ovalbugmann Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 (edited) Computer Hardware has always especially intrigued me, the physical components that allow us to use all the software programs we love. I want to know all about the hardware I use, I'm more into computer hardware than any of my friends or relatives. I've always been able fix the viruses, trojan horses, and insidious rootkits that sometimes take over, cripple and shut down the XP and Win7 PC computers on my home network. Sometimes all three Desktop PCs on part of my network get hit at the same time with three different but crippling problems that sometimes take me days to figure out - gets frustrating especially if I don't know if my data has been stolen, uploaded or wiped out by the malware. Luckily I've been able to fix all the tough problems that render a PC completely unresponsive or, un-bootable. I do not and never had to just "re-install windows dude that'll fix it" due to a problem. Because obviously I don't want to spend the hours tweaking the system to the way I want it, reinFingstalling everything! Surprisingly The Google redirect virus was my hardest battle to date, I was wrestling with that one for a few weeks. I do use Acronis full HDD images for disaster backups so I can relax and feel safe, I wouldn't want to be deprived of my internet, lol BTW, I feel nothing beats a full PC, not a tablet, not a laptop, not my Samsung Galaxy s3. Ok enough of my thoughts about computer hardware and destroying modern day malewares. I'll lead into the famous IBM Model M masterpiece of a keyboard by telling how I became aware of it's existence. So my newest computer is a midrange HP, I bought it from tigerdirect and proceeded to upgrade every component maxing out the RAM to 8GB, Virtual RAM, registry tweaks and Pagefile increases well. Then shoved as many sound cards, video cards Usb 3.0 cards, better fans, added internal blue/red lights, cloned my standard 7200rpm HDD onto a $200+ 1TB 10,000rpm HDD-(it's like a porsche: fast and expensive) - I wanted to try that before getting a ssd solid state drive, after that I bought the fastest Quad-core Intel i7 processor that my midrange motherboard could handle and put that in, I am tired of slow dilly dallying computers! I keep many things on a offline HDD array for storage. The reason why I didn't just buy a high end PC in the first place is because I wanted the experience of modding the system. Next time I'll by a high end bare bones kit. So now with a fast Windows 7 machine I have the cheap-ass bendy, squishy(not the good kind of squishy between a girls legs either ) keyboard that is responsive but hard to type on, for several reasons like keys that move considerable from side to side, black harder to see key placements. short cord, cheap cheap feel, no tactile feedback, not much key movement - kind of like a membrane keyboard like the Atari 800 but with no sound when the key is pressed. I feel I type reasonably well but these all to common bubble membrane pack in keyboards really slow down my typing and are tedious to use. So I started research keyboards, because I feel to have the least frustrating, fast and enjoyable home PC computer using experience that I should have the best human interface components that one can afford(regardless of the actual hardware in the PC case) - the monitor, mouse and Keyboard. Well I already have an awesome Sony 1080p large LCD that I use my computer exclusively on as well as the best mouse I found that I like; which is the rechargeable wireless Logitech Performance MX - a full size manly mouse with "darkfield" invisible & dispursed laser that will track anywhere even on glass. I use my mouse on the bed, floor, table etc. with no problems. I also use the woman's hand size Logitech MX Anywhere mouse also with the neat "Darkfield" laser. So I still had the cheap rubber dome keyboard to replace. My research led me to very nice gaming keyboards with full NKO rollover for multiple repeated keypresses that modern PC games require. These modern keyboards sometimes use Alps keyboard key mechanisms but most use the German made and designed Cherry MX series of keyswitches they have 6 different kinds of them I chose to buy the heavier ones that require 50g and 80g of pressure to activate they are the very popular Blue Cherry MX and the Green Cherry MX switches respectively. Many people like the non-tactile response Cherry MX Brown, black or red switches. So I paid bucu denero of $200.00 USD for a highly praised Filco board and $150.00 for A CoolerMaster Storm Quickfire XT. Now both these keyboards are nice, have full NKO rollover and are similar to the classic IBM Model M keyboard. But you know being the vintage stuff liking sentimental person I am I was just not that thrilled with their typing experience, but they are good - but I still may sell them off. So my first exposure to computers was in the elementary computer room (early 1980's) where I vaugely remember typing on the lighter colored IBM keyboards that were kinda like typewriters but I do distinctively remember the US asci? computer keyboard layout with the large backwards "L" shaped enter key!!!! -ring a bell anyone? And I thought wouldn't it be nice to have my most remembered childhood computer keyboard hooked up to my Windows 7 now customized modern day powerful computer! So I found out the IBM Model "F" keyboard is the one I remember with the big enter button. I searched it out and $220.00 later on ebay I had one. It was IBM Personal Computer AT (stands for advanced technology) used between 1984 thru 1987 and shipped with the IBM 5170 AT computer. It was their first keyboard with bi-directional IO but has a fixed cord with an original large DIN connector, which I hooked to a smaller modern DIN connector which is the ps/2 connection. From there I hooked it to a special little box that processes all keystrokes and converts them to USB -viola! It's so cool and retro it's awsome. The layout is a bit different but the ONLY thing it lacks is the dedicated arrow keys. The "windows key" to bring up the main menu can be done by a control+esc keypress. Now at the same time I researched and bought an IBM Model M keyboard from the first year of their production which is 1986 -a really good year for me. Did you know that practically all the keyboards today use the 1984 IBM designed Model M keyboards' layout - this layout was never redone because it was very very good and functional- good enough for all keyboards up to today date to be modeled exactly after. So I regularly switch between the my IBM model F and M keyboards. They are both known as clicky keyboards but the model F is clickier louder and more satisfying to use- my typing speed and accuracy is much improved and it's easier and fun to type Atariage posts on. They have developer Model Ms with clear keycaps for programmers -they can put their code symbols on a piece of paper under the keycap and change it at will - nice. If you look for one on ebay they range from $15 to $80 for the early units like the 1986 one I have. Got a 1991 unit for $15. Despite what you may have heard, the previous IBM computer keyboard shipped with the IBM Personal Computer XT (1981-1984) that doesn't have Bi-direction IO (for lights and such) can still be used on modern systems but a $50 adaptor is needed for that one to become USB -however the layout of that board is worse that the IBM AT computer keyboard and I haven't bought one of those to try - they are about $100 on ebay. I am quite happy with my childhood IBM AT keyboard with the backwards L enter key and the awesome model M. IT computer professionals sometimes often use a real Model M keyboard. One other thing Lexmark manufactured IBM Model Ms are slightly less robust than a real IBM USA (or IBM europe) made keyboard and they took over the Kentucky plant in 1993. So I recommend pre- 1993 for those interested in this top of the line premium human interface device. "Are You a real computer expert? Or just a low end computer user? You need to use a real keyboard. The IBM Model M keyboard. Alright well, I think I have talked/typed myself out for now and I want to give you links, quotes, and pictures of these great peripherials still in use around the world and very usable today! Below are various quotes from keyboard affectionados from the links I've posted: Once upon a time, using a computer was a loud, tactile affair. The keyboards on early IBM PCs were heavy, had a great feel, and made a satisfying clacking noise when you typed, thanks to the expensive "buckling spring" design for the switches. They could also take a beating, which was important for people who were making the transition from pounding on manual typewriters. Nobody ships a PC with a good keyboard anymore, although you can still get IBM-style keyboards from Unicomp. "The Model M is also remembered for its overall heavy and sturdy design, which allowed the keyboard to survive far longer periods of time, use, and abuse than practically any other personal computer component ever manufactured." The Model M keyboard, colloquially called a clicky keyboard, is a class of computer keyboard manufactured by IBM, Lexmark, Unicomp and MaxiSwitch, starting in 1984. The many different variations of the keyboard have their own distinct characteristics, with the vast majority having a buckling spring key design and many having fully swappable keycaps. Model M keyboards have been praised by computer enthusiasts and heavy typists because of the tactile and auditory feedback resulting from a keystroke. The Model M is also regarded as a timeless and durable piece of hardware. Many units manufactured since the mid-1980s are still in use today, while the computers and monitors of the day are obsolete. Unicomp, which now owns the rights to the design, continues to sell Model M keyboards. Recently, the keyboards have made a comeback among writers and computer technicians. Unicomp has had difficulty making them profitable because they rarely break, and most retailers will not stock such an expensive keyboard. The very notion that computer hardware that began its tour of duty in the mid-1980s is still useful today seems improbable. It seems even more improbable that such surviving hardware would have moving parts. But it is, and it does. You can plug a Model M from 1987 into just about any modern computer with a PS/2 port, and it will just work. Don't worry, you'll already know how to use it; keyboards haven't changed very much since 1987. Only very recently has the availability of a PS/2 port on a computer become rare. Keyboards with USB interfaces (aka "Human Input Devices", ugh) are replacing these very quickly. But, at least for now, USB-to-PS/2 adapters are commonplace, cheap, and effective. And, as we'll see, one can even buy a Model M with a USB interface instead of a PS/2 one these days too. More on that a little later though. I mentioned earlier that when you plug a Model M into a new computer, you'll already know how to use it. This is because most the layout of the majority of today's PC computer keyboards was effectively based on the Model M. How do I know this? Well, just look at any old keyboard you have laying around. There are exceptions, and keyboards -- even the Model M -- have grown a couple of keys over time (a pair of "Windows" keys) but compare the layout of a 1986 Model M to just about any $7.00 yum cha keyboard of today and you will see very clearly that cheap keyboard's ancestry involves the Model M. Function keys across the top, arrow keys in an inverted T in the middle-right, a numeric keypad to the far right, Ctrl and Alt keys bracketing the space bar. That's the Model M layout. We take this layout for granted today but when the Model M was put into production, there was no similar "standard" layout. For instance, the IBM Model F was the keyboard which shipped with the original 1981 IBM PC. Take a look at the layout of a Model F sometime. Most keyboards today certainly do not copy the layout of the Model F; it has a layout dramatically different than the layout of a Model M. We just don't see any keyboards with that layout today. IBM PC clone makers were never (and still aren't) very innovative. They just did whatever IBM did. And IBM stopped bothering to make a different kind of PC keyboard layout after creating the Model M layout. The clone makers did too, 25 years ago. The Model M layout is original, in a very literal sense of that word. But wait, there's more! The Model M isn't just original, loud, beefy, and durable. It's also completely fashion-deaf. In a 25 year history, it has been mass-produced in only three fabulous decorator colors: beige, industrial grey, and black . Not that it matters. Many postmodernists would think it ugly even if they could buy it in a tangerine or blueberry variant. It's OK to laugh: a Model M won't get its feelings hurt. It doesn't give a good goddamn about what you or your art major friends think of it. It has assumed a role with only two purposes: to make typing suck less, and to last forever. All other considerations are secondary. Past the first 1984 design meeting where it saw a greenlight, very little obvious consideration has been put into changing its fundamental design; certainly none due to fashion pressure. The omission of fashion concerns over its production lifetime is one of its most important features. The Model M keyboard has simply not evolved very much. Model M keyboards have been made for more than 25 years using almost the exact same design, guts, casing and all. How do I know this, you ask? I am (shamefully) the owner of 11 Model M keyboards. Every Model M produced has a "birth certificate" on its bottom casing. It gives the day, month, and year it was produced ("making them extremely collectible," he says, by way of excuse, staring at the ground). The earliest Model M in my collection was produced in August 1986. The latest was produced in April of 1997. With a few exceptions, the mechanical parts of all of these keyboards are largely interchangeable. I can take the mechanical internals of any early-year Model M and place them in the casing of almost any later-year Model M (and vice versa) and put the casing back together; the resulting system will still work. They are the same keyboard. We're not talking about the same keyboard name or family or brand, we're talking about the same keyboard design and production for eleven years, confirmed. I can only assume that this commonality of design spans the entire 25-year lifetime. A steadfast resistance to unnecessary evolution makes them uncommonly easy to find parts for and repair. If 25 years of staying power doesn't impress you, this should: its story hasn't ended. New model Ms are still being produced today in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by a company named Unicomp . I don't mean that Unicomp just bought the Model M copyrights (which they did) and rights to use the buckling spring design (which they did) and began innovating with new designs only marginally related to the older Model M (which they did not), attempting only to capitalize on brand recognition (of which there is little, I fear). I mean that they bought the factory, tool and die. Unicomp's website won't win any prizes, but they crank the same exact keyboards out that were being cranked out in 1986 today with two minor exceptions: you can now buy a keyboard with Windows keys and you can buy a Model M with a native USB interface. These aren't "copies" of a Model M; these are Model Ms. Even the addition of Windows keys or the new interface doesn't mean very much: the Unicomp spring assemblies still fit in the a Model M case from 1986, and vice versa. You can even buy parts from Unicomp to fix your 1985 Model M. Unicomp's new keyboards arent the cheapest: they start at $69 for a basic bucking spring model. But, then again, if you enjoy using a keyboard, and it will last you for 25 years, almost any price is a huge bargain as far as I can tell. Would it really matter if you paid even $250 for it, given a presumption of that time scale? IBM (or, you know, Lenovo, or whoever) don't make buckling spring keyboards any more. They sell various keyboards that use cheaper, quieter keyswitches that don't last nearly as long or provide nearly as pleasant a key-feel, but there's no real difference between current IBM-branded 'boards and any number of other mainstream offerings. These mainstream 'boards, all with one or another variant of the simple and quiet rubber dome switch idea, are perfectly OK for people who don't type much. They may drop dead with or without the assistance of a spilled beverage, but that's no big deal; if your computer's essential to your happiness, buy a spare cheap keyboard in case your main cheap keyboard dies, and use your nasty mushy input devices with my blessing. If you do type a lot, though, you owe it to yourself to get a good keyboard of one kind or another, for the same reason that people who use the mouse a lot shouldn't settle for some ancient crusty serial-port optomechanical artifact. Old mouses aren't nice to use, but old keyboards can be, because mouse technology's advanced a lot over the last 20 years, but keyswitch technology was quite mature in 1980. Modern keyboard tech advances have mainly had to do with wireless interfaces, snazzy looks, and making cheap crud cheaper. If you want to buy a new, as in manufactured-this-decade, buckling spring IBM keyboard, Unicomp is the place to go. They don't make 'boards with the actual IBM logo on them, but their products are the exact same thing as the later-model IBMs made by Lexmark (which is to say, not quite as monstrous as the original IBM-made units, with integrated cables instead of the plug-in originals, but still far beefier than mortal keyboards), and reasonably priced. Why bother? The big deal about these old keyboards is their lovely, positive key-click. When you use a keyboard that doesn't have a good positive click, it's hard to tell when you've depressed a key properly. You have to watch the screen to make sure you don't leave letters out, or you have to really hammer the keyboard, which is not good for your hands. Most of the mid-priced keyboards these days use some variant of the "rubber dome" switch technology, which gives a definite little popping sensation when the dome buckles, but doesn't necessarily give you an actual letter at the exact same moment, thanks to uncertain contacts. The old buckling spring tech absolutely positively does give you the letter when you feel the click. These keyboards feel very much like an old IBM Selectric typewriter - there are plenty of these ironclad behemoths still in service, and they may herniate anyone that has to move them but they're darn nice to type on. History The keyboard suddenly became less important around about the time that mouses started being commonly used. Before that, the keyboard was the only day-to-day input device for almost all computers, and most users were tapping away at the things a great deal. Keyboards mattered. People cared. There were actually advertisements in computer magazines in which manufacturers bragged about how kick-ass their keyboards were. The boasts were justified. There have been various technologies dreamt up over the years for keyboards, all trying to make the 'board feel nice to use, last well, and not cost a million dollars. The "buckling spring" keyswitches in this IBM 'board and some other old-style units are widely acknowledged to be the best ever developed in every regard, except cost. They've got not-too-light but not-too-heavy key weighting, they've got the kind of positive click that I imagine you'd feel on the firing button for the Death Star's primary armament, and their demonstrated service life, despite extraordinary abuse, is preposterously long. Essentially, if you don't take to one of these things with a hammer, it'll probably outlast you, even if you spend all day, every day, typing. That's not to say that they're perfect. The buckling spring mechanism, with a little vertical spring that buckles with a click as the key-switch does its thing, does not make for quiet typing. They're not compatible with room-mates who want to sleep, and they're death if you want to sneakily use someone else's computer. That's not to say that they're deafening, but you sure can't hear a pin drop. Some people dislike the buckling spring keyboards because they think it takes to much effort to push the keys; I don't see it, myself. Perhaps all that noise gives people the impression they're pushing harder. The attractiveness of Real Keyboards faded with the arrival of mouse-based user interfaces. Suddenly all of that basic housekeeping typing became unnecessary. Programmers and data enterers and writers still typed like crazy, but everyone else could point and click their way through many tasks. And when you don't need to use the keyboard all day, you don't really care how good the 'board is, as long as it doesn't stop working. Good keyboards can improve productivity and reduce stress on your hands. Unfortunately, today's keyboards are cheap, unresponsive, lightweight affairs with little or no tactile response. Keyboards are tacked onto computers almost as an afterthought. They have become the equivalent of the standard equipment AM radio that used to ship in American automobiles in the '70s. But while Detroit's choice of radios has improved a bit since then, keyboards have only gone downhill. http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/pages.main/pageID/5 http://geekhack.org/ http://deskthority.net/wiki/Main_Page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M http://www.dansdata.com/ibmkeyboard.htm http://www.dansdata.com/clickykeyboards.htm http://plope.com/Members/chrism/25_years_of_the_model_m http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer_AT Edited March 11, 2014 by ovalbugmann 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high voltage Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I got an IBM SK 8820, which is still a decent keyboard. I think one of IBMs last before the sale to Lenovo. I hate all these modern chicklet keyboards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I used to have a Tandy 100TX with the Enhanced (clicky) keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovalbugmann Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share Posted March 11, 2014 Awesome, you guys can appreciate a quality keyboard I see I don't think many people really give a seconds thought about their keyboard -but I can tell you typing gets easier, faster, a lot more enjoyable and with less mistakes when using a quality board. Btw the first picture above which is the dark olive-drab colored industrial SpaceSaver model M keyboard with some dark blue keys recently went for around $965.00 USD! on ebay. It is a very rare industrial board. I wanted that sucker but it's crazy expensive. The other lighter colored spacesaver Model M is worth about $250.00 or so USD. These are the prices on ebay anyways, supply and demand...oh well. It seems like many younger computer users/ pc gamers today are prefering smaller keyboards with the number pad cut off. I have some buddies that have really small keyboards on their home PCs. I'm like ok man - i don't know how that would be feeling after a few 10,000 word essays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkO Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I own about 18 Model M Keyboards.. Some need some repairs, like when you spill liquid in them, the Space, M and B keys seem to be damaged... But over all, they are the Best Key Board!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 My parents still have their original PC from 1983. Sounds like connecting one with the AT adapter to a modern computer isn't as simple as buying an adapter, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkO Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 My parents still have their original PC from 1983. Sounds like connecting one with the AT adapter to a modern computer isn't as simple as buying an adapter, right? The IBM PC/XT Keyboards used a different Encoding than the 1984 IBM AT Keyboards.. I had a Keytronics in 1988 that was switchable for either.. Some of the Type M keybaords had removable Cords, I have a couple different lenghts, and a few of the Old 5-pin DIN plugs ones.. If you need a PS/2 to USB adapter, clickykeyboard.com has a nice adapter.. Not all of them work, the Type M keyboards pull a LOT of Power... I had to buy one for my NEW Win 8 machaine at work.. No PS/2 plugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I've been a big fan of the Model M keyboards for years. I'm typing this on a gloriously clicky buckling spring Unicomp right now, in fact! Just over three years ago, I started a thread about my favorite input devices (a Unicomp Model M and a CST PC-TRAC 1000 trackball), and I'm still happily using those exact same devices three years later. My oldest Model M is about seven years old, and it also is still going strong. That's a much better lifespan than I've gotten from lesser keyboards and pointing devices, which are too often flimsy and cheap. Barring electrical problems or some other catastrophic failure, I can see myself using these for the rest of my life; all they need is a bit of cleaning every once in a while, and perhaps some replacement bearings for the trackballs every few years. (EDIT: Looking at my old thread again, I remember from the pictures that I was still using my "quiet touch" IBM Model M keyboard at work at the time. I later exchanged it for my second Unicomp Model M, simply because the IBM was due for a cleaning. I ended up keeping the Unicomp at work because I preferred the buckling spring keys, but I've still got the IBM, and it still works fine.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 The IBM PC/XT Keyboards used a different Encoding than the 1984 IBM AT Keyboards.. I had a Keytronics in 1988 that was switchable for either.. Some of the Type M keybaords had removable Cords, I have a couple different lenghts, and a few of the Old 5-pin DIN plugs ones.. If you need a PS/2 to USB adapter, clickykeyboard.com has a nice adapter.. Not all of them work, the Type M keyboards pull a LOT of Power... I had to buy one for my NEW Win 8 machaine at work.. No PS/2 plugs I may have misspoken. We had the original, non-XT model 5150. So I'm not sure if the keyboard connector is called an "AT connector" or not. It's definitely not PS/2 but a big 5-pin DIN, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 5-pin DIN connectors were used for both the original IBM PC/XT keyboards and the later AT keyboards, but as others have said, the encoding is different. There were adapters at one time, along with keyboards that supported both protocols, but the vast majority of DIN-5 keyboards that you'll encounter are AT-compatible keyboards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I have a model M for my workbench computer, and a nice mechanical ADB Keytronics with a track ball for my vintage mac's long live the clicky typed from my lenovo POS, cause the model M got ran out of the bedroom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I've been a big fan of the Model M keyboards for years. I'm typing this on a gloriously clicky buckling-spring Unicomp right now, in fact! Just over three years ago, I started a thread about my favorite input devices (a Unicomp Model M and a CST PC-TRAC 1000 trackball), and I'm still happily using those exact same devices after three years of heavy use. My oldest Model M is about seven years old, and it also is still going strong. That's a much better lifespan than I've gotten from lesser keyboards and pointing devices, which are too often flimsy and cheap. Barring electrical problems or some other catastrophic failure, I can see myself using these for the rest of my life; all they need is a bit of cleaning every once in a while and perhaps some replacement bearings for the trackballs every few years. Now I'm interested in the Unicomp models. Are they better or worse than the classic Model M, and how much so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Now I'm interested in the Unicomp models. Are they better or worse than the classic Model M, and how much so? I've used both IBM Model M and Unicomp Model M keyboards, and I can attest that the quality is the same. The article quoted by the OP explains why. Here's the relevant quote: New model Ms are still being produced today in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by a company named Unicomp. I don't mean that Unicomp just bought the Model M copyrights (which they did) and rights to use the buckling spring design (which they did) [...] I mean that they bought the factory, tool and die. Unicomp's website won't win any prizes, but they crank the same exact keyboards out that were being cranked out in 1986 today with two minor exceptions: you can now buy a keyboard with Windows keys and you can buy a Model M with a native USB interface. These aren't "copies" of a Model M; these are Model Ms. Even the addition of Windows keys or the new interface doesn't mean very much: the Unicomp spring assemblies still fit in the a Model M case from 1986, and vice versa. You can even buy parts from Unicomp to fix your 1985 Model M. This is the model that I use (the Classic 101 White Buckling Spring PS/2, with no Windows keys), which currently sells for $79. Black and USB versions of the same keyboard sell for the same price. Granted, they're expensive keyboards, but I think they're worth it: they'll outlast several cheaper keyboards, and they'll deliver a much better typing experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatta Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 One day I'll get one of those unicomps with the clit mouse. I can't think of anything better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 One day I'll get one of those unicomps with the clit mouse. I can't think of anything better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I've used both IBM Model M and Unicomp Model M keyboards, and I can attest that the quality is the same. The article quoted by the OP explains why. Here's the relevant quote: This is the model that I use (the Classic 101 White Buckling Spring PS/2, with no Windows keys), which currently sells for $79. Black and USB versions of the same keyboard sell for the same price. Granted, they're expensive keyboards, but I think they're worth it: they'll outlast several cheaper keyboards, and they'll deliver a much better typing experience. Do you know the difference among the 101, 103, and 104-key keyboards? I'm tempted to go for the trackball model even though I'm happy with my wireless mouse. Any experience with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmetal88 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I've been very tempted to order one of those Unicomp keyboards for a long time, now. I love my Model M, but sometimes not having the Windows key or not having USB connectivity gets to me. Having a built-in trackball or trackpoint would be nice as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seob Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Hope to find a model m at a thriftshop or fleamarket for cheap. Love the sound of that keyboard. Was installing a firealarm recently and the IT manager was using a model m also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Do you know the difference among the 101, 103, and 104-key keyboards? I'm tempted to go for the trackball model even though I'm happy with my wireless mouse. Any experience with it? The only difference is the number of keys. The 104-key keyboard is the same US layout as the original 101-key, but it includes the Windows keys. The 103-key and 105-key versions are international layouts, I believe. There are pictures of all these models on Unicomp's site. I have used Model M keyboards with integrated trackballs. The trackballs are perfectly good, but I think they're really intended for server cabinets and other environments where space is at a premium and the pointing device is used only occasionally. I really recommend the Clearly Superior Technologies trackballs like the PC-TRAC 1000 (I posted a picture of mine in my other thread, linked above); they're a perfect match for the Model M, in appearance and in quality. You might want to go with one of their newer optical models, which also include scroll wheels. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulBlazer Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I'd love to get one of these keyboards....I'd be happy to pay the price for it if it lasts a while. Problem is, about 5 years ago I switched over to a Euronomic keyboard on the advise of my doctor, and I've grown in love with it. I can't go back to a 'normal' style keyboard now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ovalbugmann Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) I've been very tempted to order one of those Unicomp keyboards for a long time, now. I love my Model M, but sometimes not having the Windows key or not having USB connectivity gets to me. Having a built-in trackball or trackpoint would be nice as well. There's no reason why you not have both of these features on your model M. When I first got my Model M and Fs (IBM PC AT) keyboards I looked up and printed out all keyboard shortcuts for Windows XP & 7 Google Chrome & Torch, Opera and other keyboard shortcuts lists for programs I use a lot VLC player too. It just takes a little time to memorize the keyboard shortcuts instead of relying so heavily on the mouse. For instance I use the keyboard for browsers a lot: Opening and closing tabs, switching between tabs, highlight and copy URL, reopen last tab closed, arrow keys to move around a webpage, etc, etc. I think that using keyboard shortcuts for many commands I issue may actually be quicker that turning on my wireless mouse and navigating to a some little box to click onscreen. It's easier on the wrists, less tedious and I like and want to use my vintage M and F keyboards more. You can access the windows key on a Model M by using the: Ctrl+Esc key -further the arrows can be used to navigate. You can make any Vintage Model M or AT board into USB -that has either the the old 240-degree large 5-pin DIN connector or the new DIN connector which is the ps/2 connection. You only need this OLD 5-pin DIN to ps/2 connector: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/569794 Then to make that USB you need: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/124184 All from: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/categories.main/parentcat/11298 Now you can get that little USB keyboard adaptor box slightly cheaper maybe on Amazon, But in reading the reviews there are other ps/2 to USB keyboard boxes that do not perform as good as the one I linked to, they don't have the right chip in them to correctly process the Model M keystrokes to full USB compliance. Now for the really old IBM PC XT computer keyboard, the above scenario will not work for the XT boards, only for the Model M and IBM PC AT(a Model F) boards. I was thinking about getting an old XT board to try but I am unsure how I will like the layout and I am really happy with my AT board with fat enter key. But in order to use the XT board on a new age computer you need this unit: http://www.hagstromelectronics.com/products/ke_xtusb.html Also look at this info on the old XT, it's got a small enter button: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11066/subcatid/0/id/571248 http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/categories.main/parentcat/11066 There are some on ebay right now, I think, for about $100 USD but there may not be any of the cool IBM AT keyboards that can be hooked up easy just like the model Ms. Further, The IBM Model F Terminal keyboards can also be used, but are going to be a little project for you and these are the hardest to hook up, to use a IBM Terminal board you may be able to just solder in a modern ps/2 connector ripped out from a donor board and it will work or you may need what is known as Soarer converter - a little board with USB protocol chip and pads to solder it up. And in order to make full use of a IBM Terminal board you will likely need to use a keyboard key mapping software for windows as some keys don't line up correctly and need to be moved around in software key mapping protocols. I ordered some dark blue keytops from Unicomp recently to replicate the $965.00 eBay sold olive-drab colored Industrial Spacesaver Model M as shown above, on a regular model M. However, for me there's nothing like the real item from the 1980s so I got my boards on ebay, they have a born-on birth certificate date on the bottom of every model M, for instance mine says made on: 17AUG86 - August 17, 1986. Edited March 14, 2014 by ovalbugmann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmetal88 Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Ctrl+Esc only opens the Start menu, it doesn't replace the Windows key. There are a number of useful shortcuts you can use by holding down the Windows key and some other key on the keyboard, but you can't use Ctrl+Esc to duplicate that functionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Tomlin Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I agree that Model M keyboards are the most awesome ever made. The only problem I have with them is their lack of the annoying Windows keys means that they can't be easily used on Macs. I have saved many Model Ms in my day, most of them probably stashed in a box in my garage. I have a few spacesavers too, and even a couple of Northgate clicky keyboards. If I ever get around to getting microcontrollers doing USB stuff, I want to retrofit one with USB and maybe even see if I can install command keys for Mac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I agree that Model M keyboards are the most awesome ever made. The only problem I have with them is their lack of the annoying Windows keys means that they can't be easily used on Macs. I have saved many Model Ms in my day, most of them probably stashed in a box in my garage. I have a few spacesavers too, and even a couple of Northgate clicky keyboards. If I ever get around to getting microcontrollers doing USB stuff, I want to retrofit one with USB and maybe even see if I can install command keys for Mac. Unicomp sells a model made specifically for Macs. It's the Spacesaver model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulBlazer Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Like I said earlier, if they ever sell a ergonomic model, count me in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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