This just in...

NIB Lexmark (IBM) Model M Spacer Saver! French layout.

Crazy About Keyboards

Just picked up another IBM Model M this weekend, bringing my keyboard count up to nine. Took me a while to clean but it looks almost like new now. Here's what I have:

- IBM Model M - YU layout, 1993
- IBM Model M - DE layout (Ambra)
- IBM Model M - US layout, 1989
- IBM Model M - YU layout, broken
- IBM Model M - YU layout, 1996
- IBM Terminal Board - YU layout
- Cherry MX1800, DE layout, MX blue
- Cherry G80, YU layout, MX blue
- NeXT Station, non-ADB, YU layout

How not to pack things before shipping

This article is a direct consequence of many horrible packaging jobs I've witnessed in the past years as a buyer on eBay.

Why is it such a big problem for some people to make sure that the contents of the package arrive in the exect same condition as they were shipped? They are either ignorant and believe the packages are handled with care or they are cheap and simply don't give a damn. The latest example is an IBM Model M keyboard I ordered last month. Upon arrival I discovered it wasn't boxed! Instead, it was wrapped in cardboard like you'd wrap a book. Needless to say, the keyboard didn't take this very well. The result was 12 broken rivets and one broken support.

My other experience comes from underpacked PC games. Some people think it's enough to simply use a normal paper envelope and be done with it. Wrong! In 99% cases the boxes arrive damaged, corners crushed and similar. If you want to package a game properly, at least use a layer of bubble-wrap and on top of that a bubble-wrap envelope. If you really want to do it right, put the game box inside a proper padded cardboard box. Your buyers will appreciate it.

Work in progress...

There's a number of projects I wanted to do in the past few months but never found the time:
- finish the IBM Model M mod
- Apple Newton keyboard adapter for use with HP Jornada 7xx series
- DE9 to PS/2 adapter for a great looking industrial PC keyboard
- install that 4x20 LCD screen I bought months ago
- battery rebuild for my Psion Teklogix Netbook Pro
- update retro-museum.org homepage

Future Projects

IBM Model M keyboard mod is finished although I'm not quite happy with the result, I now have other things on my mind.

• Newton keyboard mini-DIN to DB9 adapter (Jornada, Palm, Revo compatible)
• connect an IBM LPFK to a modern PC (already been done by Mike Brutman)
• add a 2x20 backlit LCD display to my HP workstation
• further improve the Model M mod to make it all fit better
  

The Ultimate Keyboard #2

Last week I wrote about rubber-dome keyboards, why they're so popular and how it used to be. To an average user it may seem that clicky keyboards are no more but fortunately for us, it isn't so. There's a number of companies that still design and make clicky keyboards, most of which now use Cherry micro switches. So, who's still in the market?

• Unicomp - IBM keyboards reborn
  
• CVT - Northgate OmniKey keyboards reborn
  
• iOne - Scorpius M10
  
• Das Keyboard
  
• Deck
  
• Diatec
• SteelSeries
  

As you can see, there's plenty to choose from. The only problem is, most of them are in the > $100 range. If I had to decide for myself, I'd get a Unicomp Customizer 101 or a CVT Avant Prime. Why? Well, based on my experience with the Model M, I'd say that Unicomp gives you the most value for your money ($69 for a Customizer 101) and it's the only maker I know of that still uses buckling spring technology. On the other hand, CVT Avant Prime is also a wonderful keyboard (rebranded Northgate OmniKey) with the possibility of macro programming (stores macros internally in a PROM chip). You can also buy brand new (old stock) IBM Model M's for about the same price as the Customizer from clickykeyboards.com :-)

So, what IS The Ultimate Keyboard? Actually, I have no universal answer to that question. It all depends on your personal needs, taste and financial ability. For me, a used IBM Model M is all I need to be happy. They're still quite easy to come by at the local flea market and only cost a fraction of a brand new keyboard. The only thing better than an IBM Model M is the IBM Space Saver which is basically a Model M minus the NumPad. End.

The Ultimate Keyboard #1

Today's market is flooded with many different models of rubber-dome¹ keyboards. They come packed with (more or less useless) features such as media buttons, miniature LCD screens, backlights, glow-in-the-dark labels, built-in USB hubs and more. While some of these features have a limited usefulness, they're just bells and whistles² added to make you feel you've been given more for your money (I call them 'geek magnets'). Who cares about the extra features, if typing itself is a joke? For example, I'm using a Logitech Internet 350 keyboard at work and it's disgustingly soft. The weight of a finger alone is sometimes enough to push a key. Shame on you, Logitech!


However, it wasn't always like that. Keyboards like the IBM Model M and Northgate OmniKey used buckling springs or micro switches which allowed for excellent tactile feedback as well as a much longer lifetime. Infact, many of them are still in use today which says a lot about build quality.

As a kid I learned to type on my mother's Peacock XT back in 1985. It had an excellent eighty-four key clicky keyboard and I learned to associate that clicky noise & feel with quality and sturdiness. When I got my first 486 PC about 10 years later, it unfortunately came with a cheap Cherry rubber-dome keyboard. I was stuck on those until late 2006 when I re-discovered IBM Model M. Immediately I went in search of one and in January 2007, Martin of Cyberpipe kindly let me have a fairly recent Model M (1996) that was lying in their storage. Thanks again!

- end of part 1 -

1 The term rubber-dome is used here to describe both, rubber-dome as well as membrane contact keyboards.
2 Nonessential features or enhancements intended especially to add commercial appeal.

Flea Market Finds #5

My last visit to the flea market resulted in two new additions to my ever growing collection: a Nintendo Game Boy (works, cosmetically as new) and another IBM model M keyboard (a bit dirty but functional). Not bad but then again, nothing spectacular. Stay tuned for another episode of Flea Market Finds!

IBM Model M

Recently I aquired two used IBM Model M keyboards. Both were dirty but looked OK otherwise. Since I got a week off, I decided to take the time to clean them up. In order to do that I needed to buy a special 5.5mm screwdriver which cost me about 8 Euro. To be honest, that's more than what I paid for both keyboards combined :)

It took me about four hours to clean the keyboards and then it was time to test them. As it turns out, I should have tested them before cleaning because on of the keyboards is only partially functional. Luckily the other one appears to be fine. I'm left with a spare parts keyboard and a bunch of keycaps which are basically useless because all three keyboards are using different font on the keycaps. Interesting but still kind of annoying.

Flea Market Finds #4

After not seeing any old computer in months at our local flea market, I finally saw one breadbin being sold two weeks ago. Having enough Commodores as it is, I didn't buy it (but somebody else did). I did however buy another IBM Model M keyboard (this one also needs thorough cleaning) with two missing keycaps. It seems that it's nearly impossible to find a Model M with all the keycaps still in place. Anyhow, last Sunday I got lucky as I stumbled upon a boxed Atari 130XE complete with boxed cassette tape drive and a joystick. As I already have one such system, I picked this one up for a friend of mine that also collects old computers.

Flea Market Finds #3

Last morning I decided to visit the local flea market. I was hoping to find more pins for my collection as well as Nintendo Game & Watch handheld consoles. In the end, I got a few interesting pins but more importantly, I found another IBM Model M keyboard! It's pig-dirty but nothing some soap and hot water couldn't fix :) It's a newer model with a non-removable cable and a PS/2 connector. For those of you unfamiliar with the Model M, they are one of the finest keyboards ever made. Not only are they a pleasure to type on but they're also virtually indestructible and weight a hefty 2 kilos! I've been using one for the past year and sometimes I miss the Windows key but I wouldn't trade it for a dozen modern Logitech keyboards!