In the words of Ke$ha (oh dear): click-clack, click-clack! Wait…
I’m most pleased to be able to type this blog entry on my newly- old (or is that oldly-new) IBM Model M keyboard (part 1391406). I made a video blog about it and it’s embedded above, but I felt it silly to get a new keyboard – the most awesome keyboard ever built, arguably and not write about it.
First, let me introduce you to the Model M. Here is my Model M before it was shipped to me; photograph very kindly by my seller. Here it is:
I opted and scoured the Internet extensively for the UK localised model; differences being the enter key’s two-row height, the £-over-the-3, backslash key positioning and other assorted subtleties that might seem meaningless, but I’ve grown up typing on UK keyboards all my life – I am from the UK anyway – and I wanted the transition to be as painless as possible.
History lesson: The IBM Model M was manufactured by IBM from 1985-1993, at which point they spun their keyboard business off to Lexmark, who in turn spun the patent and technology of the Model M to Unicomp, who still make brand new keyboards of the 25-year-old design to this day. Buy one here! The buckling-spring technology is so durable that many keyboards from the late 1980s are still in service to this day. My keyboard was born in Greenock, Scotland at the IBM UK plant on Friday (looked it up) 27th March, 1992. I’ve taken a picture of the birth certificate from the back of the keyboard; forgive the quality, my digital camera is nearly as old as the Model M.
Why did I get this keyboard though? What possessed me to even go looking for one? Well, I’m a writer. I write this blog, I write a lot of emails, IMs and tweets, and, hell, I’m writing a freakin’ novel… and will be writing another in November. I need a good tool from which to produce my work, and after a few lacklustre keyboards I went for the grand-daddy of them all. The Stradivarius of keyboard – that’s an analogy I do like but cannot remember the source of for the life of me.
Most keyboards, even the clunkiest ones that I have used – my two personal favourites up until yesterday being the Logitech Standard 250 keyboard my computer shipped with and a Dell OEM keyboard that has served my old computer well since at least 2004, utilise these days a plastic key pressing down on a rubber dome which completes a circuit which the controller in the keyboard registers as a press. However, these mushy-dome keyboards are very, very hit and miss, and you definitely get what you pay for. I bought a Saitek USB cheapo-cheapo keyboard ages ago, and it’s utterly horrid; the keys have no feedback, they’re mushy and I find the thing difficult to type well or fast on.
So, I’ve gone for a Model M, which is unusual as it actually has little springs in each key. The feedback, both tactile and auditory, from my Model M has, so far, been night and day. It sounds like a great click-clacking typewriter and feels heavy to start but I will adjust in time. My fingers are way, way too used to wimpy mushy-dome keyboards. To press a buckling-spring key requires considerably more effort, but it’s enjoyable effort. It actually feels like I’m typing into the computer proper.
What’s it been like? Well, first impressions were: my God, this thing is massive! And it is! It’s quite a lot bigger than my Logitech keyboard, and that’ll take some getting used to. My fingers have further to travel and a bit more work to do. It does embarrass me to say I don’t yet touch type properly – I do it with my two index fingers. I’ll be working at utilising all 8 in a a proper manner so I can do the Model M justice. I also noted how heavy the Model M was; the steel back plate contributing a lot I suspect to the unit’s 2Kg weight. 2Kg! I’m also adjusting slightly to the loss of my Windows keys. I don’t really use them bar for locking my machine (Win+L) and minimising all windows (Win+M) but I have created keyboard shortcuts that map these tasks to CTRL+ALT+L and CTRL+ALT+M respectively.
I’m making considerable typing errors as I adjust and my speed isn’t impressive or anywhere near my previous 70-75WPM. Yet.
It’s early days – well, just the second day, and I’m still thrilled to see this imposing lump of awesome on my desk (which, with the weight, now needs struts!). I’ve already removed the keycaps for a soak in detergent and lubricated the legs with washing-up liquid, and when I get the tools I will take the case apart for a through scrub. If you take typing seriously, then seriously consider getting a Model M or a Unicomp modern-equivalent. Your fingers and productivity will in time thank you, even if you do manage to keep the entire street awake ‘til 4AM with click-click-click-click-clack-iness.
Wonderful. Time to drown out those clicky springs with some alternate and progressive rock.
Side note: I found this fascinating video showing how IBM manufactured keyboards in the 1980s. If it’s a little dry, there is an “epic edition” available…
Resources and links
Geekhack forum http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?7210-British-sources-for-IBM-1391406-UK-model-M
Care and Feeding of the IBM Model M: http://www.preater.com/modelm/
Clickykeyboards: http://www.clickykeyboards.com/
Buyer's Guide: http://www.clickeykeyboards.com/model-m-buyers-guide/
Bluegoose Systems (from whom I bought mine from): http://www.bluegoosesystems.co.uk/
Dan's Data articles: http://www.dansdata.com/ibmkeyboard.htm http://www.dansdata.com/clickykeyboards.htm and http://www.dansdata.com/clicky2.htm
Unicomp (modern manufacturer of IBM Model M-type keyboards): http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/
Model M “glamour shot” courtesy of Andrew Preater’s “Care and feeding” page.
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