This is IBM's doubleshot typeface. It isn't superior to Helvetica Round (IBM's dye-sub typeface) in most situation and aspect. But on ornamental keycaps (in other words, the user can live with otaku keyboard), it does better than Helvetica Round. My Selectric lacks some signs for PC keyboard, but I'll supplement them from the Internet.
For sure, I don't use this image as is. I'm making brushed outline font from this image.
Ooh, noble goal. I have a few beamsprings (also DS like selectrics) that I can take pictures of if needed :)
ReplyDeleteOh thank you so much! But do you have any ASCII beamsprings keyboard? Most beamsprings are EBCDIC. ASCII is quite rare, I suppose.
DeleteI'm afraid not - I had no idea that ASCII beam springs even existed. What is the difference between them as far as typefaces go?
DeleteNo problem.
ReplyDeleteThe most remarkable and difficult difference is curly braces, { and }. EBCDIC doesn't have them. The curly braces' curve differs much depending on the type design, like ampersand. I have no choice but low resolution, out of focus, few photos.
Odd, but I have that key on my 3278:
Deletehttp://i.imgur.com/M0POkVQ.jpg
Bad angle and resolution, but if that's what you're looking for let me know and I'll take a better one with a better camera :)
Oh great, this is it! I'm looking forward to your new photo.
DeleteAnd when you take photo, please take tilde / backquote (~ / `) key too.
Well, your beamspring keyboard is great and mysterious! It has almost all ASCII signs but hat. What did the processor work in its age? Very interesting...
Sorry for the delay - here are the photos, hopefully good enough. I can take close up macro shots as well, but it's trickier as I don't have a dedicated 1:1 macro lens and have to use a teleconverter instead.
Deletehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/13176014@N03/sets/72157646783036775/
As far as I recall, it's 1742706 which according to http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/ibm/3270/fe/S126-0029-0_3276_3278_Keyboard_Assembly_Parts_Catalog_Jan83.pdf is a standard APL board. I'll have to go back and double check for the PN...
Ooohh it's amazing! Thank you!
Delete