What is so special about Macbooks?

[UnknownSouljer]

That's absolutely crazy that there isn't a mac keyboard with the 4 keys like you mentioned. I had to check because Matias had to have this covered--but nope--even they missed it. I glanced over to my wife's work macbook and sure enough there are 4 keys to the left, not 3, but 4. However, on her full-size metal-with-white-keys-whatever-model-that-is apple keyboard, there are only 3 to the left. It appears that the 4th key is just some sort of Fn to get to the additional keys that are on the full-size, but you tell me since you know this and I don't.

It is "just" an Fn key. It's a fairly important key though as that is how macOS controls F1-F12. F1-F12 control system functions like screen brightness, mission control, volume, media keys. The Fn button flips them over to being "normal" F keys. In the system configuration you can also manually control which is the default, and which is the Fn modified. It has other uses too, but that's the critical part for me.

The reason I'm asking is because I've discovered in the keyboard world that there's not just one of us, there's usually thousands of us. And if there's thousands of us, then I think it's just a matter of finding a company willing to make a board for you. And wsadkeyboards is right here in the bay area in Fremont and they do just such things:
https://www.wasdkeyboards.com/corporate-sales

I didn't find that site, but I did find another group that does do custom keyboards. I closed out on it though because it really would cost me $500 to build. That would include spending the $150 or so on switches, double-shot key caps, be programmable, etc. Even that one didn't have things like a battery/Bluetooth. However it was a giant metal tank, so there were upsides.

Might be worth me looking further into this. For the time being, I can live with my Keychron. It's imperfect to say the least, but it also was $80 on sale or so.

You've inspired me to maybe think of re-creating a modern version of my own person favorite--the 101--I don't need those extra keys as they just get in the way.

Num pad is too important for me in particular as I have to input a lot of numbers (even for authenticator...), and if you do a lot of that you quickly find out why it exists and that the numbers row kinda sucks for anything other than two digit numbers occasionally.

Give me a plain jane 101 layout and I'm happy.

I look forward to see what you build.

 

[SamirD]

It is "just" an Fn key. It's a fairly important key though as that is how macOS controls F1-F12. F1-F12 control system functions like screen brightness, mission control, volume, media keys. The Fn button flips them over to being "normal" F keys. In the system configuration you can also manually control which is the default, and which is the Fn modified. It has other uses too, but that's the critical part for me.


I didn't find that site, but I did find another group that does do custom keyboards. I closed out on it though because it really would cost me $500 to build. That would include spending the $150 or so on switches, double-shot key caps, be programmable, etc. Even that one didn't have things like a battery/Bluetooth. However it was a giant metal tank, so there were upsides.

Might be worth me looking further into this. For the time being, I can live with my Keychron. It's imperfect to say the least, but it also was $80 on sale or so.

Num pad is too important for me in particular as I have to input a lot of numbers (even for authenticator...), and if you do a lot of that you quickly find out why it exists and that the numbers row kinda sucks for anything other than two digit numbers occasionally.

I look forward to see what you build.

If you need it, you need it--and I'm sure you're not the only one who uses it a lot as it's there for a reason.

The difference is while it may still be $500, having a company also with a vested interest in getting a product to your liking so they can profit from it puts some serious wind in the sails. The flip side is that they may decide not to build it, but you're learn something about how to build one even the process of working with a company that never builds one for you, so it's win-win for you any way you look at it.

I'm right there with you on the numpad. I've literally used the numpad for 6hrs straight once at nearly 1400 cpm which is my upper limit (entered in a whole year of accounting data on-site using a Model M). I think if I somehow trained my fingers to stay on the number row, each of them taking a number (since I've got 10 fingers), I probably could figure out a way to be faster since no finger would ever have to move, but I've not been able to train myself to do that yet.

It would be a far off project if I ever get to it. I have so many projects and ideas since I'm an 'idea man' that I could fill up two lifetimes trying to get them all done.