deskthority

I recently picked up this Oak Technologies keyboard with FTM (full travel membrane) switches. It basically was new in box, but the original box had disintegrated. This keyboard works great with a soarers adapter just like a regular Model F XT.

interesting The sing with FCC must be produced by taiwan of china.

It's got that weird ramp at the back — I don't know where that came from as a number of clones have it (as I recall, Hi-Tek, Cherry and Key Tronic) but it's not to my knowledge an IBM case shape. My only guess is that, with the feet extended, it's a level area for placing things (instead of a ridge across a tilted area).

Normally these Oak flat-top switches have black and white sliders, but I also came across an example which has red sliders. I don't own this particular keyboard though, but I do know who owns it.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: It's got that weird ramp at the back — I don't know where that came from as a number of clones have it (as I recall, Hi-Tek, Cherry and Key Tronic) but it's not to my knowledge an IBM case shape. My only guess is that, with the feet extended, it's a level area for placing things (instead of a ridge across a tilted area).

I am not sure of its origin either, but my theory is that it provided more overhead space within the case for components on the section of the PCB above the keys.

Engicoder wrote: I am not sure of its origin either, but my theory is that it provided more overhead space within the case for components on the section of the PCB above the keys.

I think the origin may be the design of the Corona PPC-400. This is the earliest brand name computer that I've seen this style on. I don't think it was ever a perfect clone of an IBM product.



Nice keyboard!

Key Tronic made keyboards that shape at the same time ([wiki]Key Tronic Model F clone series[/wiki]), and I'm sure Cherry also made keyboards that shape. Columbia Data Products used the Key Tronic keyboards, so that's a good candidate. Hard to tell just who was first.

I'm not convinced that you'd need extra space there.

I think Cherry's are in fact different. I thought there were some wiki pages with them (and I thought I found them the other day while doing some housekeeping, but now I can't find them), but this photo turned up earlier, and it looks familiar:

photos-f62/1980s-cherry-unicorn-prototy ... ml#p386693

So Cherry seemed to have the slope the other way and preserved the IBM solid ridge. Cherry appear to be ruled out.

Nope, Cherry did use this design too:

[wiki]Cherry KFN3-8351[/wiki]

(1983 example, second generation solid state capacitive — snuci remembered it.)