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Author Topic: Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice  (Read 5325 times)

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Offline quadibloc

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Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« on: Sun, 04 October 2009, 12:57:46 »
At a thrift shop, I recently purchased a KB-M102 keyboard, made in Taiwan.

It is unusual in the following way:

it is a 102-key keyboard with a layout organized this way:

The backspace key is like a 101-key keyboard.

The Enter key is like the one on an 84-key AT keyboard.

Both Alt keys are shoved outwards to touch the Ctrl keys on their side of the keyboard, and an extra key is inserted between Alt and the spacebar.

I think that a picture of a Russian keyboard with this kind of layout was posted here recently, but I was not able to find it quickly.

The extra key on the right side is the |\ key.

The one on the left is labelled "Macro". I was hoping that just possibly the keyboard might have internal programmability, a little bit like a poor man's Northgate Omnikey.

Instead, it just emits its own special scan code. But instead of a useless scan code... the key serves as the 102nd key of the international keyboard. So this is a keyboard with all the keys of an ISO keyboard, but arranged in a convenient way for typing by people who are used to the ANSI arrangement.

This keyboard will be very handy when I wish to take advantage of the capabilities of Windows to allow me to type words from other languages.
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Offline timw4mail

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Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #1 on: Sun, 04 October 2009, 13:08:50 »
I've seen layouts like that before.

Like this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-LASER-88071-CLICKY-KEYBOARD-1987-WOW_W0QQitemZ280329460642QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCA_Mice_Trackballs?hash=item4144f01ba2&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

As interesting of a layout as that is, it's too expensive, though.

As far as typing words from other languages, I've never had much trouble with a standard ANSI keyboard to do so, but I suppose it could make more of a difference if you are talking a language that isn't as phonetic as Japanese.
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Offline quadibloc

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Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #2 on: Sun, 04 October 2009, 18:50:52 »
Quote from: kishy;122887
Picture please?


I will try to do so as soon as I can. Today was cloudy, and I also wound up needing a nap in the afternoon, so I may end up having to wait until next weekend to take it. I saw one picture on the web by someone who had one for sale (but with a Korean keyboard), but I could not find the site again to give a reference.
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Offline Xuan

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Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #3 on: Sun, 04 October 2009, 20:13:28 »
Quote from: quadibloc;122880
At a thrift shop, I recently purchased a KB-M102 keyboard, made in Taiwan.

It is unusual in the following way:

it is a 102-key keyboard with a layout organized this way:

The backspace key is like a 101-key keyboard.

The Enter key is like the one on an 84-key AT keyboard.

Both Alt keys are shoved outwards to touch the Ctrl keys on their side of the keyboard, and an extra key is inserted between Alt and the spacebar.

I think that a picture of a Russian keyboard with this kind of layout was posted here recently, but I was not able to find it quickly.

The extra key on the right side is the |\ key.

The one on the left is labelled "Macro". I was hoping that just possibly the keyboard might have internal programmability, a little bit like a poor man's Northgate Omnikey.

Instead, it just emits its own special scan code. But instead of a useless scan code... the key serves as the 102nd key of the international keyboard. So this is a keyboard with all the keys of an ISO keyboard, but arranged in a convenient way for typing by people who are used to the ANSI arrangement.

This keyboard will be very handy when I wish to take advantage of the capabilities of Windows to allow me to type words from other languages.


Nice find but I gotta tell you, the Enter key has a problem, it's repeating itself :p
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Offline kilogeek

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Re: Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 23 January 2014, 15:56:58 »
Can you tell if this is a dome or ALPS techno ? thx. Could not find this on the web.
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Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 23 January 2014, 15:58:48 »
Quote from: kilogeek on Thu, 23 January 2014, 15:56:58
Can you tell if this is a dome or ALPS techno ? thx. Could not find this on the web.

You do realize this thread is over 4 years old right?
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #6 on: Thu, 23 January 2014, 16:08:35 »
Quote from: SpAmRaY on Thu, 23 January 2014, 15:58:48
You do realize this thread is over 4 years old right?

How insulting that junk like this lingers long after rootworm, but the wikis and guides were destroyed.
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Offline kilogeek

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Re: Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #7 on: Thu, 23 January 2014, 16:17:13 »
Ok I'll start a new thread...
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Offline Eiríkur

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Re: Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #8 on: Thu, 23 January 2014, 18:10:52 »
It's rubber dome.  The SIIG Fun Touch (keyboard for kids) has this model number molded into the back and it has the same layout.  It is rubber dome.

Eirikur
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Offline kilogeek

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Re: Not an Omnikey, But Still Nice
« Reply #9 on: Thu, 23 January 2014, 18:18:42 »
thx for this answer, I'll save my money^^ it's sold for only 5 euro but shipping fees in France got really high
(approx 8,5 euro = 11.5$US for national shipping is the lowest price as soon as it's not a standard letter)
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