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Dude, I use the IBM Model M Space Saver keyboard, and it's totally awesome. It's just like a regular Model M high-durability buckling-spring keyboard, except minus the numeric keypad. Here's a page with a picture comparing the Space Saver to a full M and a Happy Hacking. This other page depicts the more typical beige Model M Space Saver, albeit retrofitted for Dvorak. BitchKapoor, over and out!

"So even though the first keyboards were silent..."

Heh. The earliest computer (or rather, terminal) keyboards were electro-mechanical teletypes which make the loudest modern PC seem quiet by comparison. The first glass teletypes (i.e., CRT, not printer) weren't much better. I think it's a fair bet that quiet keyboards came later. I don't have any solid references (but then, neither does the parent :), but that's my reasonably-well-educated guess.

"I found a couple of silent keyboards..."

Sacrilege! You can have by gloriously loud IBM model M when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers. Type hard or go home!

Not only that, but what's this fasination with quiet disk drives? It used to be I didn't need a hard disk LED, because I could hear the head servo motor running back and forth. It got to the point where I knew what certain programs sounded like when they ran and could hear when something went wrong. Now that's debugging! [Tim_Allen]Urh urh urh urh.[/Tim_Allen] :-)

Now all I need is a keyboard with a trackpoint mouse embedded in it - not just any keyboard, but a Model M style buckling-spring beauty. I think pckeyboard.com sells them. Then I won't need to move my hands away from the keyboard to move the mouse around.

Looks like they just painted an IBM Model M keyboard black and put their crappy logo on top of the IBM part. I should know, I've painted several Model Ms. Best keyboard ever. Modelm.org

Jelly? Perhaps today's puny, mushy keyboards would stop working properly when confronted with some measly jelly. My keyboard laughs and keeps on clickety clacking along in data input perfection.

I'll stop using it when they pry it away from my cold, dead fingers. If I ever can't interface it with future PCs I may have to stop buying new computers.

"a keyboard makes a pretty good weapon"

A Model M could do the work for sure...

look here:

http://www.modelm.org/safety1.html

Insert picture of programmer popping the key tops off a keyboard and clipping them back on in different places.

Insert picture of Model M.

good luck using "acoustic keyboard eavesdropping" on my model m i've woken people up before just typing

Actually, IBM also made non-clacky PS/2 keyboards; you must be referring to the infamous Model M, which is a very nice keyboard. Still, I'm a fan of the clacky Tactile Pro, which is a clone of an old Apple keyboard. Unlike the original Model Ms, however, it can't double as a weapon, but it does have extra USB ports.

Whats most offensive lately is moving an extra set of keys (effectively useless keys, I might add) to the insert/home/pageup/pagedown/delete/end block and effectively throwing off the entire layout of that section rendering 20-30 years of standardized layout and familiarity out the window.

You used to be able to buy a cheap 5$ keyboard that had the standard layout, albeit a piece of crap, but it did the job. They're getting harder and harder to find. I couldn't even find one the last time I looked. There were no keyboards without at least 3 extra keys in addition to the windows keys, and this was at Fry's Electronics. Luckily I found a local shop selling old keyboards, and quality at that. I picked up several IBM Model-M PS/2 keyboards. Not as old as the AT style, but they are still over 10 years old and work perfectly. The keys are tactile and the layout is curved somewhat to make hiting the F-Keys easier. I got a few that make the loud clicking sound, and some of the quiet touch ones. They are both high quality keyboards, but I prefer the clicking noise :). Without a doubt these are the best keyboards I have ever owned and am aware of.

Check out this page that talks about them some. I think they sell them here. There's a review here, and a page of devoted model-m lovers here.

You should be able to pick them up used at a local used computer equipment shop, ebay, etc for under 20$ (I got mine for under 5$ a piece).

You don't have to type by feel, you just flick your fingers, listen for the "click" sounds.

Is this a Model M keyboard click or a synthesized millibeep?

I had the same problem trying to connect this to my Thinkpad A31p. Didn't auto-repeat, & you can't have that, can you? Ended up having to get a port replicator. & I bet I'll have to do the same for every future laptop for ever (as I haven't found a better - & more modern - keyboard in 15 years).

Also, before someone mentions it, yes I have another model m with this mod, & that didn't work either.

... is a Model M that lights up :-)

Model M fans may already know this, but there is a Model M semi-shrine already established!

MODELM.ORG

...complete with sound bites of the Model M in action!

--B

Get yourself a Model M - I found mine at a salvage yard for $5 (not including the PS/2 it was attached to). Loudest most satisfying keyboard I have ever owned. Guaranteed to keep the housemates awake and sharpening their bowie knives.

IS STILLTHE KING OF THE HILL (yes, it deserves the capital letters).
I've found one in the junk depot of my company (what a sin!!!)
It looks to be +- 15 yr. old but it's the smooth n' clicky keyboard that we its fans love.
Also there is a lot of (un)useful goodies.
Hope to gift my son with this same keyboard :)

Get a used Model M Keyboard . They're built like tanks, and make an extremely satisfying "clickity clackity clackity clickity" sound thanks to those spring-loaded keys. Yowseh. Mine's nearly 10 years old, continuous service. You can program the LEDs if the spirit moves you. Everything is where it is supposed to be, and no annoying "Windows" or "Apple" key. Being mostly metal, the model M is also satisfyingly HEAVY which means they don't scootch around the desk every time the cat cuddles up around one of the cables, pulling the keyboard off the desk and knocking over your coffee cup.

I like the old IBM keyboards (the ones you can beat people with and it'll still be usable). I have a model M keyboard for my home server which is awesome.

For my desktop I use a keytronics kt2001 keyboard which is very very nice, and has a high enough buffer not to go awry in games even though you use 10 keys at once :P Otherwise I might use my old keytronics M model lookalike (which sadly isn't even a PS2 model heh :P).

How incomplete would all these comments be without mentioning modelm.org, probably the uber-fansite about the favorite keyboard. The mboard that pimps, indeed.

Apparently you can find them for sale, albeit in limited quantities, here (as well as on eBay, natch).

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

This is one of the few peices of computer technology that needs to have a better upgrade path... I mean, I get a new video card every year or two... and a complete new system at least once every 4 years... the damn keyboard hasn't changed much in at least the last 10...

There is only one keyboard, the Model M. All others are false pretenders.

Repeat after me: Model M - the one true keyboard. All hail Model M.

Model M

If you turn over your keyboard and find that it does not say Model M on the bottom, you are not a true human being.

It's not hard to find your own. Ebay lists them all the time. I pulled 12 of them out of an insurance company dumpster last year.

Model M!

And keyboards!

Gack! There is only the One True Keyboard.

There will be no keyboard innovation until some one is willing to pay for it. Most people buy keyboard as an afterthought with a new computer. I wish I could count how many time I have seen someone buy a $1000+ computer and a $40 mouse to pick up the cheapest keyboard they can find in the store. Personally I like the layout and feel of the old IBM Model M. I just wish had a "windows" key. Think of it as another meta key.

>I'd really like to see a keyboard with a few programmable LEDs, or even
>better, a LCD screen. It'd be cool to have the memory/CPU use or
>something like that there.

Are you good with a soldering iron + dremel?

http://www.modelm.org/mboard/almost.JPG

http://www.modelm.org/mboard.html

Here's a list of utilites to use your keyboard LEDs as status indicators for various things: http://www.modelm.org/thing.htm

>But all I see instead is keyboards with annoying power buttons I tend
>to press in the least inconvenient moment. I just don't get it,
>what's the point of having it there? As if I needed to turn the
>computer on and off every 5 minutes.

Go to an electronics surplus store and buy an 80's IBM or Compaq keyboard. Nice feel, no superfluous keys. Real keyboards aren't made from plastic, any keyboards weighing less then 10 pounds is a toy.

>I'd really like to see a keyboard with a few programmable LEDs, or even
>better, a LCD screen. It'd be cool to have the memory/CPU use or
>something like that there.

Are you good with a soldering iron + dremel?

http://www.modelm.org/mboard/almost.JPG

http://www.modelm.org/mboard.html

Here's a list of utilites to use your keyboard LEDs as status indicators for various things: http://www.modelm.org/thing.htm

>But all I see instead is keyboards with annoying power buttons I tend
>to press in the least inconvenient moment. I just don't get it,
>what's the point of having it there? As if I needed to turn the
>computer on and off every 5 minutes.

Go to an electronics surplus store and buy an 80's IBM or Compaq keyboard. Nice feel, no superfluous keys. Real keyboards aren't made from plastic, any keyboards weighing less then 10 pounds is a toy.

>I'd really like to see a keyboard with a few programmable LEDs, or even
>better, a LCD screen. It'd be cool to have the memory/CPU use or
>something like that there.

Are you good with a soldering iron + dremel?

http://www.modelm.org/mboard/almost.JPG

http://www.modelm.org/mboard.html

Here's a list of utilites to use your keyboard LEDs as status indicators for various things: http://www.modelm.org/thing.htm

>But all I see instead is keyboards with annoying power buttons I tend
>to press in the least inconvenient moment. I just don't get it,
>what's the point of having it there? As if I needed to turn the
>computer on and off every 5 minutes.

Go to an electronics surplus store and buy an 80's IBM or Compaq keyboard. Nice feel, no superfluous keys. Real keyboards aren't made from plastic, any keyboards weighing less then 10 pounds is a toy.

Well, that's simple. Buy a Model-M. Problem solved. Plus the heavy resistance keystroke and buckling spring mechanism provide the typewriter feel so sorely needed.

Example two Useless, gimmicky 'features' that are software defined. Not very durable. No clicky feel, due to cheapness of rubber dome caps. Will most likely last until you spill Coke all over it.

I don't know if it solves your problem, but at at this site there are many model m keyboards dissassembled. Maybe if you chat with the author of the site he might help you...

Here's another site that might be helpful.