Here's a 122-key branded ComputerLab 2000...

[Shawn Stanford]

With an AT plug..?
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-RARE-MODEL-M-CLICKY-KEYBOARD-COMPUTERLAB-2000_W0QQitemZ250497160207QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item3a52cb540f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[D-EJ915]

good lord that is gross, also...plastic wrap still on an ancient keyboard? lol some people are so lazy.

anyway that looks like a mini-din sized plug

[ch_123]

It's probably a rebranded Unicomp one. Unicomp make some PS/2 versions of the 122-key, unfortunately the extra keys are only usable if you have the appropriate software/drivers. But I'd imagine that in Linux (or Windows with enough hacking) that you could map them to whatever you want.

[Rajagra]

also...plastic wrap still on an ancient keyboard? lol some people are so lazy.

It can be hard work when the wrap is taped on instead of cable tied. When you have hundreds of machines to install, trying to pick the tape off with your nail gets old real quick. I still break out in a sweat when I think about it.

[D-EJ915]

I think this might be the one that doesn't use the standard PC driver because it lacks the labels for the PC keys

[microsoft windows]

That keyboard looks a little dirty but I like the "Computer Lab 2000" brand name.

[ch_123]

I wonder why companies like Boscom haven't switched over to Rubber Dome models, seems that in such a niche business, one should cut their costs wherever possible.

[quadibloc]

I wonder why companies like Boscom haven't switched over to Rubber Dome models, seems that in such a niche business, one should cut their costs wherever possible.

I suspect it's the cost of retooling. If there are non-Unicomp 122-key keyboards out there, I'd expect them to use Cherry switches. I admit that rubber dome 122-key keyboards exist, since I own one, but it was made a long time ago, back when there was a big market for 122-key keyboards.

So the companies that made them then perhaps still do, but it's not an option for new entrants.

Plus, when it's a niche business, the price has to be high anyways, so you might as well sell something that suggests it has quality worth the price.

[Shawn Stanford]

I suspect it's the cost of retooling. Plus, when it's a niche business, the price has to be high anyways, so you might as well sell something that suggests it has quality worth the price.

I think it might be straight up cost, since they purchased all IBM's tooling. But, even past that: engineering and tooling for a new BS keyboard is probably cheaper than making a new rubber dome keyboard. With a new BS, they need to manufacture a unique backplane with traces and a case to match. They already have the keyswitches and keycaps and it's a matter of mounting those existing pieces into the new backplane and case. With a dome board, there's a unique piece of rubber and a more complex backplane in addition to the case and keys. That's additional R&D and tooling.

[quadibloc]

I think it might be straight up cost, since they purchased all IBM's tooling.

Unicomp did that; I thought the "they" we were discussing was Boscom, which could choose instead to get its keyboards made with a rubber mat in China. Or am I all confused here?

[Shawn Stanford]

My Boscom was manufactured by Unicomp...