![]() ![]() To connect a Model M to a modern PC or Mac, you'll need an adapter you can plug in to whichever vintage cable (PC AT or PS/2) you have in a USB port. How to Connect a Model M to a Modern PC or Mac Bake them some cookies and casually ask about it next time you stop by. If they have an IBM-brand PC from the mid-to-late 1980s through the mid-1990s sitting around, chances are they have a Model M keyboard as well. In fact, if your heart is set on a vintage model, I'd suggest asking around among friends and relatives. So, there are a lot of them still floating around, likely in closets, attics, garages, and basements. Model M keyboards made during the PS/2 era are not particularly rare-some estimates say that over 10 million were manufactured. A damaged keycap (which was rare) was also easy to replace if you had the parts from a donor keyboard. This made the keys easy to rearrange if you wanted to. Also, many Model Ms included two-piece removable keycaps. This allowed you to change out the cable if it broke, or swap an AT with a PS/2 connector cable. Many early models of the Model M keyboard include a modular cable connector. It stays right where I put it and doesn't shift around while I type. The plastic is thick, rugged, and, despite its advanced age, still doesn't have any cracks. My model M keyboard weighs over five pounds due to the steel plate inside, which could likely stop a small-caliber bullet. They fall apart after just a few years of heavy use. Compare that with inexpensive rubber dome keyboards. There are no misregistered keystrokes, broken keycaps, or worn-off letters. It still functions exactly like a brand-new keyboard. I've used it almost nonstop for 14 years. If I ever type while I'm on a phone call, the person on the other end usually goes silent and then says something like, "Holy cow! What was that?!"Īgain, my Model M is 34 years old. Every key press generates two clicks, so it almost sounds like you're typing at twice your actual speed. The same can't be said for cheap rubber-dome keyboards.Īs a result, the Model M is famously noisy. Because of its high quality, you also know the computer registered the key. Thanks to the snappy springs, you always know when you've pressed a key. The spring also pushes a tiny pivoting rocker beneath each key that registers the key press on a membrane below. ![]() Each key compresses a tiny spring until it suddenly snaps against the side of a cylinder, producing a "click" sound. ![]() The secret sauce in every Model M keyboard is a mechanism called the buckling spring actuator. The momentum of the fast mechanical movement vibrated the entire machine. Whenever you pressed a key on an IBM Selectric, you heard a thunk as the type ball hit the paper. If you've ever used an electric typewriter, you'll understand the tactile and auditory feedback of the Model M. I'm glad it's not on my Model M, but I might experiment with mapping it to an infrequently used key. I still don't like the Windows key being stuck between Ctrl and Alt. Today, I'm coming around to the benefits of Windows keyboard shortcuts (baby steps on a laptop). I disliked it mostly because it got in the way of the familiar keyboard layout I used while playing MS-DOS games like Doom and Blood in the 1990s. I was an anti- Windows key curmudgeon for 26 years. This has made some of those extra keys potentially universal across modern operating systems. Thankfully, those days are mostly gone, thanks to the USB HID standard. Some keyboards included keys for forward and backward navigation, volume control, and more. So, by default, every key that wasn't on the Model M was annoying. There was a time when every extra key over the 101-key standard (on American keyboards, anyway) required a special driver to use properly. When most people reference "Model M," they're usually talking about this keyboard, although it technically refers to a family of products with similar characteristics. It was first released for a terminal in 1985, and for PC XT and AT machines in 1986. The result was the 101-key IBM Enhanced Keyboard. They also looked at popular designs from competitors, like the DEC LK201, a terminal keyboard that popularized the inverted-T arrow key layout. They considered usability studies, ergonomics, and consumer feedback. He told me that between 1983-1984, IBM assembled a 10-person task force to address the criticisms of the original keyboard, so they could produce a much better replacement. Years ago, I had an email conversation with IBM veteran David Bradley, who worked on the original IBM PC. Otherwise, it was a beast of a unit-heavy and durable, with a buckling spring keyswitch design that gave it an industrial feel. Reviewers generally admired it, but some criticized elements of its layout and a few awkward key shapes. The 1981 IBM PC came with an 83-key keyboard (commonly known as the "Model F"). ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |