deskthority

The 1983 patent for Cherry MX is for what we now know as MX Blue.

However, [wiki]Cherry MX White[/wiki] "Type B" is alleged to be the forerunner of blue and to have been introduced in 1989.

Old keyboards do tend to be MX Black, so was there really a delay of five to six years before the click version went into production? I only ever collected four dated examples, and those do back to 1989:

http://telcontar.net/KBK/Keycombo/switch.php?id=39

Actual dated examples of any of the albino types (Type A and Type B White, albino Black etc) seem not to exist at all, but Type B White would have had a short life if Blue was around in the same year.

I have this old cherry portable computer.
I think it has albino switches in it.
or maybe its something different all together.
the bottom one is a newer mx switch.
while the top one is from the 286 portable computer.

Curious. The 286 was introduced in 1982 and the 386 in 1985, so if your portable was made prior to the 386 being introduced, that would be a very old switch.

I think it's too much to hope to find the switch part number in the laptop's service manual!

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: Curious. The 286 was introduced in 1982 and the 386 in 1985, so if your portable was made prior to the 386 being introduced, that would be a very old switch.

I think it's too much to hope to find the switch part number in the laptop's service manual!

unfortunately there was no manual that came with the device i've got.

The service manual may be on the Internet — you haven't said what this thing is yet, or what dates are listed on ICs, PCBs, labels etc.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: The service manual may be on the Internet — you haven't said what this thing is yet, or what dates are listed on ICs, PCBs, labels etc.

took me a while. but here are some pictures.
this is the album here... http://imgur.com/a/ob7s1

Ah, so it's from 1988, so that puts it just slightly older than the claim of 1989 for that switch.