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Re: I Built a Keyboard

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Scott Alfter <scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us> wrote:
> In article <E6h1w.798572$Fy6.63030@fx25.am4>, BartC <bc@freeuk.com> wrote:
> >"Michael Black" <et472@ncf.ca> wrote in message
> >news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1410201608520.2911@darkstar.example.org...
> >> Of course, the real trick is to take an old typewriter, add microswitches
> >> to all the keys, and then you have a real manual typewriter feel to your
> >> keyboard.
> >
> >A  bit limited, as there are too many keys missing to use effectively (such
> >as 'one' and 'zero'!).

> Some typewriters had those.  Back in the day, I had one of the plastic kid's
> typewriters, and it at least had a 1 key.  Then again, it didn't even do
> lowercase:

> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251682070140

> Come to think of it, it only had three rows and you used the shift key for
> numbers and symbols...kinda like today's smartphone keyboards.

> I'm pretty sure the IBM Selectrics my high-school typing class used had full
> keyboards as we know them now, but then they're a long way tech-wise from a
> mechanical typewriter. :-) 

Not the best picture ever:
http://www.dvq.com/oldcomp/photos2/ibm_magcard_1.JPG
but you can (mostly) read the key-caps through the glare.  Yes, the
layout is quite similar.

I've heard it said that IBM based the Model 1 keyboard layout upon the
Selectric layout, presumably to ease the transition for Selectric
typists over to the PC.

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I Built a Keyboard Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-19 13:50 +0000
  Re: I Built a Keyboard whiskers@sleepy.cat - 2014-10-19 15:28 +0000
    Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-19 14:38 -0400
  Re: I Built a Keyboard RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-10-20 18:53 +0000
    Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-20 16:09 -0400
      Re: I Built a Keyboard "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2014-10-21 00:42 +0100
        Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-20 22:13 -0400
          Re: I Built a Keyboard "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2014-10-21 10:43 +0100
        Re: I Built a Keyboard scott@alfter.diespammersdie.us (Scott Alfter) - 2014-10-21 17:07 +0000
          Re: I Built a Keyboard RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-10-21 17:42 +0000
          Re: I Built a Keyboard Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2014-10-21 23:20 +0000
        Re: I Built a Keyboard Theo Markettos <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2014-10-22 14:23 +0100
          Re: I Built a Keyboard "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2014-10-23 14:22 +0100
            Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-23 14:03 -0400
            Re: I Built a Keyboard Paul Sture <nospam@sture.ch> - 2014-10-23 22:03 +0200
              Re: I Built a Keyboard Michael Black <et472@ncf.ca> - 2014-10-24 15:44 -0400

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