geekhack
geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: ander on Wed, 04 July 2018, 05:43:25
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As everyone knows, futuristic vintage computer consoles usually have phones built into them somewhere:
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But where could you ever find your own computer terminal with a built-in phone? Well, you probably couldn't—till now!
Vintage GTE XT300E Action Station Computer Terminal with Phone, WorkStation (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-GTE-XT300E-Action-Station-Computer-Terminal-with-Phone-WorkStation-/223044264813)
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7v0AAOSw3UJbMohk/s-l1600.jpg)
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oS0AAOSwyNZbMohu/s-l1600.jpg)
Imagine being able to ring up your nubile jumpsuit-clad assistants, personal team of scientists, and/or favorite starship captain whenever you wish!
BIN $237.59 + 19.95 US shipping, or Make Offer.
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I laughed at the TNG picture. Awesome.
What's really interesting about the terminal is that number pad has 1 at the upper left like a touch tone phone, rather than at the lower left.
I wonder where this terminal fits in the development of touch tone phones? I always thought it was dumb of them to standardize phone keypads in reverse of the established configuration for keyboards and calculators.
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I laughed at the TNG picture. Awesome.
Thanks. :?)
What's really interesting about the terminal is that number pad has 1 at the upper left like a touch tone phone, rather than at the lower left... I wonder where this terminal fits in the development of touch tone phones? I always thought it was dumb of them to standardize phone keypads in reverse of the established configuration for keyboards and calculators.
I hadn't noticed—that's observant of you. The number pad may have been used with the terminal too, but it appears to have been intended primarily for the phone.
You're right about traditional number pads's illogical layout, too. Maybe the keeb designers did some kind of study and decided it was more ergonomic that way...?
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Wonder no more, Wikipedia to the rescue:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push-button_telephone#DTMF_keypad_layout
Quote:
The DTMF keyboard layout broke with the tradition established in cash registers (and later adopted
in calculators and computers) of having the lower numbers at the bottom. This was due to research
conducted by Bell Labs using test subjects unfamiliar with keypads. Comparing various layouts...
the study concluded that while there was little difference in speed or accuracy between any of the
layouts, the now familiar arrangement with 1 at the top was the most favourably rated.
Unquote.
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Comparing various layouts... the study concluded that while there was little difference in speed or accuracy between any of the layouts, the now familiar arrangement with 1 at the top was the most favourably rated.
But that doesn't answer the question of why virtually all other boards, beside this one, switched them around.
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Computer keyboards simulate calculators. This one, as you point out seems to simulate (or precede?) touch-tone phones.
Cheers!
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