Steel Penny Games

My hands are aching, legs are shot, and I'm pretty tired right now.  I've just finished completely rebuilding two of my three new IBM Model M clicky keyboards!  I'd have posted some before and after pics, but I didn't want to frighten anyone.  The before pics are horrifying, and the after looks just like a brand new clicky Model M.  But in case anyone in the Austin area (or not) is looking for some more of these ancient but awesome 'boards, Comptuers 4 Kids has quite a few still kicking around (check their eBay store).  They're a little overpriced at $45 a pop, in filthy condition, but you can't beat local pickup and in-person returns, if need be.

So, why refurb Model M's?  Why not buy a new keyboard?  Well, I honestly haven't found one that is A) solidly built, and B) aren't ridiculously expensive.  The Omnikey was good, but went out of business.  Now CVT makes them, but the suckers have Windows keys--which I find absolutely no use for.  I'm told the DasKeyboard is good, and particularly cool because you can get a version that has no markings on any keys, for the sure-fingered h4xx0r in you.  Pretty intimidating to people who just want to sit down and tinker on your machine.  But really, I haven't had a good keyboard come new from a factory since the Fujitsu (non-clicky but awesome, still use it daily) that came with my 386-40mhz in '93, and I always check the keyboard aisle in computer stores.  They're all crap.

Another reason I wanted to get more Model M's is we've just hired another programmer, Will Marsden (welcome!), and all the keyboards I had sitting in the spare hardware box were mushy ones relegated to being connected to servers or other temporary assignments.  I feel like it's my duty to make sure that people that work with/for me  are afforded the highest quality experience we can comfortably afford.  I know I'd want that from any job I'm at, and grumble a bit when I'm handed sub-par equipment.  While some folks may not think much of the gesture of tracking down 20 year old hardware and spending an hour or so cleaning it with soapy water, isopropyl alcohol, and Q-tips... think of it in terms of your own job. If you are a violinist, wouldn't you love to work in an orchestra where the conductor gets everyone in the strings section a Stradivarius?  If you're a waiter, wouldn't you like to have your manager looking for the absolutely most comfortable shoes and insist on getting them for you?   Acquiring the best keyboard ever made for a person who will be typing on it for 8+ hours a day and restoring it to brand-new condition is one of the best gifts I can give for coming to work with us.  At least, I think so.