[ale] OT Asus laptop stinkin' key legends coming off the stinkin' keys

[Jim Kinney]

I feel your pain! The keys on my thinkpad are friggin decals!

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.

On Tue, Mar 20, 2012 at 1:41 PM, Ron Frazier (ALE) <
atllinuxenthinfo at 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.  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.
>
> http://www.4keyboard.com/
>
> 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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-- 
-- 
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/
*
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