What is this place?

[mackstann]

I think I was googling for keyboard encoders when I wound up here, and I was pleasantly surprised at how active a forum about obscure keyboards is.  But where did this forum come from?  What is its history?  How did all of these people wind up here?

[wellington1869]

But where did this forum come from?

imav was really bored one day

 What is its history?

it started with one member and grew

 How did all of these people wind up here?

via google. some of us are still trying to leave.

[ch_123]

Not sure what possessed iMav, our great Geekhack overlord, to make the site, but obviously it worked.

It seemed to pull in people who had these old keyboards. Then it pulled in people like me who were interested in getting good quality ones. Soon enough there were quite a lot of members, and the internet seemed to start to take notice, and there's definitely been more attention paid to high quality keyboards and I think we are at least partially to blame.

It's spread onto more mainstream hardware sites, but we are still referenced by just about everywhere as the place to go to find out about such things.

Most newer members come for buying advice or identification purposes.

[wellington1869]

also for every new member imav knits a personalized keyboard sock with your name on it. just drop him a pm.

[hyperlinked]

via google. some of us are still trying to leave.

Welcome to the Hotel California.

[mackstann]

This is all pretty impressive for just organic growth via search engine.

Here is my story.  I don't remember how or why I got into weird keyboards, but I started with a TypeMatrix (the old one).  It was alright, but for some reason (again, I don't remember), I upgraded to a Kinesis contoured.  I liked it so much that I got another one for work, and I'm still using those two.  I've played around with ripping keyboards apart and have contemplated building a custom one, but have been intimidated by the work required.

Lately I've been thinking about it again, after discovering Ponoko (laser cutting service) and making some stuff with it.  I'm not sure if laser cutting is a very good way to make a keyboard, but it's a possibility at least.  3D printing is another option, but my design skills are thus far very firmly lodged in the 2D world (Inkscape).

The laser cutting project I've been working on is a Mini-ITX computer case, which you can check out (well, its progress) here.  I actually just got the printed prototype #2 delivered to my house today, but I'm still at work so I won't get to play with it until a few hours from now.

Here is my work keyboard: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4775131733_72b2b471ce_z.jpg

I have switched some of the thumb keycaps because the stock ones have annoying ridges on the edges that just don't feel very good.  The replacements are totally flat (and some I sanded to give them more rounded edges). Most of the thumb keys are remapped too.  On the left are backspace, shift, control and alt, and on the right are the obviously labeled keys plus enter and space.  I actually wish I could control more keys with my thumbs, and that's one of the things I'd do if I made a keyboard.

[Findecanor]

I haven't been here very long, and I am already hooked ... Whoa! I already have 68 posts!?

I would not call many of the keyboards discussed here as "obscure". Two of the keyboards that get the most talk are the IBM Model M (came with the IBM PC) and the Apple Extended Keyboard (came with old Macintoshes). They were so common in their days that there is a high certainty that you have used at least one of them. Every now and then, you can still overhear people reminiscing about them or posting forum threads about them, and how much they wish that modern keyboards had qualities like the old keyboards had.
Then there is the gaming crowd.. and the people who have got hooked at collecting vintage equipment ... and the people who like case-mods and are considering to do keyboard-mods. They all come from different directions and they meet here. Everyone who is doing serious computing has opinions about keyboards.

[wellington1869]

Welcome to the Hotel California.

lol

I would not call many of the keyboards discussed here as "obscure". Two of the keyboards that get the most talk are the IBM Model M (came with the IBM PC) and the Apple Extended Keyboard (came with old Macintoshes). They were so common in their days that there is a high certainty that you have used at least one of them. Every now and then, you can still overhear people reminiscing about them or posting forum threads about them, and how much they wish that modern keyboards had qualities like the old keyboards had.

I think kishy's quote in my sig sums up nearly everyone's reason for arriving here.

[Superfluous Parentheses]

I can't remember how I ended up here, but it had something to do with my MS Natural 4000 keyboard dieing on me and going back to the Model M I still had in storage.

This place is dangerous. Leave while you can!

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

I ended up here because MS Windows told me about it.

[wellington1869]

I ended up here because MS Windows told me about it.

do you guys know each other IRL?

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Yeah, I have said this at least a dozen times, we live in the same town and go to the same school.

[wellington1869]

Yeah, I have said this at least a dozen times, we live in the same town and go to the same school.

lol oh ok, guess i missed that

[slam]

I came here originally looking for info about the IBM M13.  I've been nothing but impressed with the knowledge of the people on this board.  

Most people I work with think I'm crazy for using an M every day but for me there is no better keyboard.. Besides how many pieces of computer equipment are still relevant and indeed utterly useable after such a long time?

It's nice to have a place where others understand why great keyboards matter

[EverythingIBM]

Yeah, I have said this at least a dozen times, we live in the same town and go to the same school.

Aawww man, I wish I went to that school. But then again... I ransacked so many IBM goodies from mine...

[ricercar]

This forum will bankrupt you.

[EverythingIBM]

This forum will bankrupt you.

Not if you listen to some of MW's financial advice on obtaining keyboards & computers.

[chimera15]

I came here originally looking for Siig Minitouches after I found one by happenstance on ebay and fell in love with them.  I was searching for "compact mechanical" keyboards after obtaining a model f at, I figured that was about as good as compact mechanicals got.  Someone had posted about Bob from Northgate repair and that he had a quantity of stock of them.  So this forum lead me to about a quarter of my current minitouch collection. lol

[EverythingIBM]

I came here originally looking for Siig Minitouches after I found one by happenstance on ebay and fell in love with them.  I was searching for "compact mechanical" keyboards after obtaining a model f at, I figured that was about as good as compact mechanicals got.  Someone had posted about Bob from Northgate repair and that he had a quantity of stock of them.  So this forum lead me to about a quarter of my current minitouch collection. lol

Uh oh, I think bob got a little crazy with his mini touches and broke some of them:

[microsoft windows]

Aawww man, I wish I went to that school. But then again... I ransacked so many IBM goodies from mine...

I know Computer Lab in Basement. He goes to the school I work at.

Since I work in the computer department, I have access to all the computer garbage. I've gotten everything from an M5-2 to about 400 floppy disks to an IBM ThinkCentre.

[TexasFlood]

I came here originally looking for Siig Minitouches after I found one by happenstance on ebay and fell in love with them.  I was searching for "compact mechanical" keyboards after obtaining a model f at, I figured that was about as good as compact mechanicals got.  Someone had posted about Bob from Northgate repair and that he had a quantity of stock of them.  So this forum lead me to about a quarter of my current minitouch collection. lol

Wow, how many minitouchs do you have?

[chimera15]

Wow, how many minitouchs do you have?

They're all in my signature....what is that.. like 7 or 8.  Plus the smk-85 which is basically the same.

[TexasFlood]

They're all in my signature....what is that.. like 7 or 8.  Plus the smk-85 which is basically the same.

Cool, that's quite a bit.

Well, to me, not sure about some of the more serious collectors here.

I should pay more attention to the signatures, pointers to some cool stuff in those.  Probably got enough to make my own signature soon here, although won't be nearly as impressive as some around here like yours.

[EverythingIBM]

I know Computer Lab in Basement. He goes to the school I work at.

Since I work in the computer department, I have access to all the computer garbage. I've gotten everything from an M5-2 to about 400 floppy disks to an IBM ThinkCentre.

Wow you must be the coolest IT guy ever. All the ones I know are into new crappy computers.
I guess I kind of do have access to all of my school's garbage; through connections with various staff members (I get special privileges lol).

I only got around.... 50 floppy disks from my school. They were all loaded with Apple software, so, I gave them the IBM-format and made new labels. We did pop one of them in an old beige mac thing, and it did read the floppy disk. The keyboard and mouse were so horrible, the CRT was utter garbage. I don't understand how anyone would want such a piece of garbage (my school was throwing out a lot of old macs, but I just saved the IBMs lol). SAVE THE IBMS! Leave the Macs to burn in incinerators.

I did get something like 30 jewel cases (some with multiple slots in one), they were throwing out a lot of useless apple CDs, so, I took out the paper inserts, threw the discs out, and now I have more free jewel cases than I'll ever need. Good thing too because jewel cases are so expensive... MAYBE THE USE REAL JEWELS INSTEAD OF PLASTIC!

[Voixdelion]

This place is dangerous. Leave while you can!

I haven't been here very long, and I am already hooked ... Whoa! I already have 68 posts!?

I did a double-take when I looked at my post count, too.  So far it looks like an average of about two a day since the day I joined (April 1st, apparently) intending to get some research on wtb so I wouldn't waste $  

This forum will bankrupt you.

Yep.  RE above: looks like the joke's on me...  Oh well.

also for every new member imav knits a  personalized keyboard sock with your name on it. just drop him a  pm.

HEY! I never got a keyboard sock! :tongue:

[wellington1869]

HEY! I never got a keyboard sock! :tongue:

Its ok, i'm still waiting for mine.  Hmmm, maybe i should send him a reminder

[glo]

This forum will bankrupt you.

Hah. That's what they told me when I joined.
Needless to say, I should have listened.

[keyboardlover]

I've been here just about a year now. Look at my post count.

Dangerous place. Stay away! j/k

But seriously, this place has made me spend money I otherwise wouldn't have. 'Buying' keyboards was a foreign concept once upon a time...

I say the danger of this board depends solely on what you do with the advice you get. Many of the folks on here are collectors, so they've spent a lot of money and tried a lot of keyboards. However, if that's not your prerogative, then it doesn't necc. make sense to buy 15 keyboards in search of one. There's a lot of good advice here and I think it makes sense to use it and ask questions to help you narrow down your search.

[microsoft windows]

Uh oh, I think bob got a little crazy with his mini touches and broke some of them:

Show Image

I think in that picture, Bob went crazy in a more inappropriate way.

[HaaTa]

I had to play the ignore card a couple weeks ago, I just didn't want to read it anymore.