How long does an IBM/Lexmark keyboard last?
I have always typed better on the old “clicky” IBM/Lexmark keyboards. There is probably some combination of tactile and auditory feedback that helps me type my fastest. I bought a bunch of broken ones from a liquidator around 1993 and managed to put several complete, working ones together. I’ve tried to keep them functioning and moving them forward with me as I’ve upgraded my work computer (and luckily it still has a PS/2 port). Along the way I’ve always wondered how long they would last (the switches and the controller). Well, last week I got a partial answer. My computer booted up with the dreaded “keyboard error” message. I figured that the cable had worked its way loose, but that wasn’t the case. Apparently the controller board had died. It’s not worth spending the time to determine if it was the 6805 or some discrete component. Impressive is not quite a strong enough word to describe its service record. In today’s disposable society, it’s simply astounding that a piece of consumer electronic equipment could work continuously for 8-16 hours a day for 14 years. Luckily I had a spare controller board and brought it back to life for a few more years 
