The original IBM PC keyboards were some of the best to type on, although they were quite heavy by today's standards. Key action was superior but the audio feedback from each keystroke made for a fairly noisy environment when a lot of those keyboards were in use in a small area, for example in a room with several data entry clerks working away. And of course these days we pretty much need the Windows key and the context menu key, so the older keyboards just don't cut it in that regard.

Getting a little off topic here, but for anybody who really wants to go retro there is a product called Sound Pilot (http://www.colorpilot.com/soundpilot.html) that adds sounds to each keystroke. Some of the sound sets you can get are just for fun, but others like the old Smith Corona electric typewriter sounds are actually pretty useful, although maybe more so when you're writing prose than when you're writing code.

>Rick,
>
>I have 2 reccomendations:
>If I am working at a clients site where I am allowed to bring in my own favorite equipment, I bring in a MS Natural keyboard (older version) and a Logitech Mouseman optical (I am even more addicted to this particular mouse which is not in production anymore - I have scoured ebay for good ones <g>) *with* cord. I have sets for each of the home office machines and 3 sets for client work (usually leave one at the clients office and have a spare one in the car/for the laptop).
>
>If I am working for a client with a "hands off our HW" policy (forcing me to switch over to a traditional keyboard layout) for a sizeble chunk of time I exchange all my home office machines with IBM keyboards to keep a similar layout while still giving me a superior keyboard - necessary as my style of typing is - mmmhhhh - quite agressive. Take the time to find devices fitting your body and style. After reaching a decision buy enough of them to always have a fall back option.
>
>The IBM keyboards I got a few years back when a client exchanged a lot of machines: I got a dozen used ones for a silly price just to get them of their hands and most work today. Made the decision to grow such an unusal habit a lot easier, but I mistype often enough on my own, so I don't need any help from bad/misaligned keyboards <g>.
>
>regards
>
>thomas