From richard@idcomm.com Thu May 11 19:20:40 2000
From: richard@idcomm.com
To: test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org
Subject: Keyboard actuator
Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 19:20:40 +0000
Message-ID: <001701bfbba7$e8b6f460$0400c0a8@winbook>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.4.05.10005111406290.13063-100000@lanshark.lanminds.com>
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See embedded remarks, plz.

Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) <cisin(a)xenosoft.com>
To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2000 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: Keyboard actuator


> On Thu, 11 May 2000, Richard Erlacher wrote:
>
> > Yes, that's the "rate" for the selectric.  However, there were at least
two
> > selectric mechanisms, and the 134.5 baud rate was for the ruggedized
printer
> > for the 1130 system.  Those would last over a year under pretty hard
useage
> > (I was the user and watched the same mechanism run for about a year).
>
> > However, the normal desktop selectric typewriter would fall apart within
a
>                ^^^^^^
> > very short time with a mechanical actuator.  I tried this myself once,
but
> > was dissuaded from continuing it when a friend's selectric broke under
the
> > actuator he'd bought through an ad in BYTE.
>
I was not aware that there was a "falls apart by itself" model from IBM.
The ones I had, and which I'd split with a number of friends was extracted
>from a building about to be domolished but belonging to the "Phone Company"
(before the breakup) and the three that I got were still in the sealed box.
These were definitely not "home" typewriters.

There were also numerous Teletype terminals (glass TTY) with band printers
and several different modems, not to mention quite a number of other fancy
phone hardware items, e.g. 6-button repertory-dialing phones, etc.  This was
during the '70's when such things were still considered VERY fancy.
>
> A properly setup mechanical actuator is quite a bit LESS stressfull to the
> keyboard than a human.  You are probably talking about the POS "home"
> model, that would fall apart within a very short time if anybody typed on
> it.  It was nice to have for home use, but not suitable for office usage.
>
> Using the keyboard actuator and a selectric as a substitute for a normal
> printer seems a pretty BAD idea.
>
> --
> Grumpy Ol' Fred        cisin(a)xenosoft.com
> <A HREF= "http://www.xenosoft.com/dogears" >DogEars</A>
>

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