I reminded myself that I have too many projects already, including a whole electric car conversion to do. One could build on the classic TMK firmware, leverage the USB device support I've been implementing for MicroPython, or pick a real challenge like bit-banging low speed USB in Rust on a dirt cheap RISC-V micro. the task is simple enough, and countless DIY versions already exist, so it's tempting to "just knock something together". No Yak Shavingīeing from 1990, this keyboard connects using Apple Desktop Bus (ADB):Ī converter is required to connect it over USB.įor an embedded developer prone to distraction, this creates a risky situation. It's never going to be pristine, but it's now a lot nicer to look at and use. The vintage plastics on this particular keyboard seem to be in good condition, despite my clumsiness nothing snapped off. Specifically I stripped it down, washed all the plastic parts, and put it back together. The keyboard was a bit sad and unsanitary, with a thick layer of 1990s grime. Time to actually use this thing! Birthday Recently I saw it sitting in the cupboard, once again forgotten. When my parents downsized five years ago, the Mac and its magnificent Portrait Display were sold. Later, the Macintosh and its keyboard spent around twenty years in my Dad's shed. I think either my Dad or I bought this at an ex-government auction in the late 1990s, together with a Macintosh IIsi that was briefly our dial-up modem router at home. This particular keyboard has a hand-written asset sticker from the Federal Department of Administrative Affairs (1987-1993): This model is praised by keyboard nerds for its "clicky" mechanical ALPS switches and sturdy design. This is an Apple Extended Keyboard II, released 1990. Keyboardįor five years this classic keyboard has sat in my cupboard: A vintage keyboard, a mysterious battery, and some questionable 1990s engineering choices.
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