a TEST is coming

[The Folk Prophet]

FWIW, I don't much care for pens.

Keyboards....on the other hand....

At my last job a few years back a fellow developer got me into the idea of mechanical keyboards. I found this site where you can customize (color, etc) a cherry blue switch mechanical keyboard and did so.

Here's the site: http://www.maxkeyboard.com/max-nighthawk-104-key-custom-mechanical-keyboard.html

The keyboard I got myself looks like this:

Yes. I am a keyboard nerd.

I didn't originally have the green L key, but I found that getting up from my desk (whereupon we are required to lock our computers) I could not see the front-print characters and always had to bend down to find the L key from that angle (without my hands in typing position). So I got a green key for it (for those who aren't aware, windows key and L lock the computer).

Other than the L, I have discovered that I do not need, use, or care about the print on my keyboard, and wish that I had opted to go with print-less keys because it's cocky and cool to have a keyboard with no print on the keys. If I ever do it again I'll get it without print.

[zil]

2 minutes ago, The Folk Prophet said:

FWIW, I don't much care for pens.

Keyboards....on the other hand....

At my last job a few years back a fellow developer got me into the idea of mechanical keyboards. I found this site where you can customize (color, etc) a cherry blue switch mechanical keyboard and did so.

Here's the site: http://www.maxkeyboard.com/max-nighthawk-104-key-custom-mechanical-keyboard.html

The keyboard I got myself looks like this:

Yes. I am a keyboard nerd.

I didn't originally have the green L key, but I found that getting up from my desk (whereupon we are required to lock our computers) I could not see the front-print characters and always had to bend down to find the L key from that angle (without my hands in typing position). So I got a green key for it (for those who aren't aware, windows key and L lock the computer).

Other than the L, I have discovered that I do not need, use, or care about the print on my keyboard, and wish that I had opted to go with print-less keys because it's cocky and cool to have a keyboard with no print on the keys. If I ever do it again I'll get it without print.

But is it programmable?  Cuz if I could find a modern keyboard programmable like the AnyKey, I would buy it (I'm running out of AnyKey keyboards - pretty sure they stopped making them in the late 1990s).

Also, what are those zeros above the num-pad?  Is that a calculator, or are those the typical num lock/caps lock / scroll lock indicators?

PS: You're missing the left bank of F-keys.

[The Folk Prophet]

12 minutes ago, zil said:

But is it programmable?  Cuz if I could find a modern keyboard programmable like the AnyKey, I would buy it (I'm running out of AnyKey keyboards - pretty sure they stopped making them in the late 1990s).

I don't care about that. There are programmable keyboards out there if one cares for such things. I'm all in it for the tactile feel and the "Ooo"s and "Aah"s I get when people see it.

13 minutes ago, zil said:

Also, what are those zeros above the num-pad? Is that a calculator, or are those the typical num lock/caps lock / scroll lock indicators?

Indicators. (color for these lights is customizable as well)

15 minutes ago, zil said:

PS: You're missing the left bank of F-keys.

I miss nothing!

[zil]

5 minutes ago, The Folk Prophet said:

There are programmable keyboards out there if one cares for such things.

As far as I can tell, they are actually not programmable.  Rather, they come with software which responds to specific keystrokes, and often with special, extra keys, but the keyboard itself is not programmable independent of the software.

And yes on the tactile feel - those are really nice switches.

[The Folk Prophet]

4 minutes ago, zil said:

As far as I can tell, they are actually not programmable.  Rather, they come with software which responds to specific keystrokes, and often with special, extra keys, but the keyboard itself is not programmable independent of the software.

I swear I remember reading about a keyboard when I was exploring them back then that I came across one that had memory and was actually programmable. Can't remember now though.

[anatess2]

2 hours ago, zil said:

As far as I can tell, they are actually not programmable.  Rather, they come with software which responds to specific keystrokes, and often with special, extra keys, but the keyboard itself is not programmable independent of the software.

And yes on the tactile feel - those are really nice switches.

 

2 hours ago, The Folk Prophet said:

I swear I remember reading about a keyboard when I was exploring them back then that I came across one that had memory and was actually programmable. Can't remember now though.

 

A keyboard's circuit usually has a memory buffer that stores keystrokes as it sends the signal to the computer.  This makes it so that your typing can be independent from the signal bottleneck.  Well, of course, these days, technology, even RF and bluetooth ones, has improved so much that the fingers can't keep up with the signal passage anymore so there's no bottleneck.  But, the memory buffer is still there.  The computer has a keyboard controller that accepts these signals from the keyboard circuit and passes them to the OS.  The OS then determines what to do with the signal.

So, there are 3 ways you can customize (program) a keyboard - in the keyboard before the signal is passed to the controller, in the controller before the signal is passed to the OS, or in the OS itself.  The cheapest (and easiest) way to program a keyboard is, of course, where all the computer's programs reside - in the OS.  So, programmable keyboard circuits or keyboard controllers are just not needed for this.  But, there are specific-use computers that are more rigid than a regular computer - like a gaming system, or a point-of-sale machine - in which programming the keyboard circuit would be less complicated.  That's where the programmable keyboard circuits can be of use.  Then, of course, there are hacking enthusiasts who likes playing with these programmable keyboard circuits too just because they can.

P.S.  There are also encoders/encrypters.  But, usually, this is done by just putting a different layer on the keyboard keys for the encoding part and then using software on the other end to decode it back.  The movie American Assassin used this in the movie.

Edited September 28, 2017 by anatess2

[Guest]

On 9/27/2017 at 12:49 PM, zil said:

Nice to see you back, @Carborendum.

Actually, not much.  I've been busy with flood investigations lately.  I'm getting about 5 or fewer hours of sleep each night.  I think things will taper off next week some time.  In the meantime, I hope all of you are well.  You deserve a break from my incessant posting anyway.

[NightSG]

4 hours ago, Carborendum said:

I've been busy with flood investigations lately.

Did you find any clues as to who did it yet?

[JoCa]

Hmm.  I guess Elder Oaks reads MormonHub ???? ;-).

[The Folk Prophet]

24 minutes ago, JoCa said:

Hmm.  I guess Elder Oaks reads MormonHub ???? ;-).

A scary thought, indeed.

Watch yourselves folks.

Of course, seriously, if an apostle was reading the comments we made it shouldn't make a difference to the fact that God most certainly is. A nice reminder, if nothing else, that, at the very least, God is watching.

And, yes, I think the points he made are accurate. 1. Any test is a component, alone, of THE TEST, which is life itself, obviously. 2. One of the primary tests of this generation is the attack on traditional family and, specifically, homosexuality. That is obvious too.

Edited September 30, 2017 by The Folk Prophet

[laronius]

7 hours ago, JoCa said:

Hmm.  I guess Elder Oaks reads MormonHub ???? ;-).

The reference to Pres Benson about tests made me curious exactly what he had to say about it. Turns out he was talking about the test of prosperity and Satan lulling the saints into a state of apathy and inaction. After quoting Brigham Young's quote about the saints growing rich and kicking themselves out of the Church Pres Benson said:

Quote

"Ours then seems to be the toughest test of all, for the evils are more subtle, more clever. It all seems less menacing and it is harder to detect. While every test of righteousness represents a struggle, this particular test seems like no test at all, no struggle and so could be the most deceiving of all tests."

While there may be many tests we face the test of prosperity may be the Achilles heel that along with its accompanying symptom of apathy that makes many saints vulnerable to whatever else Satan and society throws at us.

[Guest]

On 9/29/2017 at 3:11 PM, NightSG said:

Did you find any clues as to who did it yet?

I keep hearing that eyewitnesses report that this character "Harvey" did it.  But no one has been able to supply me a surname.  Well, I just don't believe in 6'-3.5" white rabbits that can talk and wreak havoc on entire cities.  But I'll get to the bottom of this.