DECwriters (was Re: Auction Finds)

Eric> Does anyone have any spare keyswitches (or complete keyboard Eric> assemblies) for the DECwriter II, III, or older DEC keyboards? Eric> I need a replacement keyswitch for an LK40 keyboard for a GT40 Eric> terminal, and I think a DECwriter keyswitch may be the same (or Eric> at least interchangeable). But I don't want to remove one from Eric> an otherwise good DECwriter. The GT40 keyboards I remember have the same awful keyswitches that were used (and cursed) on the LA30 -- and replaced in the LA36 and VT50 by a new design that worked far better. Some old memory says that the issue was in the mechanical part -- the plungers would stick, while on the VT52 they never did. I don't know if the switch contacts were different. (In the VT52/LA36 at least, they are gold plated wedge shaped contacts that are held apart when the key is up.) It may also be that the GT40 came both ways depending on age. One way to tell was the shape of the keycaps -- the old crummy design had oversize keycap tops, while the VT52 keyboard had keycaps with more taper to the sides and more beveling, so the tops looked more like what you see on everyone else's keyboard. paul