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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 09:25:10

Title: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 09:25:10: I HEAR A LOT OF TALK ABOUT OTHER KEYBOARDS, BUT I DON'T SEEM TO HEAR AS MUCH ABOUT THE TRUSTY OLD IBM MODEL M KEYBOARDS ANYMORE. WHO ON HERE USES THEM ON THEIR PC'S?

I'VE GOT TWO RUNNING ON MY COMPUTERS. ONE WAS MADE IN 1986 AND THE OTHER IN 1994. THE 1994 ONE HAS A BUILT-IN TRACKBALL TOO.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: snoopy on Sat, 24 August 2013, 09:32:56: I use a SSK as daily driver. And I think the Model M gets recently more and more fans on gh
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: dorkvader on Sat, 24 August 2013, 09:58:08: I'm using the cheap M I got from eBay on my main computer at home. It's a stand-in until I get my F122 mat replaced.
At work, I was using an M, but I ran out of SDL cables so I had to switch to my WASD V1. My coworkers never complained.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 24 August 2013, 10:13:39: I have about 4 immaculate ones, but since I converted the F-122 the Ms have been sleeping undisturbed in their boxes for a couple of years.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: poxeclipse on Sat, 24 August 2013, 10:42:32: My SSKs are in their boxes, I'm using only model F now.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 10:50:56: Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 24 August 2013, 10:13:39
I have about 4 immaculate ones, but since I converted the F-122 the Ms have been sleeping undisturbed in their boxes for a couple of years.

How do those extra keys work for you? Did you use a utility to reprogram any of them?
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 24 August 2013, 13:20:54: Quote from: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 10:50:56
Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 24 August 2013, 10:13:39
I have about 4 immaculate ones, but since I converted the F-122 the Ms have been sleeping undisturbed in their boxes for a couple of years.

How do those extra keys work for you? Did you use a utility to reprogram any of them?

I reprogrammed the keys with the Teensy directly using the wcass method.

The left function keys are a second set with the bottom F10 reprogrammed to Windows. NumLock is not needed so it is a 2nd Escape. F13 is the other Escape. F14 is Calculator. F20 is Print Screen and F21-F24 are media keys.

F15-F19 are still waiting for to think of a good use for them.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 13:40:15: The nice thing about those 122-key IBM's is that it's easy to get custom keys for them too.

Out of curiosity, I wonder what that key in the middle of the arrows does?
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: fohat.digs on Sat, 24 August 2013, 14:17:13: Quote from: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 13:40:15
Out of curiosity, I wonder what that key in the middle of the arrows does?

I have it set to be another down arrow, so that it feels like a regular "inverted-T" but it originally had a diagonal arrow on the side pointing up and to the left.

According to Soarer (who else could have known?) it is "LANG_4"
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 14:35:17: I wonder how that arrow cluster would be with the original arrow reprogrammed as a space key. Might make selecting things easier.

Maybe I should get one of those 122-key IBM's some day. I think they'd be pretty useful.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:04:43: Quote from: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 13:40:15
Out of curiosity, I wonder what that key in the middle of the arrows does?

It was originally the "Home" key. This is somewhat more obvious on the terminal emulator keyboards.

(http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/BLKPC122Front.jpg)
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: dorkvader on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:13:44: Quote from: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 13:40:15
The nice thing about those 122-key IBM's is that it's easy to get custom keys for them too.

Out of curiosity, I wonder what that key in the middle of the arrows does?
Especially if you have a pile of IBM relegendable two-piece keycaps.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: Findecanor on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:37:04: Only a few days ago I put together my first complete IBM Enhanced Keyboard. It has a case from a '87 terminal keyboard (Much thanks to Mr Interface!) and innards from a keyboard made in Dec '95. Beautiful metal label, no pesky LEDs and all plastic rivets are intact. :)
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b345/DarthLars/Keyboard/th_IBMModelMEnhancedKeyboard.jpg) (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/DarthLars/media/Keyboard/IBMModelMEnhancedKeyboard.jpg.html)

A weird detail though, is that the old case top did not fit perfectly onto the new keyboard's bottom? Different types of plastics that have shrunk differently, or what?

Quote from: fohat.digs on Sat, 24 August 2013, 14:17:13
...it originally had a diagonal arrow on the side pointing up and to the left.
That usually means "Home". It is more common on some regional layouts such as Italian and French.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:39:12: Quote from: ch_123 on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:04:43
Quote from: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 13:40:15
Out of curiosity, I wonder what that key in the middle of the arrows does?

It was originally the "Home" key. This is somewhat more obvious on the terminal emulator keyboards.

Show Image
(http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/BLKPC122Front.jpg)

You know something else I remember about those old 122-key IBM's? They're all wired for extra switches. You can split up the "Shift" and "Enter" keys to have even more keys if you add switches into the holes in the plate. I believe the "+" on the number pad can be split into two keys as well. If one was to be particularly ambitious, they could probably end up with a 126 key M or F.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: mich on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:55:51: Another IBM Space Wasting Keyboard user here.

I use F24 to switch to Greek layout when I need to type their funny letters.

@MSWin
Actually, KP+ is split out of the box on these. And I believe that all Ms have three working contacts in the "enter area" - one for enter, one for ANSI \| and one for ISO \|. All with distinct scancodes.
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: ch_123 on Sat, 24 August 2013, 16:26:17: Quote from: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:39:12
Quote from: ch_123 on Sat, 24 August 2013, 15:04:43
Quote from: microsoft windows on Sat, 24 August 2013, 13:40:15
Out of curiosity, I wonder what that key in the middle of the arrows does?

It was originally the "Home" key. This is somewhat more obvious on the terminal emulator keyboards.

Show Image
(http://pckeyboard.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/BLKPC122Front.jpg)

You know something else I remember about those old 122-key IBM's? They're all wired for extra switches. You can split up the "Shift" and "Enter" keys to have even more keys if you add switches into the holes in the plate. I believe the "+" on the number pad can be split into two keys as well. If one was to be particularly ambitious, they could probably end up with a 126 key M or F.

There was a 127-key Model F which IBM sold with one of its more obscure terminaks. I don't know if there was a Model M equivalent.

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/f/f1/4980.jpg)
Title: Re: IBM MODEL M'S
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 24 August 2013, 17:39:14: There has been quite a lot of talk about Model M on here recently.

I am using one on my Mac at the moment. When I complete two keycap sets I would like to take one in to work and use there too.