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What system is this keyboard for?

Plasma

Plasma

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Nov 7, 2005
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https://www.ebay.com/itm/294900792565

The seller has no idea but it seems like the bidders know...
 
The key setup is pretty much that of an IBM 129 Keypunch. Perhaps it goes with a key-to-tape machine.

I personally don't trust "private listing" bidding; it seems too easy to run a scam to bid up the price although eBay is reporting that there are ten different accounts involved. Anyway, there's no accounting for keyboard trophy hunters ...
 
Who would want to use that with a modern PC? The key placement would drive me nuts.
 
I don’t even want to use vintage keyboards with the computers they go with. Typing anything other than the alphabet on a C64 drives me batty. I mean I will use them of course, but it takes quite a while to get used to them. Even an XT layout takes a little swearing to use correctly, for me these days.
 
Plasma said:
Who would want to use that with a modern PC? The key placement would drive me nuts.
Click to expand...
People who don't need a keypad or function keys.
People who don't care about the caps because they'll buy a new set that fit on the stems.
Millennials who have almost no control over their money because either they made some high-risk investments or snagged criminally good pay jobs and can't throw money away fast enough, no matter how awful their work ethic is.
 
Thank you 'snucci'. It's the "magnetic valve" switches that gets attention I'll bet. As a "data entry system", a keyboard layout akin to the IBM 129 Keypunch certainly makes sense. From their sales brochure: "replacing inefficient, expensive on-line terminals, key/disk clusters, key-tape and key-diskette stations, keypunches, hand-file systems and other remote data entry devices." And in particular: "Ease of learning and use begins with the keyboard designed in the familiar typewriter, keypunch or adding machine style." It's interesting that it assigns the adding-machine style keypad (1-over-M and then increases rightwards and upwards) whereas the original IBM keypunch assigns 1-over-U, and then increases rightwards and downwards.
 
pbirkel@gmail.com said:
The key setup is pretty much that of an IBM 129 Keypunch. Perhaps it goes with a key-to-tape machine.

I personally don't trust "private listing" bidding; it seems too easy to run a scam to bid up the price although eBay is reporting that there are ten different accounts involved. Anyway, there's no accounting for keyboard trophy hunters ...
Click to expand...
I agree that this looks like a keypunch keyboard. My memories of such are pretty old (from the 70s) but the Field Rel key rings a bell.
 
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