Author Topic: Any difference in 93 vs. 96 Lexmark Model M? (Read 5800 times)

ironcoder · « **on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 08:01:08 »

Clicky has these for the same price. I'm thinking older is better but some of you guys probably know for sure.

ironcoder · « **Reply #1 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 12:08:45 »

Despite all the posts and PMs I got on this I couldn't wait so I ordered them both.

I used these kinds of boards when they first came out and loved them. Didn't know there was anything else. I hope I like these too, especially since it's 100 bucks to ship 2 keyboards.

Dammit who said we just make you feel less bad about your expenses? Doctor, doctor!

ironcoder · « **Reply #2 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 12:38:25 »

Thanks for your awesome model M thread, I was going over it. Tremendous job.

Why did they go to a fixed cable and what was the connection on the 1391401?

I noticed one minor difference between the two I ordered, one has one piece key caps and the other has 2 piece, one is an insert of some kind.

http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9231/subcatid/0/id/426698
http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9231/subcatid/0/id/313634

itlnstln · « **Reply #3 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 12:43:04 »

They probably went to a fixed cable due to cost cutting and fewer repairs/replacements due to people breaking tabs on the plug. The interface for the cable was called SDL. The connectors are still made by AMP.

itlnstln · « **Reply #4 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 12:46:52 »

One thing to note, as well, with the removable cable models is that NIB models occasionally do not come with the cable as they were sold as field replacements. That way a technician just replaced the broken keyboard with a new one and they could detach the cable from the keyboard side, thus saving time (not much, if you think about it). That might be another reason they switched to a fixed cable. Ms rarely had to be replaced and users were becoming more savvy and could replace their own keyboard if they needed to.

ironcoder · « **Reply #5 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 12:50:05 »

That sounds like a good explanation, thanks.

itlnstln · « **Reply #6 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 12:54:25 »

Quote from: ripster;125025

Could you show me how to replace my keyboard?

No, but at least you're in the right place.

Rajagra · « **Reply #7 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 13:44:10 »

Quote from: ripster;125016

For some reason only the Greenock ones look a little different - I think they used a different kind of plastic.

They were probably deep-fried in batter.

ch_123 · « **Reply #8 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 14:56:11 »

Quote from: ripster;125016

I don't have a 52G - I'm sure they're fine though. Looks like the outer shell didn't change from the 1391401. For some reason only the Greenock ones look a little different - I think they used a different kind of plastic.

It wasn't just Greenock ones, it was the latter Lexmark ones... made from about 1995 on.

ch_123 · « **Reply #9 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 15:12:02 »

I assume that something may have changed around the time they changed the lock light label and straight cable.

itlnstln · « **Reply #10 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 15:16:47 »

I like the lock light label after the change. It didn't look so, well, old.

ironcoder · « **Reply #11 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 15:37:28 »

Quote from: webwit;125053

Nonsense, I have 14 Greenocks and they look exactly the same.

And well they should, after being deep-fried in batter :bolt:

ch_123 · « **Reply #12 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 15:46:55 »

It just occured to me... what are the part numbers?

ironcoder · « **Reply #13 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 15:54:26 »

Quote from: ch_123;125065

It just occured to me... what are the part numbers?

Is that a trick question?

quadibloc · « **Reply #14 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 18:34:49 »

Quote from: ripster;125081

Now the grounded space bar.

That is bewildering to me from a safety point of view. Wouldn't a double-insulated space bar be better?

After all, if only the space bar has to be grounded, one of the other keys might develop a high voltage! And then, if the space bar is grounded, that forms a perfect path to ground, and your hand can get electrocuted!

If their standards called for grounding the whole keyboard - that is, a layer within the keyboard between its internals, that need to have electricity to work, and the outside - and then insulating the whole keyboard as well, so that users of the keyboard don't make electrical contact with ground, now that would be an electrical safety standard.

And it might even come in handy if a short circuit inside the computer sent a voltage into the keyboard that fried the keyboard - and, as well, it might be easier to have such a standard for a keyboard than to have standards for computers that prevent such things from happening.

msiegel · « **Reply #15 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 19:06:12 »

that is *so* odd
:-?

webwit, do you have a multimeter, to check whether the space bar plastic is conductive?

msiegel · « **Reply #16 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 19:15:48 »

XD

it don't make no sense!

msiegel · « **Reply #17 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 19:23:01 »

it's just weird... can you imagine how it started:

"ow! ow, this space bar keeps shocking me!! the government should do something about this!"

*slow facepalm*

msiegel · « **Reply #18 on:** Tue, 13 October 2009, 19:38:14 »

:O

ok, new rule: no polyester sweaters while typing on a model m

ironcoder · « **Reply #19 on:** Wed, 14 October 2009, 02:42:45 »

Quote from: ripster;125136

Static electricity is never a problem.

Yeah it's the dynamic electricity that gets you every time.

ch_123 · « **Reply #20 on:** Wed, 14 October 2009, 03:03:52 »

Quote from: ripster;125081

Wonder why the EU would care whether ABS is used? Think of all those little kids chewing on ABS Lego blocks.

Again, didn't Lexmark make their 42Hs out of PVC too?

Quote from: webwit;125069

Oh part numbers don't tell the whole story, to name just one example I have 1396790s with and without fixed cable. I have a 1993 without fixed and a 1994 with fixed if you want a date of change.

It's still a far more better gauge of what you're getting compared with the year it was made in.

Quote

It's conductive to EU monopoly fines.

Not necessarily, I've seen plenty of other keyboards made in the EU around the same time that had no such arrangement. I think it's just the Brits who have particularly stringent electrical safety arrangements. For example - Have you ever seen a British plug?

Unlike elsewhere, everything has a three pin plug (although the earth pin is often unwired). Sockets are designed to refuse plugs with missing earth pings (although there's 'hacks' to plug in European plugs into British sockets) and every plug has a fuse built into it, even it the device itself is already fused! I don't think any other design of plug is so over-engineered.

itlnstln · « **Reply #21 on:** Wed, 14 October 2009, 10:01:46 »

How about if the plastic is different but lighter (or maybe I misunderstood something)? Titanium is stronger than steel, but it's much lighter.

itlnstln · « **Reply #22 on:** Wed, 14 October 2009, 10:08:28 »

Excellent deduction.

I was thinking in terms of this quote:

Quote

If it's lighter you can argue that quality declined.

ironcoder · « **Reply #23 on:** Wed, 14 October 2009, 10:10:22 »

BTW I did receive a shipping confirmation this morning. Woo hoo, my first buckling springs since the 80s are on the way!

itlnstln · « **Reply #24 on:** Wed, 14 October 2009, 10:45:39 »

Quote from: ripster;125270

I think most people think heavier is better (at least when it comes to keyboards). It's a perception thing though - the Unicomp Spacesaver is the lightest of my buckling springs (I'm talking overall weight) and yet feels the best to me.

I agree. My Cherry is much lighter than my Filco, but I think the Cherry is the superior keyboard for several reasons (already beaten to death by me in other posts). The only thing I might be able to agree with the heavy keyboard crowd on is that heavier keyboards don't slide as much, but then again, my Cherry doesn't slide around much, either, so YMMV, I guess.

ch_123 · « **Reply #25 on:** Wed, 14 October 2009, 11:58:50 »

I agree with the guy with the lego...

ironcoder · « **Reply #26 on:** Thu, 15 October 2009, 02:39:16 »

I just ordered a 1996 Lexmark, so they were still being made by then.

ch_123 · « **Reply #27 on:** Thu, 15 October 2009, 02:42:24 »

Is it a terminal board? I have read that 1994 was the year they stopped manufacturing those.

ironcoder · « **Reply #28 on:** Thu, 15 October 2009, 05:56:09 »

you're making me pine for the good old days :-(

Now if you only had a 370/168 to hook it up to!

ch_123 · « **Reply #29 on:** Thu, 15 October 2009, 08:54:55 »

Quote from: webwit;125543

Yeah, it's one of these:

The million dollar question is - is a Lexmark Model F as good as an IBM one?

Ironcoder: What sort of machine was that keyboard designed to be used with?

ironcoder · « **Reply #30 on:** Thu, 15 October 2009, 09:18:53 »

I don't know what it designed to be used with, but it seems to me it must have been an early design, because ever since ISPF came out (and I don't remember what year) it was important to have 24 PF keys available. That board doesn't have any, so it may not have even been made for a mainframe. IBM also had a few series of minis.

Or that could be a trick question and it really was designed for the AT. Come to think of it that would make the most sense.

The mainframe boards needed special keys including SYSREQ, ATTN, PA1, PA2, Reset, and the PF keys. Later they came out with keyboards with only 12 PF keys, which could be function shifted to the 13-24.

ironcoder · « **Reply #31 on:** Thu, 15 October 2009, 09:19:25 »

Also I can't see the detail very well in the small pic.

ak_nala · « **Reply #32 on:** Fri, 16 October 2009, 11:31:14 »

Quote from: webwit;125999

Part nr 1397950, IBM 5291-2 keyboard. Interface:

Used in IBM System 36s.

So that's what this thing's for - I have one that dates from Oct. 1984.

Originally bought it as a donor board to try to mod my AT into something a bit more usable, but turned out to be too cool a form-factor to want to part out.

News:

Author Topic: Any difference in 93 vs. 96 Lexmark Model M? (Read 5800 times)