I was looking through the old Mac Bible, version 4 from 1994 and
noticed Arthur Naiman's campaign to get somebody - anybody - to make an
ADB keyboard as small as the old 128k Mac keyboard, without a numeric
keyboard, and of course without function keys.

I dislike having to always reach way over from the main keyboard to
operate the mouse, so it seems to me that such a keyboard would be
perfect. I use the smaller ADB keyboards M0116 and M0487, but still
yearn for a really small keyboard without the numeric keypad.

Does anyone know if such a keyboard was ever made?

virgiliopoeta wrote:

The smallest Apple branded keyboard I have seen was the Apple IIgs
keyboard. Has a real good solid feel to it. No function keys tho...

Raymond

The Apple adjustable keyboard (I've got one in front of me) has the
numeric keyboard and the function keys on a separate mini keyboard.
It'll plug into either side of the main keyboard or, if you really don't
need it, you don't have to have it plugged in at all.

virgiliopoeta <ggibson@mfire.com> wrote:

Michael Dines a écrit :


Thanks so much for the info. I actually stumbled on a photo of one of
these on the net just a few minutes after I posted, and have now found
several up for sale. It certainly looks to be a nice concept in a
keyboard. And boy has the price come down since it retailed back in
1992 for $320!

virgiliopoeta a écrit :


I called my Mac guru about the Apple Adjustable Keyboard, and here is
what I was told:

This keyboard, while a fine keyboard, has a design or maybe a
manufacturing defect which causes a high percentage of them to fail
within 6 months to a year. The keys repeat or fail, especially the
outer keys. The keys are too close to their contacts, and when the
screws are tightened normally they bring the outer keys into such a
close contact that they fail to work right.

A partial remedy is to install washers with the screws, which prevents
screw overtightening. But there remains the basic problem of bad
design, so that the slightest bit of dust or damp will cause keys to
malfunction randomly.

If you happen to have received a good unit, then you are very lucky,
because otherwise this is a fine keyboard, and easy on the hands. But a
high percentage of those now up for sale are likely to be the defective
units, A flood of people returned these back in the mid 90s, and Apple
finally dropped the keyboard rather than deal with all the legal issues
of redesigning it.

I'm still going to try this keyboard, but I'll probably have to get 3
or 4 to get a good one. An alternative is the Adesso Tru-form.