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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: macguy80 on Sun, 05 February 2017, 00:53:26

Title: Locking Caps Lock switches: How common were they on PC mechanical keyboards?
Post by: macguy80 on Sun, 05 February 2017, 00:53:26

So I know that Apple has used locking switches for the Caps Lock keys on pretty much ALL of their mechanical keyboards from the time lowercase input became possible (1983) until their last mechanical keyboard (1995).

But how common were such switches on PC mechanical keyboards? Am I correct in thinking they were MUCH less common? I'm thinking of other switch types like HiTek, Space invaders, etc. IIRC, Model M and Model F boards did not use them.

Can anyone name a few boards that did have these locking switches?

Title: Re: Locking Caps Lock switches: How common were they on PC mechanical keyboards?
Post by: Wingklip on Sun, 05 February 2017, 02:11:41

The PC 88 (NEC) had 2 on each board. That's a pretty common machine I believe

Title: Re: Locking Caps Lock switches: How common were they on PC mechanical keyboards?
Post by: zpcomstock17 on Sun, 05 February 2017, 17:37:39

Cherry had locking switches, but they've been discontinued for years now and keyboards with these switches are super rare.

Title: Re: Locking Caps Lock switches: How common were they on PC mechanical keyboards?
Post by: macguy80 on Sun, 05 February 2017, 17:39:27

Ah, so it wasn't just an Alps thing!