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A Condensed History Of The Keyboard

Posted by timothy on 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.

5 of 567 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Who else misses the old IBM keyboards? by stanmann · · Score: 5, Informative

    Go to ebay type in IBM Model M in the search. buy keyboard. or search your local goodwill/Salvation army stores. I've got two, both from goodwill. like a rock.

    --
    Food not Bombs is a nice platitude but it breaks down when you notice that the Bombees are usually well fed
  2. I had to fix my keyboard Monday by Asprin · · Score: 5, Informative


    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!

    --
    "Lawyers are for sucks."
    - Doug McKenzie
  3. Re:Who else misses the old IBM keyboards? by Zathrus · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm utterly amazed that in the 14 replies thus far, nobody's given you the right answer.

    If you want a true, original IBM PC keyboard then go here. They make the originals, complete with massive weight and key klacking, plus modified versions that have the Windows key, integrated mouse, college mascot/color inspired ones, quiet versions, etc... yes, they're pricy by modern day keyboard standards, but if you want a keyboard that will live somewhat longer than all of your descendants there's no other option.

    I actually have two original IBM PS/2 keyboards, bought from used computer stores nearby... but the noise annoyed the hell out of my wife and I recently switched to a Memorex multimedia keyboard. It's really not all that bad, and every once in a great while I even remember to use some of the extra keys on it.

  4. Re:Bad layout by Confused · · Score: 5, Informative

    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.

  5. Re:I miss those teletype printers... by BrokenHalo · · Score: 5, Informative
    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 :-)