Great/Interesting Finds

[Weezer]

I think you mean that he said "THERE WAS NEVER A KEYBOARD AVAILABLE I AM A SCAMMER."

[Rayndalf]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-IBM-36 ... 3087576671

Looks like a monstrous terminal with a built in beamspring for $2000 + shipping. Not sure if it's a good price, but it's certainly unique.

[gianni]

I think you mean that he said "THERE WAS NEVER A KEYBOARD AVAILABLE I AM A SCAMMER."

Lol. He's funny isn't he. Lol. He use caps. He's funny.

I contacted him when the announce came out. There has never been a keyboard. It's just a way to sell the computer. If there's a computer

[Weezer]

I think you mean that he said "THERE WAS NEVER A KEYBOARD AVAILABLE I AM A SCAMMER."

Lol. He's funny isn't he. Lol. He use caps. He's funny.

I contacted him when the announce came out. There has never been a keyboard. It's just a way to sell the computer. If there's a computer

What's so funny? Scams are serious business. That's why I warned everyone that it was a scam

[Elrick]

What's so funny? Scams are serious business. That's why I warned everyone that it was a scam

If you think that buying a REAL keyboard today, on Flebay gets you that item, then you've been smoking too much whacky tabacky .

Far better to buy from here within the DT forums, than waste your time and money on Shonky-flebay for any deals.

[Invisius]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-IBM-36 ... 3087576671

Looks like a monstrous terminal with a built in beamspring for $2000 + shipping. Not sure if it's a good price, but it's certainly unique.

Wow! Did someone here get this? I have never even seen one of these outside of magcard manuals, another black badge unicorn

The keyboard looks like a unique PCB layout, easily the widest I've seen outside of the beamhemoth.

[Rayndalf]

Wow! Did someone here get this? I have never even seen one of these outside of magcard manuals, another black badge unicorn

The keyboard looks like a unique PCB layout, easily the widest I've seen outside of the beamhemoth.

It certainly wasn't me. I hope whoever bought it can restore it to some kind of functional state, but who knows what kind of terminal system it was built for. I assume much of IBM's system work at this point was for large corporations who had a great need for computers (finance, engineering, intelligence etc), so if one of them had an odd request and strict rules about data security we might never know the system existed until someone finds one that escaped destruction.

[hellothere]

https://twitter.com/Foone/status/1294494924025421824. It was for a 1978 IBM 8100.

Gas display panel. I've not heard of that before.

EDIT: https://www.freepatentsonline.com/3760403.pdf. Patents from 1971 to 1973. Cool.

[Weezer]

As hellothere stated, it's from the 8100 information system which was used in an industrial (think warehouse or processing plant) setting. The model of the terminal was the unoriginally named "Keyboard Display model 3,4" and would have been attached to a 8130/8140 Processor via a local loop, but I think it would have also worked with a system/38 as I see many of the usual terminals (3278 3276 8775) are also compatible with the system. Given that it has the attached card reader, the company that used it probably required badge clearance to access the network, or it may have been used in a receiving capacity where different vendors could swipe their mag cards to verify deliveries. I read where some people hypothesize that it was a POS system, but this was not POS. A POS system would not have been economical, even for stores like Sears & Roebuck in the late 1970's. The terminal uses (as stated) an "IBM gas panel display technology" which I'm guessing is a early plasma display, maybe similar to what was seen on the PS/2 P70 years later. Given that the screen is cracked, and when it was powered on by the seller nothing was shown on the screen, it's likely that it wont be possible to get it to functional state without a replacement display, i.e. not possible at all...

[JP!]

As hellothere stated, it's from the 8100 information system which was used in an industrial (think warehouse or processing plant) setting. The model of the terminal was the unoriginally named "Keyboard Display model 3,4" and would have been attached to a 8130/8140 Processor via a local loop, but I think it would have also worked with a system/38 as I see many of the usual terminals (3278 3276 8775) are also compatible with the system. Given that it has the attached card reader, the company that used it probably required badge clearance to access the network, or it may have been used in a receiving capacity where different vendors could swipe their mag cards to verify deliveries. I read where some people hypothesize that it was a POS system, but this was not POS. A POS system would not have been economical, even for stores like Sears & Roebuck in the late 1970's. The terminal uses (as stated) an "IBM gas panel display technology" which I'm guessing is a early plasma display, maybe similar to what was seen on the PS/2 P70 years later. Given that the screen is cracked, and when it was powered on by the seller nothing was shown on the screen, it's likely that it wont be possible to get it to functional state without a replacement display, i.e. not possible at all...

I've never even heard of this

[Invisius]

As hellothere stated, it's from the 8100 information system which was used in an industrial (think warehouse or processing plant) setting. The model of the terminal was the unoriginally named "Keyboard Display model 3,4" and would have been attached to a 8130/8140 Processor via a local loop, but I think it would have also worked with a system/38 as I see many of the usual terminals (3278 3276 8775) are also compatible with the system. Given that it has the attached card reader, the company that used it probably required badge clearance to access the network, or it may have been used in a receiving capacity where different vendors could swipe their mag cards to verify deliveries. I read where some people hypothesize that it was a POS system, but this was not POS. A POS system would not have been economical, even for stores like Sears & Roebuck in the late 1970's. The terminal uses (as stated) an "IBM gas panel display technology" which I'm guessing is a early plasma display, maybe similar to what was seen on the PS/2 P70 years later. Given that the screen is cracked, and when it was powered on by the seller nothing was shown on the screen, it's likely that it wont be possible to get it to functional state without a replacement display, i.e. not possible at all...

Yes it's a real shame about the screen. Would have loved to see this in action, as very few examples of this early plasma screen exist even in museums. The patent hellothere posted has so many interesting details, this must have seemed incredibly advanced and expensive in the mid 70s.

Looks like it used a mix of neon and argon, with 8+ individual conductors for each character. This would have been like a miniaturized, dynamic version of a neon store sign- it must have been incredibly sharp and bright. I also noticed the "ultrawide" 21:9 aspect ratio, something else that was very uncommon during these times. I think you're spot on that this was purpose built for high security industrial applications, and most were just destroyed due to the sensitive environment.

Now who got it?

[xxhellfirexx]

NOS NMB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254709872239

https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=56086.0

[Redmaus]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-IBM-36 ... 3087576671

Looks like a monstrous terminal with a built in beamspring for $2000 + shipping. Not sure if it's a good price, but it's certainly unique.

Man that is cool. I wish these units were more common. Very interesting to have such a tiny 21:9 display, I guess IBM was way ahead of the ultrawide craze

[hellothere]

Leading Edge DC-2014 mechanical keyboard blue Alps switches

Currently $122 with an hour left. Not that it's necessarily a "good deal," but I'd like to see what it eventually sells for.
EDIT: Ended. $132.50. $20 for shipping.

Spoiler:

s-l1600 (4).jpg (167.99 KiB) Viewed 5018 times

=======

Here's a much nicer one, currently at $78.
EDIT: Final was $480.

Spoiler:

s-l1600 (3).jpg (267.93 KiB) Viewed 5018 times

[dcopellino]

Leading Edge DC-2014 mechanical keyboard blue Alps switches

Currently $122 with an hour left. Not that it's necessarily a "good deal," but I'd like to see what it eventually sells for.

EDIT: And a much nicer one, currently at $78.

Do you really like that stuff dude? I don't want to question blue Alps switches, but that layout so xtish, I think it's quite comfortless, IMHO.... Not to mention yellowing, converter needs. Isn't it justs a fashion trend to own a leading edge kbd?

[hellothere]

Do you really like that stuff dude? I don't want to question blue Alps switches, but that layout so xtish, I think it's quite comfortless, IMHO.... Not to mention yellowing, converter needs. Isn't it justs a fashion trend to own a leading edge kbd?

Personally, I've not even tried a blue Alps keyboard. My most recent foray into the world of Alps has only been with clone switches. Some were quite good, mind you, but not "true" Alps. Well, in the 80s and 90s I had Macs, including the 128K, so I've used old-style Alps. And two of the keyboards I've recently repaired have a couple of true Alps switches in them.

The big thing about the Leading Edge keyboards is that the arguably best Alps switch is in arguably the best chassis for Alps switches which also arguably has the best Alps key caps.

As far as the key layout on the Leading Edge keyboards go, I'd be remapping keys and physically moving a couple. I do like the Big Ass return key and the full-size (2U) backspace key. I don't really know how to type, so I don't use the right shift key at all. I do, however use the Windows key, so I'd remap F9 or F10, then ask here if anyone has either a colorful blank key or an actual Windows key. The keys I'd swap are control and alt.

I'm currently selling a Model F keyboard, so I know XT-ness. I could get used to it, I think, but I'm happier with a Model M and I've been really happy with Box Navy switches in a modern case with backlight.

[fohat]

The big thing about the Leading Edge keyboards is that the arguably best Alps switch is in arguably the best chassis for Alps switches which also arguably has the best Alps key caps.

The big thing about the Leading Edge 2014 is that it is just about the only reasonably available keyboard that is a "sure thing" to have blue Alps switches.

The best chassis for Alps by far and away is the Northgate Onmnikey (and in my opinion the 101 variant because it is an entirely straightforward ANSI layout).

LE uses doubleshot ABS caps but there are PBT caps available on Wang 724 and *some* very early Dell or SGI AT101s.

[hellothere]

I sit mostly corrected, then. Thanks!

[hellothere]

Oooh. 1985 Tektronix.

Spoiler:

s-l1600 (1).jpg (104.44 KiB) Viewed 5509 times

[Lekrafter]

Oooh. 1985 Tektronix.

Spoiler:

s-l1600 (1).jpg

Well isn't that board BTC foam and foil?

[hellothere]

Dunno, but it looks cool. Gotta give it points for that. Did you check out those scroll wheels? 13 lock lights?

I only know of Tektronix through their printers. This looks like something for either video work or page setup work.

[hellothere]

Northstar Advantage terminal keyboard drop-in replacement.

Lovely caps. Keytronic. From 1982. Confirmed foam and foil. Only $47, ATM, including shipping.

Spoiler:

s-l1600 (2).jpg (315.79 KiB) Viewed 5306 times

[hellothere]

... And a Dasher for only $970 ...

[Rayndalf]

... And a Dasher for only $970 ...

I think you forgot the '0?' at the end of the URL, but this is pretty neat (everything is complete and nothing is cracked or discolored, but it doesn't turn on, so...)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Data-General-D ... 4314094880?

[hellothere]

... And a Dasher for only $970 ...

I think you forgot the '0?' at the end of the URL, but this is pretty neat (everything is complete and nothing is cracked or discolored, but it doesn't turn on, so...)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Data-General-D ... 4314094880?

I fail at copy/paste. Did fix. Thx.

As far as powering on, that could be anything from a broken switch on up. It's also got fuses, so it might just be a blown fuse. Hey, I'm optimistic!

The reason I don't like working on monitors, especially something like this, is that the CRT and/or power supply can kill you really easily, even if it's been sitting unplugged for years. It would be a cool project, though, if I had an extra $1000 that had to be dedicated to pick up one thing, maybe. Although, I haven't yet tried a beamspring.

[zzxx53]

Lexmark branded m13, with box
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124275298889
Seller apparently has 10+ available, wonder if he accepts offers

[hellothere]

Lexmark branded m13, with box
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124275298889
Seller apparently has 10+ available, wonder if he accepts offers

I read an ad yesterday where a seller was complaining that someone offered him $50 for his listing that was several hundred $. If someone did that to me, I'd reply to the offer with, "Hahahahahahahaha!! No."

I have zero knowledge on pricing for the M13, so I have no Idea if $175 is good or not. I don't like Trackpoints, so it's not for me.

[zzxx53]

Lexmark branded m13, with box
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124275298889
Seller apparently has 10+ available, wonder if he accepts offers

I read an ad yesterday where a seller was complaining that someone offered him $50 for his listing that was several hundred $. If someone did that to me, I'd reply to the offer with, "Hahahahahahahaha!! No."

I have zero knowledge on pricing for the M13, so I have no Idea if $175 is good or not. I don't like Trackpoints, so it's not for me.

As far as IBM branded M13 goes, $150-$200 is about the going rate these days.
This is the first time I've seen a Lexmark branded M13 though. It doesn't even appear in the wiki.
wiki/IBM_part_numbers

[xxhellfirexx]

Strange keyboard layout and caps.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203102820325

[fohat]

In 1992 there was a 5-part TV mini-series on the history of computing.

It was momentarily released on VHS at the time but has been unavailable since. Here it is and it is fascinating. As someone who turned 40 years old in the year of its release and who had been using computers for well under a decade at the time, it was quite an interesting show.

I can't vouch for the provenance of this item, perhaps it is "gray market" I don't know, but I am glad that it became available once again.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174360348985