geekhack

geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: SamirD on Sun, 11 October 2015, 21:20:22

Title: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: SamirD on Sun, 11 October 2015, 21:20:22
http://eugene.craigslist.org/sop/5220081456.html

Is this a good deal for this board?
Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: engicoder on Sun, 11 October 2015, 21:29:15
http://eugene.craigslist.org/sop/5220081456.html

Is this a good deal for this board?

Its not a Model M. Despite the description, this is a rubber dome.
Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: SamirD on Sun, 11 October 2015, 21:52:50
Its not a Model M. Despite the description, this is a rubber dome.
Yeah, it looked like some of the ones I have, but I didn't know if the m2 shared the same case.
Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: ander on Mon, 12 October 2015, 01:59:25
It doesn't look quite like an M2 either... If you look closely, you'll see a notch at the upper left corner that's a little bigger than the Esc key. That was IBM's next case design after the M2. (They thought that making it slightly asymmetrical looked more modern.)

You can also clearly see it has Windows keys, which no IBM keyboards had till after the M2. (IBM was the last holdout on those, as they still wanted people to use their own OS's rather than Microsoft's.)

That said, IBM's RD keyboards from this period (KB-7953, KB-8923... are there more?) are quite decent. They're sturdily made, with metal backplates and a nice definite touch. Some people have compared them to Topres (http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/ibm-kb-7953-sounds-exactly-like-hhkb-pro-2-type-s-and-feels-amazing-t10130.html), but that may be a bit of a stretch. They're certainly several notches above the typical cheapo RD board. Plus, they say IBM (woo!).

I might pay $30 for a NIB KB-7953, but certainly not for a used one. If you're interested, I'd offer $15 and let them raise it to $20. I think it'd be worth that if it's in the like-new condition they say it is.
Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: fohat.digs on Mon, 12 October 2015, 06:59:30
I think that the 8923 is a better keyboard than the 7953, and I don't like the goofy notches on the case.
Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: SamirD on Mon, 12 October 2015, 07:47:51
It doesn't look quite like an M2 either... If you look closely, you'll see a notch at the upper left corner that's a little bigger than the Esc key. That was IBM's next case design after the M2. (They thought that making it slightly asymmetrical looked more modern.)

You can also clearly see it has Windows keys, which no IBM keyboards had till after the M2. (IBM was the last holdout on those, as they still wanted people to use their own OS's rather than Microsoft's.)

That said, IBM's RD keyboards from this period (KB-7953, KB-8923... are there more?) are quite decent. They're sturdily made, with metal backplates and a nice definite touch. Some people have compared them to Topres (http://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/ibm-kb-7953-sounds-exactly-like-hhkb-pro-2-type-s-and-feels-amazing-t10130.html), but that may be a bit of a stretch. They're certainly several notches above the typical cheapo RD board. Plus, they say IBM (woo!).

I might pay $30 for a NIB KB-7953, but certainly not for a used one. If you're interested, I'd offer $15 and let them raise it to $20. I think it'd be worth that if it's in the like-new condition they say it is.
Thank you so much for the rundown!  Now I know exactly what this is and I already have several from system upgrades.  I definitely wouldn't pay more than $5 for it, and since I don't need it, I'd probably only pay $1 just to keep it out of a landfill.

Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: chyros on Mon, 12 October 2015, 09:29:19
I think that the 8923 is a better keyboard than the 7953, and I don't like the goofy notches on the case.
Definitely agreed.
Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: ander on Wed, 14 October 2015, 04:34:40
I think that the 8923 is a better keyboard than the 7953, and I don't like the goofy notches on the case.

Now that I think of it, I've used only the 8923 myself.

I definitely wouldn't pay more than $5 for it, and since I don't need it, I'd probably only pay $1 just to keep it out of a landfill.

That's the spirit! You've inspired me to go offer $1 on a bunch of eBay mechanical boards. Why not—what else is there to do? I live in the suburbs.
Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: SamirD on Wed, 14 October 2015, 18:44:47
That's the spirit! You've inspired me to go offer $1 on a bunch of eBay mechanical boards. Why not—what else is there to do? I live in the suburbs.
Yep, resuse, recycle, reduce is I think the saying.  People forget about the first one all the time.  If something works, it will work for someone somewhere--no reason to landfill it.

Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: ander on Thu, 15 October 2015, 02:12:57
That's the spirit! You've inspired me to go offer $1 on a bunch of eBay mechanical boards...

Yep, resuse, recycle, reduce is I think the saying.  People forget about the first one all the time.  If something works, it will work for someone somewhere--no reason to landfill it.

On the plus side, we will be leaving an unusually large number of artifacts for future archaeologists. They may not think much of our values, but they'll know a lot about us. Can you tell I'm trying to be positive here?


[attachimg=1]

Title: Re: Model 7953 (M2?) for $30? (California)
Post by: SamirD on Fri, 23 October 2015, 18:01:19
That's the spirit! You've inspired me to go offer $1 on a bunch of eBay mechanical boards...

Yep, resuse, recycle, reduce is I think the saying.  People forget about the first one all the time.  If something works, it will work for someone somewhere--no reason to landfill it.

On the plus side, we will be leaving an unusually large number of artifacts for future archaeologists. They may not think much of our values, but they'll know a lot about us. Can you tell I'm trying to be positive here?


(Attachment Link)


I love that movie!  I started talking like that to my wife after I watched it once...haha.

And that's why I like the fake cartoon movies the most because even though they're fake, they will always have something to say that is well beyond kids stuff.  :thumb: