Dave Caolo, on his favorite keyboard:
First is the sound. That lovely wooden-stick-on-a-hollow-log “thonk” that announces each keystroke is yet to be duplicated. It’s satisfying in a way that affirms your productivity. Much like the jackhammer operator feels content at the end of a noisy day’s work, I feel that I got much accomplished with all that thonking and clacking.
[…]
I also love the keyboard’s feel. Apple’s Bluetooth keyboards are nice, but the keys barely move when pressed. In contrast, the Extended Keyboard’s keys just drop when pressed, providing wonderful tactile feedback. They then spring back with perfectly appropriate force. I’ve used some keyboards that either repelled my fingers on the upstroke or yielded like cold oatmeal when pressed. They’ve all made me long for the ancient artifact in my office.
I can’t agree with him more. I use an Extended II both at home and at work. The keyboard is comfortable, spacious and noisy.
Griffin’s now-discontinued iMate, a simple USB to ADB adaptor makes hooking the keyboard up painless. The excellent Keyboard Maestro lets me tie Extended II’s function keys OS-level shortcuts, just like on Apple’s modern keyboards.