How many of you out there still routinely use or at least love the old IBM Model M keyboards?
If you don't know what the Model M is or have never used one you are missing out in my opinion.
The Model M is an engineering masterpiece from its heavy and sturdy design to its reliable buckling spring keys. There is a reason they are still going strong while all the other equipment from the mid 1980's have been rendered obsolete.
I love them so much that they are the only keyboards that I use in my house (aside from one Model M2 that I have) and I simply cannot see myself ever using another keyboard.
I have also taken to collecting them whenever I get the chance to do so. The oldest one in my collection is from 1987 and it is still going strong which is of course a testament to what I was saying earlier.
(While on the subject of my growing collection: I am still looking for some in good condition from 1985 & 1986 in case someone has one laying around that they don't want.)
I'd love to get some responses from fellow Model M enthusiasts so please feel free to post your comments on this page.
Comments
i'm not sure about what an
i'm not sure about what an 'm' is but the keybaod that came with my first computer; ibm ps/2 (2mb ram, 40 mb hdd) was amazing, it still works fine, it is solid and it clicks, so everyone knows when you have pressed a key, i miss clicking keys, but i understand they are probably quite annoying.
It's all about the Sun Type
It's all about the Sun Type 5 keyboard
I edited my post to include
I edited my post to include a picture of one of my Model M keyboards.
@David:
When did you get the computer? The Model M keyboards were often bundled with the new IBM computers back in the 1980s.
Check under the keyboard & look for its birth certificate as Model Ms always had one attached to them when they were created.
@Pig:
I took a look at the keyboard you mentioned and It looks fairly decent. Is it a clicky keyboard though? :p
i have 5 M's, here's my
i have 5 M's, here's my favorite. Yeah, i'm an IBM fanboy :P
Here's my setup:
http://img326.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mvc006f9em.jpg
Here's the 'birth certificate':
http://img326.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mvc008f2wd.jpg
Good to see another Model M
Good to see another Model M lover in the mists :)
Nothing wrong with being a fanboy of good (superior) hardware.. hehe.
I love the M... I wish my
I love the M... I wish my keyboard clicks, it would be so much more fun. Back in school the lab had all 'M's and it was an awesome thing to hear 30 keyboards typing away as fast as possible.
I always look around my
I always look around my local resale center for these old keyboards. My newest is a IBM model 4 made in 1991 (a bit newer than some of the others I've had). They are absolutely wonderful. When this keyboard goes bad, I'm considering buying one from http://www.pckeyboard.com/ They manufacture "clicky" (technically called buckling spring) keyboards. I post this here as it took me quite awhile to find a clicky keyboard manufacturer.
Really there is nothing like them--I seem to type faster when I use them and their noise makes me feel productive, heh.
I think my favorite model was the black IBM M13 keyboard, it had buckling springs and an integrated mouse.
Nothing beats a keyboard
Nothing beats a keyboard with the ever reliable buckling spring key design. :)
Unicomp is the only one that still makes the Model M (although it has been renamed to "Customizer").
I personally would never buy one from them as I prefer the original IBM Model Ms for a variety of reasons. The one I am using now is from '87 and it is never going to die.. hehe.
Anyway, Ebay is another great place to acquire these keyboards as long as you don't mind cleaning them up a bit (I routinely disassemble and clean them so it doesn't bother me).
I use a model m keyboard :-)
I use a model m keyboard :-) Best ever.
I never realized how much I
I never realized how much I enjoyed my model M or what I had until I recently had a spill that took mine down. At that point I realized how tricky they could be to replace.
End result, a fair bit of elbow grease, some cleaning, and a lot of drying time, and my 1987 Model M is back up and running and I couldn't be happier, though I realize I may have to start looking now to get a worthy replacement for it as a Just In Case.
Hope to be hitting the thrift stores, wish me luck.