keyboards need an on-off switch of their own. when you pile books and papers on them they start to make beeping noises or write line after line of stuff. sometimes they just crash. so I think they should have an off switch to keep this from happening
-- yunohu, Jun 29 2001

Easy enough to implement with a typical keyboard A/B switch. But you'd be better off not piling books and papers on your keyboard.
-- francois, Jun 29 2001


The original PC-AT and many of its imitators over the years have included a key-operated keyboard switch which does exactly as you describe. Such switches are not so common today, but most computer cases ~5 years ago had them.
-- supercat, Jun 29 2001


Older AT cases did often have a keyboard lock, ostensibly for security. Modern motherboards and cases do not implement anything similar, but you might be able to approximate this by having your system suspend frequently, and not resume on keystrokes. I don't know how to do this on your computer, but it will probably involve mucking around with the BIOS, having the computer crash frequently, and then getting frustrated and deciding it wasn't such a good idea.
-- francois, Jun 29 2001


USB devices can be safely unplugged and replugged, so if you have a USB keyboard (any recent Mac, for example) you could just unplug your keyboard when you're not using it.

I often move my (old, non-unpluggable, PC) keyboard off the table and prop it against the wall when I want the space.
-- wiml, Jun 29 2001


//Modern motherboards and cases do not implement anything similar, but you might be able to approximate this by having your system suspend frequently, and not resume on keystroke.//

Many "sold-separately" motherboards still incorporate a connector for the key-lock, even though most new cases don't bother to implement it. It could easily be wired into a switch if desired, even if you had to drill a hole to put it in.

Alternatively, it should be possible to cut into the keyboard cable and install a switch on the ground wire. Since PC keyboards use open-collector logic, cutting the ground wire ensures the keyboard won't get "parasitic power" from the clock/data lines.
-- supercat, Jun 30 2001


It is a good idea to cut the ground wire and insert a switch. Another way, I think, is to make a simple program to ignore the keyboard, program wich can be mouse activated/desactivated.
-- leo14m3, Mar 29 2002


Used to have an amstrad 2086 with that fuction, came with an annoying beeper too though!
-- Novastorm, Dec 31 2002



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