Unicomp Keyboards

[Buleste]

I know that Dulux are renaming their beige range to Shades of Stephen.

For a list of phobias go here. I think Epistemophobia- Fear of knowledge is apt for this site.

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long words. Who said english isn't a fun language.

[Harrison]

Kainolophobia - One for Steve.

[Stephen Coates]

I suppos ethat does apply to me a bit. Although I don't exactly have a 'fear' of new things as such.

My Solo card is actually very purple.

[Stephen Coates]

Since I spilt orange juice on my Dell keyboard, causing some of the keys to stop working, hence I needed a new keyboard. I couldn't order the SpaceSaver from Unicomp since I don't have a credit card.

I thought about getting a second hand model M but they were getting a bit expensive, so I ordered a brand new Unicomp keyboard from a supplier in America who was selling the big ones without the windows keys for $15 plus postage. Only issue is that it has a german layout, but it doesn't really matter what the layout is as I can type without looking at the keyboard.

This one was built in 2006 and cost about £35 including postage. It is lovely to type on. I can type very quickly and accurately on it. It is also very noisy

[Stephen Coates]

Hmm, £36. I thought it cost a bit more than that. I suppose it must have been very good value then.

Anyway, it gave up the other week. I think some of the conductive traces on the plastic films are not much good. Unfortunately though, in order to access that bit, you have to break off plastic rivets. No idea why IBM etc didn't bother to use screws for this. I will now have to screw it back together.

Fortunately I had a spare Apple Pro Keyboard which I have used for a while, but it is no where near as good as the Model M.

So, instead of buying a new Model M from Unicomp which would cost a fortune in postage and import taxes, I got a second hand IBM Model M off ebay. It was made in 1991 and cost me about £45 inc postage. It came today and works nicely. Just needs a bit of a clean up though as it is a bit mucky.

[Harrison]

Are those the really heavy IBM keyboards?

[Stephen Coates]

Depends how you define heavy, but they are much heavier than most modern keyboards.