Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bloom-beacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!mcsun!ukc!pyrltd!root44!stuart
From: stuart@root.co.uk (Stuart Boutell)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Archimedes keyboard (and Acorn badged monitors)
Keywords: kaput, deceased, ex-monitor
Message-ID: <2618@root44.co.uk>
Date: 22 Feb 91 11:02:49 GMT
References: <1991Feb19.160812.20483@cns.umist.ac.uk> <2313@cybaswan.UUCP> <1991Feb21.143445.22959@fwi.uva.nl>
Organization: UniSoft Ltd., London, England
Lines: 57

Recently, aroest@fwi.uva.nl (Axel Roest (N)) wrote:

>cs9h9tts@cybaswan.UUCP (t.simpson) writes:
>>In article <1991Feb19.160812.20483@cns.umist.ac.uk> vanaards%t7@uk.ac.man.cs writes:
>>>  I'm literally fed up with the new Archimedes keyboard, how many times do
>>>you have to keep cleaning the keyboard contacts - this is the third time in
>>>the space of 2 weeks !
	[stuff deleted]
>>wow, someone else with this problem. On my keyboard, the bottom left shift
>>key and the caps lock won't respond.  I guessed it was a cracked track, but
>>maybe (hopefully) I'm wrong and its only dust in the keyboard.
	[stuff deleted]
>Wow, what do you do with your keyboards? Bang them with hammers and Coke
>cans or something?
	[stuff deleted]

No, just use them too often :-)

I fall into the "horrible keyboards for the money" camp. Both the
Archimedes I have owned have had bad keyboard trouble. My (admittedly
very early) A310 had a dead keyboard on arrival! This required regular
disassembly (and awkward reassembly- you had to balance the whole
thing upside-down to try and make sure the keys didn't jam against the
keyboard case when you put it together) to keep it working. It had an
ABYSMAL 'feel' anyway.  Then, my A410/1 keyboard failed twice within
two months. At least that one hasn't got such a dreadful touch that your
hands seized up after typing for an hour... 

>Now I DO have a lot of problems with my mouse. Why did Acorn decide to use
>a light plastic ball instead of a heavy, rubbercoated metal one. The 
>friction between the plastic ball and the metal 'thingies' is very low.
	[stuff deleted]
>Axel

I don't mind the mouse - it doesn't get anywhere as "gunged up" as an
Atari mouse does, for example. The Atari mouse seems to attract small
pieces of Bluetac(tm) from a mysterious source and coat the metal
rollers with them :-)

IMHO, the worst piece of kit that Acorn sell is their rebadged Philips
monitor. The power supply on the one that came with my A310 blew up after
13 months :-( and I wasn't been able to find anyone willing to take it in
to repair! And I could tell you other peoples tales of woe about chronic
gun alignment, power connection problems to IEC on the Archie, Sparking in
damp weather, etc etc etc etc.

I'm quite surprised Acorn don't re-sell the slightly more expensive and
technically far superior 8833 instead. That way, people could watch TV
via a modulator whilst the compiler chews their C :-)
	
Stuart

---------------------------------------------------------------
	  Stuart Boutell	- UniSoft Ltd, Spa House,
	stuart@root.co.uk	- Rivington Street, London, UK
...!uunet!ukc!root.co.uk!stuart	- Tel: +44 71 729 3773 x226
	The views expressed above are, of course, my own.