deskthority

While completely stripping down my G80-3700HAU, I noticed something really odd:
The num lock switch isn't a normal Cherry MX switch. The LED position has a "wall" around the LED position. It's not a vintage keyboard either — the plastic moulds were made in March 1997, and the final assembly was from mid-April 1997 (week 17).

A couple more shots:
I've never seen this before, but it's fairly subtle and I missed it the first time when I was photographing the switch previously.

All the Cherry boards I have with LEDs have these aswell. 1501, 2100 and also the much older 2000.

Never seen this before, and I had to check your pics a fair few times before I figured out what you ment. I have to check all my boards and see if I have one of these aswell.

It's one kind of cherry switch. A lot of cherry switches with LED like the MX switch just in your photo. It's also have a long feet,if you get the lid off. There should be a long feet in the front of the foot of the LED.

My 3700 and 2100 have this as well

I've come across these before as well, I think either on 1191 or 1501 and also on the Alcatel MMK I had that was made around the same time in mid to late 90's which also all had some windowed keycap as standard. None of my older 80's made boards had those either, nor ones made after 2000 that I have had so far.
I've also seen picture of it for switch part numbers like
MX1A11RW, MX1A11GW, MX1A11YW
which come with preinstalled led on some old datasheet.

Does anyone know why Cherry did this? I mean, the whole MX series is specifically designed to take an LED, yet when Cherry fit an LED, they use a different shape switch? What is the great big circular hole in the front of the switch for, if it's deemed unsuitable by Cherry for putting an LED into?

I can't see any sign of an extra/larger foot anywhere, and the soldering on my G80-3700 is beautiful so I'm certainly not going to take a switch out :) (It was almost NIB — just a bit of light dust inside and a bit of grime on the case itself. I assume the Cherry sticker originally came on backing paper for optional application, and the previous owner decided to affix it.)

I've had a look round the wiki; the only page that conclusively depicts the same switch is this one:

[wiki]Cherry G80-1501[/wiki]

I have no other referenceable material at this time.

The eraly cherry for production,and now for bussiness and money.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: Does anyone know why Cherry did this? I mean, the whole MX series is specifically designed to take an LED, yet when Cherry fit an LED, they use a different shape switch? What is the great big circular hole in the front of the switch for...

Jumper wire, fixing wire or diodes?

None of the above (unless by "diode" you're including LEDs). The diode or jumper goes inside the switch. (The wiki needs some proper photos of these two — large, sharp and clear.)