[ale] OT Asus laptop stinkin' key legends coming off the stinkin' keys
Ron Frazier (ALE)
This is off topic, but some of you might have had a similar experience.
I've had this Asus laptop that I'm typing on for 8-9 months. I'm pretty
active on a few mailing lists such as this one and a couple of others.
I type a lot, and I type fast and aggressively. It's hard to type fast
without being aggressive. I have some fingernails, but they are minimal
in length. I'm having a problem where the painted on legends on the
keyboard keycaps are coming off. E, S, C, N, and the down arrow are
currently gone or leaving. If the trend continues for a while, I'll
have a keyboard that I cannot see, and, while I can touch type, I don't
have all the special keys and symbols memorized. Memorized or not, it's
nice to have labeled keys. I had bought the 2 yr extended warranty from
Best Buy. I went in and discovered that the warranty doesn't cover
broken screens (was wondering just in case something happened) and it
doesn't cover "cosmetic" damage. The guy said the keys would still work
even if I couldn't see them. I tried the threatening to never shop
there again trick. He offered to send the computer in, but said they
might charge me for repairs if nothing was "wrong" with it. I offered
to pound it with a hammer, but he said that wouldn't be covered. Giving
him the benefit of the doubt, his hands are probably totally tied in the
matter. He suggested I contact Asus. I did contact Asus, and was
basically told the same thing. So, I could send the computer in, pay
one way shipping and be without it for 5 weeks, and they MIGHT fix it.
If they concluded I had abused it or that it's not a factory defect,
they would not only charge me for the repair, but also charge me return
shipping.
It seemed that I had either bad choice A or bad choice B. In the end, I
decided to buy some keyboard stickers from an online vendor and just
stick them on. This particular vendor seems to have a large selection
of stickers and appears to be good quality. They also have things like
stickers for special computer program applications, or other languages.
I don't have the product yet, but we'll see how it turns out. There are
other similar vendors. I still don't feel that I should have to solve
this particular problem after owning the machine for 9 months.
As a side note, the specs for the computer say the "chicklet" style keys
make it easy to type. I don't think so. The best keyboard I've ever
typed on was an electric IBM Selectric typewriter I used in typing class
in high school around 1982. They only had one, the rest were manual
Royal typewriters if I recall. I was much happier when I got to use the
IBM. The keys conformed to your finger, rather than being flat, had a
reasonable amount of travel, and great tactile response. I haven't felt
anything nearly as good since. The old IBM PC keyboards would be a
close second place, and the keyboard I had in my old IBM Thinkpad
computer would probably be third place. I'm not a blazing fast typist
like some professional secretaries, but I could do 60 - 70 wpm on a good
day. I don't miss typewriters, but I do miss that keyboard.
The laptop keys, non conforming, non tactile, shallow travel, make my
fingers hurt after a while. By the way, all the new ultrabook style
computers have chicklet style keys as far as I know.
Sincerely,
Ron
--
(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone. I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such. I don't always see new messages very quickly.)
Ron Frazier
770-205-9422 (O) Leave a message.
linuxdude AT c3energy.com
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Jim Kinney
Get some clear polyurethane (water based stuff - NOT the oil based!) and carefully clean the keys with alcohol then paint a coat of clear on top. Do a few coats and that should stop the degradation.
Clear, gloss nail polish will also work but the solvent may do some slight "melting" of the key tops. test first.
--
James P. Kinney III
As long as the general population is passive, apathetic, diverted to consumerism or hatred of the vulnerable, then the powerful can do as they please, and those who survive will be left to contemplate the outcome.
- 2011 Noam Chomsky
http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
Pete Hardie
On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 13:41, Ron Frazier (ALE)
<atllinux...@c3energy.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> This is off topic, but some of you might have had a similar experience.
> I've had this Asus laptop that I'm typing on for 8-9 months. I'm pretty
> active on a few mailing lists such as this one and a couple of others.
> I type a lot, and I type fast and aggressively. It's hard to type fast
> without being aggressive. I have some fingernails, but they are minimal
> in length. I'm having a problem where the painted on legends on the
> keyboard keycaps are coming off.
--
Pete Hardie
--------
Better Living Through Bitmaps
Lightner, Jeff
I’m seeing the degradation on my Dell D650 laptop but so far it mainly affects the N key for no reason I can figure out. However, that is after 2-3 years of use. At 9 months I’d have to say ASUS is the issue.
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Pete Hardie
about our word choice, perhaps.
On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 14:30, Lightner, Jeff <JLig...@water.com> wrote:
> I’m seeing the degradation on my Dell D650 laptop but so far it mainly
> affects the N key for no reason I can figure out. However, that is after
> 2-3 years of use. At 9 months I’d have to say ASUS is the issue.
--
Pete Hardie
--------
Better Living Through Bitmaps
_______________________________________________
Rich Faulkner
Unfortunately for me, I either wear-out the keys (mechanically) before the silk-screen wears off...that or my kids pluck the keys from the laptop! Now kept under lock and key when not in use for that reason.
FYI> My Acer Travelmate 8200 Series is a daily driver and has been for a long while; no appreciable wear on the characters on the keys. Good stuff....
Rich
Ron Frazier (ALE)
used most heavily will, all other things being equal, wear out first. E
and A are the kings of the usage hill. Curiously, on my keyboard, E is
fading, but A is not. So, there much be some variation in the quality of
the paint.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_frequency
Sincerely,
Ron
On 3/20/2012 2:45 PM, Pete Hardie wrote:
> Curiously, my 'N' is one of the fading ones as well. Says something
> about our word choice, perhaps.
>
> On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 14:30, Lightner, Jeff<JLig...@water.com> wrote:
>
>> I’m seeing the degradation on my Dell D650 laptop but so far it mainly
>> affects the N key for no reason I can figure out. However, that is after
>> 2-3 years of use. At 9 months I’d have to say ASUS is the issue.
>>
>
--
(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone. I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such. I don't always see new messages very quickly.)
Ron Frazier
770-205-9422 (O) Leave a message.
linuxdude AT c3energy.com
_______________________________________________
Lightner, Jeff
E above this email = 19
N above this email = 8
-----Original Message-----
From: ale-b...@ale.org [mailto:ale-b...@ale.org] On Behalf Of Ron Frazier (ALE)
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 3:19 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
Subject: Re: [ale] OT Asus laptop stinkin' key legends coming off the stinkin' keys
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_frequency
Sincerely,
Ron
--
Ron Frazier
Athena(r), Created for the Cause(tm)
Making a Difference in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
---------------------------------
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----------------------------------
Brian MacLeod
Hash: SHA256
I would bet it is a combination of two factors: N is a high frequency
one on the lower line of the keyboard.
Why would that matter? More likely in the positioning to or from the N
key, the firmer parts of your fingertips or you fingernails drag
across the face of the key. Now, if you play stringed instruments,
you might see a more diverse run of keys fading out (callouses and the
like on your fingers).
Brian
On 3/20/12 3:38 PM, Lightner, Jeff wrote:
> E I would expect because it is the number one letter used (at least
> in English). N is a surprise especially given that my E isn't an
> issue.
>
> E above this email = 19 N above this email = 8
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: ale-b...@ale.org
> [mailto:ale-b...@ale.org] On Behalf Of Ron Frazier (ALE) Sent:
> Tuesday, March 20, 2012 3:19 PM To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
> Subject: Re: [ale] OT Asus laptop stinkin' key legends coming off
> the stinkin' keys
>
> N is one of the most heavily used characters in our language.
> Those used most heavily will, all other things being equal, wear
> out first. E and A are the kings of the usage hill. Curiously, on
> my keyboard, E is fading, but A is not. So, there much be some
> variation in the quality of the paint.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_frequency
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Ron
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Geoffrey Myers
> E I would expect because it is the number one letter used (at least in English). N is a surprise especially given that my E isn't an issue.
>
> E above this email = 19
> N above this email = 8
R S T L N are the most used consonants.
E is, of course the most used as previously noted.
Haven't you ever watched Wheel of Fortune?
--
Until later, Geoffrey
"I predict future happiness for America if they can prevent
the government from wasting the labors of the people under
the pretense of taking care of them."
- Thomas Jefferson
Lightner, Jeff
My favorite shows are the ones where the letters revealed are something like:
R A _ N _ N G C _ T S A N _ _ O G S
And the putzes can't figure it out.
-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Myers [mailto:li...@serioustechnology.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 4:09 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
Cc: Lightner, Jeff
Subject: Re: [ale] OT Asus laptop stinkin' key legends coming off the stinkin' keys
On 03/20/2012 03:38 PM, Lightner, Jeff wrote:
> E I would expect because it is the number one letter used (at least in English). N is a surprise especially given that my E isn't an issue.
>
> E above this email = 19
> N above this email = 8
R S T L N are the most used consonants.
E is, of course the most used as previously noted.
Haven't you ever watched Wheel of Fortune?
--
Until later, Geoffrey
"I predict future happiness for America if they can prevent
the government from wasting the labors of the people under
the pretense of taking care of them."
- Thomas Jefferson
Athena(r), Created for the Cause(tm)
Making a Difference in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
---------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail may contain privileged or confidential information and is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please reply immediately to the sender that you have received the message in error, and delete it. Thank you.
----------------------------------
Pete Hardie
--
Pete Hardie
--------
Better Living Through Bitmaps
_______________________________________________
Rich Faulkner
To know where I type a lot all I have to do is look for oil from my fingertips. That will show where my fingers rest and what keys I use to death. I guess you could say I have a "well oiled keyboard!"
But if my oil stained finger prints are any indicator of what keys I use a lot...the "N" key does see a lot of use! That's kind of a funny thing as I don't think I type that key that often and don't have that letter in my password at present....
A quick scan of what I've written in this email reveals that "N" is well used as a character....fascinating...
RinL
(THERE IT IS AGAIN!!!!)
JD
> Curiously, my 'N' is one of the fading ones as well. Says something
> about our word choice, perhaps.
>
> On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 14:30, Lightner, Jeff <JLig...@water.com> wrote:
>> I’m seeing the degradation on my Dell D650 laptop but so far it mainly
>> affects the N key for no reason I can figure out. However, that is after
>> 2-3 years of use. At 9 months I’d have to say ASUS is the issue.
>
Spent $1 for 2 keyboards about 15 yrs ago. Best $1 I've spent.
The keyboards?
IBM Model M - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard
When a key starts sticking, I swap the "spare" keyboard in and clean the dirty
one later. The right shift was was sticking a little last week. Popped the key,
a little soap and water with an old toothbrush - good as new.
The feel is fantastic.
Two Downsides:
* I wish it didn't click, but the feel is too good and they definitely last.
* No "super" key.
BTW, the "N" is perfect still - this must be from 1990 or before, right?