Keyboard Database FAQ

What do the data fields represent?How do I properly search the database?How do I report suspected errors or mistakes?Where does the data come from?

What do the data fields represent?

Part Number

A part number (P/N) is used to describe a specific part or product (or even a specific target region/language/SKU of either) used within a larger system without needing a large name or description. For keyboards, part numbers help identify unique examples of keyboards and tie them to specific known specifications or properties.

FRU Part Number

A field replacement unit (FRU) is another part number that IBM and Lenovo uses, but in this case, it specifically references what part should be used to replace it.

Market Model Name/Feature Code

IBM and Lenovo occasionally use a more consumer-friendly model number like RT3200, SK-8840 or KU-1255 for their products that are not language exclusive like some part number schemes. Official feature codes may be used as the market model name too.

Type

I use my own type naming scheme for helping to categorise similar keyboard examples by common features and market intent and is roughly based on official designations and keyboard enthusiast lingo. For example, "Model M Type I Functional Key Keyboard" describes a keyboard that's a Model M, is the first generic type of its kind, with that kind being a keyboard specialising in function keys.

Nickname

The nickname is usually derived from keyboard enthusiast lingo as an even more 'compact' identifier for a keyboard. These can be simply a shortening of their name and properties (like "M50" denoting a Model M that has 50 keys), or a more abstract term, real-life reference or metonymy used for insinuating its properties (like "battleship" describing a keyboard of considerable size).

OEM

The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) refers to the company that manufactures the product for the one marketing it. For example, if the keyboard is marketed as an IBM product but the OEM is said/known to be Lexmark, it means Lexmark manufactured that model of keyboard for IBM to then sell later on. If the market company and OEM are the same, it means that the company is using in-house production for its products. Multiple OEMs are also possible.

Switches

The name of the branded mechanism that lies under the keyboard's keys.

Earliest Appearance

The year (and possibly the quarter) that the keyboard was introduced, first observed, first recorded or the first example found.

Original Keycaps

The keycaps' material and lettering technique.

Casing Colour

The original colour of the keyboard's outer casing. In the case (pardon the pun) of keyboards whose casing materials are known to yellow with UV exposure, this will refer to the original colour before this chemical transformation occurs.

Branding

The specific style of branding that the keyboard features. Multiple forms of branding being specified are also possible as IBM and co have updated their logos and theme colours over time, and applied them to their products without changing their part numbers.

Feet

The style of keyboard feet the keyboard sports. If applicable, this also states how many levels of height can be utilised.

Protocol

The protocol(s) that the keyboard uses to speak to the host computer (ie, scancodes).

Connection

The type of physical connection or wireless technology employed by the keyboard to speak to the host computer with. This is could simply be "Cable" to denote a physical connection, or the name of a technology like "Bluetooth".

Cable

A description of the cable used by the keyboard if the connection type is known to be a cable. Depending on the amount of data present, this can be as complete as "Black coiled detachable SDL to DIN (180)" or as simple as "Straight PS/2".

Key Count

The number of keys that the keyboard originally had.

Form Factor

The standardised or universally acknowledged name for this keyboard type's layout form factor.

Layout/Language

The original regional/language layout that the keyboard is configured in. Both the language and the standardised key layout may be listed, and in the case of both being known or defined, it will be styled as language then standard - for example, a UK English keyboard that conforms to the ISO standard is denoted as "UK ISO".

Built-In Mouse

The name or description of the pointing device that some keyboards may carry. If the keyboard has such a feature, this will either be the brand name of the pointing device if such a brand name is known, or a simple description of it if the brand is not known.

Earliest recorded price

The earliest price, currency and year of record found for this keyboard.

Additional Notes

These are optional notes about the keyboard that may be of interest or are important to know. These could include more details about the layout like function key lettering schemes, known specific host computers, or details about bundled features or products such as a matching mouse or a specific wireless receiver. If necessary, this may also be used for details of conflicting or uncertain information about the database entry itself.

Source

A link to a document or website from which all or at least the majority of the data was sourced from.

Credits

A reserved special acknowledgement to anyone who has helped me with research through social media, email or via the P/N submission form.

How do I properly search the database?

Single term searching

Searching with just a single term or a sentence will just present all keyboards that mention your search text at some point and then sort via three-level default sorting (in order; firstly by date, then by type, and finally by part number).

Exact single term searching

If you are trying to find something very specific, put an exclamation mark before your search term and the search will attempt to match that text exactly in the any number of the database's field and sort by number of occurrences of your term within each item. For example, "!SK-8835" (minus the quotes) will list all keyboards of that model since the recorded market model name is exactly "SK-8835". Note that this search method is case sensitive!

Additive multiple term searching

Additive search will run a search for each of your terms and give you the complete results sorted by number of occurrences of each term within each item (and if number of occurrences are the same between two results, sorted by lowest part number first). You can request such a search by comma-delimiting your terms - for example, "Model F,Model M" (minus the quotes) will list all keyboards that mention "Model F" or "Model M".

Subtractive multiple term searching

Subtractive search will give you a refined result by first running an additive search as described above and then progressively filtering the result with each term in the order provided, giving a tailored result sorted by number of occurrences of each term within each item (and if number of occurrences are the same between two results, sorted by lowest part number first). You can request such a search by semicolon-delimiting your terms - for example, "Model F;122;US;1986" (minus the quotes) will find all keyboards that mention Model F, then remove results that do not mention "122", and then again remove all results that do not mention "US", and then finally remove all results that do not mention "1986".

Other tips

Searching is largely case insensitive (excluding exact single term searching) - providing your terms in uppercase or lowercase should yield the same results.
Try not to be verbose or use sentences with your queries. Many 'short and sweet' terms will yield more results.
If you are trying to use technical terms as search terms but are not finding the results you want, try referring to my Keyboard Dictionary to ensure that those terms are similar to the lingo I use.

How do I report suspected errors or mistakes?

In the event you believe an error or mistake in the keyboard database data is present, please contact me via the details outlined on the Contact page. The more supporting evidence you can provide the better.

Where does the data come from?

The keyboard database is best described as a conglomerate of various historical and contemporary sources such as official IBM and co documents and manuals, past eBay and other auction website listings, other repositories like deskthority wiki, and community submissions. Most of the database is sourced via a direct link to a website or PDF document or a locally archived PDF document which is displayed individually via the "Source" field. In fact, out of the 1710 total keyboards recorded:

1321 keyboards have some source available.
448 keyboards have a direct link as their source.
1136 keyboards have an archived PDF as their source.

In case it is easier to read, here is an overview of most of these sources and what keyboards they refer to:

IBM 3270 Information Display System 3276/3278 Keyboard Assembly Parts Catalog (#S126-0029-0) [bitsavers]

IBM 3278 Final Keyboard Assembly without Num. Lock

IBM 3278 Final Keyboard Assembly with Num. Lock

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