A week ago, I ‘soft-launched’ this new main site feature for Admiral Shark’s Keyboards. The title is to the point regarding what it is, a timeline of what I think are important IBM keyboard events. An interesting and informative overview of the keyboarding history behind the company that arguably shaped keyboards the most.
Provided are an optional “quick read” (single sentence summaries) and a table-layout version, and some predefined filters including keyboards/hosts only (i.e., keyboard launch dates only), company/factory events only and patents only. You can of course use the live search bar for any of them as well. As per its order on my site’s navigation bar, for any newcomers in particular, it is intended to be read after the introduction but before any database or wiki page.
I consider this feature technically a work-in-progress, but I already believe it to be good enough to portray the general timeline already. If you have feedback or suggestions, I would be happy to hear them. Otherwise, please enjoy.
Lexmark, 1993. The only solid dates I’m aware of is for the IBM Basic Keyboard (Enhanced Keyboard with Quiet Touch), announced 3rd August 1993 and released sometime in September 1993 as per announcement ZG93-0339. They were indeed first made by Lexmark for IBM. I’ve now just added that to the timeline!
There was some Lexmark advertising in 1993 that also portrays Lexmark self-branded keyboards with it (Lexmark Easy Touch Keyboard and Lexmark Thinlined Keyboard, both M1/M2 variants). I do not have a solid date for when this brochure with them entered circulation though, so I go by the IBM Basic Keyboard date for now.
