Question about Cherry (brand) keyboards

[Techno Trousers]

The thread about the possible limited edition Cherry keyboard got me to wondering...

I'm pretty well versed in the history of the IBM Beam Spring/Model F/Model M, and I own a Model M 1390131 from 4/86. I love these for their extreme build quality and historical importance.

I also know a lot about ALPS, since my very first keyboard had complicated white ALPS. I bought that one new way back in 1990 (dating myself now). It was a SIIG Suntouch, which I believe was a rebranded Chicony. That one I loved for the fantastic typing feel and uniqueness compared to many (most) other keyboards I could find at computer stores of the time... Long before teh intarwebz, of course.

The one historical brand I know little about is Cherry, and that's mainly because I've found out about the MX switches just in the last few years, and have only bought from 3rd party keyboard manufacturers. Can you guys educate me on the history of Cherry and their own branded keyboards? Are there any classic Cherry keyboards that people covet/collect like BS boards? If so, what is special about them? I know I could go the Internet research route, but I'd like to hear from you guys and your personal experiences as keyboard aficionados. Is there any particular reason I should get a Cherry brand keyboard since I already have a full-sized Filco and two CM Quickfire TKL boards?

[dorkvader]

It'll be a bit of a long answer here of course. Cherry has had a long history. I dont know as much as some, but I can fill you in on a little.

So there are older cherry keyswitches that predate their popular MX line. One of the more popular ones is the M7 switch. There are older ones like the M87 (I think that's what it's called) and the M6. These were from about 1984-1986 or so.

They had a fully backlit programmable keyboard with individually addressable LED's in 1984 though.

The cherry mx-line of switches came out in the late 1980's, 1987 or thereabouts, I think. They started with just the "black", but then they added blues, browns, etc.

As far as cherry keyboards of interest to collectors, the G80-5000 split ergonomic keyboard is popular. It's sort of the M15 of cherry. There are also keyboards with popular keycaps like the russian ones on the ESA-3000 (I think).

Of note is that most cherry-branded keyboards are PCB mount. I would say they feel different than a plate mount keyboard, but I don't know if that's a specific reason to collect it.

Their POS programming software is terrible.

Of course, my cherry company history is a little rusty. Please, if Im incorrect, someone correct me.

[Techno Trousers]

That's good stuff dorkvader,  thanks!

I'm trying to wrap my mind around the idea of a fully backlit and programmable keyboard back in the IBM AT/80286 clone days.  Sounds like they were really ahead of the times with that one!

[IvanIvanovich]

No MX G80 line started to appear in late 1983/1984. I have one that was made in 1985, the Commodore PC5 G80-0499 the oldest in my personal collection. I think the best place to see a lot of the older models is on deskthority. Their wiki has a lot of models listed, and the pictures thread there has a bunch more models that are not in the wiki.
Have a start there, and you can come back and I will try and give some more info or answer any more specific questions when I have some time.

Cherry being PCB mount is the next biggest reason I collect them after their most wonderful keycaps.