davidsen@steinmetz.ge.com (William E. Davidsen Jr) (06/14/88)
I was recently cursing a PS/2 keyboard and mentioned that what I
wanted was a keyboard with a separate cursor pad, but function keys on
the left of the main keys, like the Tandy 2000. I was promptly told the
read (that day's) InfoWorld.
I ordered the keyboard, and after a few weeks I can say that I love
it. All of the programs which expect me to be able to type Alt, Shift,
or Cntl and a function key can now be done with one hand, as the
programmers intended.
The "102" comes from adding an "=" key to the numeric keypad, allowing
real desk calculator stuff. I don't use it in that mode, but it doesn't
interfere with anyhting I have found.
The touch is good. I really want a touch just like my AT, but this is
nice, with a real overcenter key with a click (not a burp thru the
speaker or the bottom of the keyboard). It's comfortable to use for long
sessions, and best of all *I can put the stupid Cntl key back where it
belongs*. It works on both XT and AT, very nicely.
Order from Northgate, introductory price $89.
just a user...
--
bill davidsen (wedu@ge-crd.arpa)
{uunet | philabs | seismo}!steinmetz!crdos1!davidsen
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -metoma@tekgvs.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) (06/16/88)
In article <11244@steinmetz.ge.com> davidsen@crdos1.UUCP (bill davidsen) writes: > The touch is good. I really want a touch just like my AT, but this is >nice, with a real overcenter key with a click (not a burp thru the >speaker or the bottom of the keyboard). It's comfortable to use for long >sessions, and best of all *I can put the stupid Cntl key back where it >belongs*. It works on both XT and AT, very nicely. I second, as another happy user. Also note that it is *solid*, not flimsy like most clone keyboards. My only complaint is that they should have handled the enter key like the 101 instead of the 84 key (the \| key where the top of the enter key is, and the backspace key twice as large). But I wouldn't trade this keyboard for any other I have used. In fact I am getting a second one so I don't have to carry this one between home and work! By The Way, I have a few TSRs which "fix" keyboard problems that I will be sending to the binary group. One of them makes the caps lock key into a control key, but performs like a caps lock if the right shift key is depressed. This "fixes" the wayward control key problem in the 101 key keyboards. I have another one for the Northgate 102 which makes the caps lock into an alt key (this puts an Alt key in the same spot is is in the 84 key keyboard). A third TSR does the same shift lock to control trick, but with the left shift key. This gives 84 key keyboards a right hand control key. A fourth TSR exchanges the Escape and `~ keys, putting the Escape where it belongs. > > Order from Northgate, introductory price $89. > A bargain -- $10 less than their 101 key keyboard. Tom Almy toma@tekgvs.tek.com Standard Disclaimers Apply...
del@Data-IO.COM (Erik Lindberg) (06/21/88)
>In article <11244@steinmetz.ge.com> davidsen@crdos1.UUCP (bill davidsen) writes: >> The touch is good. I really want a touch just like my AT, but this is >>nice, with a real overcenter key with a click (not a burp thru the ... In article <3585@tekgvs.TEK.COM> toma@tekgvs.UUCP (Tom Almy) writes: >I second, as another happy user. Also note that it is *solid*, not flimsy >like most clone keyboards. My only complaint is that they should have handled For a dissenting opinion: I ordered one of these turkeys and was extrememly unimpressed. I did not find that the "touch is good". To me the 'click' was very tacky and felt like a cheap mechanism. As far a "*solid*" is concerned, the keyboard is *heavy*. Beyond that I don't think I would call it solid at all. My whole impression of the keyboard was that it was very cheaply made, had poor key action, and while it did make a tactile/audible 'click' it was incorrect, unpleasant and unuseable. The first keyboard I got from Northgate sent multiple characters from several of the keys and was completely unuseable since you had to use the backspace key on at nearly every word. I sent it back and they sent a replacement keyboard. The replacement keyboard did not send multiple characters so I used it for a while to evaluate it. Besides my initial impression of a cheap feel to the key action, several of the keys would send characters to the computer *before* the detent (click) position had been reached. That is absolutely unacceptable for a touch typist, and according to their ads, it is the touch typists that are supposed to appreciate it the most! In conclusion, my opinion is that Northgate keyboards are real garbage and I wouldn't use one if it was given to me. Furthermore, I was so unimpressed with the quality of the keyboard that I wouldn't risk my money on one of their computers, either. -- del (Erik Lindberg) uw-beaver!tikal!pilchuck!del
toma@tekgvs.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) (06/22/88)
In article <912@pilchuck.Data-IO.COM> del@pilchuck.Data-IO.COM (Erik Lindberg) writes: <<In article <11244@steinmetz.ge.com> davidsen@crdos1.UUCP (bill davidsen) writes: <<< The touch is good. I really want a touch just like my AT, but this is <<<nice, with a real overcenter key with a click (not a burp thru the < ... <In article <3585@tekgvs.TEK.COM< toma@tekgvs.UUCP (Tom Almy) writes: <<I second, as another happy user. Also note that it is *solid*, not flimsy <<like most clone keyboards. My only complaint is that they should have handled < <For a dissenting opinion: < <I ordered one of these turkeys and was extrememly unimpressed. I did not <find that the "touch is good". To me the 'click' was very tacky and felt <like a cheap mechanism. As far a "*solid*" is concerned, the keyboard is <*heavy*. Beyond that I don't think I would call it solid at all. My whole <impression of the keyboard was that it was very cheaply made, had poor <key action, and while it did make a tactile/audible 'click' it was incorrect, <unpleasant and unuseable. < <The first keyboard I got from Northgate sent multiple characters from several <of the keys and was completely unuseable since you had to use the backspace <key on at nearly every word. [...] Well I have changed my judgement. After one week my 102 started sending multiple characters from the "." and down-arrow keys. A bad omen. So I am sending it back for a replacement. The keyboard is *heavy* because it has a metal backing plate instead of being entirely plastic. Tom Almy toma@tekgvs.TEK.COM Usual disclaimers apply
aburt@isis.UUCP (Andrew Burt) (06/26/88)
Tom Almy (toma@tekgvs.tek.com) writes >... My only complaint is that they should have handled >the enter key like the 101 instead of the 84 key (the \| key where the top of >the enter key is, and the backspace key twice as large). Very strange... they must be listening. I ordered one at the beginning of June. It arrived just the other day -- and it has a large backspace key! The \| key is to the right of the right shift (under the return key) and the `~ key to the right of the space bar. This keyboard has a manufacture date of 6/17/88 (a week before it arrived at my door), so apparently they have changed things slightly. Has anyone else received one of these newer ones? Any problems? This one is serial # 103901, maybe those with problems were very early ones -- what serial #'s did the problematic ones have? Another change is that the ability to switch capslock and control has been taken out; control is next to the 'A', capslock left of the space bar. The manual, in listing the features of the keyboard says "ctrl, shift and alt keys on the left in the original 84-key placement". In all other aspects it looks like the keyboard in the ad I ordered from. I've tested various keys with respect to the "key sends out the character before the click" alleged misfeature. On some keys if you press down verrrrrry slowly you can get it to send the character before the click; on all others the click and dispatch of character are simultaneous. On those where the character is sent out first, it is (to me) imperceptably ahead of time when typing. I type over 100 wpm so I'd say I'm qualified enough to judge its use by touch typists. I haven't had any key bouncing problems as others have reported, but I've only used it for a couple days. I'm very impressed with it so far. Knock wood. -- Andrew Burt ncar!isis!aburt Fight Denver's pollution: Don't Breathe and Drive.