IBM F AT $70

[Firebolt1914]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Personal-Computer-AT-Mechanical-Clicky-Keyboard-Vintage-5-Pin-/401176941599?hash=item5d6802541f:g:YpsAAOSw9NdXv0kM

[Firebolt1914]

And it's gone!

[chyros]

Jesus titty****ing Christ that's quick Oo .

[ThoughtArtist]

Lol. Then you see slightly more expensive but pristine ones sit on ebay for days. All the hours of restoring equals hours I ain't hustling.

[fohat.digs]

Lol. Then you see slightly more expensive but pristine ones sit on ebay for days. All the hours of restoring equals hours I ain't hustling.

I don't know. F ATs are rare as hen's teeth these days and always sell instantly.

[chyros]

Lol. Then you see slightly more expensive but pristine ones sit on ebay for days. All the hours of restoring equals hours I ain't hustling.

I don't know. F ATs are rare as hen's teeth these days and always sell instantly.

I always found it strange there aren't more of them around, I mean, they were part of IBM's main line of computers, right?

I nearly got one for pocket change from the recycling centre one time, they had kept it aside for me but a new guy tossed it in the bin and it was irretrievable .

[Darkshado]

Do we have any sales numbers on the F AT keyboard? Weren't their original computers sold more as a small business / personal machine? I'm afraid that a number of them got replaced (read: thrown away unceremoniously) by some cheap rubber dome PS/2, or maybe a Model M come upgrade time.

In contrast, corporate machines and terminal keyboards were often kept around to support some system in the field and whatnot. ****, I came across what I assume was an operational DEC VAX machine with a couple of VT series keyboards + terminal no later than last Friday. (Ever seen a "Do" key?)

[chyros]

Do we have any sales numbers on the F AT keyboard? Weren't their original computers sold more as a small business / personal machine? I'm afraid that a number of them got replaced (read: thrown away unceremoniously) by some cheap rubber dome PS/2, or maybe a Model M come upgrade time.

In contrast, corporate machines and terminal keyboards were often kept around to support some system in the field and whatnot. ****, I came across what I assume was an operational DEC VAX machine with a couple of VT series keyboards + terminal no later than last Friday. (Ever seen a "Do" key?)

Who would replace an F by an M, especially at that time? Oo

[fohat.digs]

Who would replace an F by an M, especially at that time?

To get the more desirable full-size layout with an easily-usable numpad.

Also, the AT started being supplied with Ms for the latter part of its production run - I think.

Last, that was just about when sales of "IBM clones" started in earnest and IBM sales rapidly slumped because of it.

For example, my first computer, in early 1986, was a PCs-Limited (Dell forerunner) "AT clone" for not much more than half the price of a comparable IBM rig (but still ~$2,800 without a printer).

[chyros]

Who would replace an F by an M, especially at that time?

To get the more desirable full-size layout with an easily-usable numpad.

Oh yeah, now, I can kinda understand, but at the time the AT layout was ridiculously popular and the 101-key layout was critisised by lots of people for being ****. I think at the time the layout would've been considered a downgrade by quite a lot of people xD .

I've always found it funny how, every time IBM brought out a new layout, it always got critisised to **** and then immediately adopted by everyone xD .

[fohat.digs]

but at the time the AT layout was ridiculously popular and the 101-key layout was critisised by lots of people for being ****.

I think at the time the layout would've been considered a downgrade by quite a lot of people xD .

My memories of keyboards in that mid-1980s era are foggy, but I think that the time period you described was very brief.

The numbers of "personal" computers skyrocketed in the years 1983-84-85-86 and it did not take long at all for the full-sized ANSI standard Model M layout became the powerfully dominant industry standard.

[chyros]

but at the time the AT layout was ridiculously popular and the 101-key layout was critisised by lots of people for being ****.

I think at the time the layout would've been considered a downgrade by quite a lot of people xD .

My memories of keyboards in that mid-1980s era are foggy, but I think that the time period you described was very brief.

The numbers of "personal" computers skyrocketed in the years 1983-84-85-86 and it did not take long at all for the full-sized ANSI standard Model M layout became the powerfully dominant industry standard.

Well, yeah, in ways, I guess, but look how many keyboards throughout the nineties came with a bigass enter to please people who were into the AT layout. Or with F keys on the left. Sure, industrially they quickly followed IBM's suit, as always, but many typists seem to have been crying out for AT-like keyboards. Admittedly I was only barely alive during that time, but I've read a lot of PC magazines where they talk about keyboards, and in them many professionals kept *****ing about the 101-key layout and how it was so much worse than the AT layout and that typists were forced to buy alternative keyboards so that they didn't have to use the "unusable" Model M's layout Oo .

(shows what professionals know)

[fohat.digs]

but look how many keyboards throughout the nineties came with a bigass enter to please people who were into the AT layout.

Or with F keys on the left.

many professionals kept *****ing about the 101-key layout and how it was so much worse than the AT layout and that typists were forced to buy alternative keyboards so that they didn't have to use the "unusable" Model M's layout.

Bigass Enter lingered longer than any of the other errata. For one thing, it (along with ISO-style Enter) seemed more natural to people coming in from electric typewriters (my generation).

F keys on the left was the big thing, when my original 1986 keyboard went bad in the early 1990s, I had to shop hard to find a replacement with F keys on the left. Unfortunately, I don't remember what models either of those were, which is good, because I might be kicking myself today if I did. The idea of buying a used keyboard never crossed my mind, if there was even such a market.

Those "typists" you mention were early adapters who had been through the XT and AT lines and become accustomed to them.

Standard Model M layout (excluding the numpad) is probably closer to an electric keyboard that AT or especially XT.

[Spaceman1200]

Personally i can use the AT layout easily, even more so with the ansi mod for the Model F AT