re: Apple Extended KBD II
Yeah, I have to agree with you. The key-feel on the Extended Keyboard II was pretty much unparalleled. About 10 years ago, I worked for a guy who was collecting up older Macs (mostly from school districts trying to unload them). We'd refurbish them (often by cannibalizing parts from broken ones to make good ones), clean them up, and configure them as inexpensive "first computers" for small kids to use. (Many of them went to daycare centers.)
He wound up with a small collection of the Extended Keyboard II's as well as many other types of Apple keyboards, and I *loved* the II.
The Matias Tactile Pro claims it uses the same ALPS key-switches that were used in the original IBM PC keyboards that many people remember so fondly and love. (I think ALPS also was claimed to provide the keyswitches in the Extended Keyboard II.) But from what I learned, the overall feel was considerably different between the old metal IBM keyboards, the Extended II's and the Tactile Pros.
The original IBM keyboards had the loudest and most "clicky" feel, closest to an old typewriter. The keys had a considerable amount of resistance when pushed down and felt like they slightly pushed your finger back up again when you started to let go of one you'd just depressed. The whole thing had the "heaviest" feel of anything I've ever typed on, on a computer.
The Extended Keyboard II struck some kind of balance between those keys with a real positive "snappy/clicky" response, and the more modern, quieter keys. The keyboard felt rock solid, even if you basically stabbed at the keys, yet it felt more like it contained plastic, not metal. The keys on them didn't snap back with the loud, metallic "springy" release of the old IBM keyboards.
The Tactile Pro doesn't quite feel like either of those to me. You can tell it uses high quality keyswitches as soon as you type on it, and they do have the classic "snappy/clicky" feel -- but the surrounding case is cheaper, lighter-weight plastic and contributes to that "cheaper feel" of the whole thing. But moreover, I thought the keys felt like they took less resistance to depress and popped back up with less force, too. Everything has a little bit "looser" feel to it. Some may prefer that, but I didn't -- yet it's better than 99% of the options being sold today.
Actually, I'll tell you what the Tactile Pro reminds me the most closely of; the old Northgate Omnikey 101 keyboards. (Old time PC users will probably remember those and know what I'm talking about.) A Tactile Pro isn't nearly as heavy or well made, if you're comparing the exterior shells -- but I'm referring to just the key-feel. The Northgates were pretty sought after as a modernized substitute for the old IBM PC keyboards and allowed reconfiguring their keycaps to use a DVORAK layout instead of QWERTY too. Anyway, I always thought while good in their own right, they weren't really a perfect copy of the key-feel of the old IBM keyboards.
I use old Apple Extended II Keyboards with iMate ADB->USB adapters.(Actually have both both the Extended I&II, but prefer the II over the I),
Besides a few small differences between these and a modern keyboard, the feel is absolutely awesome (if you like clicky keyboards). The difference being things like the keyboard 'nubs' are on the wrong keys (instead of f & j, they are one over), and have no sort of extra multimedia keys, which isn't a big deal and can remap all things like brightness & eject with the excellent Keyboard Maestro app.
Another downside is having to horde the old keyboards whenever you find them in good condition, which will get harder to do as the years go on. Same goes for the iMate ADB->USB adapters, which aren't sold new anymore AFAIK.
Did look at the Matias Tactile Pro - but seems a bit cheaply made, for not being so cheaply purchased.
