M15 fixer-upper on ebay

[fohat.digs]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexmark-IBM-Model-M15-Split-Ergonomic-Clicky-Keyboard-Rare-Vintage-Model-M-/221222182564?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item3381de9ea4

[nubbinator]

Looks like they didn't sell it last time, so they put it up again.

[jwaz]

Seen this one up for a minute, considering others in good condition are going for around that price it isn't really worth it IMO.


Does have the keypad though...

[PointyFox]

Ick.  I wouldn't take it if it was free.

[E TwentyNine]

Ick.  I wouldn't take it if it was free.

I think I'd learn to live with it if given to me free.

I mentioned this here two weeks ago, you'd think the guy would have dropped his prices when even nice condition IBM M15's have been going for 500.  The numpad is a nice touch, but not *that* nice...

[ed_avis]

The same seller feels that a good condition M15 is worth $1500.

[The_Beast]

If it wasn't missing caps, how hard would it really be to restore?

[tiarnachutch]

That's ridiculous. Any other key, you could probably replace, but unless you have a sweet 3d printer, you're not going to be able to fix that space bar.

This one went for $500 and looks mint. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexmark-Model-M15-Split-Adjustable-Ergonomic-Keyboard-Buckling-Spring-1378300-/251271430310?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=YXRPtmPCr3%252BImPq2xTGlxyJpUb0%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

[fohat.digs]

Sorry for this posting.

I have never had any particular desire for these, since they command such a premium, I just ignored them.

But I got the impression that $1K was the going rate, hence the post. Half that amount, while still quite high, is not really so obscene.

And yes, an impossible missing part would reduce the value by more than half. It might be a possible candidate for a project, though.

[E TwentyNine]

When I posted it, it was the numberpad that drew my attention.  You don't see that with these that often.

The thing I dislike about these is the ctrl/alt keys. I could never live with the smaller ones on the left, and I don't see a great need for an extra set of cursor keys.

The seller lowered his prices on both of his M15 listings.  The broken one at $400, the mint at $1200.

[tiarnachutch]

Sorry for this posting.

I have never had any particular desire for these, since they command such a premium, I just ignored them.

But I got the impression that $1K was the going rate, hence the post. Half that amount, while still quite high, is not really so obscene.

And yes, an impossible missing part would reduce the value by more than half. It might be a possible candidate for a project, though.

The patents are about to expire on the IBM kb designs, right? There could be a neat renaissance of building these. IIRC, the Goldtouch people tried to license the M15 design a long time ago, but couldn't.

[dorkvader]

Sorry for this posting.

I have never had any particular desire for these, since they command such a premium, I just ignored them.

But I got the impression that $1K was the going rate, hence the post. Half that amount, while still quite high, is not really so obscene.

And yes, an impossible missing part would reduce the value by more than half. It might be a possible candidate for a project, though.

The patents are about to expire on the IBM kb designs, right? There could be a neat renaissance of building these. IIRC, the Goldtouch people tried to license the M15 design a long time ago, but couldn't.

I don't know about patents. The model F technology is ~1980 with KB's appearing in ~1981 with the IBM PC. Model M keyboards arrived late 1985 with the industrial model M. I have a very early 1390120 from early 1986. So the keyswitch technology is almost certainly out of patent. I'm not sure if the whole split keyboard is patented or not.

[E TwentyNine]

I don't know about patents. The model F technology is ~1980 with KB's appearing in ~1981 with the IBM PC. Model M keyboards arrived late 1985 with the industrial model M. I have a very early 1390120 from early 1986. So the keyswitch technology is almost certainly out of patent. I'm not sure if the whole split keyboard is patented or not.

I can't see how the split keyboard could be patented as GoldTouch and others make them.  That ball-and-socket joint may be, but the goldtouch keyboards have a similar setup so it could just be some minor variation would get past the patent.

[dorkvader]

I don't know about patents. The model F technology is ~1980 with KB's appearing in ~1981 with the IBM PC. Model M keyboards arrived late 1985 with the industrial model M. I have a very early 1390120 from early 1986. So the keyswitch technology is almost certainly out of patent. I'm not sure if the whole split keyboard is patented or not.

I can't see how the split keyboard could be patented as GoldTouch and others make them.  That ball-and-socket joint may be, but the goldtouch keyboards have a similar setup so it could just be some minor variation would get past the patent.

I looked into patents on split keyboards when we were doing the ergoDOX (to make sure it wasnt infringing) and I couldn't find any that would apply to the ergodox. There's lots of split keyboards (goldtouch, kinesis maxim, utron, ergodox, datahand, etc.) but there exist multiple keyboard patents.

Even without the ball joint, a split model M would be excellent, and I'm sure it's possible to design and make one without infringement.

[Findecanor]

The seller does not say anything about if it works or not. He sure does not want to take any responsibility about it once it is sold. I am sure that it could be cleaned and the knob retr0brighted, though.

As a collector's item, condition is everything.
As a keyboard, in my view the only thing it has got for it is the split design. Other than that, it is built like the M2, which is rattly and noisy and has staircase keys (no sculpted keycaps or curved backplane) and I would not be surprised if it had the flimsy plastic stabilisers too.

[fohat.digs]

I am amazed.

Maybe I was wrong to think that people were ga-ga over these things.

The broken one sold for $50 and the good one, with number pad, sold for $200.

Weren't they selling over $1K not long ago?

[vivalarevolución]

I am amazed.

Maybe I was wrong to think that people were ga-ga over these things.

The broken one sold for $50 and the good one, with number pad, sold for $200.

Weren't they selling over $1K not long ago?

Yea i was amazed as well.   If the only problem with the broken one was the spacebar, I would have snatched that up.  I don't even use my left thumb for the spacebar.

[didjamatic]

Crooked seller.

I picked up this IBM M15 (Lexmark) for an unbelievably low price of $51 free shipping and seller screwed me over.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexmark-IBM-Model-M15-Split-Ergonomic-Clicky-Keyboard-Rare-Vintage-Model-M/221229755985?_trksid=p3693.m2452&_trkparms=aid%3D333005%26algo%3DRIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D265%26meid%3D8352824896521229850%26pid%3D100102%26prg%3D1140%26rk%3D1%26

[nubbinator]

Care to say how?  Just saying they screwed you doesn't tell us anything.

[Thechemist]

Care to say how?  Just saying they screwed you doesn't tell us anything.

Probably backed out of the deal, once they seen how low it  went for.

[didjamatic]

Refused to ship, answer emails or refund.  It was actually ebay that issued the refund to me, not the seller. 
And they've screwed other sellers recently and in the past.

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=trianglesquare

It's a rare enough keyboard that I'm sure you guys will see it posted again, likely from another ebay account because Ebay is probably going to suspend them.