This week, I've spent some time using an IBM Model M2 keyboard. The keyboard I have is labelled as having been built on October 12th, 1993. These keyboards and their predecessor, the IBM Model M keyboards, were built to stand the test of time. Every key still works and even the connector this keyboard uses (PS/2) is still compatible with most modern PCs.
My interest in this old keyboard comes from a culture emerging around mechanical keyboards. In the 90's in particular, nearly all keyboard manufacturers switched to building membrane or dome-switch keyboards, but a small community sought out and continued to buy and manufacture mechanical keyboards instead.
The insides of most keyboards is roughly comparable to a cheap calculator. Each key on a keyboard sits on top of a bubble of rubber or silicone like those on a calculator. When a key is pressed, it flattens the buddle and sends that key press to the computer. Its cheap to make and easy to mass produce.
However, before this kind of design was popular, most keyboard manufacturers like Lexmark, the company that built my IBM Model M2, used more expensive, intricate mechanisms inside of each key. the Model M and M2 both have individual springs under every key, that buckle under enough pressure and trigger a key press.
Alps, CHERRY, and Topre are all companies that have developed their own varieties of these mechanisms and manufacture them today. Each have different qualities that appeal to different people. Alps tend to feel stiff and were used in some older Apple keyboards. CHERRY keys are the most popular, as they provide a lot of different options ranging from heavy and clicky to light and quiet. Topre makes some of the most expensive switches available, and are often considered the best balance of noise and feel.
All of these keyboards last longer and are easier to repair, which lead them to really dominate the commercial market for point of sales systems, control panels, etc. These style of keyboards are also often credited with improved ergonomics, faster typing speeds, and better accuracy.
Within six months of working at iMarc, I broke my keyboard, and so I started investigating. Not only did I come across the community around mechanical keyboards, but also found that it was rapidly growing as more people have taken the time to really look at the things they use every day and think about whether they're working as well as they could. I ended up with keyboard made by Leopold with CHERRY black switches which has held up and been great to use since.
Whether you're looking for a new keyboard, a new desk, or even a new website, its worth taking the time to look at what's out there and really finding the best solution available. Often the most popular option is the easiest option and its not always clear how much has been lost along the way. While the Model M2 isn't the prettiest keyboard ever made, I could have saved myself nearly twenty years of switching between different keyboards by doing research then.
