1984 Keyboard Comparison

[SCTony]

Alternatives to the IBM PC keyboard reviewed in Creative  Computing, OCT 84.
The Maxi-Switch 8505 ($210), TDS Sure-Stroke ($198), and Colby Key-2 ($260), Key Tronic KB 5151($255).

"The most important feature is the feel or touch of the keyboard."

"If you are a touch typist, you will probably prefer a Selectric layout. The misplaced backslash and Return keys on the PC keyboard will slow you down and cause a great deal of frustration...."

"The main inducement for buying the Maxi-Switch is the weight. At 4.3 lbs, it is 16% lighter than the PC keyboard...."

http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n10/20_A_new_keyboard_for_the_PC.php

[msiegel]

wow, $255 is about $500 in today's "dollars".

i feel better about buying $300 worth of keyboards now

[skriefal]

Here's a photo of the Keytronic KB 5151:
http://cgi.ebay.com.sg/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120413249518

Weird cursor key block...

[msiegel]

Weird cursor key block...

heh, it looks like they had barely heard about Control, let alone Alt

[rdh]

Alternatives to the IBM PC keyboard reviewed in Creative  Computing, OCT 84.

[...]

http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n10/20_A_new_keyboard_for_the_PC.php

Here's another review of similar vintage.

wow, $255 is about $500 in today's "dollars".

i feel better about buying $300 worth of keyboards now

The Key Tronic KB5153 was $400 in 1985...  I got mine for $4 this year.  :-)

[msiegel]

The Key Tronic KB5153 was $400 in 1985...  I got mine for $4 this year.  :-)

a touchpad??
do you have photos?

edit: this is a nice passage:

"Keyboard design is one of the most important considerations when shopping for a computer. The keyboard is usually the only hands-on part of the system, and a balky or awkward setup can produce physical as well as mental strain.

Some people prefer a crisp key response, while others like a spongy touch. Some enjoy the positive feedback of an audible click when each key is touched, while others prefer silence. Some like hair-trigger keys, while others like stiff resistance. Unfortunately, many buyers think they have to put up with an uncomfortable keyboard to get the computer they want."

[rdh]

a touchpad??

do you have photos?

Here's one:

[msiegel]

Here's one:

cool, i like it. those guys were way ahead of their time.

of course it *was* $400

[ch_123]

$400 for an inferior keyboard? I think I'd just learn to deal with the crazy layout.

[quadibloc]

Weird cursor key block...

Well, this was before IBM came out with the 101-key Extended Keyboard.

So it had ten function keys along the top. There was one Ctrl key, to the left of Caps Lock. And apparently the Alt key was on the outside of the shift key on both sides.

The cursor key block had Ins and Del at the top, and then the cursor cluster simply duplicated the arrangement on the numeric keypad.

So it was a very nice arrangement that offered pretty well all the major improvements that one would have to wait for from IBM.

[SCTony]

Here is a short interesting page about the 5153 Touchpad-

http://www.xywrite.com/ttg/appnotes/app148.txt

"The touch pad can operate in four basic modes: cursor mode, function
key mode, mouse mode, and graphics mode."

[rdh]

Here is a short interesting page about the 5153 Touchpad-

http://www.xywrite.com/ttg/appnotes/app148.txt

"The touch pad can operate in four basic modes: cursor mode, function
key mode, mouse mode, and graphics mode."

And it normally starts up in a mode where touching it does nothing.  :-/
I did manage to get it react once, but I'm not sure how, and haven't been able to reproduce the circumstances.

I wrote to Key Tronic's support folks, but all they were able to find is an old brochure.   That, and the link above are, sadly, almost everything I've been able to find out about the touch pad.

[ehird]

[img]http://imgur.com/1MU93.jpg[/url]

Who needs keyboards when you have Big Brother?

[ehird]

Who needs keyboards when you have Big Brother?