Mac keyboards (and how processors work) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

9 Aug 2006

On 9 Aug, 2006, at 11:27, cctech-request at classiccmp.org wrote:
...
    When you make a *quality* keyboard, the keycaps are
shot
 *twice* during the molding process -- once for the legend
 and once for the key itself.  So, the legend's color is
 "in the plastic" instead of screened *on* the plastic.

 Obviously, costs a fair bit more to do things this way. 
 But who makes them?
 and with no windows ++ keys. 
 Dunno -- I was just talking from past manufacturing experience.
 The only keyboards that I have which suffer from this
 "screened on legends" are laptops.  And, I have decided that
 laptops are intended to be replaced as often as the OS
 is upgraded  :-(

   Just like
equipment cases that re *painted* vs. those
 where the color is molded into the plastic. 
 What plastic? Big heavy painted racks on this list. :) 
 <grin>  Many have molded plastic "decorations" attached. 
My 1962 machine does not have a keyboard or a screen or
even a printing terminal. It has a control panel five feet wide
and three feet high. It is made of blockboard faced with laminated
plastic :-)

On the 'how processors work' topic, my machine's documentation
describes not just the logic signals but within each gate, how
the transistors, diodes, capacitors, resistors, inductors,
transformers and delay lines work together to achieve the
gate's function. If I need to, I can put a scope probe on any
part of the circuit within the logic element.

My latest machine is a laptop, a MacBook Pro, which has a
keyboard which seems to have two shot moulded keys, the
key legends are transparent plastic which is illuminated in
low light levels so the legends can be read even when working
in pitch black where there is no light pollution.