[WTB] [WTTF] IBM 3279/3278a02 or rare beamer variant

[jmaynard]

OK, I added some information to the beam spring keyboards entry.

[Redmaus]

Actually, as the filename shows, this isn't a regular 3279, but a 3278 model 2A. And yes, it's probably rarer. The regular 3279 used a 3278 keyboard (possibly with a couple of different key legends). The 3278-2A was the system console for the 4331 and 4341 mainframes. The buttons and lights at the top are for powering the system on and off, and IMLing it (doing an initial microcode load, basically resetting and reloading everything that made the computer know how to be an IBM mainframe).

Super cool. I was always curious what the "IML" button stood for. I have also seen this one called a 3278a02 and 3279 so good to know the actual IBM name.

The Wikipedia picture of a 3279 in the 3270 article is actually not a regular 3279, but a 3279 model 2C, which was the console version. If you look, the buttons and lights and keys are slightly different from the 3278-2A. I think the 3279-2C was used with the 4361 and 4381, but it's been far too long since I saw one of those machines to know for sure.

I wonder which one was the color monitor variant? I have seen that one and it is glorious. But I feel like there are definitely more 3278a02 style keyboards made than the color monitor terminal.

Now if I could only get one...

[jmaynard]

The 3279 was the color terminal, the 3278 was monochrome.

[Weezer]

Yeah this is correct. The 3279 color terminal could be attached with any of the keyboard models available for the 3270 line. The A02 model was usually hooked to a 3278/3276 which was being used as the control terminal.

[Redmaus]

Bump!

[Redmaus]

Bump