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Thursday 12 August 2021

Day 514 of self-isolation - Splash!

Splash!

I accidentally spilled an entire glass of water over my keyboard. And, as a result, the v, b, n and space bar, didn't work.

This is a bit of a disaster. I use the IBM Model M keyboards, made nearly 35 years ago in 1987. I love that keyboard, because it's loud and clicky, weights a ton, and I can type at full speed on it. It uses a buckling spring mechanism.

Unicomp still make keyboards with that mechanism, but what I really really love is the original IBM keyboard.

A couple of decades ago, I found some on sale on eBay, and I bought five. I'm glad I did, because I have four computers at my work station.

So, I dismantled the keyboard (with a 5.5 mm hex driver) and I've left it open to the air so that it can dry out. I've also removed some of the crud that I found in there. I'm hoping that will fix it, because if it doesn't, I'm looking at some $200 to replace it.

I also have an IBM PC keyboard. That has a different interface, but still the superb buckling spring mechanism. I have an adapter so that I can connect it to a modern PC, but the remaining problem is that the layout of the PC keyboard is so different from the model M, that I'd have trouble switching between that and the model Ms.

I'm going to put a model M on my birthday list.

Meanwhile, I've put in a bid for £52 for a model M, and I've bought a £20 keyboard with the Model M key layout and which claims to be clicky. Both have the wrong sort of DIN connector, but I know how to fix that.

 




2 comments:

  1. Have you ever tried a new keyboard? I find them so much easier and faster than those heavy clicky things/

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    Replies
    1. I love those heavy clicky things. Maybe I'll get one for my birthday or Christmas.

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