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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: ed_avis on Mon, 14 August 2017, 08:08:44

Title: [SOLD] ebay.co.uk: two model Ms without cables
Post by: ed_avis on Mon, 14 August 2017, 08:08:44

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232439417729

The fact that they had detachable cables is a good sign -- it means they are likely to be earlier models.  They have two-colour keys, which is also positive, and the second one has the older (and nicer looking IMHO) black and white racetrack logo.  You can see from the shiny keycaps that it has had some use.

These would go well with a couple of the USB converter cables you can also buy on ebay.

Title: Re: ebay.co.uk: two model Ms without cables
Post by: ander on Mon, 21 August 2017, 02:00:52

Sold, mate. (BTW, "racetrack logo"?)

Title: Re: ebay.co.uk: two model Ms without cables
Post by: ed_avis on Mon, 21 August 2017, 05:16:20

The 'racetrack' is the rounded badge with the letters IBM printed at an angle.  Earlier keyboards had a square badge.

I believe that the earlier version of the racetrack badge was black writing on a beige background.  In my limited understanding and experience these keyboards are a bit more desirable than ones with the newer blue-on-grey colours.

Title: Re: [SOLD] ebay.co.uk: two model Ms without cables
Post by: fohat.digs on Mon, 21 August 2017, 09:02:47

Quote from: ed_avis on Mon, 21 August 2017, 05:16:20

The 'racetrack' is the rounded badge with the letters IBM printed at an angle.  Earlier keyboards had a square badge.

I believe that the earlier version of the racetrack badge was black writing on a beige background.  In my limited understanding and experience these keyboards are a bit more desirable than ones with the newer blue-on-grey colours.

Aren't "square metal badge" and "oval plastic label" the common terms for these?

I think that the label color switched to blue about 1992 when IBM spun off the manufacturing to Lexmark.

Title: Re: [SOLD] ebay.co.uk: two model Ms without cables
Post by: ed_avis on Mon, 21 August 2017, 10:47:24

I thought that racetrack was the IBMish term for that logo but the reference I can find now is from the PS/2 Usenet group where I used to hang out:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware/racetrack%7Csort:relevance/comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware/2Nmnxe5RkIg/OKUyI6xNpmMJ

So it may have been an invention of one individual.  I thought that oval meant an ellipse -- a squashed circle -- but it seems that it can also mean a rectangle with rounded corners, as here.  Merriam-Webster's definition of oval refers to a racetrack shape...

So yes, I should have said oval label.