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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ayoung24 on Sat, 07 February 2009, 10:36:12

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: ayoung24 on Sat, 07 February 2009, 10:36:12

Looking at buying this keyboard on ebay, which the buyer has listed as "clicky":

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Vintage-IBM-PS-2-Model-M-Clicky-Keyboard-1994-USA_W0QQitemZ370151386058QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item370151386058&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318 (http://cgi.ebay.ca/Vintage-IBM-PS-2-Model-M-Clicky-Keyboard-1994-USA_W0QQitemZ370151386058QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item370151386058&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318)

The part number (71G4644) and appearance of the keyboard, however, seem to indicate that it is a "Quiet Touch Keyboard" with "rubber springs", as per:

http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/ibm.html (http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/ibm.html)

Can anyone explain the difference in terms of sound/feel/quality between this and a normal model m?

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: zwmalone on Sat, 07 February 2009, 10:40:37

Unicomp still sells those.  It's just a standard rubber dome 'board.  If you're looking for clicky without the noise this is NOT it.  You'd be better off just buying a standard M and greasing the springs.  These "quiet touch" 'boards feel like your average $2 dome keyboard.

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: lexicon on Sat, 07 February 2009, 11:06:05

I actually have one of these -- paid $10 new in box.  It is the most weirdly unpleasant keyboard I've used.  The key throw is as long as an M's, but it's like typing in really thick pudding.  It's very tiring to use.

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: ayoung24 on Sat, 07 February 2009, 11:08:26

Thanks for the heads-up!  I'll definitely pass.

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: Mercen_505 on Sat, 07 February 2009, 16:49:42

Yeah, definitely pass on that. The keys are insanely loud if you happen to strike them toward the edges, and as others have mentioned they just don't feel... right... at all.

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: lexicon on Sat, 07 February 2009, 19:58:53

It was really a horrible mistake.  My wife, who knows nothing about keyboards and has no interest in them (she uses an old Gateway 2000 board...), happened to try to type on this board while it was briefly hooked up to my computer and said, "That's a HORRIBLE keyboard.  You LIKE that?"

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: bhtooefr on Sat, 07 February 2009, 20:01:41

One of the old Gateway 2000 boards is fine if you like functionality, and don't care about key feel... was it the Anykey? Had programmability, and Gateway churned them out like crazy.

Title: Model M with "Rubber Springs"
Post by: cchan on Sat, 07 February 2009, 22:24:10

In my opinion, the AnyKey's (I had one, with call centre keycaps, but I sold it) had a pretty decent key feel for being rubber domes.