From: James H. E. Maugham (CaptJHEM_at_waterw.com)
Date: Fri Jan 05 2001 - 09:45:04 EST
Benjamin Koh [mailto:benkoh_at_stanford.edu] wrote:
> I was lucky to locate an original IBM 101-key keyboard (the buckling
> spring type) in a thrift shop. Paid all of $2 for it. I touch type
> noticeably faster and more comfortably on it. Of course, it also
> weighs about as much as my 560x. Still, IMHO it's one of the best
> bargains I've found. A sticker on the back says 1984 or something like
> that. Dunno if that's date of this unit's manufacture or date of its
> design, but it's definitely pretty old. If you come across one of
> these, grab it. I have another (newer) IBM 101-key keyboard that's
> half the weight and has a smaller footprint, but it feels noticeably
> inferior in construction and I type poorly on it. Sometimes the old
> stuff is really better.
I would KILL for one of those Ben! Or if I could just get my ancient AST
keyboard to work with ANY of my laptops. The original AST keyboard is what
launched AST into the computer business and is my alltime favorite. It had
exactly the same touch, feel and keyspacing as my venerable IBM Selectric.
The AST doesn't have the AT/XT switch on it that you saw on keyboards after the
AT was released and I went so far as to get new driver chips for it from AST in
order to be able to keep using it when I upgraded to a 486 way back when the
earth and I were young and dinosaurs roamed the planet! But, it never worked on
any of my Pentium machines since my first P200 desktop nor has it ever worked on
any of my Thinkpads.
I'm using the IBM Model M 101 key buckling spring keyboard made for them by
Lexmark (1994) and I HATE it! Don't really know why, it just doesn't "feel"
right although, at 6 pounds, it's a VERY substantial keyboard. But, it's still
better than any of the other ones I've got lying about so I'll keep on using it
and cussin' it.
Regards,
James
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