My article on the IBM Model M3/M6/M6-1 - early ThinkPad, PS/Note and L40SX keyboards [WARNING: photos]

[sharktastica]

Hey all!

This is my long-awaited follow-up to the IBM Model M4 article I released back in July! This one talks about the Models M3, M6 & M6-1 that preceded and succeeded the M4s in the portable computer space. Using the same buckling sleeves switches, you could consider these IBM’s ‘last stand’ before giving in to rubber domes and scissor-switches completely on laptop keyboards. That's not to say later IBM ThinkPad keyboards weren't good - they certainly were. But from around 1998 onwards, all ThinkPads were no longer completely different to most of their competition in terms of keyboard/switch technology.

This has been many months in the making and I really hope you enjoy it! I know these keyboards themselves won't be interesting to everyone (and people may disagree on their switches' worth), but for the sake of documentation and presenting their mark on history, I hope you can appreciate the goal of the article at least!

The article: https://sharktastica.co.uk/articles/m3- ... es_laptops. FYI, there's a lot of photos inside. Best viewed only on desktop.

Enjoy! Feel free to let me know what you think. Deserving of thanks is everyone who helped me with supplying photos for the article! All helpers should be noted under the "Acknowledgements" section.



In case you're wondering what IBM laptops this is regarding before reading:

• IBM PS/2 L40SX
• IBM PS/2 CL57SX
• IBM PS/55 Note N27sx
• IBM PS/Note 2141-x82 series
• IBM PS/55 Note T22sx
• IBM ThinkPad 700 series
• IBM PS/55 Note C52
• IBM ThinkPad 720 series
• IBM ThinkPad 350 series
• IBM PS/Note 425 series
• IBM ThinkPad 500
• IBM ThinkPad 750 series
• IBM PS/55 5535-ZAD
• IBM RS/6000 Notebook N40
• IBM ThinkPad 360 series
• IBM ThinkPad 370C
• IBM ThinkPad 355 series
• IBM ThinkPad 510CS
• IBM ThinkPad 755C series
• IBM ThinkPad Power Series 850
• IBM ThinkPad 365 series
• IBM RS/6000 Notebook 860

[axur-delmeria]

That was a great article. The only thing missing is having an actual buckling sleeve keyboard on my table to type on.

[sharktastica]

That was a great article. The only thing missing is having an actual buckling sleeve keyboard on my table to type on.

Thanks! There's always the Model M4? However, prices for those have been rising like everything else vintage IBM. As futile as it may seem, I know a few people that drop a note to Unicomp in their post-purchase product surveys asking for a Mighty Mouse (what Unicomp called their M4/M4-1) revival.

[axur-delmeria]

That was a great article. The only thing missing is having an actual buckling sleeve keyboard on my table to type on.

Thanks! There's always the Model M4? However, prices for those have been rising like everything else vintage IBM. As futile as it may seem, I know a few people that drop a note to Unicomp in their post-purchase product surveys asking for a Mighty Mouse (what Unicomp called their M4/M4-1) revival.

Only if it has a modern, Mini M-like layout, and actual Trackpoint IV hardware (3 buttons). The M4's 2-column PgUp/Pgdown navigation cluster would greatly annoy me.
Also, a separate numeric pad.

Regarding Trackpoints, I've only used the 760XD before jumping straight to an X61, and I have to say that with regards to sensitivity and precision, the old one is much better. I can say this because I remember being able to draw half-decent circles and ellipses on the 760XD trackpoint, something I can't replicate on later Thinkpads-- the results are either lozenge-shaped (rounded diamond, maybe sausage), or simply way off. Seems like whatever the current sensor hardware is, it's not good at registering circular motions.