LGR Oddware - IBM Model M13 Trackpoint Keyboard
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Date: 2022-04-14
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Comments and reviews: 10
salty
When UNICOMP built these, I bought one because I had found that the Track point was great for occasional mouse without taking hands off keyboard. When I drove 18wheelers I found it fit perfectly on the steering wheel! I could steal with the heal of my hands while typing or trackpointing. (This before most people had cell phones, so it wasn't illegal yet. A mouse was better when accuracy was required. The biggest problem with the Unicomp trackpoint was the mouse buttons which were not as firm as real mouse buttons. The trackpoint eventually became less responsive and I stopped using it, although the buckling spring keyboard kept working on my desk until I killed it with coffee. The Trackpoint is best for data entry where you don't need fine accuracy and speeds up your work because you don't have to move your hand off the keyboard and back. Today I put it I a group with the foot trackball and the head mouse. The foot trackball was a giant track ball you put on the floor and moved with your foot. The head mouse attached to your head and moved the pointer by your turning your head.
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When UNICOMP built these, I bought one because I had found that the Track point was great for occasional mouse without taking hands off keyboard. When I drove 18wheelers I found it fit perfectly on the steering wheel! I could steal with the heal of my hands while typing or trackpointing. (This before most people had cell phones, so it wasn't illegal yet. A mouse was better when accuracy was required. The biggest problem with the Unicomp trackpoint was the mouse buttons which were not as firm as real mouse buttons. The trackpoint eventually became less responsive and I stopped using it, although the buckling spring keyboard kept working on my desk until I killed it with coffee. The Trackpoint is best for data entry where you don't need fine accuracy and speeds up your work because you don't have to move your hand off the keyboard and back. Today I put it I a group with the foot trackball and the head mouse. The foot trackball was a giant track ball you put on the floor and moved with your foot. The head mouse attached to your head and moved the pointer by your turning your head.
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Mike
In defence of the track point it did get round that meandering issue that mice share with supermarket trolleys and it's w-a-y better than those silly 'click at random why don't you' scratch pads.
I have done a lot of graphics work over the last couple of decades and I would say that if used as your main pointing device for the first month you will want to throw it out the window but by the third month you wouldn't go back, certainly to a mouse and possibly to a trackball (you can't get big-ball trackballs these days unless you buy an industrial unit)
If Unicomp produced this board (but with the third button for scrolling) I would definitely buy a few (one to use the rest as spares)
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In defence of the track point it did get round that meandering issue that mice share with supermarket trolleys and it's w-a-y better than those silly 'click at random why don't you' scratch pads.
I have done a lot of graphics work over the last couple of decades and I would say that if used as your main pointing device for the first month you will want to throw it out the window but by the third month you wouldn't go back, certainly to a mouse and possibly to a trackball (you can't get big-ball trackballs these days unless you buy an industrial unit)
If Unicomp produced this board (but with the third button for scrolling) I would definitely buy a few (one to use the rest as spares)
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KevinOlive
I just pulled a very similar model (KPD8923) from my stash after discovering that I can remap the keys for use on a Mac. I forgot that it had a PS/2 port in back. It came from a piece of mainframe equipment that was on a KVM so the keyboard was just gathering dust in a closet. I used this keyboard at work for 10+ years on a windows machine and loved it-the keyboard, not windows. Can't say I have the same problem with hitting the nub in the middle while typing. I still need a trackpad for pinches and swipes but it works well.
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I just pulled a very similar model (KPD8923) from my stash after discovering that I can remap the keys for use on a Mac. I forgot that it had a PS/2 port in back. It came from a piece of mainframe equipment that was on a KVM so the keyboard was just gathering dust in a closet. I used this keyboard at work for 10+ years on a windows machine and loved it-the keyboard, not windows. Can't say I have the same problem with hitting the nub in the middle while typing. I still need a trackpad for pinches and swipes but it works well.
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TheSteelRodent
realize this is a 5 year old video, but you didn't mention at all why they made a black keyboard. Like I know the thinkstation (before Lenovo) came with all black accessories - keyboard, mouse, monitor - but that was much later and for the most part they were just the same as the PS/2 / NetVista accessories, but in black. I don't recall ever seeing these trackpoint keyboards where I worked, but I do recall seeing them in magazines
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realize this is a 5 year old video, but you didn't mention at all why they made a black keyboard. Like I know the thinkstation (before Lenovo) came with all black accessories - keyboard, mouse, monitor - but that was much later and for the most part they were just the same as the PS/2 / NetVista accessories, but in black. I don't recall ever seeing these trackpoint keyboards where I worked, but I do recall seeing them in magazines
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Ghost
I am nearly certain we were using this exact keyboard when I was overseas with the military as recently as 2011. The big thing that I can recall was the almost orange peel texture, recessed keys, trackpoint, and mouse keys. We had boxes full of keyboards from 1980s-2000s (ps2 usb etc) so when one sh-t the bed, then we would just grab one out of the boxes because the nearest Best Buy was a little ways away.
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I am nearly certain we were using this exact keyboard when I was overseas with the military as recently as 2011. The big thing that I can recall was the almost orange peel texture, recessed keys, trackpoint, and mouse keys. We had boxes full of keyboards from 1980s-2000s (ps2 usb etc) so when one sh-t the bed, then we would just grab one out of the boxes because the nearest Best Buy was a little ways away.
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Access2Stuff
I did see this episode back in 2016. But came back to it. One thing I notice now is that you have a LightScribe unit in your Vectra. Why for god's sake? I used to use them and still own one to this date. But that was from Windows Vista onward, that I'm using LightScribe. Maybe that will be a thing for a new Oddware! Just a quick story what's the deal with LightScribe / how you use it.
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I did see this episode back in 2016. But came back to it. One thing I notice now is that you have a LightScribe unit in your Vectra. Why for god's sake? I used to use them and still own one to this date. But that was from Windows Vista onward, that I'm using LightScribe. Maybe that will be a thing for a new Oddware! Just a quick story what's the deal with LightScribe / how you use it.
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mercutio
Considering the price of HIDs back then, a trackpoint bundled with the keyboard could have been more cost effective than buying a mouse and keyboard separately. Other than that, I'd argue that it's not really worth keeping for any reason other than the novelty, nor would it have been a good purchase if you could get a proper mouse and keyboard.
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Considering the price of HIDs back then, a trackpoint bundled with the keyboard could have been more cost effective than buying a mouse and keyboard separately. Other than that, I'd argue that it's not really worth keeping for any reason other than the novelty, nor would it have been a good purchase if you could get a proper mouse and keyboard.
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Unholy
I don-t use home keys either. My 4th grade teacher got really pissed when I was in our computer lab -learning- how to type. When I wasn-t using the home keys and looking at the keyboard occasionally the teacher in the -lab- said I wasn-t really typing because I wasn-t using home keys, the fuk? Also using home keys make me slower at typing
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I don-t use home keys either. My 4th grade teacher got really pissed when I was in our computer lab -learning- how to type. When I wasn-t using the home keys and looking at the keyboard occasionally the teacher in the -lab- said I wasn-t really typing because I wasn-t using home keys, the fuk? Also using home keys make me slower at typing
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Bradley
I have this exact keyboard, except it's the normal beige color instead of black. I just got it a couple of months ago and it was new in box. Everything of course works great, but the cable it came with is fraying like crazy and I'm afraid I'm going to break it if I use it anymore. Gotta get some electrical tape I suppose.
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I have this exact keyboard, except it's the normal beige color instead of black. I just got it a couple of months ago and it was new in box. Everything of course works great, but the cable it came with is fraying like crazy and I'm afraid I'm going to break it if I use it anymore. Gotta get some electrical tape I suppose.
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Xane
First thoughts: -It's like the IBM ThinkPad became a keyboard! - (1: 55)
I guess since I have an IBM ThinkPad (that runs Windows 2000 with way too little storage, if I ever wanted the experience of pushing around the small red thing on the keyboard, but on. more modern things, this'd be the keyboard.
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First thoughts: -It's like the IBM ThinkPad became a keyboard! - (1: 55)
I guess since I have an IBM ThinkPad (that runs Windows 2000 with way too little storage, if I ever wanted the experience of pushing around the small red thing on the keyboard, but on. more modern things, this'd be the keyboard.
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