The day I wrote that comment I had just encountered a stupid person who claims to know all about Tetris and she really didn’t help it I could play Tetris on a old apple keyboard it’s tricky but you get used to it
People: "I like the feeling of mechanical switches" Manufacturers: "So let's use rubber domes instead" People: "I like how the keys travel" Manufacturers: "So let's make them ultra flat, or replace with a touch screen"
You forgot the Apple Extended Keyboard which came out in 1990, it's probably the best keyboard Apple ever made, is large, feels good, types good, has a detachable ADB connector for both mouse and to the computer, is fully mechanical, and is just all around a great keyboard worth using if you have the space (it's BIG, even bigger then most IBM keyboards at the time though not quite as heavy).
4 года назад
It came out in 87 with the Mac II. In 1990, you got the AEK *II*.
What ever happened with the caps lock key actually locking? Feel like that could have been something to continue until today. As for the plastic tab that comes off on the extra keypad to the Adjustable Keyboard, it was probably there to keep the user from rubbing out the printed text right next to the buttons. As I assume that the Function key are just printed on to the case.
@@Weensx You're a muppet. With the Caps LOCK key staying LOCKED down, it's obvious whether it's on or off, even to blind users. I would much rather have a Caps Lock key like that than the trash we have today. My Thinkpad doesn't even have an LED for Caps Lock. Lots of keyboards just have that 3 LED top right config for lock indicators, too, far away from the actual keys they represent. That's annoying. There are still lots of locking/telescope buttons, even in pens. Just because you can't see the utility doesn't mean it's "s..p.d and annoying."
Very cool! I remember about a third of these keyboard from Public School in the 90's. My school system was heavily invested in Apple hardware, we definitely had almost all of these over time. Thanks for doing these retro videos to learn in retrospect the names & time periods of all the hardware
I like the grumpy guy with the musical hearing, like first he describes the first keyboard as having an echo, then occasionally he mentions how he doesn't like the sound and that a big let down for him. He's attatude thought, pretty funny!
Cool. I discovered this channel around 2017, I think, so it’s fun to see an early 8-Bit video. Just like Apple keyboards, you’re getting better and better over time! Thanks for all the hard work!
You left off my favorite Apple keyboard ever, the Apple Extended Keyboard II. I still use the two I own with that ADB/USB adapter. You also left off its predecessor, the Apple Extended Keyboard, which is truly HUGE; it came out about the time of the Mac SE and Mac II. They have all the keys that the "pros" wanted, plus the keys are "mechanical," unlike the later "squishy" Apple Design keyboard (which is on your list).
The control in inverted with the capslock is useful because it's closer to the keys you combine it with, while capslock don't need to be close as it's not used for combinations.
your voice and videos are so soothing, light and relaxing, as well as often fascinating and educational! keep doin what you do. thanks for the relaxation :) helps my anxiety
The plastic overlay on external keypad is almost certainly to fit a paper overlay under, listing what the function keys do (in the current application). A lot of older keyboards have it; I'm surprised you didn't recognize it.
No mention of the Apple Extended Keyboard I/II? That's a huge letdown David :(. I think they were the best keyboards apple has ever made, and they had a close to standard layout (aside from one less modifier key to the lower right of the alpha keys) which would've taken away most of your friend's qualms about the weird arrow keys.
Yup, even today some commercial keyboards are sold with translucent caps over the normal keycaps so they could be labelled or "relegended" as it says in the manual.
I find it kind of hilarious how many commenters dislike "checkered shirt guy". He's brilliant! Genuinely cracked me up. Quite the character. I'd have loved to see his assessment of the various vintage systems the channel deals with.
Interesting video. The early ones really don't look that bad, though a bit unusual in comparison to modern equipment. Do you have any intention of softening up your studio space at all, it really sounds like a basement. Carpet, and some acoustic tiles on the ceiling would go a long way towards cleaning up the audio. Thanks for the vid.
I have sound deadening foam on pretty much every surface that is not visible by the camera. However, I went the cheap route and got foam that was meant for packing. It does have the little "fingers" or whatever, but the foam is only 2 inches thick and I think I should have gotten 4-inch.
I'm wondering what it sounded like before adding that. I would have thought that even thin foam would have done the trick. I was mainly hearing an echo when you were having other people comment on the keyboards. They were in a corner behind your desk. It may just have been that corner causing the issue. I guess I don't know what you could do that wouldn't change the look of your set. Do you have carpeting on the floor?
Scott M - It sounded like a cave before. Yes, I have carpet in there but it is thin commercial carpet. I have considered ripping that out and putting in thicker, plush carpet.
The iBookGuy That may help. The only other thing you might do is to hang drapes on the walls behind the desk. I don't know if you want to cover up the equipment and shelves though. Seriously though, the sound certainly isn't going to stop anyone from watching your videos. In your intro, I actually like the way the echo interacts with the clacking of the keyboard. Well, I'm off to continue mowing...wet grass and all. What fun! Regards; Scotty
Not sure why I didn't notice this video before, but you are missing a few key things: The Apple Extended Keyboard an Extended Keyboard II - they line up in time with the "Apple Keyboard" and the "Apple Keyboard II" ADB keyboards; but are "full size" with inverted T arrows, F-keys, etc. Plus, you're missing the add-on numeric keypad for the original Macintosh keyboard, the Macintosh Plus keyboard (used the same RJ-11 jack, but had the numeric keypad in the unit,) and the Adjustable Keyboard's add-on numeric keypad!
You missed the Apple Extended Keyboard and the Extended II. If the space bar on my Extended II wasn't broken, I'd still be using it today. They came with the Macintosh II and Mac SE, and they're wonderful.
I bought an AEK off Craigslist years ago to use with an old Mac. It had a bad space bar as well. Turns out it was just a piece of spring-loaded metal that came out of its clip under the space bar. I popped it back in, and it worked great. I'm using a Matias Tactile Pro now, but aside from having the option characters printed on the keycaps, I still prefer the AEK.
+THEtechknight This! And (IMO) the Apple Extended I & II were best Apple keyboards, at that! Showing a history of Apple keyboards but missing the best ones is a very disappointing and a depressingly incomplete survey of keyboards. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Extended_Keyboard
I love the keyboards that make the good-n-proper “Click clack” sound. Also, my Laptop is so ancient, it doesn’t have a keypad, and it has a cylinder for volume.
Theres' nothing weird about having capslock key in the unusual place. Many terminal keyboards were designed that way. I love the location of original Apple II and the old keyboard where the Control key is switched with Caps Lock. For computer professionals and programmers (especially for those who accesses Control key often), this is a must. Many modern gamer/programmer keyboard (i.e. HHKB, etc) allows this. My Leopold mechanical keyboard does this as well.
if no one has said it yet. That plastic cover at 5:45 is a protector for little paper layouts that you would put under it to mark what keys do in certain programs.
The plastic cover on the keypad is your standard shield for mapping labeling. Like on old phones, pop off the plastic, drop in a scrap of paper with extension names and numbers...
How much ever you diss these keyboards, they were always treated good and well received when new in the 80s and 90s or the 00s and people used them daily.
On the subject of weird keyboards and keys, I liked my childhood Gateway 2000 AnyKey keyboard (looked up keyboards with diagonal arrow keys, and there it is with the left-hand Function keys). There's empty space on my keyboard without them, so why not? For the few games that used it, it was great. I do remember the asterisk key screwing up in Air Warrior, because it wasn't the same asterisk as Shift+8, so it didn't drop paratroopers. My dad chuckled at that when I was upset it wasn't working.
Mechanical switches are very modern and are still used in gaming keyboards and mice. If you weren't such an apple fan you would realize that there are constant innovations to mechanical switches today
From no angle he is a fanboy, he's completely reasonable with all available technologies, and acknowledge them for what they are, as long as he's familiar with them. You, on the other hand, are clearly a very butthurt Windows fanboy. Did any of his videos touch a nerve or two, perhaps?
Funny you mention that, because some of the mechanical switches used in AEK1 for example, are extremely sought after these days because of how good they are. Many nice switches have come to exist very very recently, but ones used in the 80s often find a lot of appreciation these days too.
Bought a Mac a few years ago, had a hard time getting used to it so I returned it. This was a nice trip down memory lane. Question: Why do you not offer a "Card" linking to Part 2? Cheers
