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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: ander on Fri, 08 July 2016, 23:38:43

Title: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: ander on Fri, 08 July 2016, 23:38:43
IBM Model F Keyboard (http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Model-F-Keyboard/112046853479)

$115.00 OBO + $10 shipping


(http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UwAAAOSwvg9Xedkw/s-l1600.jpg)


(http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VGUAAOSwvg9XedlN/s-l1600.jpg)


All caps, pretty clean, risers look fine, just missing a rubber foot... May be a chance to save 10–20 bucks over what you'd expect to pay for one of these beauties.
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 08 July 2016, 23:46:06
First truly good deal I've seen in a bit on one of these.  Anytime you drop below $150 shipped, you've got a good price.  Any time it's below $100 shipped, snag it immediately.
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: chyros on Sat, 09 July 2016, 05:56:32
Aaaand it's gone!
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: E TwentyNine on Sat, 09 July 2016, 08:11:06
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=83316.0
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: ThoughtArtist on Fri, 15 July 2016, 20:05:08
I've thought about getting one of these before, but the 1 unit backspace is something I hate so much. I'm just too lazy to mod the thing so I just use my XT. If Chryos ever manages to do that documentary about keyboards, I hope he gets to the bottom of the reason the 1 unit backspace even exists. I know we generally laud designers for their achievements in retrospect, forgetting or forgiving them for the bad things they came up with, but this deserves some explanation, especially considering how trend-setting IBM was at the time.

If anyone can find some explanation for this, I'd like to know about it. I understand there can be technical challenges, but even modders can put a 2 unit backspace on this thing. I want to believe there is a really good reason for this, because it's such an obviously bad design as far as pure usability goes.
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: fohat.digs on Fri, 15 July 2016, 20:14:06

considering how trend-setting IBM was at the time.


Huh? My perspective would be that IBM abandoned the 1x Backspace after the AT and never looked back.

The real question is why so many other keyboard makers stuck with it for so long after IBM ditched it.
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: ThoughtArtist on Fri, 15 July 2016, 20:19:51

considering how trend-setting IBM was at the time.


Huh? My perspective would be that IBM abandoned the 1x Backspace after the AT and never looked back.

The real question is why so many other keyboard makers stuck with it for so long after IBM ditched it.

Well, they had the dominant position and had decades of experience. I can forgive or at least understand why hardware manufacturers would follow them. 
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: ThoughtArtist on Fri, 15 July 2016, 20:24:28
I just think there might be a good story behind this. Maybe not, but I would like to know. It almost seems like a joke.
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: y11971alex on Mon, 18 July 2016, 12:06:30
Small BS is potatoes compared to the hideous XT shifts.
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: mike52787 on Tue, 19 July 2016, 06:17:48
Small BS is potatoes compared to the hideous XT shifts.
I dont mind the xt layout. Maybe its just me. I hated it for the first few days but now ive learned to love it.
Title: Re: IBM Model F-AT, $115 OBO
Post by: chyros on Tue, 19 July 2016, 06:54:31
Small BS is potatoes compared to the hideous XT shifts.
I dont mind the xt layout. Maybe its just me. I hated it for the first few days but now ive learned to love it.
Yeah, it's actually not as hostile as it looks. In contrast to a TKL or a 60% all the keys are still there, they're just in different places.