It sounds like you aren't familiar with mechanical keyboards and why people like them-- any similarities you're noticing between this keyboard and an old HP from 2000 are purely cosmetic.

I happen to own two keyboards: a mechanical one similar to this, and the Apple keyboard. I think the Apple keyboard is great, but finally it's a very basic laptop-style chiclet keyboard with nothing remarkable about it other than good aesthetics and compatibility with OS X. I won't bore you with the details of why people are willing to pay $100-$200 for a keyboard like this, but just know that there are good reasons.

I'd be willing to bet you haven't looked very hard. Sure the Apple keyboards look nice but the feel and responsiveness of the keys are far from the best.

Lots of the mechanical keyboards look like they're from the 80s. The basic design and layout hasn't changed much since then, e.g. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-cadet_keyboard or http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard

I personally have the code TKL and like it quite a bit with the thicker O-rings (reduces travel and noise), but I'd really like something like a higher-quality laptop-travel scissor switch which actuates a mechanical key switch.