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1. Transputer
Check out:
* The REX Neo architecture
* Coherent Logix' HyperX (not to be confused with the PC component brand)

4. Postscript As A GUI
Postscript is a Turing-complete language running in a virtual machine. Code injection vulnerabilities in PDF is a real thing that you want to avoid.
* Isn't MacOS X's drawing model still based on Display Postscript?
* GTK+ uses the Cairo library for its rendering, and it also has PS and PDF backends that might satisfy many needs.

Smart objects on the display server side (which NeWS had) are still missing though. But I think a model with pre-defined well-behaving primitive objects (clickable, popup, draggable, scrollable etc.) sending events would be better.

7. Big, Properly-Sprung Keyboards
Have you missed the comeback of mechanical keyboards in recent years? They have got especially popular for PC gaming. If the mainstream widely available gaming mechs are not be to your liking, the mechanical keyboard community is now big and diverse (both users and companies) and there are lots of lesser known options if you look. Check out the Geekhack forum (for "geeks" and "hack writers").
I suspect that you might be especially interested in the TactilePro with new Alps (clone) switches from Matias, or real Model Ms with buckling springs from Unicomp.

I've owned at least a dozen laptops since the 1980s (if you'll allow me to say the TRS-80 Model 100 was a "laptop.") So many I can't count.

I have yet to find a better one for its era since the 1991ish Tandy 1100 FD. 3 second bootup, run Wordperfect 5.1 off 3.5 inch DOS floppy. Single drive and swap disks between A:\ and B:\ on same drive. Had no modem, though, and 5 years before USB peripherals IIRC. :( Keyboard was one of the best I've ever typed on in a laptop, beautiful contrast slider, and who needed anything but yellow-greenish Monochrome when you could do faux-4 color CGA graphics via Hercules? :)

Why can't I find its' spiritual successor.... ? I'd take exactly the same form factor today but with color screen and a sidecar style trackman portable logitech trackball... and can you imagine how much power one might get from a 3.5 pound battery these days?

Guess I'm just sentimental today.

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Those modifications were my doing.

What do you do about the Enter key on the numeric keypad? The F has a stabilizer wire which the M lacks, so if you put the black key on as-is it sits limply and doesn't click properly.

Use one of the stabilizer plugs on the lower barrel (gray, plugs in one of the barrels). It'll work just fine.

Similarly, the spacebar stabilizer wire is different - how do you get the black spacebar to attach properly?

One of the stabilizer wires will attach to the M13 spacebar and the keyboard itself.

I see that whoever did that mod changed the F to ANSI layout. I kept mine as ISO but that meant I had to stay with a few non-black keys.

That's also my doing. Unlike the M, changing keys requires less toolwork; you only need a flat-tip screwdriver, pliers, and careful attention as the plate cover slides right out.

The only word of caution that I have is that fixing broken traces is a PITA.

They don't actually make keyboards, they are a reseller of high quality mechanical keyboards. One of the nice things about them is that they have a great selection of different brands, layouts and switch types, so it's kind of my go to place if I'm looking for a particular mech.

So far I've bought two Filco's and a RealForce from them which were shipped to me swiftly. I haven't had to use their customer service, but I've heard it's excellent. They're also active on keyboard forums like /r/MechanicalKeyboards and geekhack.org

If you are in the EU, I can really recommend them. In the US you'd probably find cheaper options if you have to include overseas shipping and taxes.

> There is probably some technique to re-attach it, but I haven't found one yet

This is called a bolt mod, and it's often done. Here's a howto: http://wiki.geekhack.org/index...

The biggest annoyance with the AT keyboard is the lack of F11 and F12 keys, if your applications use those (e.g. to step into statements in a debugger). The Esc key being on the numeric keypad is also odd but you get used to that.

There's also the 122-key Model F 'aircraft carrier', which has a much more modern layout, close to the international Model M layout.

But if you do prefer the US Model M layout (de gustibus non est disputandum, after all), then here's a way to modify the PC-AT keyboard: http://geekhack.org/index.php?...

Thanks, Jesse. I posted a review of the Leather Ducky on GH, but the images are gone due to their famous crash some time back:
http://geekhack.org/index.php?...

I'll fix those images sometime.

If you ever do want to sell or otherwise be rid of some of the hardware in those pictures, please do get in contact with me! My Gmail username is the same as my Slashdot username. Thanks!

Not all NeXT keyboards talked ADB, but rather some proprietary NeXT protocol.

The commercial USB-to-ADB adapters, such as the Belkin iMate are not that easy to come by.
The best option might just be to use a small microcontroller board and load it up with custom firmware.

Most keyboard hackers use the Teensy instead of an Arduino, but the boards have more similarities than differences.
You can find open source ADB adapter firmware made for the Teensy over on the Geekhack.org forum. It was made by a guy with the handle "Hasu".

I frequent Geekhack often, in fact just last month I posted about the broken USB connector on my mechanical keyboard:
http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=33327

It seems like this issue is not restricted to just one manufacturer as the fine summary suggests.

Some of the Wyse PCE keyboards (with IBM PC like layout) talk the PS/2 protocol and can be connected directly to a modern PC with or without a simple adapter. Look for model numbers 900840 and 900866.

The key switches in the Wyse keyboards are "Cherry MX Black". There are now loads of new keyboards with the different variations of the Cherry MX (black, red, blue, brown...) -- because they have become popular for computer gaming. One of the first, and now most inexpensive models with blacks, was Steelseries 6GV2 and Steelseries 7G. Look also for Filco, Rosewill, Leopold, Deck, CM Storm Quickfire and TT eSports Meka [G1], but note that some of them can come with different Cherry MX switches.

Vintage Wyse keyboards are quite popular among keyboard enthusiasts (collectors) these days. However ... they are mainly not after the key action but for the key caps to put on their modern keyboards. The key caps on the keyboards for the Wyse 50 terminals (without cursor keys) were made of thick plastic, but the others are quite good too. Both were double-shot injection molded, so that the legends never wear off. People also like the vintage colour scheme of dark blue (not black) on grey/dark grey. In fact, some groups of enthusiasts have made replica key sets. There is a project right now for making an adapter kit with a few missing keys in the vintage style to make them all fit modern keyboard layouts and have the same style.
A while ago, a group of Korean collectors got a full replica set made ... but they botched the colour code for the blue legends when the ordered it so they got light blue instead ... and now there are other enthusiasts who are making a replica of that set, even, hehe.

You need One of these

I really don't think it matters how your keyboard is laid out. What I think does matter is that it has mechanical switches. This makes a huge difference in typing, allows you to put less strain on your fingers (you don't have to bottom out the keys) and also drowns out the sound of the guy next to you (and pretty much everything else).
Getting a keyboard with blank keycaps has really improved my typing speed. It forces you to touch-type which is another skill that will pay dividends.
I personally use a Das Keyboard Ultimate S since it was the only one easily available where I live. It is hands down the best investment I have made when it comes to comfort at work. If you prefer something different then look for Cherry blue switches which seems to be the favorite of most. If you really want to get into the keyboard porn thing then go here: http://geekhack.org/

$150 (I've seen it for $119) is worth every penny. Once you try an ALPS-style switch (or a brown/blue Cherry switch, or a good ol' Buckling Spring) side-by-side with a rubber-dome, you'll notice, and will probably change your mind about the board you currently use. Pay a look-see over to geekhack.org; they've got the goods on mechanical switches (though they're still in the air about the merits of scissor-switches).

While there is a trend towards touch-screen keyboards on portable devices, I can also see an opposite trend towards more higher-quality mechanical keyboards on stationary PCs.

While there will always be old-timers who love their retro equipment, I think that the largest and fastest growing market segment for tactile keyboards with mechanical key switches is gamers.
Every day on gamer-oriented forums, you can see someone wanting to buy a used IBM Model M. The prices on eBay and other auction sites are soaring.
Gaming peripheral maker Razer's latest and greatest keyboard has mechanical switches that click, similar to the old Model M. The Das Keyboard is also popular among gamers. More mechanical keyboards are coming: Zowie Celeritas, Leopold, Ducky ...
(just beware of misleading marketing when visiting gamer brand sites!)
Although there is somewhat of a herd mentality among gamers, the gaming community has influenced the rest of the PC world quite much before -- just look at graphics cards.

The second largest group that I see, are the computer professionals who have become older, have more money and demand quality peripherials, plain and simple.

The third group that I see are people who demand something that is more ergonomic. More distinct tactile feedback and lower, more gradual activation force is often perceived as kinder to the fingers.

Myself, I switched from Dell and Keytronic rubber dome keyboards to soft mechanicals this summer, and I don't look back. I have been working as a computer programmer for a lot of my adult life and belong to the second and third groups above. My fingers don't ache a lot at the end of the day, as they could do before. I have also been suck(er)ed in into the keyboard community at Geekhack that I can heartily recommend if you are interested./

Personally, I cannot dispense with a single key for me or my clients. If I'm on a support call the last thing I want to hear is "I don't have a delete key"

I would hate to be your customer as I apparently not have the same keyboard as you do. No numeric keypad and not some other keys. Yes, sometimes I see programs that want you to use the numeric keys and no way to change it.
I also do not have the double /, so I hope your programs do not use them differently.

I could also program using the following keyboard and say that YOU do not have enough keys:
http://geekhack.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=4833&stc=1&d=1254255319

USB is actually inferior to PS/2 for keyboards (see n-key rollover).

I hate to point you elsewhere rather than provide an answer, but the GeekHack forum is a very rich source of information and reviews from people who know what to look for in a keyboard (or any input device), and they've probably reviewed every keyboard out there (and modified them). I don't use ergonomic keyboards, but I am very adamant about mechanical-switch keyboards that have just the right amount of tension and tactile/audible response.

Check out the forum here:
http://geekhack.org/forumdisplay.php?f=31

There are also some interesting vertical keyboards like the SafeType and the Kinesis Freestyle Ascent, but they're kinda expensive and might take a bit of relearning.
Here's a survey of ergonomic keyboards: http://nsx.underbase.org/db/kbd/keyboard-survey.htm

Personally I use a DSI ASK-6600 and a Scorpius M10, and I like them both very much. The DSI keys need a bit more force to push, and it has the large "Enter" key I like from old Keytronix keyboards (as opposed to a large Backspace key and a repositioned backslash character, like the Scorpius and Model M have).

These two keyboards probably don't appeal to you because they're not curved/natural keyboards. I avoid wrist problems while using a regular (straight) keyboard because I have a custom typing style, wherein my wrists are not angled when they rest on my "home row" (e.g. index fingers rest on V and N instead of F and J). This limits my upper bound of typing a bit (under 100wpm), but fast continuous typing will only get you so far in programming and sysadmin work, whereas wrists that don't hurt are quite nice... I also remap my CapsLock key to be another Ctrl, for easy one-handed reach to Ctrl+F1-F5/etc.

While you're at it -- upgrade your mouse too! I found all my wrist problems went away when I moved to a Logitech Cordless Trackman (wish it was corded, but whatever). This has a finger-operated trackball and a thumb-operated left-click, which I find MUCH more accurate and comfortable than a thumb-operated trackball (e.g. most trackball mice on the market now). Trackball mice are usually considered to be more accurate than regular mice anyways. One of the big benefits here is the fact that your wrist isn't as twisted as with a regular mouse... if that's your main goal, there are also some expensive ergonomic vertical mice that might be comfortable.

Did you throw it out?

You could always replace the keyswitch. Or, it's an Alps switch, you might even be able to open it up and repair it (this is one of many threads on opening Alps switches on this forum): http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=1681

Grease the springs. Actually, there's a guy on Geekhack that's posted about various modifications to quiet down various mechanical keyboards, just look in the keyboard modifications forum there.

It's actually not. The Das Keyboard, while excellent, uses a mechanical-switch technology which I find preferable to the heavier Buckling Springs of the Model M and Unicomps.

There is a community of keyboard-crazed individuals here that puts my (admittedly crazy) love for clicky keyboards to shame.

Can't say I've had any problems with mine. Had it for over a year, and still no problems. This review speaks very favourably of it, and even shows some pictures of it disassembled. Doesn't show any soldering problems from what I can see.

There's four different SpaceSavers that I can think of...

The original SpaceSaver, the Model M SpaceSaver, is a Model M with the numpad lopped off, and a numpad emulated like a laptop's, accessible via Shift-Scroll Lock. (Also, the chassis is slightly smaller.)

The second SpaceSaver is an average rubber dome keyboard, with the numpad lopped off, and a TrackPoint II (IIRC.) That's not a Model M at all, and that sounds like what you have.

There's also the Model M4, which is based on the ThinkPad keyboard. It's obviously not buckling spring, but for what it is, it's nice.

Finally, there's the Unicomp SpaceSaver, which is what I think the GP is talking about. It's a Customizer 104 in a smaller shell. Yes, it DOES save space, compared to a regular Model M, or a Customizer 101/104 (which are in the same shell as the original Model M.) Here's a post with a pic to compare them (at least I think the pic works still, photobucket's blocked here, so I can't see:) http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?p=2866#post2866