Editing IBM Enhanced Keyboard (section)

==History==

The Enhanced Keyboard entered production in mid 1985 and first appeared with the IBM 3161 terminal. It used a new layout, seemingly inspired by the [[DEC LK201]] keyboard, with elements of the [[Physical keyboard layout#IBM 5271 (3270 PC)|122-key terminal keyboard layout]]. The original terminal models featured a 102-key (US) or 103-key (rest of the world) layout. The first PC-compatible Enhanced Keyboard was packaged with the [http://www.9999hp.net/7531/ IBM 7531 Industrial PC], an industrial version of the PC/AT. Compared with the terminal keyboard, it featured lock lights, a detachable cable, and a 101- or 102-key layout (the numeric keypad having one less button on the former). In 1986, IBM produced variants of the Enhanced Keyboard for certain models of the IBM PC/XT, PC/AT and XT/286. The Enhanced Keyboard and its variants became standard for IBM's PS/2 line of computers in 1987, and an option for various IBM terminals and other computers.

In 1991, IBM divested its Office Products Division, resulting in the formation of [[Lexmark]], who took over most of IBM's keyboard production. Lexmark produced the Enhanced Keyboard for IBM and other vendors, and under its own brand. Due to pressures on IBM to produce cheaper computers, the Enhanced Keyboard appeared only on high-end systems after IBM discontinued the PS/2 line in 1994, and as an optional accessory for other systems. Eventually Lexmark could no longer justify producing keyboards, and a staff buyout of their keyboard business resulted in the creation of [[Unicomp]]. IBM continued to offer the Enhanced Keyboard, producing them at their Greenock, Scotland plant, as well as outsourcing to Lexmark and Unicomp.

Around 1999, IBM began to discontinue both producing and offering the Enhanced Keyboard. Unicomp continued to produce them for other vendors as well as selling directly to the public. Unicomp's designs have not differed from late IBM ones, save for the introduction of [[Windows key]]s, USB connections, and different colour options.