Editing IBM Beam Spring Keyboards (section)

==4979==

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File:Large SMG00080825.jpg|4979 terminal
File:4979terminal.PNG|4979 Terminal displayed at the IBM/Celestica 2018 alumni reunion
File:4979layout.jpg|Layout diagram of the 4979's keyboard, taken from an IBM manual
</gallery>

The IBM 4979 Display Station is a data entry/operator terminal that was launched in 1976 for the IBM Series/1 minicomputer. The terminal is visually reminiscent of IBM's earlier 2260 model terminal and features a 66-key data entry keyboard that has the same layout as the 3277 data entry keyboard, but with unique keys for the Series/1. Only certain keys such as the arrow keys, space bar and return keys were capable of continuously sending scan codes when held down. All letters, numbers and special characters required repeated tapping of the keys to generate more scan codes. The terminal used a 64 character subset of the EBCDIC character set and had a fairly simple and limited usage: several keys on the keyboard went completely unused, shown as being blank in the pictures above. The limited input and lack of programmable function keys on a system that was marketed on the premise of being entirely configurable, prompted customers to request a more adaptable option that could be better tailored to their use-cases. IBM responded by adding the 4978 terminal to the Series/1 lineup in 1978 as a RPQ<ref>http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/series1/GA34-0035-5_Series_1_System_Summary_Sep79.pdf</ref>. A noteworthy feature on the 4979 is that the knob on the lower right hand side of the screen contained the on/off switch, the brightness adjustment and the contrast. Pulling or pushing the knob would turn the terminal on and off, twisting the inner stem would adjust the brightness and the outer stem would adjust the contrast<ref>http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/series1/GA34-0026-1_4979_Display_Station_Description_Mar77.pdf</ref>.