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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: AKIMbO on Sun, 02 December 2012, 17:03:56
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I'm starting a 2012/2013 Dell AT101 (black ALPS) tour. Post in this thread if you want a spot.
The Rules:
-You get to keep the board for 12 full days and then must ship it to the next person on the list.
-Tour is CONUS only (sorry Canadian peeps...I'm just not that informed aboot Canadian shipping :p).
-You must have been a member of Geekhack for 2 months.
-You must have 35 posts as today.
-You must ship the keyboard with tracking info.
-You must post your impressions of the keyboard (think of it as a mini review).
The tour will start when I have a minimum of 5 participants NOW!
Participants:
1. daerid
2. whiteduck
3. dante
4. Lmnr
5. CPT BadAss
6. prdlm2009 (status: Dell AT101 is in the hands of prdlm2009)
A picture of the board:
(http://i46.tinypic.com/30djz91.jpg)
Keyboard is PS/2...so make sure you have a PS/2 port or a PS/2 to USB converter (not an adapter).
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Great idea!
Don't worry about us Canadians. Shipping up here is just a hassle.
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Does this board work on a passive adapter?
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Does this board work on a passive adapter?
I don't think so. You don't have an active converter yet? And you call yourself a Geekhacker...for shame!
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I have a PS/2 port. I am above adapters! I'll probably steal your OP for when I get the Leopold with Reds from the Free thread the other day. Thanks!
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The AT101 is a pretty sexy board. Needs a better photo...
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Been thinking about picking up one of those NIB ones off ebay, but I want to make sure my memory isn't deceiving me. Sign me up.
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No one wants to try out alps?
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No one wants to try out alps?
But I can't coordinate the key caps with the He-Man and Smurfs decor in my basement!
:D
On a serious note, do you have any boards in mind for a Matias switch transplant?
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Typed on my AT101W
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I actually have a board prepped and completely desoldered. Its a Zenith ZKB2-AT. You?
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I actually have a board prepped and completely desoldered. Its a Zenith ZKB2-AT. You?
WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO THAT BEAUTIFUL BOARD?
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I got another MiniTouch with XMs that I hope will accept the Matias quiet switches. I am also thinking of getting an SMK85 to convert as the layout seems a bit better... or a Filco Zero. :)
As for the MiniTouch you sold me, I could still use a few Monterrey switches so keep me in mind if you run across some extras.
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I actually have a board prepped and completely desoldered. Its a Zenith ZKB2-AT. You?
WHY DID YOU DO THAT TO THAT BEAUTIFUL BOARD?
Because I have two and the boards are beasts....how can you not like metal based keyboards?
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I would totally be in on this, but I already have an AT101. In fact I got it from Akimbo :))
Although, mine is Salmon Alps... never tried blacks
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I got another MiniTouch with XMs that I hope will accept the Matias quiet switches. I am also thinking of getting an SMK85 to convert as the layout seems a bit better... or a Filco Zero. :)
As for the MiniTouch you sold me, I could still use a few Monterrey switches so keep me in mind if you run across some extras.
I don't have any spare Monterey Blue switches...but I do have a bag of complicated linear yellow alps.
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Although, mine is Salmon Alps... never tried blacks
Don't worry- Unless you dislike the click, you're probably not missing anything. Blacks may be the worst of the actual ALPS-made switches (though I vastly prefer them to RD).
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I actually like the black alps. They aren't orange alps sure...but I find them better than simplified whites.
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I don't have any spare Monterey Blue switches...but I do have a bag of complicated linear yellow alps.
Hmmm... can't replace Monterreys with ALPS. :-[
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Let's get more signups por favor.
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What does this board cost to ship around about? I know some TKL boards you can fit in a flat rate box, but usually these you can't.
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There is a large flat rate box called a "game board" box that the USPS does not stock in POs, but they will deliver 25 of them to your front door, free of charge. Order them online.
They are about $15.80 if I remember correctly. Otherwise, a keyboard the size and weight of a AT101, packed in a reasonably appropriate box, will probably ship ground for about $10-12 in-state or nearby, $12-14 for the neighboring region, and $14-16 to the other side of the country. If you use a box unnecessarily large, you will pay for it, regardless of weight.
Usually, the PO is the least expensive, especially as the distances get longer, with UPS and FedEx being more. FedEx is often the most expensive but has BY FAR the best tracking.
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I own one. If you don't sign up, you'll be missing out on a great board.
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What does this board cost to ship around about? I know some TKL boards you can fit in a flat rate box, but usually these you can't.
It will fit in a large flat rate box (aka a game board box). It costs $14.85 if you buy the postage online and $15.80ish if you buy the postage at a USPS branch.
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Need more signups.
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I would be interested but don't meet your post minimum... can u make an exception?? Im a fan of the alps on my focus 2001 so would like to try other types!!
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Sure. I'll lower the post requirements to 50 and add you.
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The AT101's feel just varies too much - not just from the age / condition of the switches - it seems like black alps can feel either like heavy browns or clicky white alps!
Oh man you ain't kiddin. I've had 4 of 'em, 2 white, 2 black, and all but one of the black ones were buttery smooth with a satisfying clack, while the last one felt like a stiff, grainy brown. Very, very unsatisfying.
I also with you didn't have to go to such insane lengths to get one of these working in OSX
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I own one. If you don't sign up, you'll be missing out on a great board.
Not being poopy pants, but I'd be much more interested in AKIMbO's SGI Granite.
The AT101's feel just varies too much - not just from the age / condition of the switches - it seems like black alps can feel either like heavy browns or clicky white alps!
The alps on this AT101 are in pretty good condition. I've had some bad alps board before, this is one of the better ones.
SGI Granite will never go on tour. They are much harder to find than the Dell boards. XD
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Go ahead and add me to the tour plz.
Added.
I think I may kick the tour off when we get 5 total participants. It doesn't seem like that many people are interested in alps boards...so 10 participants may have been a bit optimistic.
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Ill join since these are the only ones I've yet to try.
I have been in the Topre tour and Cherry mx tour as well as over 50 posts and member for a full year or so.
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Lets get a couple more signups then I'll mail the board out on tour this weekend!
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You guys should sign up.
A good AT101 can give you a very nice typing experience.
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Give me one more signup....I demand it!
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Tour will start in a few days...if you want to signup do it now.
I've relaxed the requirements to get in on the tour. Post in this thread and I'll add you to the list provided I feel like you won't run off with the keyboard.
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The tour has commenced and the board will be mailed out to the first person on the list (daerid).
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Weeeee! Will post when I get it
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Got the board. Been trying it out. It's not quite as consistent as I remember my other AT101W's being, but I do remember how much I love these switches. Will forward it on to whiteduck here in about a week probably.
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Shipped off to whiteduck! Sorry for the delay, had a busy last weekend.
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Have the board and will post a review tonight and ship tomorrow. Sorry for the delay -,-
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Already got two of them (AT101W), just need to clean them.
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I have been typing a bit on this board... but I don't think it is for me. It takes a bit too much force for my liking, especially the keys with stabilizers. Not sure if I could make it through a work day using this... I have a board with white ALPS a focus 2001 of which I am more of a fan. Was fun to try out another type of ALPS switches, but I am much more into cherry mx switches... =/
Hope someone else enjoys this board more than me...
sending out to next guy tomorrow, Thanks AKIMbO
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Shipped around 4pm today to Dante.
-wd
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I would love to be apart of this, but I live in the Uk :( maybe we can do a single key in the future? Round the world postage :) Obviously not a CC maybe just a daft novelty key?
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I have been typing a bit on this board... but I don't think it is for me. It takes a bit too much force for my liking, especially the keys with stabilizers. Not sure if I could make it through a work day using this... I have a board with white ALPS a focus 2001 of which I am more of a fan. Was fun to try out another type of ALPS switches, but I am much more into cherry mx switches... =/
Hope someone else enjoys this board more than me...
sending out to next guy tomorrow, Thanks AKIMbO
Thanks! I hope you enjoyed the board.
I received the board.
Black alps rock/suck :D
My first at101 nib that I bought over a year ago felt like if you took a black switch and added just barely any tactility like in a Cherry Brown.
This at101 feels much more tactile and I don't know if it's been from typing on MX Blacks for so long but it feels a bit lighter - possibly because of the slightly reduced travel.
Pretty decent board mang. I'm going to take it work next week and torture my coworkers with all sorts of clicky pleasure/angst.
Have fun annoying your coworkers...and remember, that board has a steel plate in it. So if any of them give you lip for being loud...smack them in the back of the head with the board (you have my permission)!
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I own a DELL AT102W which I would like to do something similar with in the UK.
If anyone is interested please feel free to email me -
keo7@aber.ac.uk
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These use black alps don't they?
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I was interested in trying out the Alps switches, so I went to my local-ish computer scrapper and dug through their bin of used keyboards. The only had one, a black AT101W, which they forced me to pay $5 for. :-)
Cleaned it thoroughly, and using it now. Pretty nice, although I think I like the Cherry switches a tad bit better for gaming. I was having some of the "stickiness" other posters have alluded to, so I lubed all the switches with some teflon lube I had around. Smooooth...
I have a Noppoo Choc mini at work (w/Browns), I think I might swap that out for the Dell board, I like the larger form factor for general typing. Also more likely to use the ten-key pad at work, the Noppoo is TKL.
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These use black alps don't they?
Yes, black alps.
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Akimbro, are you going to do another tour after this one wraps up?
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Akimbro, are you going to do another tour after this one wraps up?
I will just keep tacking on people to the list....so yes, if you want to get in on this tour just say so and I'll add you to it.
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Akimbro, are you going to do another tour after this one wraps up?
I will just keep tacking on people to the list....so yes, if you want to get in on this tour just say so and I'll add you to it.
Please add me then ^_^
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Akimbro, are you going to do another tour after this one wraps up?
I will just keep tacking on people to the list....so yes, if you want to get in on this tour just say so and I'll add you to it.
Please add me then ^_^
Added!
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great kboard. got one brand new with DK layout (ISO). Worth a try
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Received the keyboard this afternoon, pretty satisfying to say the least for everything other than gaming but I will review it further.
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Received the keyboard this afternoon, pretty satisfying to say the least for everything other than gaming but I will review it further.
Thanks for the update!
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Can I be added to the list? It would be convenient to go after CPTBadass, because I'm right up the road on I-74.
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Can I be added to the list? It would be convenient to go after CPTBadass, because I'm right up the road on I-74.
Ok....added.
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I just got the board today. Sorry for the small delay, I was out of town for the weekend.
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I just got the board today. Sorry for the small delay, I was out of town for the weekend.
No problem broski....take your time with it.
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Priority mail gameboxes went up to $16.85, but it includes tracking now. It will fit a model M and $50 insurance is only and extra couple of bucks. Somebody should do this with a model F ;)
Here's the link https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNav=false&navAction=jump&navCount=0&productId=P_GB_FRB&categoryId=subcatMSS_PriorityMail
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I just got the board today. Sorry for the small delay, I was out of town for the weekend.
No problem broski....take your time with it.
But not too much time. I'm getting antsy over here.
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I'd love to get in on this, but now that I am an OTR truck driver with a 5wk on/4dy off schedule, it'd be too difficult. I even already have a 101W, but it's very well used and it'd be interesting to see if there's any real difference with age.
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I'd love to get in on this, but now that I am an OTR truck driver with a 5wk on/4dy off schedule, it'd be too difficult. I even already have a 101W, but it's very well used and it'd be interesting to see if there's any real difference with age.
A long-haul truck driver that loves mechanical keyboards? I feel like that could make a great song.
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Volvo...if you have a physical address that the board can get sent to and you can promise to have it shipped out within 2.5 weeks of receiving it....I will add you to the tour. Let me know!
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That's the problem. Being out for 5 weeks at a time, I couldn't make that promise...unless there was a coordinated effort to get it to me when I knew I was going for my home time...so I could recieve it, use it for a couple days and send it right out before going back on the road.
So, I'll pass for now...but if my situation changes and you're still doing this, I'll have to get in on it.
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That's the problem. Being out for 5 weeks at a time, I couldn't make that promise...unless there was a coordinated effort to get it to me when I knew I was going for my home time...so I could recieve it, use it for a couple days and send it right out before going back on the road.
So, I'll pass for now...but if my situation changes and you're still doing this, I'll have to get in on it.
Ok....no problem then. Have fun on the road!
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CPTBadass, you want to just bring this board to the Great Lakes Meetup and exchange it there? I feel like that would be more convenient than shipping it to me.
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If you feel like that's a better option and Akimbro is fine with it, let's go with that. Akimbo, is that cool? The Chicago meet is on 4/13/13.
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If you feel like that's a better option and Akimbro is fine with it, let's go with that. Akimbo, is that cool? The Chicago meet is on 4/13/13.
Yeah....I'm fine with it.....bring it to the meet!
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Just to give an update Akimbro: I have the AT101 in my car right now. Bringing it to Chicago meet to pass to prdlm2009. It's still around so don't panic ^_^
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It was at the Great Lakes meetup!
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I require photographic evidence of said appearance.
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I require photographic evidence of said appearance.
We did a really bad job of taking photos at this meetup, but here is a photo with the cord of the Dell AT101 near the bottom of the photo. One of those cords.
[attach=1]
And here is one with keyboard hanging out on my desk in Indianapolis. I typing on it right now.
[attach=2]
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I require photographic evidence of said appearance.
We did a really bad job of taking photos at this meetup, but here is a photo with the cord of the Dell AT101 near the bottom of the photo. One of those cords.
(Attachment Link)
More importantly, there's most of me! :P
But seriously, we were having too much fun nerding out on boards and chatting to take proper pics.
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I require photographic evidence of said appearance.
We did a really bad job of taking photos at this meetup, but here is a photo with the cord of the Dell AT101 near the bottom of the photo. One of those cords.
(Attachment Link)
More importantly, there's most of me! :P
But seriously, we were having too much fun nerding out on boards and chatting to take proper pics.
Yea when I was taking pics, there were so many hands on all the boards I couldn't squeeze myself in there. Then people kept showing up and bringing more boards. How will I have ever cherish the memories without proper photographs?
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So I've been typing with the AT101 for the past couple nights. Probably because I have played around with different types of Alps switch and got to run the full gambit with the MrInterface Switch Try Bag, I find the Dell AT101 on the lower end of my Alps preferences. I gravitate towards switches with lower actuation force, because during a long typing session my fingers can feel the effects of higher force. And the Dell AT101 definitely requires more force than some other Alps mount switches I have tried, including Orange Alps, SMK switches with Alps mount, Matias Quiet Pro and some random white Alps clone on a Focus Electronics FK-7000P board.
In particular, the Black Alps feel a little heavy and mushy to me compared to other Alps-related that I have tried. I already sort of knew that about Black Alps from the Switch Try Bag, but I figured the feeling on a full board would be a little different than one simple switch. But my suspicions were confirmed: Black Alps are not the switch for me!
However, the Dell AT101 did sell me on one thing. I might prefer Alps clicky switches when I previously favored Alps tactile switches.
Off to the next tester, if there is another one.
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So I've been typing with the AT101 for the past couple nights. Probably because I have played around with different types of Alps switch and got to run the full gambit with the MrInterface Switch Try Bag, I find the Dell AT101 on the lower end of my Alps preferences. I gravitate towards switches with lower actuation force, because during a long typing session my fingers can feel the effects of higher force. And the Dell AT101 definitely requires more force than some other Alps mount switches I have tried, including Orange Alps, SMK switches with Alps mount, Matias Quiet Pro and some random white Alps clone on a Focus Electronics FK-7000P board.
In particular, the Black Alps feel a little heavy and mushy to me compared to other Alps-related that I have tried. I already sort of knew that about Black Alps from the Switch Try Bag, but I figured the feeling on a full board would be a little different than one simple switch. But my suspicions were confirmed: Black Alps are not the switch for me!
However, the Dell AT101 did sell me on one thing. I might prefer Alps clicky switches when I previously favored Alps tactile switches.
Off to the next tester, if there is another one.
I don't think there is one. prdlm2009...you must build a funeral pyre in your backyard and dispose of the AT101 accordingly. Report back with video pls! Kthnx
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(http://i4.minus.com/ibqvbtFZZeXzlF.jpg)
Found a good pic from Dianoda. It's the Dell at the Chicago Meet :D
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Don't burn it!
Those are very decent keyboards, and far better than rubber domes.
Offer it to someone here for the price of shipping.
I have at least 3 of them, including a "faux-camo" that my son used to use, that I would sell cheap.
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Don't burn it!
Those are very decent keyboards, and far better than rubber domes.
Offer it to someone here for the price of shipping.
I have at least 3 of them, including a "faux-camo" that my son used to use, that I would sell cheap.
Don't worry that was a joke. I sent it back to Akimbo.
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You denied us the pleasures of watching a pyre of the Dell AT101?? I thought we were friends prdlm! :P
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A year or 2 ago, someone posted a YouTube video here of an idiot teenage boy destroying a Model M.
As I remember, he threw it off a building, hammered it, and burned it with gasoline.
If someone could find that again, I am sure that it would satisfy.
edit: found it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y9uo3oFPe4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y9uo3oFPe4)
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You denied us the pleasures of watching a pyre of the Dell AT101?? I thought we were friends prdlm! :P
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Hello Geekhackers!
This whole tour made me buy AT101W for myself :)
Thanks for all the great reviews :) And thanks for opening me to mechanical boards :)
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DamnDan, I now demand pics and a review from you! Welcome to GH