[HN Gopher] Klack - Satisfying sound with every keystroke
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Klack - Satisfying sound with every keystroke
Author : latexr
Score : 124 points
Date : 2023-09-05 17:55 UTC (5 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (tryklack.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (tryklack.com)
| bitcoinmoney wrote:
| Nothing for windows?
| BlankReg wrote:
| https://www.grc.com/freeware/clickey.htm
|
| (42k with 26 built in sounds)
| FiddlerClamp wrote:
| MechVibes - https://www.mechvibes.com
| raydiatian wrote:
| Why
| [deleted]
| cyann wrote:
| Been using it for weeks, makes me feel "productive" when typing a
| lot.
|
| Some keys (numeric keypad) are silent, which is odd, and makes me
| look at the keyboard wondering where did I put my fingers...
| paxys wrote:
| I don't know about this. For me 99% of the satisfaction of a
| mechanical keyboard comes from the tactile feedback rather than
| the sound. In fact the first thing I do on any new device with a
| touchscreen is turn off the annoying keyboard click sound.
| floren wrote:
| Makes me think of old terminals with speakers in the keyboard, to
| generate an extra little "click" e.g.
| https://youtu.be/RuZUPpmXfT0?feature=shared&t=343
| i_am_jl wrote:
| Even older ones had full-on solenoids banging around inside the
| case of the keyboard. They were intended to simulate the sound
| of a typewriter.
| buescher wrote:
| As the Atari 800 and Atari 400 also had. The later models
| omitted the speaker and piped the click out with the sound chip
| audio.
| Findecanor wrote:
| Atari ST's TOS also did it via the sound chip. Could be
| turned off in Control Panel.
|
| IBM's "beam spring"-switch terminal keyboards had a
| _solenoid_ , to make it sound like a typewriter:
| <https://youtu.be/tMOkhsHxA7U> (with modern controller)
| intrasight wrote:
| My daily driver is an IBM Model M made in 1984. Has a very
| satisfying sound on every keystroke - satisfying to me anyway ;)
| espe wrote:
| nice. 1995 ibm aptiva keyboard here. it's still the same as on
| day 1.
| Fnoord wrote:
| What will happen when you combine this with AutoHotKey and the
| like? Will my coworkers think I'm producing tons of code or will
| it remain silent?
|
| I used wev (Wayland xev) and some macros on Sway in past to use
| my touchpad with macros (macOS-like) but I guess these are going
| to count as keypresses.
| sva_ wrote:
| Somewhat similar to how some electric vehicles make noise to
| emulate a combustion engine.
| satisfice wrote:
| In 1988, Macs gave you tue ability to map sounds to keystrokes.
| (I think I was using a Mac II.) So, I mapped a recording of my
| own keys. It created a nice sort of reverb for me and annoyed my
| officemates.
| firaskafri wrote:
| Free with more options: https://github.com/nathan-
| fiscaletti/keyboardsounds
| teddyh wrote:
| More clicky: <https://github.com/zevv/bucklespring>
| PaulDavisThe1st wrote:
| Thanks for that. Approximately 40 secs after installation, I
| uninstalled. Fun while it lasted though!
| FredPret wrote:
| I'm new to Mac, so here's a question for HN:
|
| This app needs accessibility access in MacOS. The OS warns
| ominously: "Allow the applications below to control your
| computer". Did I just pay to install a keylogger?
| smodo wrote:
| Well of course it has to register the keystrokes first. And
| only when it knows which key you struck can it produce that
| Dolby Surround spatially consistent clack.
| FredPret wrote:
| Is there a good way to monitor/block all outbound network
| traffic from this/similar apps?
| flir wrote:
| I used Little Snitch for a while, but found its payment
| model more trouble than it was worth. YMMV.
| aylmao wrote:
| I can't assure you you haven't, since the only way to tell
| would be via the source code, but for what its worth, I've
| installed a lot of other applications that ask for permission
| to "control your computer", including "Discord, League of
| Legends, Steam, Zoom, Logitech Options, etc.
| paxys wrote:
| 90%+ of Mac software I have installed in newer versions needs
| some broad "accessibility" permission, simply because the OS is
| too restrictive for an application that wants to do anything
| even slightly complex. 1Password needs it to autofill text
| inputs. Zoom needs it for screenshare. iTerm needs it for
| remapping keys. The OS presents it as "this scary app wants to
| control your computer!!" when the permission should really be
| broken down.
| codeTired wrote:
| This reminds me of getting into the zone and programming away on
| a mechanical keyboard. The sound is really soothing for me and
| feels so good. Unfortunately, as I age it's harder and harder to
| get into this perfect flow, where every key stroke touches my
| soul.
| jzb wrote:
| I'm boggled by this - assuming it's not a joke of some kind.
| Would anybody actually _pay_ to have a clacky key sound if their
| keyboard doesn 't do it already?
|
| I do the bulk of my typing on ancient Microsoft Natural Pro
| keyboards from the pre-/early 2000s era. (Though I'm trialing the
| Cloud Nine ergo split keyboards with some success...) Noise is
| inevitable. Not sure I'd pay for it if it didn't happen, er,
| naturally though.
| alternatex wrote:
| The difference is you cannot make it inaudible for people
| around you whereas you can with using software like this.
| jzb wrote:
| I get that, but I don't consider the keyboard noise a feature
| - more of a side effect.
|
| My wife might pay for an app that silences my keyboard,
| though.
| gwbas1c wrote:
| I suspect it's a passion project, or a learning project.
|
| I wrote something similar a few years ago so I could go through
| the process of making it into the app store. I didn't expect a
| lot (or any) sales.
|
| (But I probably should have put it up on Hacker News so I could
| get all kinds of comments like yours.)
| doublemint2202 wrote:
| It's been said before but I'll say it 1000 times again: the
| over-saturation of subscription saas is annoying and wholly
| unnecessary.
|
| new models of business should replace it, or even larger
| economic policy.
| gwbas1c wrote:
| It's $4. How is that a subscription?
| pjot wrote:
| Perhaps we should include tipping?
|
| Higher tips enables new features.
|
| Say you want keys that sound like lasers...well that's a 25%
| tip!
| once_inc wrote:
| I still firmly believe that a microtransaction economy would
| be great for exactly this kind of use-cases to transform
| currently broken/predatory business models into viable,
| affordable services. Using the Lightning Network for such
| transactions seems obvious to me, though I know the general
| hatred of HN for Bitcoin and crypto (the latter of which I
| agree with).
| mellosouls wrote:
| ...for Mac
| alberth wrote:
| Unsolicited feedback:
|
| - noticeable delay (between depressing key and sound)
|
| - doesn't sound correct (it sounds like a typewriter not a
| computer keyboard)
|
| - can it be turned off when a specific app is open (e.g. if
| Zoom/Teams is open, I don't want people hearing me type)
| oniony wrote:
| Delay: did you set the setting it suggests?
| grug_htmx_dev wrote:
| Seen a conference talk with someone that had quake weapon sounds
| set on every keypress. Now, that's what I'd like to get. :D
| asadm wrote:
| that sounds hilarious, where do I get it? :D
| erk__ wrote:
| The reminds me of selectric-mode for emacs:
| https://github.com/rbanffy/selectric-mode
| geuis wrote:
| Demo sounds don't play on iOS.
| hannibal529 wrote:
| I think you need to turn your ringer on, otherwise it's
| silenced.
| geuis wrote:
| Ah that was it. Always forget about that thing.
| kn0where wrote:
| Need to turn the ringer switch on, then they work.
| bee_rider wrote:
| In iOS Safari, I had them playing under my music, barely
| noticed, they are quite faint.
|
| Then when I switched away to pause Pandora and get a better
| listen, they seemed to go silent too. But, when I reloaded the
| Klack site, they seemed to work again. FWIW.
| purplecats wrote:
| will this work w SIP disabled if i download it from the app store
| SkyMarshal wrote:
| As someone who hates noisy keys, this is really cool. It lets
| people who like hearing audible click feedback to still hear it
| their headphones, while other folks around them don't hear it
| all. Nice job.
| Zetobal wrote:
| It doesn't deactivate the sound of the keyboard.
| SkyMarshal wrote:
| It's mainly useful in an open office setting and you want to
| be able to hear click feedback but don't want to drive
| everyone around you crazy with a noisy keyboard. Or you're
| working on a laptop and want more audible key feedback than
| the laptop keyboard provides.
| Zetobal wrote:
| I guess if you buy your keyboard for the audible sensation
| you are right. I just use one with O-Rings when I am in an
| open office environment.
| [deleted]
| stevebmark wrote:
| Missing the point I think. It's really disrespectful to use a
| loud / mechanical keyboard in a public place, or really when
| anyone else is nearby. This lets folks use normal/good
| keyboards and still satisfy the weird craving some have for
| mechanical noises through their own headphones. Probably will
| save some RSI surgeries too, people can use healthy low key
| travel keyboards instead of high travel mechanical switches,
| while still getting the clicking sound they want.
| Zetobal wrote:
| Most don't use a mechanical keyboard because of the sound.
| jarek83 wrote:
| Well, I would say that the reason is not the sound per
| se, it's the inability to turn off the sound. This
| software solves that.
| Zetobal wrote:
| This software doesn't deactivate the sound of the
| keyboard. I feel like I am taking crazy pills today.
| tristor wrote:
| > Probably will save some RSI surgeries too, people can use
| healthy low key travel keyboards instead of high travel
| mechanical switches, while still getting the clicking sound
| they want.
|
| Citation Needed.
|
| Mechanical keyboards are generally considered to be
| /better/ for your ergonomic health than low-travel
| keyboards. Part of this is that the primary form of
| repetitive injury is bottoming out the keys, which if you
| are on a higher travel keyboard with good tactile feedback
| you tend not to do, because you can actuate the keys
| without bottoming out.
| blowski wrote:
| > Mechanical keyboards are generally considered to be
| /better/ for your ergonomic health than low-travel
| keyboards
|
| Citation needed there as well?
| knoebber wrote:
| Anecdote: I had serious wrist/hand pain after using a
| mechanical keyboard for years. I changed to a low profile
| keyboard, and I don't have pain anymore. Who knows, maybe
| it was coincidence.
| mrbadguy wrote:
| Funny, I always feel like I'm about to get injured using
| really low travel keyboards like the new apple magic
| keyboards. Hence I prefer mechanical ones.
|
| Guess it varies from person to person. Good to find what
| works for you.
| ilrwbwrkhv wrote:
| Same. That is why I'm excited to try out the glove80 I
| saw on HN the other day.
| tristor wrote:
| Anecdote: I had the opposite, I switched to an ergo
| layout mechanical keyboard and a vertical mouse and was
| able to avoid near-certain surgery.
|
| The difference tends to be whether you're a "hard typer"
| or not. Folks who are hard typers (I am one), do much
| better with mechanical keyboards because it subtlety
| teaches you not to bottom out due to tactile feedback,
| while low-travel keyboards you /always/ bottom out while
| using. Folks who are not hard typers don't bottom out
| hard enough for it to injure them, and because they type
| more softly experience more strain due to the higher
| actuation weights of mechanical key switches.
|
| RSI is fun like that, there's no one true answer. You
| have to find what works for you. It's not a mistake
| though that one of the first and most respected ergonomic
| keyboards has always been mechanical, though [1].
|
| [1]: https://kinesis-
| ergo.com/keyboards/advantage2-keyboard/
| bluescrn wrote:
| But when the clicks are lagged by a noticable fraction of a
| second due to bluetooth headphones, they're probably worse than
| no feedback at all...
| autoexec wrote:
| An easy problem to solve when you can just plug the
| headphones in.
| zamalek wrote:
| Still worse. Mechanical keys make the sound/tactile bump at
| the point of actuation. There is significant latency
| between that and your eyeballs, about as much between that
| and your ears (USB keyboard HID is typically polled at
| 10ms, Bluetooth is easily over 50ms).
| blowski wrote:
| How does it work - listen for keypresses? Is there any protection
| against this being a keylogger?
| gkbrk wrote:
| Not giving this network access seems like it should be enough.
| GavinAnderegg wrote:
| I bought it through the App Store and it requires you to give
| the app Accessibility access. I hesitated about this, but it
| does make sense. The good news is that you can turn this
| setting on and off easily. So potentially you could only run
| the app with access to keyboard input when you're choosing to
| write something that's not sensitive.
| pbhjpbhj wrote:
| My first thought too.
|
| There was something recently about hacks using actual sounds
| from a keyboard (which is an old thing) but someone commented
| that they had trained an AI in 30 minutes or so that had about
| 90% accuracy -- I think someone used this technique to hack a
| phone scam group too, just from listening to them typing over
| the phone as the scammer targeted them. Hot!
| wiradikusuma wrote:
| Wouldn't it "conflict" with actual keystroke sound so we hear
| "double"?
| solardev wrote:
| No worries, by this time next week there'll be a subscription
| service selling deepfake keystroke sounds
| rochak wrote:
| Based
| tristor wrote:
| This is a neat little piece of software, however I find the most
| satisfaction comes from building your own mechanical keyboard
| that makes amazing sounds when you type :). I recommend it as a
| good weekend project for pretty much any nerdy-type person.
| nvy wrote:
| A wise green alien once said: If once you start down the dark
| path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it
| will.
|
| If you like having money, don't get into mechanical keyboards.
| nine_k wrote:
| Am I the only one who find the whole thing a brilliant ironic
| stunt?
| hackernewds wrote:
| counterpoint: $$$$
| natch wrote:
| Awesome, please take my money!
| jonas21 wrote:
| Is there a video (or even just audio) demo? I'd be very reluctant
| to install (and pay for) this without hearing what it sounds like
| first.
|
| EDIT: Oh! I see you can click on the little play buttons in the
| hero image to hear a preview. That's pretty subtle.
| toomanydoubts wrote:
| There are some "demos" on the homepage, although I don't think
| they do a very good job of demonstrating the app.
|
| Klack is an interesting concept, but a really wish there was
| like a 15 minute real demo or something to really get a feel
| for what's like. I'm also reluctant of paying for it just to
| try it out.
| zevv wrote:
| For an open source alternative, try Bucklyspring: it runs on
| linux, mac and windows. All Klack's marketing lingo even applies
| as well: High fidelity sound, Immersive spatial audio, Instant
| type feedback, Up/down keystrokes.
|
| Debian/ubuntu users: sudo apt install bucklespring all others:
| https://github.com/zevv/bucklespring
| hazn wrote:
| Spatial audio is actually an Apple device feature, not (only) a
| marketing term.
|
| https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2021/10265/
| [deleted]
| ChrisMarshallNY wrote:
| Anyone remember the "Virtual Barbershop"?
|
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA
| ohgodplsno wrote:
| HRTFs are not an Apple device feature, they are a widely
| known thing. Apple just markets it as Spatial audio
| pie_flavor wrote:
| The term is, the tech isn't. Apple does this with lots of
| things, like calling OLED displays 'Super Retina'; it both is
| and isn't true that only Apple products have super retina
| displays.
| Morizero wrote:
| Yeah Aureal was doing spatial audio in the 90s
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Yc2pODiZgU&t=157s
| tobr wrote:
| I think the distinguishing feature of displays branded
| "Super Retina" is the high pixel density (around 460 ppi).
| They have lower density OLED displays that they just call
| "Retina".
| teddyh wrote:
| Seems to me that it was a term which existed before Apple
| started using it:
|
| <https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2018-09-05%202
| ...>
| JTon wrote:
| Thanks for sharing this project. Love the sounds [1].
| Unfortunately, the github states the windows version is broken
| (haven't verified myself). Also, just personal taste, I can see
| myself getting tied of the bucklespring sound. Klack having
| different switch sounds seems worth the price alone.
|
| [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21AuWT1lDMc
| KRAKRISMOTT wrote:
| Any member of the rust evangelism strike force here willing to
| reinvent the wheel for us? Waiting for a version in Rust
| timeon wrote:
| You are the one bringing it to the discussion.
| ddalex wrote:
| I feel rust may not be enough parallelizable to accomodate
| very fast typist, I am looking for the erlang version
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(page generated 2023-09-05 23:01 UTC)