Datasheet

Book VIII
Chapter 1
Finding and
Installing the
Hardware You Need
787
Upgrading the Basic Stuff
Which keyboard do I use? An old Northgate OmniKey Ultra (see Figure 1-5),
which is surely the Sherman tank of the keyboard biz. The beast weighs
almost as much as a portable computer, and it costs just under $200. You
can’t find new ones any more — you have to buy them refurbished. It’s ugly,
it’s retro, and it’s decidedly unhip. But it keeps goin’ and goin’. It’s available
from northgate-keyboard-repair.com, one of the few places that sell
the classics.
For the brave of heart, eBay is full of good old clickity-clack ancient AT/
IBM-PC style keyboards for less than half the price of the Northgate. Most of
them require only an AT-to-PS/2 adapter (available at most computer stores)
to plug into a modern computer.
Figure 1-5:
Refurbished
Northgate
OmniKey
Ultra.
Choosing a mouse — or alternatives
Mice are probably available in more varieties than any other computer
accessory. You can find mice with special ergonomic profiles, colored mice,
transparent mice, special mice designed for kids, and on and on.
Laser and optical mice now rule the roost. An optical mouse uses a light-
emitting diode (LED) light source and sensor to detect movement over a
flat surface. It has no rolling ball to slip or stick, and it rarely needs to be
cleaned. You may find this model particularly helpful if you have furry pets
and your mouse tends to get clogged by their hair. Laser mice use an infra-
red laser diode, but otherwise function in much the same way. They’re sig-
nificantly more sensitive than optical mice.
Right now, my favorite mouse is a Microsoft Natural Wireless Laser Mouse
(see Figure 1-6). I never thought I’d convert to a wireless mouse, but this
funny-looking critter fits my hand precisely, and the laser tracking works
remarkably well.