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In [gisho]'s linked idea, he suggests replacing the capslock key on
keyboards with a togglable switch. The logical progression of this idea
is to have a keyboard made up completely of switches.
The keyboard would just be a grid of toggles, hopefully spruced up with
wood and brass finishes to
make it look vintage. Each "key" would be
activated by flipping a switch to the reverse position of wherever it
currently is. Thus, typing would be extremely slow, but there would be
no doubt as to whether the capslock or numlock are on. Also, it would
look really cool.
PDP-8
http://computermuse...rt.de/dev_en/pdp8l/
Back before keyboards [csea, Feb 17 2010]
Bombe
http://www.cs4fn.org/history/bombe.php
See the bottom of the How Did it Help? section. [Aristotle, Feb 17 2010]
[gisho]'s idea
Capslock_20Switch
Because I forgot to link it earlier. [DrWorm, Feb 17 2010]
Making oboe reeds
http://www.yefchak.com/reed/
[pocmloc, Feb 18 2010]
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Annotation:
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Keyboard, shmeeboard! Though I was fairly young, I recall watching a bootloader program being entered into a PDP-8 via toggle switches. [link] |
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For you youngsters, the bootloader program was a machine language program that gave the CPU the ability to read from paper tape, and had to be entered from the front panel toggle switches. |
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PDP-8 toggle switches, you had it easy. |
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The original Bombe systems, used for breaking the Enigma code in WWII, had to connect up letters with wires. |
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A brass plate with "The Babbage Computor Manufactory" would add a suitable garnish... |
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// the end product is neither original or how shall I put this ... useful // |
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Which is really weird, because there's no sign of a Microsoft logo on the box ... |
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// not about to try soldering reeds together // |
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Can't do it. They don't make the flux any more. |
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Thanks, [csea], my high school had a PDP-8 and I did boot it one day with the switches. It was a while ago, but I think it was 42 sets of 8 bit pairs, to get the thing to boot. Though looking at the picture, that makes no sense. |
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As for the idea, I'll agree with the masses here and state there is no reason why these are permanently on switches. (-) If you really want to go Steampunk, then have a full keyboard of miniature morse keys. Or if you REALLY want to go old school, just send morse. I'm sure you can have your audio card decode it. |
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My father remembers his first computer. Programs were entered one byte at a time, via a row of eight toggle switches. He remembers how happy he was when he got a hexadecimal keypad: he could enter in a whole nybble at a time! |
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I'd totally buy this. Toggle switches make everything cooler-looking. |
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My dad tends to fill the dashboard of any vehicle he builds with toggle switches. If he had a 'keyboard" like this, he might do some computing. |
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//The keyboard would just be a grid of
toggles....Each "key" would be activated by flipping a
switch to the reverse position of wherever it
currently is. // |
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So, if I flipped say, the "W" switch, what would it
switch to? "M"? How about "S"? |
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I like it, but it would be improved by the addition of an
engine telegraph. |
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