[heavener]

Loved this keyboard. Wore two of them out. Trivia => these keyboards were subcontracted and built by Keytronics of Spokane, Washington. They had several plants when they were in their halcyon days. The plant in Newport, Washington, was built on property sold to them by my father-in-law, Francis Bye. I used to take my kids out and walk around picking up the plastic keys laying up and down the road. The plant closed in the early 90's and the building is now the office for Pend O'Reille county.

[MicroMac]

Anybody who was around in the early days remembers the North Star computer and its awesome keyboard - as good as the IBM if not better. I cut my teeth on the Model M but when the North Star arrived I had to deep six the M. The sweet thing about the North Star is that it is still being manufactured by a small group that got together when North Star went bye-bye. Check out the Avant Stellar from Creative Vision Technologies - Google it. I'm a programmer and I defy anyone to show me a better keyboard for what I'm doing!

[mbdman]

All true, but don't forget the Original Keytronic 101 Series, similar layout, the big "L" Enter Key, great tactile feel and built like a tank. Why can't we buy keyboards like that anymore..?

[rgreen4]

Because no one is willing to pay the price it would have to command if they did. In the era of $400 computers, eveyone wants $10 keybaords and that keyboard if made today would have to sell for $75 -100. There was a lot of hand assembly work.

[mbdman]

I think it's more a matter of what you don't know they don't miss, there are a lot of people shelling out $80-$100+ for Wireless, Blue Ray, all well and good. Lot's of cool features that people never use and don't even know exist, but the basic keyboard is still the $10.00 Keyboard....

[Patriot]

On the presentation side of this article, I can't remember when I've so enjoyed a web page about so prosaic a thing as a computer keyboard. I found myself smiling and agreeing with the praise at every turn.
Extremely well done, Mr. Edwards!

[Flashorn]

Hey mbdman!!



Have you heard of the OCZ Alchemy Series Elixir Keyboard?

It's a new gaming board and should make some of you gamers

Happy.



OCZ Alchemy Series Elixir Keyboard .



Take a look !



FLASHORN. !http://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/
1!

[coreywilner]

I haven't typed on an official IBM for over 20 years, but I have to say that the Unicomp keyboard is the best one I have used in the last 15 years! I have 3 of them scattered around my various computers and I would not go back to any of the non-buckling spring type keyboards. I cannot attest to the quality of the IBM's, but I believe that Unicomp spun off from the group at IBM/Lexmark that did the original keyboards, so I would hope that their build quality would be similar.

The quality of my 3 keyboards is sound, I've had many keyboards go bad over the years, these haven't. They are not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

[gpk9]

I love my 42H1292. Also have two of the older 1391401's and a small-footprint 1395300 on the shelf as backups. These keyboards are loved by tough-typists. They're the "grand piano" of keyboards in my opinion. Wonderful feel. I can type 20% - 25% faster on my 42H1292 than a standard keyboard. No gaming, so I don't need those features.

[peterblaise]

IBM designed the layout themselves? BS! IBM copied the DEC 101 keyboard as a way of saying, "You all can no longer criticize IBM since it's NOT an IBM design!" See www.cs.utk.edu/~shuford/terminal/lk401[udec[/u]kbd1280x567.jpg] for an example of the DEC original design. Note in 1996, DEC paid 6 million dollars to settle a lawsuit for injury from using the design, see [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mim0EKF/isn2148v42/ai_18977669] - see my comment below at #2 below as to why. Note that the function keys sat just below the screen, especially with one-piece terminals, and so programmers put function key assignments at the bottom of the screen, so key [PF1] meant whatever was on screen at the time. PF = Program Function. Too many words, and too "programmer" geeky for the general public. They've devolved to mere "Function" keys, and no one puts their meaning at the bottom of the screen anymore. But, remember Word Perfect red/green/blue/black stickers to maximize the normal/[Ctrl]/[Alt]/[Shift] meanings of the function keys, and each key had a coordinated suite of meanings with each modifier key engaged?

There are only three keyboards that did all things for me in their time:

1 - IBM AT keyboard - had full [F1]-[F10] function keys on the left and separate arrow and page keys on the right. This allowed 2 modes of operation. One, with both hands centered on the alphabet keys for data entry, Two, with both hands swung out slightly from center to perform onscreen movement and manipulation. During data entry, the left-side function keys still fell nicely under the left small finger (pinky) without leaving the home row, and the arrow keys and page keys fell nicely under the right hand without leaving the home row. By not leaving the home row, we could simply swing our arms at the elbow, and not engage shoulder and neck muscles, Also remember, Word Perfect for DOS was king, and the 10 function keys (not 12 yet), played an integral role in data entry and especially save and retrieve. See a modern example of left function keys at [http://www.duntemann.com/january2007.htm]

2 - The Northgate OmniKey - the keyboard with function keys on the left, and two complete sets of arrow and number keys. I remember they also had function keys along the top, but we have to move our hands from the home row to get to them, engaging our shoulder muscles and causing fatigue - see lawsuit link above. See [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41aVvknBuAL.SL500AA280.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.amazon.com/Adesso-Programmable-Mechanical-Keyswitch-MCK-142Pro/dp/B0000512HT&h=280&w=280&sz=21&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=7OW7FzH5istxM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=114&prev=/images%3Fq%3Doroginal%2Bnorthgate%2Bomnikey%2Bpro%2Bkeyboard%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26newwindow%3D1] for a modern example of a straight keyboard with all function keys, alphabet keys, and arrow / page keys on the home row.

3 - The Microsoft Natural Ergo with FOUR arrows (I hate to admit that Microsoft made anything good, but even they can't keep it in production). I wish it had the function keys on the left, and brought the complete arrow key / page key quadrant closer instead of the mini 4-arrow key grouping, but it's as good as I can get. It allows me to have my arms nicely spaced apart with my wrists not kinked. I find straight keyboards cramped. I tend to do a lot of post-typing editing with the mouse, so I hardly ever touch the misplaced function keys. See a sample of Microsoft ergo natural ("Elite" is note, too, with smaller function keys) at [http://www.pcguide.com/ref/kb/layout/nonErgo-c.html] - Microsoft no longer makes it?

Dreaming? ALL of the above keyboards are waay too loud for home use. What I'd like is a QUIET combination of all three:

- ergo split angled layout

- function keys on left (okay, and on top for those who demand top function keys - to increase sales, I guess, I'll never touch 'em)

- arrow key / page key quadrant immediately to the right of the [Enter] key (okay, plus a number pad further to the right for accountants, to increase sales, I guess, but I'll never touch 'em)

- mouse touch pad and buttons below the space bar would make it a one-piece fit's all solution. [http://www.adesso.us/productdetails.asp?deptid=106&pf_id=KA33PCK-308UW] is close.

QUIET, though. QUIET!

Note current IBM-style and construction (flapper?) keyboards are available through [http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/]



Click!

Love and hugs,

Peter Blaise Monahon

Independent PC Support since 1969

[wgcarew]

My favorite Keyboard is old and 'feels' very IBM. It is the OmniKey 102. Much sought after by collectors.

I was fortunate in that I found another one at a yard-sale in Oshawa a few years ago. It is my backup.

Has a steel back and the F keys are down the left-side of the keyboard. It was made by Northgate

Computer Systems and back in the 80's it cost me $125.00 to get one up here to Peterborough, Ont.

I have tryed many others but this one is my personal favorite.

Cheers and my regards to all... Bill - VE3MEW

[TsarNikky]

My favorite keyboard was a Northstar 101, bought in 1993 for about $100. It was pounded on for 11 years without a single failure. Who knows the billions of words I typed. Pity, I had to give it up when my new computer only has USB ports, instead of the PS/2.

[charles849]

in four years one computer four keyboards, I even bought one of those light up models , lights still work and thats all. right now I'm using a M$ keyboard and the letters are wearing off. I'm so use to keyboards failing I keep a spare in the closet. Now lets talk about mice.

[mergen]

I have an Avant Stellar keyboard which this reminds me of. It is very sturdy with very loud keys that have a nice feel to them. Also fully programmable. Just has the basic 101 key setup, with an extra set of F keys on the side and also a "Windows" key. No multimedia keys but any key can be programmed to run a macro.

[oliverrp]

Bought a "Focus 5001" back in 1991 and am still happily using it. Nice and clicky. Has a separate set of function keys along the left hand edge which comes in handy on occasion. Also an lcd window above the calculator zone on the right side. Nice big L enter key and extra wide backspace key. Also a 4 compartment frame along the top edge for inserts (dBase IV and Lotus 1-2-3 r.3.1 !); plus another insert for programmable function keys. Wish I could find another one. It's great.

Checked out the Avant Stellar models, but very expensive. Oh well - quality costs.

[das7002]

My favorite costs more than my PC and my PC was $1700 I know what you are thinking that must be one hell of a keyboard well stop guessing and take a gander http://store.artlebe...dd-ons/optimus/ it is $1900 and Mac Linux or Windows it is the best keyboard ever!!!!!!!

[JimH443]

This only goes to prove "to each, his own." It's a little too close to the IBM PCJr chiclet keyboard for my taste. But as long as you feel it's money well spent, what else matters??

[MaryP]

In my high school library some kids liked to take the caps off the key board and arrange them into interesting messages!

[morrisonrfm]

SOME THINGS IN LIFE MEANT TO STAY SIMPLE, THIS ONE OFF THEM, BACK TO THE BASICS AND STILL MOVING FOWARD....:D :D :D :D :D :D

[dlauber]

A fine keyboard, indeed, it was. But Northgate's OmniKey keyboards were even better -- and certainly long lasting. As I type this on my 20 year-old Northgate OmniKey Ultra, I realize that all three of our computers use OmniKeys. The only time we didn't was with a much younger employer who wanted a ergonomic keyboard -- which her successor promptly replaced with the OmniKey from Northgate. These are rock solid, 5-pound keyboards will all the click and clacks you'd expect. I'm astounded at how long mine has lasted. Only had one key start to stick -- but that was easy to fix in minutes. And despite the pounding and cleaning, all the keys still have their labels.

It's not a keyboard for gamers. But it's a great keyboard for anybody who has to write for a living.

It's a shame Northgate couldn't stay in business. To get anything close to their quality, I've had to build all of our computers myself since they closed down. But it's got nothing to do with quality anymore does it?