History of the IBM 4704 terminal and keyboard

[elecplus]

According to a Computerworld article from 1986, the monitor and 107-key keyboard cost $2425.
https://books.google.com/books?id=tbIGz ... 04&f=false 60MB memory cost over $14K. Printers started at $3250.

All those expenses, and yet those were the days when we actually earned interest on a passbook savings account!

[seebart]

Yes, hardware was quite expensive back in the 1980's.

[y11971alex]

Yes, hardware was quite expensive back in the 1980's.

[wobbled]

Shame they are so hard to come across now.
Posting mine

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[elecplus]

I found over 100 of the 107 keys a year or so ago, and some 50 keys. The ones I have not found are the 62 and 77 keys.

[y11971alex]

I found over 100 of the 107 keys a year or so ago, and some 50 keys. The ones I have not found are the 62 and 77 keys.

Cindy, do you know if the keyboard in the photo that I posted could be found? I think we're all salivating for one of them.

[elecplus]

Which photo did u post?

[fohat]

These can be made pretty nice.

[giokkk]

Awesome job fohat, a truly classy keyboard!

[y11971alex]

Which photo did u post?

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/2250-ad.gif

[orihalcon]

I still have F107's with or without xwhatsit controllers installed if anyone is interested, PM me.

[alh84001]

Are these the only IBM keyboards without a badge? I wonder if there was a specific reason behind that decision.

[seebart]

Are these the only IBM keyboards without a badge? I wonder if there was a specific reason behind that decision.

No, there are others like this Alps SKCC based one for the asian market:

keyboards-f2/ibm-part-no-6112884-t11815 ... ibm%20part

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[y11971alex]

Are these the only IBM keyboards without a badge? I wonder if there was a specific reason behind that decision.

Keyboards with a proprietary connection (which I understand includes most of IBM's terminal connections) tend not to have a badge because they are almost always seen along with the computer/terminal for which they are designed, which would be badged. Keyboards having standard connections (like the AT and PS/2) connections are typically badged to maintain brand visibility.

[seebart]

You sure about that y11971alex?

wiki/IBM_Model_F

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[y11971alex]

It's just a pattern I observed.

^ non-removeable


^ removeable

[seebart]

Whatever that one in the top picture is a bad example, it's really old. You know for sure that keyboard was non-removeable, in other words have you seen that machine in person?

The "Pingmaster" is removable! No badge right?

In fact pre Model F many IBM's had a proprietary connection, terminals or not.

[y11971alex]

Whatever that one in the top picture is a bad example, it's really old. You know for sure that keyboard was non-removeable, in other words have you seen that machine in person?

The 2250 was housed in a desk with an alphanumeric (QWERTY) keyboard

What I meant was the keyboard in all probability could not be used with another system from another company, so IBM didn't need to badge the keyboard to mark it as their product.

Anything can be removeable if you really wanted to. Even entire houses can be uprooted with hydraulic lifts.

[seebart]

What I meant was the keyboard in all probability could not be used with another system from another company, so IBM didn't need to badge the keyboard to mark it as their product.

Go back before DIN, PS/2 or USB and most keyboards could not be used with another system from any another company that was normal.

Anything can be removeable if you really wanted to. Even entire houses can be uprooted with hydraulic lifts.

No I meant just normally removeable without any brute force.

BTW there is IBM branding on that large monitor!

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[y11971alex]

What I meant was the keyboard in all probability could not be used with another system from another company, so IBM didn't need to badge the keyboard to mark it as their product.

Go back before DIN, PS/2 or USB and most keyboards could not be used with another system from any another company that was normal.

That is precisely what I am saying, which seems to be why a significant number of keyboards from that era weren't branded. The manufacturer didn't expect their keyboards to get detached from the terminal/computer ("Oh gee, does this one belong to the IBM or the Univac? I don't see a badge!").

Anything can be removeable if you really wanted to. Even entire houses can be uprooted with hydraulic lifts.

No I meant just normally removeable without any brute force.

BTW there is IBM branding on that large monitor!

Exactly, and you wouldn't really detach the keyboard from it, would you? In fact, why would you when it probably can't be used with anything else?

[seebart]

Right, but there are exceptions like the "pingmaster", that keyboard is much younger anyway. If you look at other non IBM examples there are way more instances of non-branded keyboards. I'm not sure what the reasons were. And what about OEM's?

Exactly, and you wouldn't really detach the keyboard from it, would you? In fact, why would you when it probably can't be used with anything else?

No in fact I would try to detach it by any means because I WANT that keyboard.

And I would try to detach that IBM logo on the CRT also and stick that on the keyboard.

[y11971alex]

Right, but there are exceptions like the "pingmaster", that keyboard is much younger anyway. If you look at other non IBM examples there are way more instances of non-branded keyboards. I'm not sure what the reasons were. And what about OEM's?

That is true as well.

You can see that terminal in action here:

Now I don't see either operator moving their keyboard around, and it seems to be sunk into the desk, which is why I suppose it isn't removeable (and why Cindy hasn't found one yet).

[seebart]

Yeah I think that's one of those machines that cost around $250,000 back in the day. Nice video, oh and BTW:

Spoiler:

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[wobbled]

seebart you are truly the master of memes on DT

[seebart]

seebart you are truly the master of memes on DT

Gee, thanks. Actually the "master" of cool and funny stuff at DT used to be sth who's not around much anymore:

off-topic-f10/sth-s-blog-2-0-t8080.html