Both are popular. Literally 100s of millions of people use keyboards on screens, so I'm not even really sure what you think you are trying to say. The desktop computer market isn't likely to move away from mechanical keyboards, but the phone/tablet market did a long time ago. Something with more accuracy, or that can be used for touch typing, without taking up device real estate, could definitely blow up in that market.

> why have mechanical keyboards become so damn popular and not "keyboards on screens?"

Keyboards in general have become more popular, as more and more people get computing devices. I'm willing to bet the increase of keyboards on screens is much greater than the increase of mechanical keyboards; there are far more smartphones than mechanical keyboards.

It's a very similar hobby to collecting post-marks.

> those laser beam projected keyboards blown up

Because no serious company never made one and what was nowhere near usable beyond "Checks what another useless thing I got!"

I mean... have you ever used a phone?