New keyboard modded to look old |
We have no idea why someone would mod a new wireless keyboard into the old looking one you see above. It must be a sickness or a dutch thing since this was created by a Dutch guy.
He took a Logitech Wireless Wii keyboard apart, mapped the key codes and did some soldering to make it all happen. But why? I guess I’m just not all that nostalgic about old keyboards. What do you guys think? Do you prefer this, or a new keyboard?
[Engadget]
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it would be cool for theft deterrent if you had brand new components in an ancient case and an old crt, say in a public setting like a POS terminal or if your just a nostalgia freak.
Actuallym judging by the pictures (as I can’t read dutch), he took an old high-end WYSE keyboard and just added the wireless module from a logitech wii keyboard to it. The MX switches appear to be intact and there’s no sign of the sheet of plastic from the modern keyboard. I don’t know how much the WYSE keyboard cost new, but you’re looking at at least 100USD to get something even remotely comparable in build quality brand new today.
Design-wise I prefer the old design. Everything is the same today; rather shiny black, white or silver all over with maybe the occasional chrome stripe. If you hear the announcement of a new phone you can have a very good guess at what colour it’s going to be before you ever see a picture. Where are the laptops with a rainbow in the corner like the ZX Spectrum or the three tone keyboards that don’t look gaudy?
Plus today’s choice of materials tend to be poor. This keyboard may have had a decade of heavy use or none, you can’t tell. What do you think the logitech wii keyboard would look like after a decade of heavy use? Being that nasty shiny plastic it’ll no doubt have scratches on the case and as logitech uses printed (printed!) letters on all but their most expensive keyboards those will have long worn off. Yes, there is the price difference but the logitech wii keyboard isn’t exactly cheap and some manufacturers manage it.
Sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant
As I am typing this with an IBM Model M keyboard, circa 1983, that I have used for at least 10 years now, I have to say that the old keyboards, at least the good ones, still hold some preference over the newer slick ones.