Most Popular Switch Type in the 80s/90s

[Altis]

I've been on a binge watch of The Computer Chronicles on YouTube since they're pretty much all posted up on there. For those who don't know, it's like a news/review/interview show for computer hardware/software over the years and is actually really interesting to watch and get an idea as to how things progressed, how much stuff cost, what failed, what succeeded (especially now that we know how it turned out).

One thing I noticed though is that it seems that most of the keyboards they used from the mid 80s to mid 90s were of the Alps-type, judging from the sound. In particular, the clicky ones seem to be used a lot. IBM Model Ms/buckling springs seem to be popular from the early 80s right into the 90s, and by the mid 90s, rubber dome becomes almost exclusive.

It got me thinking, what was the most common type of keyboard switch in this era, from your experiences? I was born in '87 and really started using computers around '91, and I remember using both membrane and some mechanical keyboards, but the mechanicals quickly disappeared and I didn't use one again since around '94.

What type did you see most in this era?

[smknjoe]

You pretty much said it. Alps and variants along with BS and even some Cherry. In 1987 I was in elementary school and we had Apple II and IIe I believe. At home it was Tandy.

[Poplicola]

My first IBM PC compatible in '85 was a Leading Edge Model D  which had a great keyboard.  I don't know the switches were in that though.

Once I started working in the late 80's, I used a 286 Everex, then Acer, and in the 90s, Dell.  I figure the keyboards in these probably had Alps switches. At home, I used Northgate Omnikey keyboards for years and years which used Alps as well.  Plus, a little SIIG that also had Alps switches.

I never rated a true blue IBM so I didn't get to use a Model F or M much.  Real IBM ATs, PS2s, and ultimately ThinkPads were prestige items where I worked at the time.  Things that managers and executives would have as opposed to the clones the rank and file engineers would be issued.

[chyros]

I was born in '87 and really started using computers around '91

Ha, so was I, and so did I .

My dad brought home my first computer when I was four; an IBM Portable PC. I still recall clearly how it didn't work in cold rooms and that weird XT keyboard it came with.

My childhood computers were all used ones they didn't need anymore at his office, including the PPC. I played lots of Monopoly on it. A few years later I got some other computer which was more powerful and had rigid floppies instead of the floppy floppies. I remember I was kinda fond of the XT keyboard but it has an RJ connector so I got a rubber dome keyboard, again from my dad's office, to replace it. It's always been domes from then on until I picked up the mk hobby .

[ideus]

Cheap rubber domes with MX or ALPS compatible sliders and cheap lasered or pad printed key caps.

[Altis]

Listening to the show, I actually really like the way the Alps keyboards sound. It's more of a 'crunch' that a 'tick'. Very satisfying.

[Jokrik]

Listening to the show, I actually really like the way the Alps keyboards sound. It's more of a 'crunch' that a 'tick'. Very satisfying.

True, my favorite still Monterey blues which I'm sure you have as in your sig

[Altis]

Listening to the show, I actually really like the way the Alps keyboards sound. It's more of a 'crunch' that a 'tick'. Very satisfying.

True, my favorite still Monterey blues which I'm sure you have as in your sig

Have you tried Blue Alps? I'm under the impression that they're even better yet, though much harder to find.

Not sure the easiest way to get one, but it could end up being my end-game 'clicky' keyboard. Currently, my favorites are the Monterey Blue switches and Hi Tek Space Invaders found in the NMB-RT101.

[macguy80]

Also, the Apple IIe used either SMK or Mitsumi, depending on the revision, and the apple IIgs keyboard used SMK (for models made in Taiwan) and Orange Alps (for models made in Japan.)

[Jokrik]

Listening to the show, I actually really like the way the Alps keyboards sound. It's more of a 'crunch' that a 'tick'. Very satisfying.

True, my favorite still Monterey blues which I'm sure you have as in your sig

Have you tried Blue Alps? I'm under the impression that they're even better yet, though much harder to find.

Not sure the easiest way to get one, but it could end up being my end-game 'clicky' keyboard. Currently, my favorites are the Monterey Blue switches and Hi Tek Space Invaders found in the NMB-RT101.

I love all those clicky alps, problem is I can't stand the full size layout

I've desoldered most of my monterey hoping that I can hardwired them for better layout. But I'm stuck looking for the right plate

And I can't do 60% I promised myself if I wanna do a custom monterey board, might as well do it properly as I needed it to be

Any suggestion? I'm thinking to... Cut the plate of my chicony, the case yellowed so bad anyway

[KaminKevCrew]

Listening to the show, I actually really like the way the Alps keyboards sound. It's more of a 'crunch' that a 'tick'. Very satisfying.

True, my favorite still Monterey blues which I'm sure you have as in your sig

Have you tried Blue Alps? I'm under the impression that they're even better yet, though much harder to find.

Not sure the easiest way to get one, but it could end up being my end-game 'clicky' keyboard. Currently, my favorites are the Monterey Blue switches and Hi Tek Space Invaders found in the NMB-RT101.

I love all those clicky alps, problem is I can't stand the full size layout

I've desoldered most of my monterey hoping that I can hardwired them for better layout. But I'm stuck looking for the right plate

And I can't do 60% I promised myself if I wanna do a custom monterey board, might as well do it properly as I needed it to be

Any suggestion? I'm thinking to... Cut the plate of my chicony, the case yellowed so bad anyway

Should have gotten into the monarch GB

[Altis]

Listening to the show, I actually really like the way the Alps keyboards sound. It's more of a 'crunch' that a 'tick'. Very satisfying.

True, my favorite still Monterey blues which I'm sure you have as in your sig

Have you tried Blue Alps? I'm under the impression that they're even better yet, though much harder to find.

Not sure the easiest way to get one, but it could end up being my end-game 'clicky' keyboard. Currently, my favorites are the Monterey Blue switches and Hi Tek Space Invaders found in the NMB-RT101.

I love all those clicky alps, problem is I can't stand the full size layout

I've desoldered most of my monterey hoping that I can hardwired them for better layout. But I'm stuck looking for the right plate

And I can't do 60% I promised myself if I wanna do a custom monterey board, might as well do it properly as I needed it to be

Any suggestion? I'm thinking to... Cut the plate of my chicony, the case yellowed so bad anyway

I think it'd be best to get Blue Alps, then solder them onto an Alps-compatible board of your choice. I think any of the Matias keyboards would work, if I'm not mistaken.

The trick is finding the elusive Blue Alps...

As a sidenote, the Chicony cases are quite awful. I've already tossed out the case for my KB-5181 and plan on making a custom wood case with antler inserts.

[fohat.digs]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/10-most-popular-computers-in-history.htm#page=10

[Altis]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/10-most-popular-computers-in-history.htm#page=10

Tried to view the article but it the site seems to lock up my browser pretty good. So much for i7 4790k.

[SamirD]

It got me thinking, what was the most common type of keyboard switch in this era, from your experiences? I was born in '87 and really started using computers around '91, and I remember using both membrane and some mechanical keyboards, but the mechanicals quickly disappeared and I didn't use one again since around '94.

What type did you see most in this era?

I started in computers back in the mid-1980s with the c64 and ti994a (which I still have), and then into the IBM PC world in Feb of 1989 with an IBM PS/2 Model 30-286 that came with a Model M.  That was my first keyboard.  I saw several others over the years, but most were non-clicky and probably rubber dome.  I still do recall running across a nice at&t keyboard that felt like a keytronic and a clicky one at one point that was probably alps because it felt really nice.  You could buy generic clicky keyboards at almost every computer store for about $25 back in those days.  And I think most of those had to be alps switches vs cherry.  Cherry was mainly found in expensive pos systems at the time.