Ad featuring a model M

[Kurk]

Just wanted to share this ancient ad featuring an IBM model M that I found on the back of a scientific journal (Tetrahedron Letters 1989, 30, issue 41). Back in those days, true scientists used true keyboards, they worked high up in the skies and had terrific hairdos. On top of that they could wear their lab coats in the office space.

ad_with_model_M.jpg (202.33 KiB) Viewed 6519 times

[dondy]

hahaha, this is perfect.
especially how he stares down the computer as in "sooner or later you will do what i want you to do...".
though i doubt that he won the staring contest against the computer

[Muirium]

I love how awkwardly the mouse, keyboard and display were so often placed in old ads. In this case the weirdly arranged mouse is the first give away, then the fact that he's practically looking at the side of the monitor. The people "dressing the stage" were taking pictures of things they did not know how to use. So they put stuff wherever they thought had symmetry or just looked good. Like hiding a CRT's bulk from the camera at all costs.

[mr_a500]

Just wanted to share this ancient ad featuring an IBM model M that I found on the back of a scientific journal (Tetrahedron Letters iirc). Back in those days, true scientists used true keyboards, they worked high up in the skies and had terrific hairdos. On top of that they could wear their lab coats in the office space.

This sort of thing made me want to become a scientist. Who wouldn't want to work high up in the sky with a lab coat and terrific hairdo? I was horribly disappointed when I found out that only executives worked high up in the sky with terrific hairdos. Real scientists had crap hairdos, cheap disposable lab coats and slaved away in shabby basement labs - with no time at all to sit smugly staring at computer screens at oblique angles.

[Halvar]

I think that's a window to his basement lab where some experiment is going awfully wrong.

[Peter]

I know that dude !!
Was at a party with him once ...

Spoiler:

partypicture.jpg (33.27 KiB) Viewed 6478 times

[Halvar]

You were on a party with Barbie? What's she like? Is she an airhead like they use to say?

[Compgeke]

Anyone notice that this must be a rare prototype Model M? It's wireless!

[Muirium]

I did notice the wire on the mouse. Being non-detachable, I bet the photographer asked if they could snip it off for composition reasons before the client objected.

This equipment is rented! Including the hair!

[Okeg]

Wow, this should be nominated the funniest thread of DT.
OT: What is he actually doing? At first I tought he was drawing stick figures, but now it seems like he's drawing up structures?

[lcg]

Cool find!

I'm sure some of you already know, but the Model M also features on the packaging of Windows 3.0. The IBM logo on the keyboard and monitor have been edited out. It looks high in the skies too!

[Muirium]

He's doing chemistry. Or rather sitting back to stare at diagrams of chemistry. The computer's peripherals are all in the table.

I picture a Jeff Goldblum-like voice over:

"Hmm inter-esting. Fascin-ating in fact. I can see we're on the verge of a breakthrough. With just one more benzene ring, we will achieve immortality!"

While the noxious fumes billow from the lab behind him.

[dondy]

Anyone notice that this must be a rare prototype Model M? It's wireless!

actually the wire is just very hard to see. it's the slightly lighter strip that is in the shadow of the monitor.
though... that's totally not fun

[webwit]

Modern office (at the Webwit HQ).



You can see the shine on my HHKB space bar from space.

[snoopy]

Does anybody have some old advertising stuff from the ssk?

[dondy]

... You can see the shine on my HHKB space bar from space.

That is obviously Photoshopped - you can't trick us with that! Don't make me GIMProve you!

Original Image restored:

[Half-Saint]

@webwit:
How do you do any work on that micro machine?

[mr_a500]

"Hmm inter-esting. Fascin-ating in fact. I can see we're on the verge of a breakthrough. With just one more benzene ring, we will achieve immortality!"

You can never have too many benzene rings.

[webwit]

@webwit:
How do you do any work on that micro machine?

Actually I use an external monitor, but not at the time the picture was taken:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6824005400

[lcg]

Does anybody have some old advertising stuff from the ssk?

Does a commercial featuring the SSK count?

[Halvar]

Note how the mouse sits unused far away and outside of reach on the left side of the keyboard while he's working...

[dorkvader]

Does anybody have some old advertising stuff from the ssk?

After doing some serious research into the "space saver" version of the 122-key model F keyboard (often called the "space unsaver" because it's almost the same width as a normal model M), I turned up several press photos and advertisements featuring it. Nothing this cool, though. Here's one for example: http://www.kolumbus.fi/timkoh/IMAGE/ibmtimoa.jpg

There are a few different systems that feature it. The famous 1387033 that Kishy has went with a surprisingly small orange plasma terminal. The same keyboard layout was used earlier (1983 ish) in the IBM CAD/graphics terminal, the IBM 5085/5083. The reason they could get away with missing the tenkey is the system was meant to be used with an IBM LPFK (based on the unigraphics PFK).Webwit has pictures of a later model LPFK on his website ( http://webwit.nl/input/ibm_misc/lpfk2.jpg ), but his most likely went with the later (1986 -) IBM RS6000 series of cad stuff based on the fact that it has rubber domes. (look up the later IBM RT 6150 CAD stuff. Visually very similar, dials and lpfk look the same on the outside. Internally, it's domes and "made in mexico" potentiometers)

Back on topic, you can find some of the "space unsaver" model F ads by looking up old CATIA stuff, and general IBM 5085 / 5083 pictures.

There's a lot of really interesting IBM stuff that went on in these old systems. I have an invoice online for a university installation of one that shows some of the pricing. The keyboard was under $300, but the "ibm dials" were almost $1000! Part of this is the potentiometers are metal / ball bearing / made in japan / high precision units, clearly seen in my picture, here: http://i.imm.io/13L5q.jpeg

[Muirium]

Great stuff, Dorkvader. I am immensely jealous of this guy's lair:

[phosphorglow]

In James Bond Goldeneye there are some terrifying scenes with senseless slaughter of many M's...

On a happier note, watch Miami Connection. It's a fantastically terrible martial arts movie from '86 and there's a scene in a university with tons of IBM 5150's with everyone typing on the model f's simultaneously.

[matt3o]

@webwit:
How do you do any work on that micro machine?

Actually I use an external monitor, but not at the time the picture was taken:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6824005400

is that good? I wanted to get it but I ended up with the viewsonic VP2770-led

[webwit]

It's excellent, although the factory settings were silly. Thinking of buying a second one.

[mr_a500]

It's excellent, although the factory settings were silly. Thinking of buying a second one.

I bet you sit there high up in the sky with your terrific hairdo and lab coat and stare at that screen at an oblique angle with a smug look on your face. You smug bastard you.

[Muirium]

Come on though: lacks Bluetooth, lame!