Old style keyboards ? ? ?

[geotews6@______.com]

Does any company still sell keyboards that dont have the windows keys?
I hate those extra keys. I never use them, and because the ctrl and
alt keys are smaller I keep hitting those useless things. I had
several old keyboards and have used them until now. This is my last
one and it's dying with a dead down-arrow key. I'd much prefer to get
a NEW keyboard since the old ones are usually pretty well worn. Does
anyone know of a source that still sells them? (Not Ebay, please).

By the way, what do Macintosh keyboards have in place of those things
or dont they have them at all? I'd imagine a Mac keyboard wont plug
into a PC.

Thanks

George

 

[Brian A.]

<geotews6@______.com> wrote in message
news:9h31a31oinjr9ure59anmuclne6i36mtth@4ax.com...
> Does any company still sell keyboards that dont have the windows keys?
> I hate those extra keys. I never use them, and because the ctrl and
> alt keys are smaller I keep hitting those useless things. I had
> several old keyboards and have used them until now. This is my last
> one and it's dying with a dead down-arrow key. I'd much prefer to get
> a NEW keyboard since the old ones are usually pretty well worn. Does
> anyone know of a source that still sells them? (Not Ebay, please).
>
> By the way, what do Macintosh keyboards have in place of those things
> or dont they have them at all? I'd imagine a Mac keyboard wont plug
> into a PC.
>
> Thanks
>
> George

Something like this?
http://onlinestore.siig.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=9&cat=Keyboards+and+Mice

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[thanatoid]

"Brian A." <gonefish'n@afarawaylake> wrote in
news:Oo7SdpgzHHA.2484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

> <geotews6@______.com> wrote in message
> news:9h31a31oinjr9ure59anmuclne6i36mtth@4ax.com...
>> Does any company still sell keyboards that dont have the
>> windows keys? I hate those extra keys. I never use them,
>> and because the ctrl and alt keys are smaller I keep
>> hitting those useless things. I had several old keyboards
>> and have used them until now. This is my last one and
>> it's dying with a dead down-arrow key.

There is a switch underneath. You COULD get a replacement switch
from www.mouser.com for about 50 cents. You'd just have to
carefully open and disassemble the thing to replace it. Maybe a
little soldering, I don't know.

>> I'd much prefer to
>> get a NEW keyboard since the old ones are usually pretty
>> well worn. Does anyone know of a source that still sells
>> them? (Not Ebay, please).

Your only chance would be to go searching in places where
businesses dump their old stuff, and where hundreds of such
keyboards may be sitting... And try some out or just buy a
few... But those places are NOT easy to find... And there aren't
many since most of the stuff ends up at the city dump.

Overall I totally agree with you, besides the superiority of
those keyboards lies in the fact they use actual switches under
each key AOT a membrane (like in remote controls) which is what
the $5 keyboards you get with all "quality brand name" computers
use. What garbage.

I had an old IBM keyboard WITHOUT the windows keys that a friend
gave me. I used Ctl/Esc for one of the windows keys that
actually has some use, and ignored the other. Alas, the poor
thing died after about 5 years (it was about 10 or more years
old when I got it from him).
I was lucky to find a couple of REAL (i.e. with switches, not
membrane) Dell keyboards for $6 each and I still have one as
backup... They DO have the Windows keys but they are VERY good.
Big and solid, too.

>> By the way, what do Macintosh keyboards have in place of
>> those things or dont they have them at all? I'd imagine a
>> Mac keyboard wont plug into a PC.

Correct. There are several totally different keys and a totally
different system overall.

> Something like this?
> http://onlinestore.siig.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=9&cat
> =Keyboards+and+Mice

Strangely, the site does not mention the dimensions, but I have
a feeling those are rather small, and the OP mentions "hitting
other keys by mistake due to small size". Also, if there is
anything worse than Windows keys, it's the Fn key and no
separate arrows and numeric keypad sections.

I'm afraid you may not be able to escape the Windows keys on a
NEW keyboard, but if you look around the web computer stores,
you may be able to find some nice full-size keyboards with real
switches, made by Saitek and other specialty brands. The good
ones are not cheap but they are very nice. Otherwise, buy five
of the $5 membrane ones and get ready to return 2 of them as
DOA, and to replace the "good ones" frequently.

t.

--
Any mental activity is easy if it need not be subjected to
reality.

 

[dadiOH]

geotews6@______.com wrote:
> Does any company still sell keyboards that dont have the windows
> keys? I hate those extra keys. I never use them, and because the
> ctrl and alt keys are smaller I keep hitting those useless things.

Remap it.

BTW, they aren't useless. Rather handy IMO, YMMV.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[Don Phillipson]

<geotews6@______.com> wrote in message
news:9h31a31oinjr9ure59anmuclne6i36mtth@4ax.com...

> Does any company still sell keyboards that dont have the windows keys?
> I hate those extra keys. I never use them, and because the ctrl and
> alt keys are smaller I keep hitting those useless things. I had
> several old keyboards and have used them until now. This is my last
> one and it's dying with a dead down-arrow key. I'd much prefer to get
> a NEW keyboard since the old ones are usually pretty well worn.

Two indicators may help locate what you want:
1. AT layout was in the 1980s the name of the
classic keyboard, with the F-keys in two columns
at the left side, balancing the keypad on the right.
2. ALPS was the name of the best-known maker
of key mechanisms, found in Northgate and other
premium makes of KB.
(My two Northgate Omnikey 102 KBs have been
in service for 20 years and show no signs of wearing out.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

 

[Brian A.]

"thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message
news:Xns9977794951C67thanexit@66.250.146.158...
> "Brian A." <gonefish'n@afarawaylake> wrote in
> news:Oo7SdpgzHHA.2484@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:
<snipped>
>> Something like this?
>> http://onlinestore.siig.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=9&cat
>> =Keyboards+and+Mice
>
> Strangely, the site does not mention the dimensions, but I have
> a feeling those are rather small, and the OP mentions "hitting
> other keys by mistake due to small size". Also, if there is
> anything worse than Windows keys, it's the Fn key and no
> separate arrows and numeric keypad sections.

Enhanced 80-key mini-size PC Keyboard
Dimensions: 1 1/2" (H) x 11 5/8" (W) x 6" (D)

The MiniTouch PS/2 Plus
Dimensions: 11 5/8" (L) x 6" (W) x 1 1/2" (H)

Funny how they change the order. I guess we aren't supposed to notice that.


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Franc Zabkar]

On Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:29:33 -0500, geotews6@______.com put finger to
keyboard and composed:

>Does any company still sell keyboards that dont have the windows keys?
>I hate those extra keys. I never use them, and because the ctrl and
>alt keys are smaller I keep hitting those useless things.

I have an MS keyboard on my other machine with lots of special keys
that I never use, except out of curiosity (the keyboard was a prize).
In your case you may be able to physically disable those keys by
desoldering the switch contacts, or by removing a conductive rubber
dome, or by cutting out a conductive pad.

- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

 

[teebo]

> Does any company still sell keyboards that dont have the windows keys?
> I hate those extra keys. I never use them, and because the ctrl and

me too!

> alt keys are smaller I keep hitting those useless things. I had
> several old keyboards and have used them until now. This is my last
> one and it's dying with a dead down-arrow key. I'd much prefer to get

are you sure it is dead? It might just need som cleaning. take
everything apart and clean in water, it takes some time but you get
clean keys as a bonus!

(if there is actually something broken, you could perhaps create
one keyboard out of two by stealing keycaps or rubberbumps from another
one, and it is possible to tape new lines on the plastic sheets if
they are dead because of too much corrodic coffe²)

> a NEW keyboard since the old ones are usually pretty well worn. Does
> anyone know of a source that still sells them? (Not Ebay, please).
>
> By the way, what do Macintosh keyboards have in place of those things
> or dont they have them at all? I'd imagine a Mac keyboard wont plug
> into a PC.

I think they have apple-symbols and "sight worth seeing"-sign symbols
on their keys down there. I think it was to be as same-as-apple
as possible that microsoft "invented" the windows-keys...