Re: The Apple IIGS ADB Keyboard Lives!

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

Randy Shackelford <shack@onyx.southwind.net> wrote:

>Supertimer <supertimer@aol.com> wrote:
>
>: What is different is that the IIGS keyboard's keycaps have a stair
>: stepped design.  The tops are the same size as the Extended I's.
>: The bottoms of the keycaps are also the same size.  But rather than
>: gradually sloping from the small tops to the large bottoms, the
>: IIGS keycaps eliminate the middle.  That's why you THINK the
>: keycaps are smaller.  In reality, they are not any smaller than other
>: ADB keyboards.
>
>: I personally like the stair-stepped design.  It leaves a smaller gap
>: between keycaps so that gunk is less likely to fall in.
>
>That leaves less space for your fingers, so in effect they're smaller. You 
>have to press the keys dead center or you miss strokes. Plus you can take 
>apart all the other types of ADB keyboards to clean 'em. I've never tried to
>take a IIgs one apart since it looks like it'll ruin it. The older types use
>normal switches and newer ones have the membrane style. I don't know what you
>call the IIgs setup.

The IIGS keyboard uses switches and you can pry the IIGS
keycaps off to clean them exactly as you would any other ADB
keyboards.  I clean my IIGS keyboard and my Extended I
keyboard exactly the same way.

The IIGS keys are spaced exactly the same as the Extended I's
so you have the same space for your fingers.

The IIGS keyboard's keys have the exact same area for your
fingers to press.  Take a keycap from an Extended I, flip it
over, press it against a IIGS keyboard's equivalent key.  It
is exactly the same (unless you cheat by trying to compare the
huge Extended I capslock with the IIGS capslock).

The IIGS keyboard's keys are only SHORTER than the ones
on the Extended I (just as PowerBook keys are).

>: I guess you must be referring to the fact that the IIGS keys have
>: less "travel" when pressed.  But the same can be said about the
>: keys of any PowerBook keyboard.
>
>Powerbook keyboards more resemble a //c keyboard aside from not clicking.
>I miss keystrokes on my 520c as well. I don't notice any difference in
>"travel", just that my extended II is a lot more solid. I'll take my 
>AppleDesign and standard II over a IIgs as well.

I'm getting to like using my Extended I, but not for the feel.  The
IIGS keys feel better.  However, I like the page editing keys
of my Extended I.  I like being able to hit Undo instead of selecting
it from the menu.  I like being able to Cut and Paste and Copy with
a keystroke.  I like being able to hit PageUp and PageDown.  I
like being able to right-delete.

But I like the feel of the IIGS keyboard better.

>Here's my last word on it: I have an original standard kbd
>on my IIgs and the two IIgs keyboards I own are in the basement. The original
>standard beats the snot out of the IIgs in my opinion. I only use extended
>keyboards on Macs since they beat the snot out of standard keyboards. I
>can't do without my page keys but that's a non issue on a IIgs since they
>don't do anything.

I feel the same way about the page keys on my Extended I, but I
still like the FEEL of my IIGS keyboard better.

By the way, the page keys work fine on the IIGS as do all the
page editing keys and F1 through F4 (undo, cut, copy, and paste).

You need the Finder Extender INIT in your System.Setup folder
to enable them, that's all.  Since I can't seem to email you, I'm
attaching the INIT as a binscii file.  If you like the Extended II
THAT much and have some extra ones, put one of the extras on
your IIGS!  ;-)

Freeware by Bill Tudor:

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