Mechanical boards that are/were made /marked towards *nix?

[nickg]

I know pretty much any modern(used) board will work on pretty much any modern os, but most assume windows as the default os(which I mean I get why). So if I can I'm trying to find as many that market towards *nix users. Off the top of my head I can really only think of the Hhkb and unicomp's sun Unix model m. I guess technically Mac os boards would count too.

[Polecat]

Around 1999 or so there were some Focus FK-2001 keyboards with Linux caps in place of the Windows keys and cream Alps clones (Hua Jie?). They were showing up on ebay a few years back, but I haven't seen one recently. One was branded "Cool Keyboard". No idea if they were built that way by Focus, or modified after the fact.

edit: here's a photo:

https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmasterrac ... _keyboard/

[ingmar]

What exactly makes a keyboard a "Linux" keyboard? The absence of a Windows key? If I change my Win keys to "Super", "OS", "System" or that Tux penguin logo, does it become a Linux keyboard?

[Findecanor]

Yes, I think a PC keyboard without Windows keys, or the legend changed to something else would classify as a Unix keyboard. Sun uses the diamond ◆ symbol on the same key that in USB is used for Windows/Command key and the Compose key is the same as the Menu key.

In the mid '90s, several Unix vendors started shipping keyboards with the "Enhanced" 101/102-key IBM PC layout with their machines. Keyboards were often from OEMs and some had PS/2 plugs. The Alps-made SGI Bigfoot is well known. I have used both SGI-branded and DEC-branded NMB RT6856 with their respective Unix machines.

IBM RS/6000 running AIX had Model M's, I think, but I don't know if they used the "Terminal" layout and protocol though.
HP and Wyse has also made terminal keyboards with IBM's "Enhanced" layout but in their distinct styles and with a "Set Up" or "Select" key (for changing settings in the terminal).

I think a Tux key is just a gimmick though.
If you are going to adapt the Windows PC layout for Unix users, I think that you should change the Windows legend to ◆ and the Menu legend to Compose to reflect how they are on Sun's keyboards.
If you are designing hardware as well, please do add a LED for Compose! There is support for it in USB HID. (Compose is also soo missing from third-party key sets, IMHO)

[nickg]

What exactly makes a keyboard a "Linux" keyboard? The absence of a Windows key? If I change my Win keys to "Super", "OS", "System" or that Tux penguin logo, does it become a Linux keyboard?

That and control, escape, backspace, and a couple other keys being where they should be.