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Re: Keyboard question

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On 2025-08-20 07:30:12 +0000, Your Name said:

> On 2025-08-20 06:48:42 +0000, super70s said:
>> On 2025-08-20 05:32:36 +0000, Your Name said:
>>> On 2025-08-19 22:53:17 +0000, super70s said:
>>>> 
>>>> I use an Apple A1242 keyboard on a couple of my newer iMacs 
>>>> (hard-wired). I like them because they're about as compact as possible 
>>>> and seem to be pretty reliable.
>>>> 
>>>> I also use an old PowerMac G4 MDD pretty often which I've always used 
>>>> Apple M2452 keyboards with. Those keyboards don't have the best 
>>>> reliability and they're dust/hair/grit collectors and I'm always having 
>>>> to order (used, of course) replacements for them on eBay.
>>> 
>>> If it is only dirt under the keys, then you can pop the keys off fairly 
>>> easily (the longer ones such as the spacebar, shift, etc. can be a bit 
>>> of a pain to get back on, so perhaps leave those on).
>>> 
>>> If the dirt has gotten inside the casing itself, then it is more 
>>> difficult to do because of the plastic clip that easily breaks.
>>> <https://siber-sonic.com/mac/keyboards/M2452.html>.
>> 
>> The latest time this happened some of the keys just quit working, the 
>> "e" for instance. I know how to pop the keys and clean under them but 
>> it didn't make any difference.
>> 
>> I ordered a replacement (which the guy said was untested so it was 
>> relatively cheap -- those things usually go for around $30 postage 
>> paid) and all the keys worked OK except the spacebar was stubborn about 
>> coming back up, even after I cleaned the hell out of it in every place. 
>> So I used the old beanie and put a small piece of sponge under it so it 
>> would, lol.
>> 
>> I have two systems that use the M2452 so I'll just use this one as a 
>> backup. I try to have two working ones on hand in case the main one 
>> suddenly goes bad.
>> 
>>>> My question is would an Apple A1242 keyboard work on the G3? I would at 
>>>> least have to order a USB cord extension so it would reach all the way 
>>>> to the G4 tower (on the floor). But if I did that would it work okay? 
>>>> Never thought about doing this before but I'm sick of those old M2452 
>>>> keyboards going bad.
>>> 
>>> The Apple A1242 wired keyboard specs say it works with MacOS X 10.5.6 
>>> or newer. It may or may not work with older versions of the OS. The 
>>> simplest option would be to just try it on the PowerMac. Plug the 
>>> keyboard into the back and use it on the floor if necessary, to see if 
>>> it will work.
>> 
>> Damn, I'm running 10.4.9 on those two machines (even though I split the 
>> drive and do have 10.5.6 on them too but I never use that OS because it 
>> can't run Classic apps). But I will try the A1242 on them, it could 
>> work like you say. If it does all I'll need is the USB extension cord.
> 
> A USB hub with a long cable might be a better idea, since it would 
> allow you to plug in the keyboard, mouse, and provide easy access for 
> USB thumb drives.

I already have an old Belkin hub on the primary G4 for peripherals like 
the printer, scanner and extra CD-ROM, I guess I could just plug the 
keyboard directly into that. Although I never could get an external 
floppy drive to work with it, it fussed it wasn't getting enough power 
-- even when I gave the hub it's own power supply. I even plugged the 
floppy drive directly into the G4 and it still argued about not enough 
power.

>>> Another option is any old cheap Windows keyboard which should work, 
>>> although you usually have to remap the Command and Option keys since 
>>> Windows has them the wrong way around.
>> 
>> Usually I'm Apple to the core, lol. But the Windows keyboards could 
>> probably be bought for a song, that's a good idea.
> 
> I've been using an wired Logitech K120 Windows keyboard and mouse with 
> this 2014 Mac Mini since I got it in 2018. Both are plugged into a USB 
> hub because there simply aren't enough USB ports on the computer for 
> everything. No problems and it cost me under US$20 for the set brand 
> new. It's obviously not as aesthetically nice as all Apple, but nobody 
> but me really ever sees or uses it anyway. (The screen is a Samsung TV 
> too.)

"Logitech K120 Windows keyboard," thanks I'll look for that on eBay. I 
was hoping for some direction in the Windows wilderness. I'm at the 
point on this older system where I don't care about aesthetics and 
branding, but since I have limited desk space I wouldn't want the 
keyboard to have a bigger footprint than the M2452 (about 15" x 5 
1/2"). The A1242 keyboards are only 11" x 4 1/2".

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Thread

Keyboard question super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> - 2025-08-19 17:53 -0500
  Re: Keyboard question Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2025-08-20 17:32 +1200
    Re: Keyboard question super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> - 2025-08-20 01:48 -0500
      Re: Keyboard question Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2025-08-20 19:30 +1200
        Re: Keyboard question super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> - 2025-08-20 06:23 -0500
          Re: Keyboard question Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2025-08-21 09:02 +1200
            Re: Keyboard question super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> - 2025-08-20 16:27 -0500
              Re: Keyboard question Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2025-08-21 13:19 +1200
                Re: Keyboard question super70s <super70s@super70s.invalid> - 2025-08-20 22:31 -0500
                Re: Keyboard question Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> - 2025-08-21 18:41 +1200

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