Warm: IBM Keyboards

[shadowscavenger]

i picked the Keyboard up today using it now, It has a good feel to it. It's got some weight to it and is real sturdy. Compared to my old cheapo computer show. It's Limtied to one Request per offer, per name/family/address. For $10 Finall cost it's real nice. It's also pretty silent I picked up the Black model looks real nice. Now i just gotta get used to the smaler sized enter button cause my old keyboard had the big one . Sigh I wish Compusa would print the rebates out at the cash register i hate going to ther "Rebate Center" in the store. atleast they code it to the ads now, but still.

 

[RaysMD]

I compared this keyboard to an older IBM and it seems that this newer one needs a little stronger keystroke. Either the older one is made better, or the new one hasn't been broken in yet. The older one is also quieter, not by much though.


Rays

 

[ingenue007]

i bought these for 20 a couple weeks back when i spilled juice over my last keyboard. these are really nice ones. the keys have much better feel than cheap generic ones. very good deal.

 

[dowxp]

hmm. should go well with me sx1030b

 

[Branded]

My 2 cents.

All current keyboards are not ergonomic. The old 84 key keyboards with function keys on the side were. Trying closing a window with alt-f4 on your 'ergonomic' keyboards with the function keys on the top. You have to twist your hand. The only keyboards that have function keys on the side are old Gateway programmable keyboards (discontinued) and the ergologic keyboards (not in production either). If you are a developer, function keys for debugging MS applications need to be convenient. If you know of any other keyboards with funciton keys on the side please let me know.

 

[Auric]

I searched for more info on these and see them available from cyberebate for $165!, but free after rebate. What's the deal with that place? Seems like a shady way for them to secure a loan.

Even more, you could get it from them via ebates and be paid $8 to have the keyboard!

 

[Limey6413]

I have one too, black goes really nice with my IBM P96 Monitor... if you have one of these then you know what I'm talking about...

 

[Wolfgang]

Do these feel at all like the original IBM PC keyboard?

It was characterized by good travel, a -very- light touch, and a -very- distinct tactile and audible click for input confirmation -- the best keyboards ever, IMHO.

Are these keyboards (or any others!) like that??

Thanks.

 

[pbrain]

i like ibm keyboards. only thing i don't like about their new ones are the fact that they are 104-key keyboards. i sitting here using an old 1984 ibm keyboard (made by lexmark) w/out no stinking windows key. probably going to get myself a black one though. always nice to have backup keyboards (my backups somehow keep getting to be full-time keyboards), and the black will go nicely with my computer.

 

[Wolfgang]

Pbrain,

If you're using an IBM kbd from 1984, you have a great keyboard! (Wasn't literally made by Lexmark, though, was it? I didn't think Lexmark existed until 1990 or so.)

Let me know if the new keyboard has the same kind of feel as the old one -- very light, but also very crisp. I'll say it again: those were GREAT keyboards. Better than any I've used since, ever.

 

[Smbu]

I just got my keyboard today. This thing is very quiet. It's much quieter than those Dell quietkey keyboards that I've used before. The keys are very responsive, too. Does anybody know where I can get the rebate form for the keyboard? I purchased it through compusa.com and they didn't bother to send me the rebate form.

 

[BChild]

smbu,

I think you're supposed to get it right when you buy the keyboard. The compusa stores around me have a shelf where they keep the rebate forms for every product they have, you just go and pick up the form after you buy your stuff.

 

[Smbu]

BChild: I bought the keyboard online through CompUSA's website. The closest CompUSA store is about 60miles away from me, so I really don't want to have to drive all the way over there to pick up a rebate form.

 

[pbrain]

Wolfgang, the old one say on the back:
"Manufactured for IBM by Lexmark
(c)Lexmark Int'l. Inc. 1984"
and the keyboard wasn't used for a full 17 years. it sat around or had little use until about a year or two ago.

and i got one of the new keyboards. i has a slightly more "click"-ing feel to it than the old one, but they are both really nice. too bad can't find 101 key keyboards anymore. i'd really like a black one.

and Smbu, you need an original copy of the rebate form, so i don't think there's a printable form of it. if you want, i can snail mail you an extra one i picked up.

 

[imported_default]

sweet just got one of these to go along with my new comp, it matches my ibm p260 21" perfectly

great deal, thx

 

[echozero]

too bad it's not ergonomic!

 

[AmdEmAll]

IBM Keyboards rock. I have an IBM Rapid Access keyboard and I love it. Its the same as the one at compusa but mine has extra buttons(internet,multimedia,stand by.) To bad the extra buttons on this keyboard dont have Win2k support

 

[Scrounger]

I was going to mention that MicroImpact.com had these for 9.95 + shipping (was $7.50 for two UPS ground) with no rebate hassle, but I just checked the site and they are 14.95 now.

These are nice keyboards and come highly recommended.

 

[mechBgon]

I have an IBM Active Response keyboard and also three of the good old click-clack IBMs. I've also tried the Microsoft Natural Pro. The Active Response requires a bit more effort to complete a keystroke, which reduces my errors compared to the Natural Pro, but I still type fastest on the old clickety-clack IBM for some reason. What I can say for sure is that the AR doesn't have the clickety-clack sound of the old IBM. If you want one of the old IBM's, you might PM 2336 and see if he has any, I got a couple from him and he is a first-rate trader.

 

[shadowa]

As a keyboard freak, I think the best keyboards are Northgate Omnikey Ultra original. IBM buckling spring is also very good and I have a dozen each in my garage. But these are no longer produced. Well actually the IBM buckling spring keyboards are still produced by another company which bought the buckling spring technology from Lexmark- www.pckeyboard.com.

My main keyboard, however, is Ortek MCK-142 Pro. If you got the deep pocket, this is the best. It uses ALPS switches, the same as Northgate's omnikeys. and it has 24 programmable keys that is simply Godsend. At $130 list price, it isn't cheap, but well worth every penny of it.

Windows users probably don't care crap about keyboards; but to us unix programmers, the keyboard is the most intimate part of the computer... well maybe with the exception of the monitor.

 

[Cybordolphin]

Is it an IBM rebate? OR an COMPUSA rebate?

 

[pbrain]

it's a compusa rebate. valid until 2001.03.24.

 

[Auric]

For those that bought online from compusa.com does the rebate apply? There is a note about advertised specials being for in-store only. ??

 

[DongTran]

You can buy it from the Compusa Website for $19.99 + tax/shipping/bla bla. Then you should go to the store and pickup the rebate as it is a Compusa rebate. I have no clue if there is an electronic version somewhere - i would have imagined that someone would have scanned it in by now....

 

[Cyberian]

pbrain



<< Wolfgang, the old one say on the back:
&quot;Manufactured for IBM by Lexmark
(c)Lexmark Int'l. Inc. 1984&quot;
>>



I sure do believe what you say is on your keyboard.
I worked for IBM from 1968-1998 and was in the Division that announced the original IBM/PC in 1981.
I also did not think that Lexmark was around in 1984.
Is there a 7 digit P/N or FRU # on the bottom of that keyboard? - you guys really got me wondering now!