on 2/12/06 1:15 PM, Pablo Roufogalis L. at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > It's a white Pro Keyboard, the model that came with the first flat-screen > iMacs.
Ah. Did you follow the below webpage? http://www.technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/bgracey/prokeyboardrepair.html Or tough it out on your own? [grin] > The local distributor charges about 60 US$ for them. Wow! That's Silly Money for a "regular" keyboard. It *is* stylish, though. > After three tries with new units, I bought one used via online auction and > paid about 35 US$. And it had/has exactly the same issue. That sounds like the sort of thing that happens shortly before a fist-sized hole in the wall suddenly appears. @_@ >> Sorry, to sound like Sir Doyle the Dense, but I don't follow. You mean to >> say you have a local distributor that stocks *nothing* but defective >> keybaords? [scratches head] > > I got three from them, and all them repeated keys in the left side. Maybe > they are from a bad lot and they got them cheap. I'm guessing here, but the overall build quality on these units may not be very high (anyone?). I say this because the disassembly page I gave the link to above comes up as the fourth link on the very first page of results. And that's probably not a good thing. OTOH, eatin' and drinkin' near your computer is common practice nowadays. [frowns] The fact that that page is so popular could be due solely to defects between the chair and the keyboard. > Or maybe Apple is not aware of the fault or is too busy selling iPods, songs > and TV shows to do proper QC on legacy product lines. If recent history means anything, they'd better start paying attention to their *existing* product lines. The experience that a lot of people seemed to have with their iPod nano's scratching/breaking so easily is not one you'd want your customers to have when you're getting ready to introduce *another* line of portable devices. Like laptops. @_@ I'm not quite sure what to make of this: http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/nano.ars/3 I'm guessing that they one they tested was a one-off, but who knows. [shrugs] At any rate, I wish that Apple had spent another $10 on case plastics and thought of it as an investment in preserving their good reputation. >> How long did the process take? > All keys must be removed and replacing them takes about 20 minutes. The > hard part is to remove about 30 smaall screws and later reinstall them. I > had to use a jeweler screwdriver with no handle and got blisters. As you > see, I got a repeat a in "small" so the issue is still there, although > lessened. Well, hey, for a $60 keyboard, it was worth a try, anyhow. > I give up on Apple keyboaards (again double a). It's exasperating that Apple seems to have forgotten how to build reliable keyboards. They've certainly been able to do it before and I can't think of why things have gone downhill so badly. If one of their suppliers is letting them down, I can only hope Apple's busted them. Customer goodwill is hard to win back once you've lost it, particularly if you charge a premium for your products. > Even el cheapo Chinese PC keyboaards (again) that cost 4 bucks do not repeat > keys. Well, if your budget happens to be in that range, (and I've been there myself) a trip to the local thrift store will prolly net you a decent keyboard for cheap. You'd be surprised at how many perfectly good keyboards are chucked out simply because they lack an "email" key (or whatever). In fact, if the keyboard you pick up happens to be an old IBM Model M, it will easily outlast your next three computers, no fooling. This fellow explains the Pros (and cons) of that particular keyboard better than I ever could: http://www.dansdata.com/ibmkeyboard.htm Most thrift stores have a few of these on hand because they are, well, so *boring*-looking. So what: you will never type on a better keyboard. If you remember the old IBM selectric typewriters and their excellent tactile feedback, IBM tried to replicate that in their computer keybaords. The buckling spring action is much kinder to your hands than the current crop of short-travel, "mash the key down *all the way* so the keystroke registers" keyboards. Serious Gamers like Model Ms because they allow you to press multiple keys simultaneously, allowing you to do things like "strafe + crouch + jump + reload" all at once and humiliate your fellow FPS players. [maniacal laughter] As an added bonus, you'll find that the much-reviled Winders keys are absent from these keyboards. This saves you from having to pry them off yourself. > Didn't do it before because white or beige USB PC keyboards are unavailable > here and my current KVM switch is USB. Didja ever try a PS/2-USB adapter? There are some good ones out there. If you want to go with a USB keyboard specifically designed for the Mac, the Matias Tactile Pro is a nice one: http://matias.ca/tactilepro/ Admittedly, it's pricey. At the same time, I'm not convinced you'll find too many keyboard manufacturers offering a 5-year warranty on their keyboards these days; sign o' the times I suppose. > There's now a KVM switch that allows PS2 keyboards and mice > and converts them to the USB interface when connected to the Mac. Will miss > the LEDs in the caps lock and num lock keys, though. Do you really use the LEDs? Or will you miss them simply because keyboard LEDs look cool? [smile] > BTW, I repeated the same procedure with my daughter's keyboard (black unit > from slot-loading iMac G3500) that doesn't repeat keys but was full of > garbage inside, Yes, I do love the "aquarium effect" that the newer clear-framed Apple keyboards offer. Although perhaps they were designed that way to tell you when your keyboard is "full" and it's time to get another. Yuck. >In this case I washed and brushed all plastic parts with Fantastic (great >product!) and rinsed them with water so it took way longer. Well, if you ever do decide to pick up a Model M, the keys on the older ones come in two parts. When you pull the "top" part of the keys off, you'll see the bottom half: http://www.preater.com/modelm/images/model-m-innards-large.jpg Which means you can clean off the keys themselves quite easily. As far as needing to clean the *inside,* the buckling spring mechanisms are known for being able to absorb massive amounts of lint, dirt, and detritus, without it ever affecting performance. The same can't be said for liquids, of course, although the later "blue logo" Model Ms had a drainage channel built in to help minimize damage from spills. At any rate, choosing a keyboard is a highly personal decision. Everyone has their own preferences in terms of key responsiveness and cosmetics. I can only hope that your next keyboard experience is kinder to you than this one was. Best, James Fraser -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:g-list@mail.maclaunch.com> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com
