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posted by LaminatorX on Tuesday October 14 2014, @04:04AM   Printer-friendly
from the clickity-click dept.

Adi Robertson writes at The Verge that next year, IBM's Model M keyboard turns 30 but to many people, it’s still the only keyboard worth using. Introduced in 1985 as part of the IBM 3161 terminal, the Model M was initially called the "IBM Enhanced Keyboard." A PC-compatible version appeared the following spring, and it officially became standard with the IBM Personal System / 2 in 1987. The layout of the Model M has been around so long that today it’s simply taken for granted but the keyboard’s descendents have jettisoned one of the Model M’s most iconic features—"buckling springs," designed to provide auditory and tactile feedback to the keyboard operator. "Model M owners sometimes ruefully post stories of spouses and coworkers who can’t stand the incessant chatter. But fans say the springs’ resistance and their audible "click" make it clear when a keypress is registered, reducing errors," writes Robertson. "Maybe more importantly, typing on the Model M is a special, tangible experience. Much like on a typewriter, the sharp click gives every letter a physical presence."

According to Robertson, the Model M is an artifact from a time when high-end computing was still the province of industry, not pleasure. But while today's manufacturers have long since abandoned the concept of durability and longevity, refurbished Model M's are still available from aficionados like Brandon Ermita, a Princeton University IT manager who recovers them from supply depots and recycling centers and sells them through his site, ClickyKeyboards. "For the very few that still appreciate the tactile feel of a typewriter-based computer keyboard and can still appreciate the simplicity of black letters on white keys, one can still seek out and own an original IBM model M keyboard—a little piece of early computing history," says Ermita. As one Reddit user recently commented, "Those bastards are the ORIGINAL gaming keyboards. No matter how much you abuse it, you’ll die before it does."

 
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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by rumata on Tuesday October 14 2014, @04:37AM

    by rumata (2034) on Tuesday October 14 2014, @04:37AM (#105823)

    They still exist:
    http://www.keyboardlover.com/index.php [keyboardlover.com]
    http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mechanical-switch-keyboard,2955.html [tomshardware.com]

    And most of em are not nearly as annoyingly noisy as Model Ms.

    Cheers,
    Michael

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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday October 14 2014, @04:41AM

    by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Tuesday October 14 2014, @04:41AM (#105824) Homepage Journal

    As a guy with both a mechanical all-green-switch Razer BlackWidow and a `92 Model M, there really is no comparing them. Yes, the Razer is a damned fine keyboard compared to most and light enough to sit on my lap but it most assuredly does not provide the Model M's unrivaled typing experience.

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.
    • (Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday October 14 2014, @06:44AM

      by frojack (1554) on Tuesday October 14 2014, @06:44AM (#105846) Journal

      Still rocking my Northgates. One to use, two for spare parts.

      --
      No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
  • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Tuesday October 14 2014, @11:47AM

    by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Tuesday October 14 2014, @11:47AM (#105892) Homepage
    "annoyingly noisy"? I let my g/f (who types a lot more than me) use my Model M (a gift from work colleague - many thanks Sakari!), and I never mind the sound of her typing away; the Model M is almost musical. My cheaparse kepboard rattles and creaks, that's an annoying noise.
    --
    Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
  • (Score: 2) by francois.barbier on Tuesday October 14 2014, @01:46PM

    by francois.barbier (651) on Tuesday October 14 2014, @01:46PM (#105924)

    Still looking for a laptop with such a great keyboard :-D
    ... and small pixels (high DPI)