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Hardware Technology

A Condensed History Of The Keyboard 567

Posted by timothy from the they-drove-mercedes-benzes dept.
An anonymous reader points to this overview of old (good) keyboards versus the cheap and nasty kind which begins "Today's keyboards aren't what they used to be, no sir! Back in my day, we had our BS technology; our keyboards had chassis's which allowed 'em to be thrown off a 3-story building and still work - barely dented. Yes those were the days." Not a lot of new information, but some good visuals.
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A Condensed History Of The Keyboard More

A Condensed History Of The Keyboard

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  • In those days, 'audiovisual feedback' actually meant something. Long rolls of dead tree recording every single charxxxacaaxxxx ^h^h\H^H^H/d/d ^C^C^Q^Deof.DAMN...

    • Re:I miss those teletype printers... (Score:5, Informative)

      by BrokenHalo ( 565198 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @10:14AM (#6349829)
      I remember them, but I don't miss them... In the days when I worked on Burroughs B3700s, (when the Earth was newly-cooled, and Real Programmer were Real Programmers etc...) the only real keyboard interface was through a teletype, which had a key action something like a 1930s typewriter. The data entry chicks had much more sophisticated keyboards on their tape encoding machines (remember those?)

      But the only way to get your code in reliably was to use a 029 card-punch. When I wasn't trying not to get eaten by dinosaurs, that is :-)

    • Q: where do I find a true programmable keyboard??? (Score:4, Interesting)

      by orim ( 583920 ) <orimk@noSpAm.yahoo.com> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @10:31AM (#6350033)
      Hey folks,

      since we're talking about keyboards. I am surprised nobody mentioned programmable keyboards yet. Does anyone use/can recommend any good programmable keyboards these days?

      The one I've used is Gateway's model... I think it's called AnyKey kb. Had four extra buttons in the top right, Program Macro(sticking a series of keystrokes into one key press), Remap(remapping a single key), and an extra column of function keys on the left hand side.

      In any case, in my programming duties, I often find myself needing to do things like reformat 50 lines in an identical fashion. Like take out first four chars on a line, indent, put AAA there, go to next line.
      So with this kb, you didn't have to use software, you just record a macro, use it 50 times, and you're done! Life saver for the fingers/wrists/carpal tunnel.

      Any info appreciated!

  • I loved the IBM model M keyboard key caps... (Score:5, Funny)

    by zubernerd ( 518077 ) * on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:57AM (#6348479)
    Quoting the story: Key caps allow one to reconfigure their letters without actually prying off the keys from the keyboard. This was implemented due to the aforementioned QWERTY/Dvorak controversy.
    I loved the ability to remove the cap keys, every few weeks I would remove all the cap keys from my keyboard and clean each one by hand using a bleach solution, inside and out. It's great for all us obsessive-compulsive cleaners.
    The other great thing about them was the ability to play practical jokes, all one had to do was change around a few 'key' keys and watch all the non-touch typists in a computer lab get pissed off at the computer. And with Windows 2k, I'd change the insert and delete keys around, (makes it hard to use CTRL-ALT-DEL to get to the login screen)

  • Who else misses the old IBM keyboards? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by ACK!! ( 10229 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:57AM (#6348480) Journal
    I loved mine and I am still looking for one of those old clickity clackity huge heavy monsters with their wonderous tactile feedback feel.

    Anyone else in the same boat?

    At least I still have my Logitech 3 button mouse.

    What is your favorite keyboard type?

  • was the ones that came with the orignal XT. It weighed more than most PCs do today, but had wonderful scuplted keys and a great tactile feel, rather like the selectric ball typewriters they sold back then.

    The original MAC keyboards made a rather strange sound when you typed quickly, you could hear the springs creaking.
    • I just bought a new, out of the box original XT style keyboard... (XT style because the keyboard is built the same way, except it has a PS/2 style connection instead of the original connector).

      5 bucks... and I was more than happy to send my plasticky dell keyb to the closet...
      They are great, you can spill beer on them and they survive, and heavy enough to use as weapon if needed...

  • Not a lot of new information? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Soft ( 266615 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:58AM (#6348487)
    No new information in a history of something? How surprising!

  • Old Keyboards (Score:5, Funny)

    by Matrix272 ( 581458 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:58AM (#6348488)
    Ah yes, the keyboards of old could be thrown from a 747 into the middle of the Pacifac, and when they washed ashore, they would still function... but they didn't have an E-mail button. After all, what good is a keyboard without an E-mail button?

    • Re:Old Keyboards (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Jeremy Erwin ( 2054 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:10AM (#6349163) Journal
      An email button? That's nothing. My keyboard has a "shopping" button. (I think I have it set to open up freshmeat, but even so, I never use that feature.) Plus it has a scroll wheel, fast forward, rewind, play, and stop controls. It's not quite as rococo as those new Microsoft "Office" keyboards, but every time I sit down at my desk, I feel like I'm really using one of these [child-toy-store.com] Vroom, Vroom !

  • Bad layout (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Thing I never understood about modern computer keyboards is the staggered layout of the rows -- presumably a throwback from old typewriter days, but I think they'd be far more efficient if the keys were arranged in a proper grid (ie the H directly beneath the Y, and not slightly to the right).

    • Re:Bad layout (Score:5, Informative)

      by Confused ( 34234 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:15AM (#6349220) Homepage
      You obviously never had to type on a grid keyboard. If you're built like the average human, when the fingers of both hands on the keyboard, the arms are at an angel (45 to 60 degree) relative to the keyboard.

      Staggering the keys allows you to reach the keys on the other rows by simply extending or moving back the finger. No rotation is necessary for most letters. With perfect grid layouts, the finger movement is far more complex and the chance of hitting the correct is greatly reduced.

      So called ergonomic keyboards try to solve the problem by splitting the keyboard and rotating the halves.

      Except for very crude typing requirements, nobody in his right mind uses a grid layout.

  • You Tease (Score:5, Funny)

    by tomzyk ( 158497 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @07:59AM (#6348497) Journal
    Back in my day, we had our BS technology; our keyboards had chassis's which allowed 'em to be thrown off a 3-story building and still work - barely dented. Yes those were the days." Not a lot of new information, but some good visuals.
    Was anyone else expecting to see pics/vids of keyboards being thrown from the rooftops?
  • ... was embedded into the computer, like the trusty Amiga had ! How we all miss those

  • back in my day (Score:3, Funny)

    by Lord_Slepnir ( 585350 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:01AM (#6348507) Journal
    our keyboards had chassis's which allowed 'em to be thrown off a 3-story building and still work - barely dented.

    They also weighed more than the CRT, and easily drowned out my Adlib soundcard when I went up to 60 wpm.

    • They also weighed more than the CRT, and easily drowned out my Adlib soundcard when I went up to 60 wpm.

      Umm yeah, the rest of us bought amplified speakers. ;)

      But I can relate. A friend and I used to play 2 on 2 Descent games. We had this great invention for 'Real Time Chat' in DOS, a second phone line. I had a headset, and he used a speaker phone. His mic was right next to his klunker keyboard, and I could hardly hear what he was saying when he'd start smacking the keys ;)

  • we used to have keyboard sword-fights with DEC terminal keyboards.

  • IBM Model M (Score:5, Funny)

    by badasscat ( 563442 ) <basscadet75@@@yahoo...com> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:02AM (#6348517)
    You can have my IBM Model M when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

  • full text of article (sans images) ... (Score:4, Informative)

    by ih8apple ( 607271 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:02AM (#6348521)

    Today's keyboards aren't what they used to be, no sir! Back in my day, we had our BS technology; our keyboards had chassis's which allowed 'em to be thrown off a 3-story building and still work - barely dented. Yes those were the days. Now we've got these newfangled Wireless Ergonomic E-Mail button membrane keyboards. To heck with them, I say!

    This article really entails two things: The history of the Universal or QWERTY keyboard layout and a comparison between BS and Membrane technology used today in keyboards, one of the most used interfaces to the computer at present.

    QWERTY keyboards are known as Universal keyboards - they are the standard by which keyboard manufacturers produce their keyboards today. It was named this due to the q,w,e,r,t,y pattern in the upper left hand corner of the keyboard. QWERTY was originally designed by Christopher Sholes to slow typing down.

    Wait a second why would we be using a keyboard layout made to slow us down? Let's look back before keyboards - typewriting. In 1868 Christopher Latham Sholes was awarded the operative patent for the typewriter. After receiving this patent, Sholes still had many 'bugs' to work out, and spent a good deal of time with the machine, working out the kinks. One of the kinks in the machine was key jamming, which was prone to happen often and could hurt the machine. If a typist typed two letters one after the other too quickly, the hammers would hit each other; the typist then had to dislodge the hammers and that could get a bit messy. So, Sholes came up with a keyboard layout that would place letters which would be most likely struck closely in succession on opposite sides of the layout.

    Eventually, due to the ability to touch type with QWERTY efficiently [first demonstrated when in a typing contest a QWERTY typist managed to type quicker than someone on a stenograph-styled machine] it became the standard.

    In 1936, August Dvorak patented his Simplified Keyboard - DSK. It was designed to balance the load of typing more evenly - those letters, which would be stricken most, would be under the strongest fingers. The credibility of the claims that the Dvorak is faster is outside the scope of this article. If one is truly interested, I recommend reading an informative article at: http://wwwpub.utdallas.edu/~liebowit/keys1.html. However I do believe that Dvorak perhaps is the better layout - although due to my experience with QWERTY I still stick with it. For those of you who think Dvorak is a legacy item no longer used, you will all be pleased to know that all windows versions greater than 3.11 are Dvorak compliant, and a simple setting can change the layout setting.

    On to the Keyboards!

    To this day I still use the IBM Model M keyboard. This keyboard was released with the original IBM PS/2 computer. It is known for it's weight, feedback, and distinctive keystroke sound. There are some Model M's which are branded by Lexmark on the back - Lexmark bought the design from IBM in the late 1980s.

    Model M's are 101 key keyboards, and still comply with all ps/2 requirements [read on for Pentium 4 possible incompatibilities and fixes.] What makes this keyboard so special?

    The first aspect that is most obvious upon actually typing is the sound and feel of the keyboard. There is a noticeable and quite prominent 'click' which is not as high pitched as some Chiconey keyboards (which are quite nice too,) the sound is not soft and mushy. The Model M's keys also have a bit of resistance to them - not so that it's hard to push them down, but just a tad bit more pressure is needed to fully depress a key. Now, for those of you up late at night, or up in the wee hours of the morning, perhaps this is a disadvantage for you. Also, many people prefer not to hear the keystroke - companies like Dell, IBM, and hundreds of others have manufactured (or sub-contracted other companies) to make quiet keyboards. Let's take a look at why these keyboards are quiet, and w

  • Mirror (Score:3, Informative)

    by dknj ( 441802 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:03AM (#6348527) Journal
    Mirror here [gimmezamore.com] for the PS/2 modification for operation with some p4 motherboards

    -dk

  • The M (Score:5, Funny)

    by sparkhead ( 589134 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:03AM (#6348528)
    This is quickly going to turn into a lovefest for the IBM M keyboard.

    I have several of them stashed away on the off chance that the one I've been using for the past 13 years breaks. Which it hasn't. Hoping to sell it on "Antiques Roadshow" in about 40 years.

  • You guys have it easy (Score:3, Funny)

    by dcw3 ( 649211 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:03AM (#6348529) Journal
    Back in my day we chiseled everything on a stone tablet

  • Microsoft (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:03AM (#6348533)
    I will probably get totally flamed for this but I think the best keyboards I have owned have all been made by Microsoft. Right now I am using the Office Keyboard and I love it. The action is great and the extra keys actually serve my purpose (I work in Excel and Word all day).

    • Re:Microsoft (Score:3, Insightful)

      by darthtuttle ( 448989 )
      I have heard that Logitech makes Microsoft hardware which would explain it's quality. I've been using a Microsoft Natural keyboard for ages, and just love them. Now that Logitech sells them under their own name I buy them.

      What gets me is the new layout of the keys above the arrow keys, and the arrow keys. Some things shouldn't be messed with, and they are my insert and my arrow keys!

  • Microsoft keyboards (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:04AM (#6348539)
    I know M$'s OS is crap, but their keyboards and mice have always been built to a very high quality.

    Expensive, but well worth the money!!!

    • I agree completely. (Score:5, Interesting)

      by HFXPro ( 581079 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:34AM (#6349397)

      I used to have problems with my hands hurting after coding all night (for my own fun) with keyboards of the normal type including the IBM model M (I have 3 anyone want one). My outfingers joints would ache, and my hands hurt from twisting my hand into contortions attempting to press all of the special keys which get used quite often while programming.

      I went through several keyboards looking for one which would make it less painful to do something which I really enjoyed. I never wanted to admit to buying anything of an ergonimic keyboard especially one from Microsoft. However, after working on a friends all night, I didn't notice the pain from using it. I ended up ordering a simple Microsoft Elite with the parts for a new computer.

      Since using the this keyboard I find my fingers have rarely hurt unless I'm typing really fast for extended periods of time. Other benefits of this keyboard is that it is reasonably quiet (I don't wake up the house with my typing now) and it feels really good. I don't plan on getting another keyboard anytime soon. The only company that I can say comes close to Microsofts keyboards and mice (I've tried several also) is Logitech (whose mice I usually prefer)

  • Not a lot of new information, but some good visuals.

    When the eye candy is twice as nice the slashdotting is twice as fast.

  • Differences (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Mr_Silver ( 213637 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:07AM (#6348569)
    Today's keyboards aren't what they used to be, no sir!

    Indeed. Today's keyboards can be picked up for less than a fiver. Try picking one up for that price back in the "old days".

    There are plenty of good keyboards out there, but because the PC market is often dictated by price, you see more of the cheap ones than you do anything else.

  • I still use my IBM 52G9658 M-type keyboard for everything I can--this keyboard actually helped with my wrists. I was having tender wrists (which I'm sure would be much worse if I wasn't taking regular breaks, doing the exercises, etc.), but after I started using my "new" old keyboard my pain went away and has yet to return. My doctor says that if the pain's gone, there's no need to worry any more--so I'm a very happy IBM model M user.
  • I don't know about the rest of you, but I enjoy the quiet touch of my laptop's keyboard while I'm coding... its so much easier to fly across the keys without having to slam each one home... just my opinion

    • Re:Anyone Else for a New Keyboard??? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by gughunter ( 188183 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:36AM (#6348823) Homepage
      To each his own. I prefer the buckling spring keys so much that using a "mushier" keyboard is almost distracting. Also, one benefit of the buckling spring keyboard is that the little click corresponds exactly to a keypress. If you heard/felt the click, the computer got the data; if you didn't, it didn't. With rubber dome keyboards, on the other hand, you have to keep an eye on your text at all times. Between the uncertainty and the overall mushy feel, rubber dome keyboards have at least two strikes against them in my book.

  • ....our keyboards had chassis's which allowed 'em to be thrown off a 3-story building and still work - barely dented.

    Back in my day, keyboards *actually* *did* *dent*, unlike the no-heft plastic chassis crud we have to deal with today. Don't get me wrong - I love my new Logitech cordless, but heft is underrated - it scoots across the table when the fan isn't turned *just* *right*.

  • changing views of computer parts (Score:5, Interesting)

    by pytheron ( 443963 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:10AM (#6348600) Homepage
    it looks like good keyboards (i.e the early ones) were more components of the computer systems, whereas cheap keyboards are peripherals of said systems.

    This only reflects the movement of the computing model, and the seperation of what is regarded as essential to what is regarded as an accessory.

  • QWERTY -Slow typists down? Wrong. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by sparkhead ( 589134 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:10AM (#6348602)
    From the article: QWERTY was originally designed by Christopher Sholes to slow typing down.

    That's simply wrong. QWERTY was designed to speed typing up by spacing out the most used keys to different sides of the keyboard.

    QWERTY was designed as he states to reduce jamming of the hammers, not to slow typists down. Even without hammers QWERTY was still faster due to the use of both hands for common letters.

    • Re:QWERTY -Slow typists down? Wrong. (Score:5, Interesting)

      by His name cannot be s ( 16831 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:32AM (#6348784) Journal
      Very True.

      As a matter of fact, many studies show that QWERTY, while not the *MOST* optimal, is many times more optimal than either randomly ordered keys, or linear ordering.

      Given that the punctuatuion characters are gravitated outwards, and that the Z,X and Q characters are placed on the non-dominant hand, on the edges, seems to corroborate that. If indeed you wanted to slow someone down, drop those into the middle of the keyboard!

      Now, for left-handers (often reffered to the more proper 'Spawn-of-the-devil' ) are probably at a disadvantage, but heck, what can you do ? :p

  • designed to slow typing down (NOT) (Score:4, Interesting)

    by threeturn ( 622824 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:11AM (#6348609)
    I am sure I am not the only one to spot the mistake.

    The QWERTY keyboard was not designed to "slow typing down" [earthlink.net], buy rather to reduce the number of jams in a much more elegant way. It avoids having frequent adjacent letter pairs activating levers that are close to each other [earthlink.net] on the typewriters mechanism. This means that jams (which occur between adjacent levers) occur less frequently when typing FAST!

    • Well, no, it wasn't designed to slow down typing. But it wasn't designed specifically in order to put the most frequently used characters under the strongest fingers.

      It's a design that's optimal for mechanical typewriters. As we no longer have the constraint of physical hammers, it is no longer necessarily the best design. So it is a partially correct statement. Not that I've ever used dvorak.
  • I used to be a tarible typist, a typical "hunt and peck" aproch to typing then I got a ms natural, and couse of how they keyboard is split, it forced me to type corectly and thus I became faster at typeing couse hunt and peck becomes more of a chore and you learn ware the keys are faster. of course now when I use a normal style kb it trips me up ;).

    yes I know my post is filled with realy bad spelling errors but i've been up all nite and too lazy to load up dictionary.com to look up words ;)
  • IBM M type blah blah. You whippersnappers had it good. My first computer was a Sinclair ZX-81, no springs, no feedback. Exactly like typing on a keyboard printed on paper and it was about 8 by 4 inches.

    I got a quasi-auditory feedback by turning on FAST mode where the TV screen would blank on each keypress and the CRT kinda hissed when it happened.

    On the whole I can type faster on a cell phone keypad than on that PoS.

    For this, I nominate the ZX-81 keyboard WORST KEYBOARD EVER.

    • Re:All this talk of the best keyboards ... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by skurk ( 78980 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:06AM (#6349107) Homepage Journal
      Stavr0 wrote:
      For this, I nominate the ZX-81 keyboard WORST KEYBOARD EVER.

      Funny, I just mentioned the ZX81 keyboard in a comment [slashdot.org] I just wrote under the same subject.

      And yes, I agree. In 3rd grade at school, we had an optional course called "Basic Computer Programming", where we were tought how to program on the ZX81 [google.com].

      Now, when these computers were brand new, the keyboards were "fine". But since every school has its bullies, and bullies tend to use more physical force than required, these keyboards wore out after a couple of weeks. To compensate for the worn out keyboards, we had to press even harder to have our keystrokes registered...

      Oh, the sore fingertips we had..
    • I still have my Sinclair, and I agree about the keyboard. It was like little bubbles that you depressed. The "L" bubble is worn through on mine, so I can't load programs anymore! Talk about shitty...

  • Space Cadet! (Score:4, Interesting)

    by OctaneZ ( 73357 ) <ben-slashdot2NO@SPAMuma.litech.org> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:20AM (#6348690) Journal
    Get your self a nice Space Cadet Keyboard [sourceforge.net]. Nice action, plus you never know when you will need triangle, meta, super, or hyper!
    Actually this is something I have been trying to hunt down for a couple years, quite a nice piece of equipment.

  • The best keyboard I ever used... (Score:3, Informative)

    by timbck2 ( 233967 ) <<moc.liamg> <ta> <2kcbmit>> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:22AM (#6348707) Homepage
    ...was made by Wyse, attached to a Wyse 286 PC I used at work many years ago. It had neither an XT nor a PS/2 connector; instead, it attached via a modular phone (RJ-11) style connector. It had a very light touch and a nice sound. I wish I could get one for my G4.

  • Northgate OmniKey 101 (Score:2, Interesting)

    by yAm ( 15181 )
    I am writing this with a OmniKey 101 from my first computer which has long since died. I take this keyboard from job to job and it's really funny to see the look of the "kids" that look at for the first time.

    Weighin' in at over three pounds, tactile, removable keys (not that it's ever been cleaned...) and it sounds like an M-60 in full auto when I'm furiously typing.

    I love this thing.

    By the way, does anyone know of a old-style keyboard connector to USB changer? I have a feeling that my PS/2 connector i
  • The Trust ErgoTrack keyboard. Best keyboard I have ever used. It's split like the MS Natural but it feels a lot better.

    I've had it about 5 years- sprayed it all black.

    It's full of memories!

    (And crumbs and hair, and dust and countless other, more dubious substances).

    graspee

  • Google cache [216.239.53.100] of the article how to modify an old IBM keyboard to work on a new P4 computer.

    I had no such problems though. Maybe it's because I have an Athlon...

  • High school, circa 198x. I'm "lab monitor", and I'm out one day. I come back and a teacher very nicely explains to me that one of the keyboards fell off the counter, and that they put it all back together, only they lost the "b" key. As if this was ok?! I sat down at the machine, pulled up another keyboard, and began touching all the keys to make sure they had been put back properly. Space bar wouldn't go down. Sure enough, B key was stuck under the spacebar.

  • Todays keyboards aren't what they used to be (Score:4, Interesting)

    by 32bitwonder ( 684603 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:26AM (#6348741) Homepage
    My favourite keyboards were the one for the PCjr (not the chicklet one) and the one for the Atari PC1. They both had a very light, non-rubbery feel to them.

    I've just spent an exhaustive search for a replacement desktop keyboard and was absolutely dismayed by the garbage keyboards out there. What I really wanted was one that had key switches similar to my old IBM T23 laptop, the best keyboard ever IMHO. I eventually found one, and it is close, but not quite as good as the IBM.

    For those interested, you can see it at Precision Squared [pstc.com.tw]. Look for the PSK-5000 model. For touch typists, I highly recommend this keyboard. Mac users can find its equivalent with the MacAlly IceKey [macally.com] which appears to be a re-branded PSK-5000.

  • Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:29AM (#6348760)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  • I had to fix my keyboard Monday (Score:5, Informative)

    by Asprin ( 545477 ) <gsarnoldNO@SPAMyahoo.com> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:30AM (#6348773) Homepage Journal

    What a coincidence -- I actually had to take my work KB (a new IBM mush-model similar to the one in the article) apart to fix it Monday because the 'p' key was getting less and less reliable, and my typing was steadily getting worse.

    When I popped the 'p' key off and looked underneath, the rubber contact mat was off center, like it had been stretched underneath so the contact didn't line up under the key. I pulled a few screws, blew out the dust and the rubber spring mat that lies on the contacts was misaligned by, like, 1/4 inch in areas. I pulled it off and tried to re-align it properly when I realized that the plastic/mylar/whatever contact sheet on the bottom wasn't flat either - like a rug that wasn't quite cut the correct shape for a room, there was a hump in it. I loosened the screws around the contacts to the PCB and I was able to then flatten the contact sheet and retighten, then realign the rubber springmat and reassemble.

    Voila! Perfect. I want to point out three things.

    1) It's still not a model M. If you find an old one GET IT, even if it's missing a few keys. Your neighbors' neighbors will hate all the clicking, but your fingers will be very, very happy. I personally have one of these as well as an original Northgate Omnikey Ultra purchased by me from Northgate Inc. in 1990 which was in use until March of this year. I replaced it because I bought a new PC and wanted a wireless KB. Every collector's shelf should have a Northgate on it, too.

    2) This new IBM has way more contacts inside than keys. I realize this is so they can produce one electronic assembly to support 15 languages, but I wonder what the other contacts would do if I hit them. Maybe I'll get bored later today.

    3) IBM's subassembly quality control has really hit the can. I realize this is a $5 keyboard, which by its design expects a certain number of defects, but if you could see how badly aligned the springmat was in this thing... SHEESH!

    • PCKeyboard.com (Score:5, Informative)

      by jkujawa ( 56195 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:16AM (#6349235) Homepage
      You can buy both reconditioned original IBM Model Ms at PCKeyboard.com, or the Customizer [pckeyboard.com], which PCKeyboard is actually manufacturing.


      Quality, Durable and Flexible These words best describe Unicomp's Customizer keyboard. Based on an award winning design, the Customizer combines the same quality and crisp tactile feedback as its IBM and Lexmark predecessors. The Pearl White Customizer (shown here) is available in either enhanced quiet touch (EQT) or buckling spring (BS) technology The enhanced quiet touch style is great for noise sensitive environments, and the buckling spring model offers a touch that is unparalleled. Once you've experienced the touch of this keyboard, you'll be sold.


      They have it in black now, too. Unfortunately, they still don't have a USB version.

    • Re:I had to fix my keyboard Monday (Score:5, Funny)

      by ayjay29 ( 144994 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:42AM (#6349469)
      What a coincidence -- I actually had to take my work KB (a new IBM mush-model similar to the one in the article) aart to fix it Monday because the 'P' key was getting less and less reliable, and my tying was steadily getting worse.

      When I oed the 'P' key off and looked underneath, the rubber contact mat was off center, like it had been stretched underneath so the contact didn't line u under the key. I ulled a few screws, blew out the dust and the rubber sring mat that lies on the contacts was misaligned by, like, 1/4 inch in areas. I ulled it off and tried to re-align it roerly when I realized that the lastic/mylar/whatever contact sheet on the bottom wasn't flat either - like a rug that wasn't quite cut the correct shae for a room, there was a hum in it. I loosened the screws around the contacts to the CB and I was able to then flatten the contact sheet and retighten, then realign the rubber sringmat and reassemble.

      Voila! erfect. I want to oint out three things.

      1) It's still not a model M. If you find an old one GET IT, even if it's missing a few keys. Your neighbors' neighbors will hate all the clicking, but your fingers will be very, very hay. I ersonally have one of these as well as an original Northgate Omnikey Ultra urchased by me from Northgate Inc. in 1990 which was in use until March of this year. I relaced it because I bought a new C and wanted a wireless KB. Every collector's shelf should have a Northgate on it, too.

      2) This new IBM has way more contacts inside than keys. I realize this is so they can roduce one electronic assembly to suort 15 languages, but I wonder what the other contacts would do if I hit them. Maybe I'll get bored later today.

      3) IBM's subassembly quality control has really hit the can. I realize this is a $5 keyboard, which by its design exects a certain number of defects, but if you could see how badly aligned the sringmat was in this thing... SHEESH!

  • PCkeyboard.com keyboards -- so good! (Score:5, Informative)

    by willith ( 218835 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:31AM (#6348777) Homepage
    I've got one of the keyboards mentioned in the article--specifically, the 101-key Customizer [pckeyboard.com], from www.pckeyboard.com. It weighs about five pounds, and feels like it could be used to bash in an intruder's head if necessary. Plus, it doesn't have Windows keys, which is a boon when I'm gaming--no more accidentally dumping me out to the desktop during heated Battlefield 1942 matches!

    It's buckling-spring and loud as hell, though it doesn't sound quite the same as a Model M. Still key response is crisp and exactly matches what I want out of a keyboard. It is easily the best computer-related purchase I have ever made. After all, what part of your computer do you physically interact with every time you sit down?

  • The One True Keyboard (Score:4, Informative)

    by cybermace5 ( 446439 ) <g.ryan@macetech.com> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:32AM (#6348789) Homepage Journal
    A few weeks ago I killed my Ortek keyboard. It wasn't a great keyboard; it had the "silent" mushy-keys and plenty of useless "internet" and "media" chiclet buttons. The Enter key broke and I'd fastend it with a small screw (which surprisingly didn't interfere with typing). It died in the most cliched way possible: direct coffee spillage.

    The same day I drove down to Office Max to get an emergency keyboard. Everything was pretty much worthless, even compared to my old keyboard. I finally settled on a Logitech media keyboard solely on the feel of it.

    I used it for about a day, then heard someone commenting on IBM Model M and Northgate keyboards. I remembered the little worthless 486 test server I had sitting in my closet, and remembered the keyboard attached to it [macetech.com] was a Northgate. I walked over and pressed the keys...click click. Smiled, grabbed AT-to-PS/2 adapter, and replaced the new Logitech.

    I'll never go back. In fact, I surprised I used anything else, because that old keyboard used to be my main keyboard back in the day. When it dies, I'll get an Avant Stellar [cvtinc.com], which is a remake of the original Northgate using the original design documents and manufacturing processes.

    Every key has a perfectly balanced snap action. It provides just the right amount of force before the key clicks in, and once you hear the click you know the key has been pressed. It might sound like someone with a clicky keyboard is really pounding on it, but ideally it allows you to flit over the keyboard without having to mash every key down to the bottom to ensure it was pressed. You learn to hear each keypress, and can often catch an accidental extra letter by ear.

    And now you know why all the old laptops had a "key-click" noisemaking feature, sometimes in the BIOS.

  • Kinesis keyboard (Score:4, Informative)

    by cerberusss ( 660701 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:33AM (#6348804) Journal
    Just thought people might find this interesting:

    A year ago, I got myself a Kinesis Contoured keyboard [kinesis-ergo.com]. It took me two weeks and a couple of hours of TuxTyping [freshmeat.net] to get used to it, but since then it's great. I've never had any real RSI, but the Kinesis makes you sit more comfortable. You sit with straight arms; horizontally as well as in a straight angle.

    It's quite expensive, though. :-/

  • Slashdotting? (Score:5, Funny)

    by barnaclebarnes ( 85340 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:35AM (#6348812) Homepage
    "Today's websites aren't what they used to be, no sir! Back in my day, we had our caching technology; our wesites had redundency which allowed 'em to be slashdotted and still work - barely dented. Yes those were the days."

  • The other article... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by TrekkieGod ( 627867 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:41AM (#6348876) Homepage Journal
    I got this link from the article, where it's mentioned that ergonomic keyboards aren't all they're cracked out to be...and it's a hilarious piece of work.

    To the lazy people, lemme reproduce the link [bbc.co.uk]:

    What I find funny, besides the comment that what causes limb disorders is the stress of deadlines and not the keyboard (citing gamers who supposedly don't have any problems, hah!), is the author's choice of pictures. I guess I can understand lara croft, but what's with the cat? And look at the caption on that picture...I don't know, I have a weird sense of humor, maybe it's just funny to me.

  • Apple Extended Keyboard II (Score:4, Informative)

    by mccalli ( 323026 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:46AM (#6348922) Homepage
    Still the best I've ever used. Cost me £124 in about 1992/93, and worth every penny. That last point is relevant - so many people take a keyboard for granted that they're unwilling to spend extra on better quality. Thus they end up sticking with whatever rubbish arrived with their machine (don't they, IBM Netstation customers...?)

    I've used many keyboards since of course, and whilst I seem to have settled on Microsoft keyboards these days I still haven't found anything nicer than the ancient Apple. Co-incidently (or not, as the case may be...) the keyboard on the 12" Powerbook is also extremely nice.

    Cheers,
    Ian

  • Condensed? (Score:3, Funny)

    by gilesjuk ( 604902 ) <giles.jones@nospaM.zen.co.uk> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:51AM (#6348960)
    DoesThatMeanTheyHadABrokenSpaceBar? :)

  • IBM keyboards still for sale (Score:3, Informative)

    by MavEtJu ( 241979 ) <<gro.ujtevam> <ta> <todhsals>> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:52AM (#6348978) Homepage
    Have a look at http://www.pckeyboard.com/ [pckeyboard.com].

    Asked them one time how much it costs to get one shipped to .au but euh... I wasn't happy with the price. I've asked them again, maybe the price has dropped a little bit.

  • Price and innovation (Score:5, Insightful)

    by UnknowingFool ( 672806 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:53AM (#6348987)
    The author notes how durable keyboards used to be and easier to clean. But back then keyboards were designed to a different standard. The were desinged to last and sometimes to be repaired. Modern computer accessories are almost designed to be disposable. That extends to the computer and electronics nowadays. I mean when was the last time anyone actually took a TV to be repaired. More often if a TV or radio breaks, people just buy a new one. Computer are to the point where most people simply replace their old ones instead of upgrading. Ordinary mice and keyboards are in

    Although he doesn't mention it, but how much did they cost back then? Adjusting for inflation, they probably cost more than new ones cost today. One thing it interesting to note that most of the functionality hasn't changed. Sure newer keyboards are wireless and have additional buttons, but older ones work just as well.

  • Useless keys (Score:3, Insightful)

    by UnknowingFool ( 672806 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @08:59AM (#6349028)
    Newer keyboards have all these keys that I don't use but I don't mind them too much as they are optional from manufacturers. The one useless key that I hate is that damn Windows key. It always gets in my way when I use CTRL and ALT. As far as I can tell it's completely useless for most everyday functions. Incidently, I've noticed it's in the exact position as the Apple key on Apple keyboards. But on the Apple it is better spaced to avoid conusion and it is used for shortcuts.

    • Re:Useless keys (Score:3, Interesting)

      by dasunt ( 249686 )

      Er, what do you mean the Window key is useless? There are several shortcuts associated with it (a Short List [seoconsultants.com]), and its useful to map to other apps as well. For example, Win+Z|X|C|V|B is set up on my MS Windows machine to control winamp, regardless of whatever app is focused at the time.

      Its possible to use the windows key in a similiar fashion under XFree86, hotkeying combos to certain actions.

  • I look forward to the day when there are no need for keyboards. What a ridiculous way to communicate for people who can speak and think.

    Don't get me wrong - I code for a living, so I can certainly appreciate the value of the keyboard as a user interface peripheral. A good friend of mine who had RSI in his wrists really bad switched to using Dragon speech recognition software exclusively. Listening to him attempt to code (in Perl) was pretty funny, e.g. saying "twiddle" for "~" and such.

    Mod me down for being off topic, but I cannot resist mentioning the Star Trek (#4 - with the whales) movie where Scottie attempts to use the computer from the past by talking to it.

    "Computer, please calculate the mass of ..."

    "No Scottie, you have to use this" (pointing to the mouse).
    "Oh, okay". He picks up the mouse like it is a policeman's radio and begins to speak into it "Computer, please calculate the mass of ... ".

    It just goes to show how far off we are in terms of a truely intuitive user interface.

  • Want an IBM Model M? (Score:3, Informative)

    by mblase ( 200735 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:15AM (#6349215)
    Apparently you can find them for sale, albeit in limited quantities, here [yahoo.com] (as well as on eBay [ebay.com], natch).

    There's a site all about the thing at www.modelm.org [modelm.org], but I can't get to the server right now, so here's a Google cache [216.239.53.100] instead.

  • Morse code keyboard (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ch-chuck ( 9622 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @09:30AM (#6349366) Homepage
    Here's my antique keyboard [schillernet.us] it punches morse code tapes.

  • BS? Give me the Hall Effect (Score:3, Insightful)

    by ratboy666 ( 104074 ) <fred_weigel@ho[ ]il.com ['tma' in gap]> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @11:09AM (#6350424) Journal
    Back in the day (before "PC") we had REAL word processors. the MICOM P2000 came with a keyboard that had magnets in plungers, and solid-state pickups for each of the keys. A spring completed the key assembly. Very weighty keys, slowed down the typing nicely. Since switches, etc. were not involved, dishwashers were routinely employed to clean them. And these keyboards were servicable. And they weighed in at 15lbs (7 kilos). Which made them a VERY formidable weapon.

    Before that I used an ASR-33. WHACK WHACK WHACK. Very satisfying. Built up my finger strength. Problem is, now I punch holes THROUGH these new "girly-man" keyboards. Such posers.

    Seriously, the IBM BS keyboards are my favorites. A bit noisy, but the tactile feedback is worth it. My current keyboard (some "no-name" thing) has the nasty habit of "vibrating" at the bottom end of each keystroke. Feels nasty.

    Ratboy.

  • PCKeyboard.com (Score:3, Informative)

    by retro128 ( 318602 ) on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @01:07PM (#6351540)
    When my old clicky keyboard broke down I searched far and wide for a replacement. I didn't want el cheapo keyboard for $10 from the corner corner store...I wanted a brick, like the first IBM PS/2 keyboards. Eventually all paths lead to PCKeyboard.com. The blurb from their webpage reads as follows:

    Unicomp is a keyboard manufacturer located in the heart of Bluegrass Country, Lexington, Kentucky. Yes, we are a new company; but if you know IBM or if you know Lexmark International, you already know a good bit about us. Unicomp was started in April, 1996 when we purchased keyboard technology from Lexmark International. You may recall that Lexmark manufactured the high quality keyboards for IBM computers and terminals prior to 1996.

    In other words, these things are about as close to the original IBM keyboards as you can get. I've owned mine for three years now and I love it.

  • Condensed history? Yeah right! (Score:4, Interesting)

    by shrikel ( 535309 ) <hlagfarj&gmail,com> on Wednesday July 02, 2003 @01:16PM (#6351622)
    This isn't a condensed history! It's a two page paper on the difference between two IBM keyboards, and a little commentary on why he likes the old keyboards better. Oh, plus two paragraphs on why the qwerty and dvorak keyboards were invented.

    Which is BS, by the way. It wasn't to avoid jamming the keys by slowing the typist down, but by making sure the commonly-used key levers weren't close enough to each other to jam. And I think that the dvorak layout was designed to put the most commonly-used keys right under the fingertips, not just within reach of the "strongest fingers." Geez, like you need really STRONG fingers to type faster.

    I have no problem with talking all you like about the differences between keyboards and why you prefer one over the other. Reminiscing is fun sometimes. But don't tout it as a "condensed history of the keyboard." Just call it "One guy's ideas about keyboards."

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