Great/Interesting Finds

[Muirium]

I’m with the inestimable chocolatier on this one. These boards were created as IBM clones and originally marketed that way. The eBay seller isn’t any more scummy or villainous than Mtek itself!

Besides, Elrick: isn’t your usual policy to blame buyers for being tools? From another thread:

Usually never blame the seller here, it's the payer/buyer that needs his butt kicked around the block for fun. Maybe then it teaches them not to throw away their money like that on trivial garbage .

Be consistent, man! It’s pretty obvious what this board is. Switch pics and all. Anyone buying it, thinking they scored an IBM AT, is a total spanner.

[JP!]

I agree. It is an accurate description and might be useful for someone with a vintage PC who wants a keyboard without paying Model F prices...but obviously this seller thinks their keyboard is made out of gold.

[ZedTheMan]

The price of the board is much too high but there are no problems with the advertising. It's better than most on eBay in that regard, in fact. Switch is clearly shown, steps taken for cleaning listed, fact that it is clearly a generic clone mentioned, computer keybo protocols it works with listed, quality photos. Elrick my friend, I think you are trying to find malicious intent where there is none.

[xicanoink]

Hey is somebody here getting rid of their Model M?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-Mo ... 3959247250

[JP!]

Hey is somebody here getting rid of their Model M?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-Mo ... 3959247250

Can't say I've seen this Model M with unique legends before or this user on eBay before.

[kmnov2017]

Hey is somebody here getting rid of their Model M?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-IBM-Mo ... 3959247250

This is not exactly a "Great/Interesting" find.

[Muirium]

Can't say I've seen this Model M with unique legends before or this user on eBay before.

Well, they're not unique:



The numpad is quite like this terminal Model M I had some years ago. That extra wordy mod just left of the spacebar is, however, quite different!

[JP!]

The numpad is quite like this terminal Model M I had some years ago. That extra wordy mod just left of the spacebar is, however, quite different!

Well the numpad seems standard for this model but some of the other legends seem more unique maybe so perhaps I should have clarified.

[Elrick]

Elrick my friend, I think you are trying to find malicious intent where there is none.

So selling any type of keyboard is fine particularly adding such false and useless info as a "Model-F" in the title to describe the keyboard, is valid to you?

YES, now I know why such sellers persist with this style of scam, because you lot ALL approve of it.

What's next, selling your old 1989 Hyundai and then mentioning in the title, it's related to a 1969 Cobra Mustang, seems valid as well?

Just never stops, the mistruth's being approved of, then you wonder why Ebay is awash with scammers and liars? If there is no consistent standard here on DT, then why wonder how terrible Ebay is becoming, when it comes to selling any described input device.....

[Muirium]

What's next, selling your old 1989 Hyundai and then mentioning in the title, it's related to a 1969 Cobra Mustang, seems valid as well?

If the 1989 Hyundai was a lookalike ***clone*** of the 1969 Cobra, and labelled as such in the auction, then your comparison is correct and the answer is also Yes!

[Elrick]

If the 1989 Hyundai was a lookalike ***clone*** of the 1969 Cobra, and labelled as such in the auction, then your comparison is correct and the answer is also Yes!

NO it isn't in any way, shape or form. Any enthusiast will let you know about that crucial fact because it would never look, sound or feel anything like a Cobra Mustang.

I suppose the Hyundai has 4 Wheels like a '69 Cobra, so yes that would be the ONLY relatable link here. Then the seller should of correctly mentioned in the title description that the Hyundai has 4 Wheels just like a 1969 Cobra Mustang but then again, lets see the wheels to actually confirm that statement.

[zrrion]

look at this bozo thinking a '69 cobra could match up to anything honda makes lol

[Muirium]

but then again, lets see the wheels.

And indeed we did. The keyboard listing has a pic of the obviously not IBM keyswitches.

I get where you're coming from, emotionally. But feelings aren't the same thing as logic. You're using the wrong medium entirely here to get them across!

[User101]

So selling any type of keyboard is fine particularly adding such false and useless info as a "Model-F" in the title to describe the keyboard, is valid to you?

Where’s the scam and false advertisement? Seller clearly said GENERIC Model F CLONE and showed the switches, where is the scam? The keyboard is EXACTLY what the seller described to be, a model f clone! Accurate, not false and useless, info is what you got here. Lets see, if this seller here didn’t said anything about model f and someone bought it thinking it is one, is that a scam? Any sane person would say no and this seller here is trying to tell you that is it NOT a model f, what a scammer! If someone bought this keyboard thinking its a model f when the seller clearly said it is NOT, does it make the seller a scammer? Your logic make absolutely no sense whatsoever! Please chill out and rethink!

BTW price should be 24 not 240, you can roast him as much as you want for the pricing.

[zrrion]

Why are people engaging in what is either obvious trolling, or a moron? dont feed the trolls is simple stuff

[User101]

Why are people engaging in what is either obvious trolling, or a moron? dont feed the trolls is simple stuff

I just think its fun poking at stupid stuff like this. Now you said it maybe im the stupid one here

[Elrick]

Seller clearly said GENERIC Model F CLONE and showed the switches, where is the scam? The keyboard is EXACTLY what the seller described to be, a model f clone!

Here's a Model-F switch mechanism;

https://www.google.com/search?q=model-f ... 8&bih=1196

Here is some decent Model-F footage showing how great these keyboards truly are;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKOWVKJRFX8

Now here is the Mitsumi Miniture switch based garbage, the seller is passing off as a Model-F clone;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYRVp3cYVg4

See it on video at 10:36 time.

ALWAYS provide the FACTS and nothing more, hence there is NO correlation on Planet Earth between any Model-F switch design to that awful abortion, known as the Mitsumi crapola switch being sold from this dubious seller.

It would of been more appropriate to call it an early, slipped on raw sewage, Cherry design instead .

Looks like approving fake crap seems to be the underlying aspect to this community here. Proof has no meaning nor any relevance to anyone, looking to offload rubbish onto the public.

Of course just mention it's a confirmed "Model-F clone" and get the greedy thieves to start clapping their hands in unison. Just goes to show the desperation and hunger for money these days, even amongst the so-called experts here on DT .

Again have to say thanks to Chyros for providing much of the facts relating to actual keyboard switches which many shyster sellers probably loave so much.

[Muirium]

Why are people engaging in what is either obvious trolling, or a moron? dont feed the trolls is simple stuff

I just think its fun poking at stupid stuff like this. Now you said it maybe im the stupid one here

As the old proverb goes: don’t bring a knife to a water pistol fight.

[JP!]

Market leaders from the dawn of human civilization to present have set the molds from which others tried to duplicate and improve upon. This is no different when IBM was an innovator in the PC market. In the 80's and 90's there was an entire industry comprised of many different computer companies offering cheaper alternatives with varying levels of IBM-PC compatibility. With so many products on the market which functioned the same and looked similar, the term 'clone' became standard computer jargon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_compatible

I see nothing wrong using the term clone as long as it is accurately used. In the case of this eBay seller in question I think it is likely they might be slightly uninformed/misinformed and are not intending to be deceptive. Many normal sellers stumble upon a vintage keyboard or two and do some cursory research as a prudent seller should as to best market their item. They are not experts and can fall into the trap which is eBay and it's toxic sellers that list their items above market price which sets a precedent for other sellers.

We can say 'Model F' was an entire series of keyboards offered by IBM with common underlying design features and characteristics. Many of us here know that a true 'Model F' clone would need to have similar IBM design features such as a capacitive PCB and buckling spring switches. I think it would be slightly more accurate to describe this keyboard as a 'Model F AT' clone as it resembles this specific keyboard. It could also be described as a 'PC AT' clone.

Saying this seller is passing off garbage as a 'Model F' is far from the truth. This seller to a some extent might want their listing to appear more frequently as there are more people searching for Model F's than for some generic clone. If this is the case it is not done in an abusive manner and is not unlike the many manufacturers of the past that once took advantage of the coat-tails of IBM's success and brand recognition.

Also:

Spoiler:

A Model F AT

21.JPG (161.27 KiB) Viewed 6743 times

A 3278 Beamspring

beamspring.jpg (378.84 KiB) Viewed 6743 times

And this infamous IBM Model M imposter

[Findecanor]

Whenever I see "Model F clone" the first thing I think of is a keyboard in a similar layout to the Model F XT or Model F AT -- but not branded IBM, and of course with other switches than buckling spring. Therefore, I think this description is apt.

Something worse I often see on eBay is when an auction has "IBM" in its title, but actually referring to the word "IBM-compatible" on the keyboard's box. I think that sometimes this is intentional keyword-spamming, and sometimes it is the seller just being ignorant and sloppy.

[Keybug]

Okay, here I go with my usual rant: Mitsumi Miniature are actually excellent tactile switches. The problem is that the metal used at the top of the switch casing corrodes over time and causes the movement of the slider to become very sticky. All you have to do is to smear / spray the switch top with WD40 and the switches will instantly become very smooth again. If anyone's interested, I can post a typing video of a board so treated. I have done some of my fastest typing speed runs with Mitsumi Miniature boards.

As for the definition of 'Model F clone', I would also use the term for any keyboard that resembles an F's shape and layout, regardless of what's hiding inside.

[Hak Foo]

Has anyone mentioned that Unicomp is dredgng some warehouse utems up for Black Friday?

https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/BLACK

They're presently advertising Bigfoot Fs for like 70USD, "refurbished in 1996".

[User101]

Why are people engaging in what is either obvious trolling, or a moron? dont feed the trolls is simple stuff

I just think its fun poking at stupid stuff like this. Now you said it maybe im the stupid one here

As the old proverb goes: don’t bring a knife to a water pistol fight.

Wise words indeed

[User101]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3994407904

Anyone wants to play the switch lottery here?

[John Doe]

Has anyone mentioned that Unicomp is dredgng some warehouse utems up for Black Friday?

https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/BLACK

They're presently advertising Bigfoot Fs for like 70USD, "refurbished in 1996".

Have you paid for one? Its really a good chance to get 5291 with nice price.

[JP!]

Has anyone mentioned that Unicomp is dredgng some warehouse utems up for Black Friday?

https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/BLACK

They're presently advertising Bigfoot Fs for like 70USD, "refurbished in 1996".

Oh very interesting. I don't need a Bigfoot but can't wait to see what else they dig out of their warehouse.

[Hak Foo]

Honestly, I want an ordinary 103-key USB unit in the modernized case but at a modest discount. It irks me that I can get the black one for $94 but the white-case and two-tone caps costs 104 plus postage. I had the old-layout 104, but gave it to a co-worker when I left my old job. The new 104 layout's just awful.

[yuchipashe]

Has anyone mentioned that Unicomp is dredgng some warehouse utems up for Black Friday?

https://www.pckeyboard.com/page/category/BLACK

They're presently advertising Bigfoot Fs for like 70USD, "refurbished in 1996".

Oh very interesting. I don't need a Bigfoot but can't wait to see what else they dig out of their warehouse.

Interestingly, more Bigfoot Fs, an M122 APL converted to USB from 1993 for $90, and an M50 w/o cable for $70.

[JP!]

Interestingly, more Bigfoot Fs, an M122 APL converted to USB from 1993 for $90, and an M50 w/o cable for $70.

[sharktastica]

Interestingly, more Bigfoot Fs, an M122 APL converted to USB from 1993 for $90, and an M50 w/o cable for $70.

Not a bad selection - I just bought one of the M50s. I'm absolutely gutted by the bigfoot offering though because I bought one Wednesday off eBay for almost twice the price!