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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: hazel-ra on Tue, 22 May 2012, 21:35:39

Title: IBM Model M from 1984, part number 1391401
Post by: hazel-ra on Tue, 22 May 2012, 21:35:39

Hey folks -- I volunteer at a computer recycling charity, and this IBM Model M came in. What's interesting is that the wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard#History) says model Ms can be identified by a badge at the top right, and manufacturing started in 1985. Well, this one has no badge and claims to be from 1984 :D


Here's an album (http://imgur.com/a/iBido).

Title: IBM Model M from 1984, part number 1391401
Post by: jwaz on Tue, 22 May 2012, 21:38:39

Looks like it was manufactured on April 21st, 1987 to me.

The patent (C) 1984 by IBM?

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=1391401

maybe worth like $30?

Title: IBM Model M from 1984, part number 1391401
Post by: Paulie on Tue, 22 May 2012, 21:46:47

From clickeykeyboards.com (http://www.clickeykeyboards.com/model-m-buyers-guide):

Quote

Some people claim that they are selling an IBM model M from 1984, based on the fact that the printed label on the back says © 1984 . I have collected several thousand and from various other online references, the earliest IBM model M keyboard in my collection clearly has a production date from November 1985.
If you have a seller that is trying to say that his keyboard was built in 1984.. he or she is either ignorant of these keyboards.. or is trying to fool you into buying something that was probably built in the 1990s. How much genius does it take to read a label in the format of 12-19-91 and not be able to translate the date in December 19, 1991 (and not just read the (c) IBM Corp. 1984 logo and think keyboard was built in 1984.

Title: IBM Model M from 1984, part number 1391401
Post by: bazemk1979 on Tue, 22 May 2012, 22:04:17

lol dude, yes it has a badge and its on the left side, its called the pill badge which is known as white logo. If you look more carefull you will see that the keyboard was made 1987 which is the year they started making the pill badge white logo, what you refer is that the keyboard has no badge on the right side thats the square metal logo model M, the square metal logo earlier versions were without the LED overlay and then on with LED overlay.

I believe you are thinking of this board http://www.ebay.com/itm/200763820692?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648

Title: IBM Model M from 1984, part number 1391401
Post by: ch_123 on Fri, 25 May 2012, 11:39:16

How do people always manage to miss the large "Date" section on those labels?

The only Model Ms from 1984 are the typewriter keypads on the early Wheelwriter models.