam Thompson
 athompso@athompso.net


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