Author Topic: Model M with "Rubber Springs" (Read 2043 times)

ayoung24 · « **on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 10:36:12 »

Looking at buying this keyboard on ebay, which the buyer has listed as "clicky":

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Vintage-IBM-PS-2-Model-M-Clicky-Keyboard-1994-USA_W0QQitemZ370151386058QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item370151386058&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

The part number (71G4644) and appearance of the keyboard, however, seem to indicate that it is a "Quiet Touch Keyboard" with "rubber springs", as per:

http://sandy55.fc2web.com/keyboard/ibm.html

Can anyone explain the difference in terms of sound/feel/quality between this and a normal model m?

zwmalone · « **Reply #1 on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 10:40:37 »

Unicomp still sells those. It's just a standard rubber dome 'board. If you're looking for clicky without the noise this is NOT it. You'd be better off just buying a standard M and greasing the springs. These "quiet touch" 'boards feel like your average $2 dome keyboard.

lexicon · « **Reply #2 on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 11:06:05 »

I actually have one of these -- paid $10 new in box. It is the most weirdly unpleasant keyboard I've used. The key throw is as long as an M's, but it's like typing in really thick pudding. It's very tiring to use.

ayoung24 · « **Reply #3 on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 11:08:26 »

Thanks for the heads-up! I'll definitely pass.

Mercen_505 · « **Reply #4 on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 16:49:42 »

Yeah, definitely pass on that. The keys are insanely loud if you happen to strike them toward the edges, and as others have mentioned they just don't feel... right... at all.

lexicon · « **Reply #5 on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 19:58:53 »

It was really a horrible mistake. My wife, who knows nothing about keyboards and has no interest in them (she uses an old Gateway 2000 board...), happened to try to type on this board while it was briefly hooked up to my computer and said, "That's a HORRIBLE keyboard. You LIKE that?"

bhtooefr · « **Reply #6 on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 20:01:41 »

One of the old Gateway 2000 boards is fine if you like functionality, and don't care about key feel... was it the Anykey? Had programmability, and Gateway churned them out like crazy.

cchan · « **Reply #7 on:** Sat, 07 February 2009, 22:24:10 »

In my opinion, the AnyKey's (I had one, with call centre keycaps, but I sold it) had a pretty decent key feel for being rubber domes.

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Author Topic: Model M with "Rubber Springs" (Read 2043 times)