A few weeks ago, I was looking for layout diagrams for IBM 3270 family terminal keyboards and I saw some specific names being used to describe styles of IBM keyboards that I don't think I've seen mentioned before (at least, contemporary in keyboard communities). IBM Base Keyboard and IBM Converged Keyboard, used to contrast earlier terminal keyboards to the IBM Enhanced Keyboard (a name more commonly known). They don't refer to a single keyboard product, but the form factor and physical layout as a combination.
See my website for an extended write-up and how it will affect my content going forward:
https://sharktastica.co.uk/327X_new_namesSummary:- Base Keyboard: 75-key and 87-key layouts introduced with IBM 3276/3278/3279 (Model Bs) and reused for IBM 3104/3178 (Model Fs)
- Converged Keyboard:* 104-key (aka, "unsaver") and 122-key ("battleship") layouts used with many terminals as both Model F and M keyboards
- Enhanced Keyboard: 101-105-key Model M
* "Converged" is in fact a term I've heard before - the IBM 5271 Converged Keyboard, a 122-key Model F for IBM 3270 PCs. I didn't realise it extended to all 122-key (and 104) keyboards, however.
Visual summary:
Photo credits: myself, theMK, Ellipse @ modelfkeyboards.com
Source material:
