Editing Cherry G80-5000 (section)

==Description==
First introduced as early as 1994, it was the first keyboard to use [[Cherry MX Brown]] switches. Some owners have claimed the [[Cherry MX Brown]] switches used on the Cherry G80-5000 do not feel anything like the modern [[Cherry MX Brown]] switches that are featured on modern mechanical keyboards bearing [[Cherry MX]] mechanical switches.

According to Cherry, the Cherry G80-5000 was a test bed for experimentation with ergonomics. To paraphrase, "''The key blocks must be arranged for both hands so that an ulnar deviation (i.e. an inflammation in the area of metacarpophalangeal joints) is avoided due to a non-physiological hand position. The elevation, slope and curvature of the keyboard allows the hands to be held without additional tension.''"<ref>Cherry website (Dead link) - [http://www.cherry.de/deutsch/service/ergonomie_anforderungen_tastatur.htm Requirements for computer keyboards (German only)]</ref><ref>Wayback machine 13-04-2011 - [http://web.archive.org/web/20110913045424/http://www.cherry.de/deutsch/service/ergonomie_anforderungen_tastatur.htm Requirements for computer keyboards (German only)]</ref>

Cherry claims to have taken the ErgoPlus from the market in 1997. To paraphrase, "''Already in 1994, Cherry G80-5000 a model with a broken layout meant low sales figures however, that model has already taken off the market three years later. According to some surveys and many industry experts believe reason for the low acceptance of these keyboards is the long settling time brings the unusual layout with it. Even 10 finger touch-typists take up to two months before they can use the keyboard easily. From the basis of this experience Cherry decided that the generally accepted standard layout is to improve in terms of ergonomic requirements and thus to make the work more enjoyable for the masses, instead of bringing an ergonomically optimised product on the market, only <1% (source : GfK) is used by the consumer.''"<ref>Cherry website (Dead link) - [http://www.cherry.de/deutsch/service/ergonomie_anforderungen_tastatur.htm Requirements for computer keyboards (German only)]</ref><ref>Wayback machine 13-04-2011 - [http://web.archive.org/web/20110913045424/http://www.cherry.de/deutsch/service/ergonomie_anforderungen_tastatur.htm Requirements for computer keyboards (German only)]</ref><ref>Chens' site - [https://sites.google.com/a/chenschen.co.cc/index/Home/knowledge/ergo-kb ergo-kb (Traditional Chinese and some English)]</ref>. Though models made as late as 1998 have been sighted.

The G80-5000 was invented by Günter Murmann and Manfred Frank. <ref>European Patent Office - [https://data.epo.org/publication-server/html-document?PN=EP0671751%20EP%200671751&iDocId=3357316 EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (EP 0 671 751 A2) - Ergonomic keyboard]</ref> Murmann was CEO of Cherry Europe from 2003 until his retirement in 2011.

Cherry G80-5000 also has an accompanying numeric pad (part number: [[Cherry G80-5700|G80-5700]]) which is usually connected to the back of the G80-5000 via the spare PS/2 lookalike port. Sourcing a Cherry G80-5000 with the numeric pad is as hard as it is to source the numeric pad alone for the G80-5000. However it has been rumoured that it is possible to use [[Cherry G80-3700]] numeric pad with one exception, reverse the connecting order. Normally the G80-5700 is connected to the back of the G80-5000 and from G80-5000 the cable goes to the computer. If one were to use G80-3700 with G80-5000 they must connect G80-5000 through G80-3700 and from G80-3700 connect to the computer.

Cherry G80-5000 suffered poor sales amongst the community in general at the time. The keyboard as of writing is somewhat a well sought after keyboard along with IBM M15 keyboard. Some have noted the price of the keyboard selling for more than what it was originally worth.<ref>Geek - [http://www.geek.com/chips/cherry-mx-5000-auction-1491235/ The Cherry MX 5000 and the $9000 keyboard auction]</ref><ref>CNBeta - [http://www.cnbeta.com/articles/188894.htm Rare Cherry MX 5000 mechanical keyboard auction price up to $ 9,000! (Simplified Chinese only)]</ref><ref>South China Morning Post - [http://www.scmp.com/article/214261/elusive-search-ergonomic-keyboard The elusive search for an ergonomic keyboard]</ref><ref>DigestTouch - [http://digest.digesttouch.com/Cherry-MX-5000-and-9000-Auction-keyboard Cherry MX 5000 and $9000 Auction keyboard]</ref>