Page 9 of 179
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 19:26
by mr_a500
This keyboard from 1953 is really more of a typewriter, but check out that space bar! I think that's the new winner of "longest space bar ever".
Women in computing... I have no problem with that:
Hey, this could be a good header. (...talking about Deskthority header)
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 19:29
by seebart
Looks like two spacebars. And that piece of machinery in the background might be just right in size for kbdfr!
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 19:32
by mr_a500
I wish I had that many buttons and switches. That way, even if I'm doing absolutely nothing it'll look like I'm doing something important.
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 19:33
by mr_a500
Steve Jobs would probably reduce that to a single button - and then eventually even remove that.
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 20:00
by Stabilized
It would be a very beautiful aluminium buttonless box though!
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 22:54
by ettasian
Just adding my two bits: The TX-2 became operational in 1958.

And here is "Bert Sutherland at the console of the TX-2."
Do notice the stylus thingy in his left hand.
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 23:22
by Findecanor
That's a bit small for a thingy. It is called a
light pen.
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 23:53
by ettasian
Findecanor wrote: That's a bit small for a thingy. It is called a
light pen.
Why, thank you for the lesson

The more you know!
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 23:59
by mr_a500
ettasian wrote: Just adding my two bits: The TX-2 became operational in 1958.

And here is "Bert Sutherland at the console of the TX-2."
Do notice the stylus thingy in his left hand.
Nice. That's one of the earliest. The IBM 2250 didn't come out until around 1965.
2250-ad.gif
IBM 2250-expo-1.jpg
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 00:33
by ettasian
mr_a500 wrote: This keyboard from 1953 is really more of a typewriter, but check out that space bar! I think that's the new winner of "longest space bar ever".

There's one in better condition, and what do you know, it's from 1951.
I wonder if we can go deeper

Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 02:24
by Muirium
When was the first teletype? That ought to do it. Computer keyboards emerged from those.
And before that? It all goes back to typewriters.
mr_a500 wrote: Hey, this could be a good header. (...talking about Deskthority header)
I'm always in favour of vintage keyboard bintage. But who does the image belong to? And who's up to extending it to the sides, to fill the header's panoramic aspect ratio?
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 07:28
by mr_a500
That's the problem. I tried making headers with many vintage secretary photos and it's always difficult filling in the sides in any reasonable way. I tried once to enlarge and crop (the "cleavage crop") and you said it was "too cropped". (damn you)
I think it would probably be easier to find a 1950's UNIVAC and a sexy girl and do a whole photo shoot.
"Yes, yes, yeah baby, yes, yes, NO! NO!"

Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 12:42
by Azhdar
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 13:42
by guk
Looks like Mitsumi Hybrid to me.
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 18:15
by zuglufttier
zuglufttier wrote:

- kbd1.JPG (258.42 KiB) Viewed 8120 times
This one turned out to be a Silitek SK-8801B-20, just some rubberdome but not the worst I ever used... But: It sports doubleshot key caps which should fit on Cherrys.
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 18:17
by gogusrl
Thick doubleshots like OG Cherry or the thin ones like most alps ?
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 21:18
by zuglufttier
What do you mean by thin? The print or the cap itself? Anyway, I'd say both is rather thin

Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 21:21
by Muirium
Always the caps. People are always obsessing over thick vs thin, especially PBT. Legends… well, you can always see those in pics.
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 22:50
by gogusrl
Well, the thickness matters for typing, the legends don't. It was a very big difference for me when I went from thin to thick pbt. The keyboard sounds different, types different, it's worth obsessing about.
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 23:48
by scottc
Yeah, absolutely. Thick Cherry ABS doubleshots are worlds apart from cheap shit like Tai-Hao. I do think that thickness is overhyped (it's now more of a marketing term used by inexperienced noobs that don't know their shit more than anything else) but it's definitely also a big factor in keyfeel.
Posted: 28 Oct 2015, 23:59
by Muirium
I agree, too. If I could have thicker caps on my IBMs, I would! The caps are buckling spring's prime weakness, in my view. And the racket, if you're so inclined…
But simply saying "thickness" is a bit misleading to those not already used to our conversations. Many things can be thick. Like Tai-Hao's customers, for example.
Posted: 29 Oct 2015, 02:11
by Chyros
Omg mu u naab wtf lolzorz. Thin ABS rules.

Posted: 02 Nov 2015, 15:59
by Firebolt1914
I found this on eBay, would it be hall effect?
Posted: 02 Nov 2015, 16:02
by mr_a500
Wang was a big customer of Key Tronic, so that's what I suspect it is.
Posted: 02 Nov 2015, 16:04
by andrewjoy
hehehe wang. Always makes me laugh.
Posted: 03 Nov 2015, 16:50
by Firebolt1914
I bought it as dorkvader confirmed it was hall effect by looking at the spacebar's stabs
Posted: 03 Nov 2015, 17:28
by seebart
Firebolt1914 wrote: I bought it as dorkvader confirmed it was hall effect by looking at the spacebar's stabs
Can't wait for more info's on it. Nice find!
Posted: 04 Nov 2015, 07:23
by terrycherry
Posted: 04 Nov 2015, 08:17
by Kurk
None probably. My guess is Space Invaders.
Posted: 04 Nov 2015, 10:12
by terrycherry
Not that switch, I know the information of space Invaders switch very much.