Anyone tried using a different keyboard on the 3B1?

[DoN Nichols]

In article <1991Feb17.185345.27854 at texrex.uucp> rmfowler at texrex.uucp (Rex Fowler) writes:
>In article <1991Feb16.045206.323 at ceilidh.beartrack.com> dnichols at ceilidh.beartrack.com (DoN Nichols) writes:
>
>>and one 7300.  One of the 3b1's came with the newer keyboard (the stiffer
>>one), and the other two with the older, softer keyboard.  (They may be
>>identifed by the tactile indicators on the home keys (F & J)).  If the
>>tactile indicator is a vertical line, to the left of the letters, it is the
>>older keyboard, while if the tactile indicator is a horizontal line under
>>the letters, it is the newer keyboard.
>
>My keyboard has the vertical lines to the RIGHT of the f & j letters.
>It feels like a fairly stiff keyboard..

	My apologies.  I was working from memory, and as usual, memory is
not a thing to trust implicitly.  I dug out the keyboard in question, and
the vertical lines ARE to the right.

	The sensation of stiffness comes more from the crispness of the
breakpoint in key travel. (The point at which the preceived force drops
noticeably).  A re-check (without using a force guage) says that the force
to bottom the key is probably nearly the same, but the key FEELS more
positive.  (Goes down to cellar, says "Now where did I put that force
guage?", scratches head, comes upstairs, picks up Ohaus weight set.)  Now,
it takes 65g to depress the 'f' key on the new kbd, 51g on the old kbd.  (At
these levels, the key will slowly depress while I'm looking for the next
size weight.)  (erases lots of 'f's from article) So, the old keyboard is
lighter (slightly, at least for one key), and the new one has the greater
feel of crispness, which is what I REALLY want, since it gives me better
tactile feedback..

	Wish I had the equipment to profile the effort needed throughout the
entire keystroke.

>
>>
>>	BTW, the softer keyboards are marked as being made in USA, while the
>>stiffer ones are marked as originating in Japan.
>
>Mine says Made in USA

	Yep, matches the vertical grooves for the home keys.

	[ ... accumulated .sig(s) removed ... ]

	DoN.
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