Admiral Shark
@sharktastica.co.uk
Hi, I share retro IBM keyboards, PCs & ThinkPads! - Welsh 🏴, he/him, software engineer, Debian user, lover of sharks, rock, metal, Star Trek & Stargate! #LLAP
Website: https://sharktastica.co.uk
Socials: https://linktr.ee/sharktastica
Subreddit: /r/modelm
Website: https://sharktastica.co.uk
Socials: https://linktr.ee/sharktastica
Subreddit: /r/modelm
I wanted a wallpaper slideshow of IBM patent diagrams, so I made it so! I took the patent drawings as seen on Google Patents, inverted them, removed any artefacts outside the bounds of the subject, and then made them 16:9. You can find them all on my FTP: ftp.sharktastica.co.uk/patents/
November 22, 2025 at 2:41 AM
I wanted a wallpaper slideshow of IBM patent diagrams, so I made it so! I took the patent drawings as seen on Google Patents, inverted them, removed any artefacts outside the bounds of the subject, and then made them 16:9. You can find them all on my FTP: ftp.sharktastica.co.uk/patents/
On Discord, I've been pinged this meme or a variation of it a few times since yesterday. I cannot confirm or deny I'm the shark in question nibbling on an undersea cable, so please do not blame me for any widespread internet outtages. I am hungry, though...
November 19, 2025 at 6:06 PM
On Discord, I've been pinged this meme or a variation of it a few times since yesterday. I cannot confirm or deny I'm the shark in question nibbling on an undersea cable, so please do not blame me for any widespread internet outtages. I am hungry, though...
A complete rewrite of my IBM Model M6 & M6-1 buckling sleeve keyboard article is just around the corner! I can't wait to finally publish, further celebrating the OG #ThinkPad keyboard and present fresh research on the Lexmark Lexbook. For now, enjoy this comparison of the major M6/M6-1 design types!
October 30, 2025 at 11:01 PM
A complete rewrite of my IBM Model M6 & M6-1 buckling sleeve keyboard article is just around the corner! I can't wait to finally publish, further celebrating the OG #ThinkPad keyboard and present fresh research on the Lexmark Lexbook. For now, enjoy this comparison of the major M6/M6-1 design types!
Happy 41st birthday to the #Wheelwriter and #IBMModelM keyboard family! On 16th October 1984, IBM announced the Wheelwriter 3, Wheelwriter 5 and Quietwriter 7 electronic typewriters. These typewriters featured a then-new take on the buckling spring keyboard design, the Model M!
October 16, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Happy 41st birthday to the #Wheelwriter and #IBMModelM keyboard family! On 16th October 1984, IBM announced the Wheelwriter 3, Wheelwriter 5 and Quietwriter 7 electronic typewriters. These typewriters featured a then-new take on the buckling spring keyboard design, the Model M!
To be clear, #Linux won't perform miracles on literally everything. But Windows 11 cuts off a lot of devices that could run it competently, including hardware that is up to *10* years newer than a Core 2 Duo #ThinkPad I can get quite a lot of my work and leisure done on...
October 13, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Some photos from my manual for it!
October 9, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Some photos from my manual for it!
Nice! The following logic helped me with the guess:
* 365X came with a floppy drive by default.
* 365Cx and 365Ex use a black inner cover (pictured via my 365ED) instead of the stylised one that 365Xx has.
* 365X came with a floppy drive by default.
* 365Cx and 365Ex use a black inner cover (pictured via my 365ED) instead of the stylised one that 365Xx has.
October 9, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Nice! The following logic helped me with the guess:
* 365X came with a floppy drive by default.
* 365Cx and 365Ex use a black inner cover (pictured via my 365ED) instead of the stylised one that 365Xx has.
* 365X came with a floppy drive by default.
* 365Cx and 365Ex use a black inner cover (pictured via my 365ED) instead of the stylised one that 365Xx has.
I may have caught the #FrutigerAero bug. I also think #WindowsVista and #Windows7 were the best-looking operating systems. Thus, I've been working on a new theme option for Admiral Shark's Keyboards that looks a lot like Aero! Some screenshots of what is to come... WIP, of course.
October 1, 2025 at 9:38 PM
I may have caught the #FrutigerAero bug. I also think #WindowsVista and #Windows7 were the best-looking operating systems. Thus, I've been working on a new theme option for Admiral Shark's Keyboards that looks a lot like Aero! Some screenshots of what is to come... WIP, of course.
Whilst I was archiving some #IBM documents for my posterity and research, I came across these #Lenovo #ThinkPad paper models amongst the IBM/Lenovo Japan lot! You print, trim, and then assemble. I have not found other language versions. Download links in subsequent comments.
August 16, 2025 at 10:40 PM
I agree. Model M isn't just about the looks, it's the complete experience. Ultimately, whether buckling springs feel or sound the best is subjective. But if this is what you like (which I certainly do), you simply cannot find it with a Cherry/Cherry-compatible keyboard.
August 6, 2025 at 10:53 PM
I agree. Model M isn't just about the looks, it's the complete experience. Ultimately, whether buckling springs feel or sound the best is subjective. But if this is what you like (which I certainly do), you simply cannot find it with a Cherry/Cherry-compatible keyboard.
Hello, it's been a while. I recently got this #ThinkPad #R500! It is a good configuration with a 1680x1050 display and ATI 3470. I dropped a T9600 and 8GB RAM into this and installed #Debian, and it's golden. The thing is thicc and sturdy, and has great hinges. Honestly, much prefer this to my T400.
July 17, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Hello, it's been a while. I recently got this #ThinkPad #R500! It is a good configuration with a 1680x1050 display and ATI 3470. I dropped a T9600 and 8GB RAM into this and installed #Debian, and it's golden. The thing is thicc and sturdy, and has great hinges. Honestly, much prefer this to my T400.
I added this patent diagram to my IBM Model M Enhanced Keyboard 40th birthday article from last month. From 18th March 1985, I believe this to be the earliest published depiction of an Enhanced Keyboard!
Article: sharktastica.co.uk/articles/enh...
Patent: patents.google.com/patent/USD29...
Article: sharktastica.co.uk/articles/enh...
Patent: patents.google.com/patent/USD29...
June 21, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I added this patent diagram to my IBM Model M Enhanced Keyboard 40th birthday article from last month. From 18th March 1985, I believe this to be the earliest published depiction of an Enhanced Keyboard!
Article: sharktastica.co.uk/articles/enh...
Patent: patents.google.com/patent/USD29...
Article: sharktastica.co.uk/articles/enh...
Patent: patents.google.com/patent/USD29...
I absolutely love my one!
May 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I absolutely love my one!
Happy 21st birthday to this Unicomp-made IBM Model M13 3494 Track Pointer Keyboard! 🎂 It can now legally drink in the USA, but since this keyboard and I are in the UK, it's already been doing so for 3 years.
April 26, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Happy 21st birthday to this Unicomp-made IBM Model M13 3494 Track Pointer Keyboard! 🎂 It can now legally drink in the USA, but since this keyboard and I are in the UK, it's already been doing so for 3 years.
The 500 has a few other familial relations besides 510 as well. The Lexmark Lexbook SE10 has the same CPU and similar Model M6-1 keyboard but with a mouse-key instead of TrackPoint. Lexmark also designed the Apple Newton model X0044 keyboard, derived from 500/510/SE10 M6-1 design.
April 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The 500 has a few other familial relations besides 510 as well. The Lexmark Lexbook SE10 has the same CPU and similar Model M6-1 keyboard but with a mouse-key instead of TrackPoint. Lexmark also designed the Apple Newton model X0044 keyboard, derived from 500/510/SE10 M6-1 design.
You can see the tell-tale signs this was made by Lexmark, a then-recent spin-off of IBM. The 500 has a Lexmark sibling called the Lexbook SE10, using the same 50MHz IBM 486SLC2 CPU and a similar IBM Model M6/M6-1 buckling-sleeve keyboard design but with a mouse-key rather than a TrackPoint.
April 20, 2025 at 4:37 PM
You can see the tell-tale signs this was made by Lexmark, a then-recent spin-off of IBM. The 500 has a Lexmark sibling called the Lexbook SE10, using the same 50MHz IBM 486SLC2 CPU and a similar IBM Model M6/M6-1 buckling-sleeve keyboard design but with a mouse-key rather than a TrackPoint.
Please wish my Unicomp-made IBM Model M4-1 ThinkPad Space Saver Keyboard with TrackPoint II a happy 26th birthday! 🎂
April 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Please wish my Unicomp-made IBM Model M4-1 ThinkPad Space Saver Keyboard with TrackPoint II a happy 26th birthday! 🎂
Look at this hot contraption, an IBM Model C Electric Formswriter. The aft structure is designed to help feed in very long forms.
Source: digitaltmuseum.org (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: digitaltmuseum.org (CC BY-SA 4.0)
April 14, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Look at this hot contraption, an IBM Model C Electric Formswriter. The aft structure is designed to help feed in very long forms.
Source: digitaltmuseum.org (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: digitaltmuseum.org (CC BY-SA 4.0)
April 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM