Casey
Veteran Member
My daily driver, like most modern systems, only has 1 ps/2 port on it. Since I never liked the included keyboard (flat keys, feels like a laptop keyboard, rearranged cursor keys) I used an old IBM rubber dome keyboard I had for years and the included USB mouse. I rather like the Asus mouse.
The IBM keyboard finally gave up the ghost after 20 years. I guess I spilled tea on it once too many times. No big deal as I found several nice keyboards (Dell, HP, even a MS internet model) at a local thrift store for 99 cents each one day.
About a week ago, the Dell started acting flaky, so I dropped in the HP. Same behavior. I finally figured out for some reason the ps/2 port was going bad; at least the (previously unused) USB keyboard worked fine. I just cant STAND the action or the layout. So I bought a converter. At least they said it was a converter... I plugged the Dell into that, and it worked fine for an hour, then locked. The system wouldn't even boot with that sucker plugged in. So I reverted to the loathed Asus keyboard. Ug. Shall I point out that the Asus keys are marked with light grey letters on black keys? Very hard to read.
Thing is, I like a full-sized, sculpted key layout. No L-shaped enter key, no "improved" key layout, just what God & IBM intended. I can't afford a model M, but there are some decent rubber dome versions out there. My old IBM is one, the Dell is another. I started looking on eBay only to find that the Asus was representative of many inexpensive USB keyboards. Black with low-contrast lettering, short-stroke laptop-like action, cramped "space saving" layout with improvements.
I finally found a Lenovo USB keyboard with what looks like a decent layout & action. Still black but at least the keys have white labels. Took the plunge & ordered one. It should show up in a day or two, now.
...This past weekend I remembered a keyboard a friend had given me; a Compaq model 9978. I looked beat up so I dropped in the spares box and ignored it. I got it out, and realized it was more dirty than broken, and the missing keys were useless ones across the top (media keys and such). And... wait for it... it's USB. After I ordered the other keyboard I dug this out. I plugged it in and all the normal keys work just find, and the action is very good for a rubber dome. Sigh. Oh, well, I'll have two usable USB keyboards soon.
Funny thing is, I plugged the Compaq into a front USB port to see how well it worked, so both keyboards were functioning at once. No conflict, and pressing Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock not only changed the LEDs on the Compaq, they changed on the Asus keyboard as well. Go figure.
...And the moral of the story is: always check the spares box first.
The IBM keyboard finally gave up the ghost after 20 years. I guess I spilled tea on it once too many times. No big deal as I found several nice keyboards (Dell, HP, even a MS internet model) at a local thrift store for 99 cents each one day.
About a week ago, the Dell started acting flaky, so I dropped in the HP. Same behavior. I finally figured out for some reason the ps/2 port was going bad; at least the (previously unused) USB keyboard worked fine. I just cant STAND the action or the layout. So I bought a converter. At least they said it was a converter... I plugged the Dell into that, and it worked fine for an hour, then locked. The system wouldn't even boot with that sucker plugged in. So I reverted to the loathed Asus keyboard. Ug. Shall I point out that the Asus keys are marked with light grey letters on black keys? Very hard to read.
Thing is, I like a full-sized, sculpted key layout. No L-shaped enter key, no "improved" key layout, just what God & IBM intended. I can't afford a model M, but there are some decent rubber dome versions out there. My old IBM is one, the Dell is another. I started looking on eBay only to find that the Asus was representative of many inexpensive USB keyboards. Black with low-contrast lettering, short-stroke laptop-like action, cramped "space saving" layout with improvements.
I finally found a Lenovo USB keyboard with what looks like a decent layout & action. Still black but at least the keys have white labels. Took the plunge & ordered one. It should show up in a day or two, now.
...This past weekend I remembered a keyboard a friend had given me; a Compaq model 9978. I looked beat up so I dropped in the spares box and ignored it. I got it out, and realized it was more dirty than broken, and the missing keys were useless ones across the top (media keys and such). And... wait for it... it's USB. After I ordered the other keyboard I dug this out. I plugged it in and all the normal keys work just find, and the action is very good for a rubber dome. Sigh. Oh, well, I'll have two usable USB keyboards soon.
Funny thing is, I plugged the Compaq into a front USB port to see how well it worked, so both keyboards were functioning at once. No conflict, and pressing Caps Lock, Num Lock or Scroll Lock not only changed the LEDs on the Compaq, they changed on the Asus keyboard as well. Go figure.
...And the moral of the story is: always check the spares box first.