On 2016-06-06 11:29 AM, Liam Proven wrote:
I think IBM offloaded the keyboards line to Lexmark, who offloaded it
to Unicomp. So, yes, it's legit, you're right, not a clone. The one
unit I have tried felt rough and poorly-built compared to the Real
Thing, and it failed after a few months. I understand the owner got a
warranty repair and that failed, but I think he has a working one now.
As it happens I was chatting with his housemate today on Twitter and I
think it's still working now. But then, he is on the list, so he could
answer for himself if he liked. :-) For an expensive keyboard, it did
feel cheap to me -- including, as you say, the captive cable. I would
have liked to see proper onboard USB using a standard cable, perhaps
with a 2nd port for a mouse
What became Lexmark was originally the IBM typewriter plant in Lexington
Ky., when the typewriter business was winding down they where given the
mission of producing keyboards among other things. Later it was severed
off from IBM and became Lexmark, much the same way as the IBM Toronto
plant became Celestica. Unicomp came along still later and apparently
bought the keyboard designs from Lexmark, after Lexmark was no longer
interested in producing keyboards.
Paul.
