The Space Bar

[Mac128]

The spacebar is discolored, as is the case with 99% of the "clean" keyboards I've seen on EBAY. ...

For what it's worth, my Mac 512k ... has not only a mint case but a mint keyboard too (i.e., the spacebar shows no signs of wear).

Every Apple "medium brown" keyboard I have ever seen, from the Apple IIe, III+ and Lisa through the beige Macs, have a discolored space bar. It is almost as if the space bar was made by a completely different manufacturer with a completely different plastic formulation. In fact, it is so ubiquitous, that I originally though the space bar was actually intended to be a different shade from the rest of the keys for some reason.

JDW, if you have one where the spacebar matches the rest of the keys you indeed have a rare and unique museum piece! Keep it out of UV sources and heat by all means.

Is it possible Apple literally gave the space-bar to the lowest bidder, which was a separate vendor from the keys? Otherwise, how could the same company continue making a spacebar with such a different composition for over 4 years across 4 product lines? I can see a few batches, but 99% of them? Could it be the space bar, by virtue of it being the largest key suffered from the effects of discoloration because it had more surface area on which to start the irreversible discoloration process?

 

[John8520]

Yes!

I have the Apple ADB Keyboard I (the one right after the IIgs, and before the one with the bar on the top)and the spacebar is yellow & smooth, while the rest of the keys are textured and white. It's bothered me for years.

here's a pictuire http://i26.tinypic.com/2551b40.jpg

 

[aphetica]

Most of my keyboards are Performa or PPC and later, so no. They are all the same color.

I think they are all Appledesign, minus the iMac and G4.

 

[JDW]

In addition to discoloration, you often see the spacebar is a bit shiny too. This is evidence of excessive wear as the original textured surface has worn off due to use (slamming your thumb down on it thousands of times, combined with the effects of finger oil).

And so I honestly must say that this Mac 128/512k that I bought off EBAY was hardly used by its original owner. Because if he had used it often, the space bar would be shiny due to wear.

 

[MacMan]

Yep, the spacebar on my Plus' keyboard and a few of my early ADB and extended keyboards all seem to be slightly more beige than the rest of the keys. I've heard somewhere that the plastic spacebars were provided by a different manufacturer than the one that made the rest of the keys, and it has a tendency to discolour more.

The spacebars on my AppleDesign keyboards seem to be consistent with the rest of the keys.

 

[Macflyer]

I`ve always thought it was intended. How funny!

 

[Scott Baret]

The Apple Keyboard II (second-generation short keyboard, shipped with the Classic/LC and most subsequent models that didn't come with extended keyboards) doesn't yellow on the spacebar.

My spacebars always wear (texture-wise) on the right side. My right thumb is somewhat arthritic and I adapted my typing style around it, using my right index finger to press the space bar. It's the only finger I ever use on the space bar so there is an obvious spot from it on most my keyboards. For some reason my Plus doesn't seem to wear much on the keyboard--but the new MacBook has.

 

[MultiFinder]

All of my ADB keyboards (Apple Design, Apple Keyboard II, and the IIgs keyboard) are all fine. Even the keyboard on my Apple IIc+ is fine. Maybe I'm just lucky

 

[techfury90]

All but one (out of 4 or so) Sun Type 5C keyboards I've had did that too..

 

[Bolle]

I´ve got one of the first line of ADB keyboards and its spacebar has another color than the rest of the keys too.

 

[Mac128]

I guess this belongs in the Peripherals forum given that it has been expanded to include all subsequent keyboards. I had only intended it to apply to the beige Apples, well over half of which were built into the computer and therefore technically NOT a peripheral. In which case, I guess it would have belonged in the Apple II forum.

Since most of this discussion has shifted to ADB keyboards anyway, then I guess it is justified. While Many of the Plus Platinum coloured keyboards exhibit the same accelerated yellowing of the space bar even in their dark smoke-colored keys, I have not noticed this on any of my ADB all-Platinum keyboards. So I am surprised to hear that some have seen this.

Since approximately 90% of all Pre SE & Mac II computers (IIGS excepted in my experience) have discolored keys, I question whether it was the contrasting color: medium-brown on the beige, Smoke on the Platinum keyboards, that made the difference in manufacture, particularly supplied from an entirely separate vendor. Clearly it affected the ADB all Platinum keyboards as well, but in a much smaller percentage based on my experience, which is what I would expect from different manufactures and individual production lots.

 

[MrMacPlus]

Wow, I'm reviving a dead post.

My original Mac keyboard (no arrows) is discolored. I will get a ADB 'board soon and will see if it's discolored.