Author Topic: [ENDED] GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!  (Read 4424 times)

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Offline ander

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[ENDED] GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!
« on: Wed, 04 July 2018, 05:43:25 »
As everyone knows, futuristic vintage computer consoles usually have phones built into them somewhere:


199267-0

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But where could you ever find your own computer terminal with a built-in phone? Well, you probably couldn't—till now!

Vintage GTE XT300E Action Station Computer Terminal with Phone, WorkStation








Imagine being able to ring up your nubile jumpsuit-clad assistants, personal team of scientists, and/or favorite starship captain whenever you wish!

BIN $237.59 + 19.95 US shipping, or Make Offer.
« Last Edit: Mon, 09 July 2018, 01:49:04 by ander »
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Offline Techno Trousers

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Re: GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!
« Reply #1 on: Wed, 04 July 2018, 08:09:11 »
I laughed at the TNG picture. Awesome.

What's really interesting about the terminal is that number pad has 1 at the upper left like a touch tone phone, rather than at the lower left.

I wonder where this terminal fits in the development of touch tone phones? I always thought it was dumb of them to standardize phone keypads in reverse of the established configuration for keyboards and calculators.

Offline ander

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Re: GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!
« Reply #2 on: Wed, 04 July 2018, 19:43:55 »
I laughed at the TNG picture. Awesome.

Thanks.  :?)

What's really interesting about the terminal is that number pad has 1 at the upper left like a touch tone phone, rather than at the lower left... I wonder where this terminal fits in the development of touch tone phones? I always thought it was dumb of them to standardize phone keypads in reverse of the established configuration for keyboards and calculators.

I hadn't noticed—that's observant of you. The number pad may have been used with the terminal too, but it appears to have been intended primarily for the phone.

You're right about traditional number pads's illogical layout, too. Maybe the keeb designers did some kind of study and decided it was more ergonomic that way...?
We are not chasing wildly after beauty with fear at our backs. – Natalie Goldberg

Offline ErgoMacros

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Re: GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 04 July 2018, 21:11:47 »
Wonder no more, Wikipedia to the rescue:
     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push-button_telephone#DTMF_keypad_layout

Quote:
     The DTMF keyboard layout broke with the tradition established in cash registers (and later adopted
     in calculators and computers) of having the lower numbers at the bottom. This was due to research
     conducted by Bell Labs using test subjects unfamiliar with keypads. Comparing various layouts...
     the study concluded that while there was little difference in speed or accuracy between any of the
     layouts, the now familiar arrangement with 1 at the top was the most favourably rated.
Unquote.
Today's quote: '...“but then the customer successfully broke that.”

Offline ander

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Re: GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 05 July 2018, 19:34:14 »
Comparing various layouts... the study concluded that while there was little difference in speed or accuracy between any of the layouts, the now familiar arrangement with 1 at the top was the most favourably rated.

But that doesn't answer the question of why virtually all other boards, beside this one, switched them around.
We are not chasing wildly after beauty with fear at our backs. – Natalie Goldberg

Offline ErgoMacros

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Re: GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 05 July 2018, 19:51:56 »
Computer keyboards simulate calculators. This one, as you point out seems to simulate (or precede?) touch-tone phones.
Cheers!
Today's quote: '...“but then the customer successfully broke that.”

Offline ander

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Re: [ENDED] GTE Spacenet terminal with... PHONE!
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 09 July 2018, 01:49:18 »
"This item is no longer available."
We are not chasing wildly after beauty with fear at our backs. – Natalie Goldberg