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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: merlin64 on Thu, 24 March 2016, 23:30:22

Title: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: merlin64 on Thu, 24 March 2016, 23:30:22

A few months ago, my wife surprised me by taking me to the Living Computer Museum, located in Seattle Washington. It was filled with a bunch of old computers all in working order. However as amazed as I was with the computers, I was more focused on the number of vintage keyboards that were in my presence. Perhaps this is a good place to hold some keyboard meetup as they have a classroom type setting in the back. Anyway I wanted to share some of my photos with you all =). You'll see some familiar and not so familiar keyboards. Hope you all enjoy

Mods: It's pictures of keyboards, so I think it fits here, but if not, please feel free to move. Thanks.

[attach=1][attach=2][attach=3][attach=4][attach=5][attach=6][attach=7][attach=8][attach=9][attach=10][attach=11][attach=12][attach=13][attach=14][attach=15][attach=16][attach=17]

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: Shaussman on Fri, 25 March 2016, 00:01:54

Damn, I didn't realize how many boards used SA keycaps back then. This is cool though, thanks for sharing

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: HPE1000 on Fri, 25 March 2016, 00:24:32

That adam colecovision family computer system keyboard is so odd. Every single key is a different shade. It is like that on almost all of the examples on google images as well.

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: neverused on Fri, 25 March 2016, 01:52:33

Quote from: Shaussman on Fri, 25 March 2016, 00:01:54

Damn, I didn't realize how many boards used SA keycaps back then. This is cool though, thanks for sharing

I'm pretty sure SA is unique to Signature Plastics, though sculpted caps in general are not.

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: chyros on Fri, 25 March 2016, 02:39:51

Pretty cool :) . I've been meaning to find out if there's a computer museum near me to ask them if they needed to get rid of some of their stuff xD .

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: merlin64 on Fri, 25 March 2016, 08:34:19

This computer museum was one of Paul Allen's projects I believe. Since it's been months since I've taken photos, I've forgotten what each of these systems were. Anyone care to offer some insight?

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: xtrafrood on Fri, 25 March 2016, 08:45:54

Quote

IS YOUR METER ON C.P.U.

What in the word is that keyboard case made of? Stucco? Or is that plastic? My god.

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: merlin64 on Fri, 25 March 2016, 10:32:36

That's like a 60% layout in a giant case.

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: xtrafrood on Fri, 25 March 2016, 17:35:48

Quote from: merlin64 on Fri, 25 March 2016, 10:32:36

That's like a 60% layout in a giant case.

My family had an electric typer writer when I was a kid but nothing like that IBM beast. I looked up the model. Holy moley!

(http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/1052.jpg)

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: ctm on Fri, 25 March 2016, 19:21:41

Cool! Thank you for sharing. I will definitely visit this museum when I go to Seattle.

Title: Re: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Vintage Keyboard Extravaganza)
Post by: rowdy on Sat, 26 March 2016, 05:13:25

And every keyboard had a different layout!

Sweet memories :)