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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Dirty Bint on Mon, 05 April 2010, 07:29:06

Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: Dirty Bint on Mon, 05 April 2010, 07:29:06
Hi,

Can anyone please let me know what colour the IBM logo was on the pre 1993 versions of the model M ? I think that the colour of the logo changed around 1993 and the pre colour change model M's are the preferred models ?

Thx
Dirty Bint
Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: kishy on Mon, 05 April 2010, 07:39:02
All the 1993s I have seen have the blue IBM text.

There may be exceptions for weird models such as Industrial ones, though.
Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: Dirty Bint on Mon, 05 April 2010, 07:47:44
Kishy,

It was the colour of the pre 1993 model M's I hope to confirm. Could anyone with a pre 1993 model M please let me know the colour of the logo?

The colour of the logo changed around 1993 and it is the before/after details I am after

Thx
Dirty Bint
Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 05 April 2010, 08:05:07
The IBM wiki is your friend

It was -

Black writing on aluminium (square) (1985 - 1987)
Black text on white plastic background (oval shaped) (1987 - 1992)
Blue text on greyish plastic (oval shaped) (1992 - 1999)

And the "blue label" myth is largely exaggerated. In fact, the blue label ones are probably more desirable because they have additional internal supports, drainage channels, and they don't need stabilizer bars (which makes maintenance on them much easier). Models made prior to mid 1989 have a thicker back plate, and this is really the only way that the older ones could be considered 'better'.

As Kishy pointed out, some models such as the Industrial grey or Black M13s had silver writing on a black plastic oval.
Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 05 April 2010, 14:37:43
Yeah, there's nothing grey about the White label, in fact, the only "grey" label is the blue one - the background is a blueish grey.  Black label is the label on the M13/Industrials

Then there's the older Black label and grrf... they designed this to confuse me didn't they? =P
Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: skcheng on Mon, 05 April 2010, 14:50:20
Quote from: ch_123;169787
Yeah, there's nothing grey about the White label, in fact, the only "grey" label is the blue one - the background is a blueish grey.  Black label is the label on the M13/Industrials

Then there's the older Black label and grrf... they designed this to confuse me didn't they? =P



I think it's the light black printing on the buff/beige label that ends up looking gray, or grey  :-)
Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 05 April 2010, 14:54:31
Having seen both, I think it's fair to say that the 1987-1992 label is black and white. The 1992-1999 label and blue and blue-grey.

I think we should just stick to our old, misleading ways, just as long as we define them for newbs.
Title: Colour Of IBM Logo On Model M - Blue or Black ?
Post by: Superfluous Parentheses on Tue, 06 April 2010, 13:47:22
Quote from: webwit;169792
If you want to uniquely describe them you need foreground and background colour/color and shape.


Yeah. Mine has black text on a gray plastic oval. (1992 UK manufactured).