I've just put in another solid hour's research, and what I want, apparently, is a "Mechanical keyboard". There are pages and pages of stuff on the net about Mechanical versus Membrane keyboards. There's even an Official Mechanical Keyboard user club!
This one looks the bizzo:
http://www.techspot.com/review/122-das-keyboard/http://www.daskeyboard.com/Das Keyboard. Solid black, solid engineering, awesomely put together, so solidly black that the keys have no legend engraved on the key-caps, and only <ha ha ha> 99 Euros plus shipping. One reviewer said he was going to "use this keyboard for the rest of his life."
I can touch-type, but admit to looking down now and then, especially when typing in complicated passwords, so on the whole I'd prefer an engraved-key version. What does US layout mean? Any ideas, anyone?
I've also come across Cherry keyboards which look solidly built and only cost half that. Cherry seem to cater for Point of Sale operations and hence most of their keyboards contain card-swipers, not what I want. The non-swipe ones descriptions are not enough to get me to commit to buying, unseen. I wish they'd provide dimensions!
Anyone out there with experience of Cherry keyboards?
Oh, and I briefly got excited in my researches earlier, stumbling across fantastic reviews for a Mac k/b which looked exactly what I want......and then I found it had been discontinued years ago. (The Tactile Pro, it was called).
Onwards! Good job it's not urgent.
