"Worse, I'm already kind of dissatisfied with the iMate - it doesn't distinguish left and right for Alt/Shift/etc."
This may be a limitation of the keyboard itself. I remember looking into low level keyboard remapping over a decade ago in OS X (via ~/Library/Keyboards), and I have a vague memory of reading what was at the time an ancient piece of Apple reference material that some keyboards do not distinguish between left and right modifier keys.
On ADB Standard keyboards(M0116) left and right corresponding modifiers are logically indentical and can not be discriminated one another by the converter. This is ADB keyboard limitation, not converter's. Apple Extended keyboard(M0115/M3501) can discriminate them except for 'Command' key.
I do remember using my Extended Keyboard II on ADB Macs, and the keyboard viewer did distinguish between left and right modifier keys. This might not apply to other ADB keyboards, though.
I use an iMate to connect my Extended II to my Powermac G4. I recently replaced the battery to be able to turn on the computer. I appreciate the traces, but I actually thought this was all well known. I use the G4 every day to make music and for recreational programming. I've also got an older Powermac which I enjoyed more precisely because of the Extended II[0], but the G4 is much faster so getting the iMate working was great.
Also, on Mac OS 9, the iMate doesn't just allow the use of ADB keyboards, but as far as I know actually acts as a proper ADB bridge, so dongles, modems[1] and other ADB peripherals work as well.
[0] It's like having sunshine in your fingers!
[1] Yes, there were a few ADB modems, and yes, they were slow.
I have an iMate (admittedly I haven't hooked up my Apple Extended II in a few years), but I think the writing is on the wall. I ended up buying a modern adapter from some site called tinkerBOY but I just realized I never even tried it yet.
Personally, for me, the primary attraction is the feel of the old Alps switches. I don't want to dedicate my desk to some battleship (ok nerds, I know that "battleship" keyboards are even bigger). And I can get that from modern switches in a more manageable chassis. I currently have the "Zilent" switches from Zelio which give me good tactility without too much clickiness.
Regarding the astonishing flexibility of USB -- I've got a 1994 vintage keyboard / mouse combo (lexmark/IBM M4-1, compact keyboard + trackpoint) -- I use it regularly using a USB to PS/2 adapter connected to a kvm switch built into a 2010 vintage monitor (usb 2) that's connected to a USB-C hub attached to a 2020 macbook's USB-C and a surface pro's port replicator. Once a week when switching inputs or waking up something gets in a state where I have to unplug the keyboard and plug it back in (IBM's typical over-engineering means there's a wacky plug on the keyboard so it's easy to get to). But, "1994 -> 2000 (ps2->usb) -> 2010 (monitor) -> 2020 (macbook)" is a pretty broad stack and it works almost perfectly.
I think these are the wacky keyboards where they had the "D" and "K" keys marked with a nub to indicate home keys. Drove me crazy enough that I'd deface them by shaving off the original nub and put a "proper" ridge into the f and j keys.
> I think these are the wacky keyboards where they had the "D" and "K" keys marked with a nub to indicate home keys. Drove me crazy enough that I'd deface them by shaving off the original nub and put a "proper" ridge into the f and j keys.
I have these caps on my keyboard and I can confirm this. I think I actually like it since it helps my muscle memory type one way on my laptop and another on my vertical staggered external keyboard. I bought an original for the caps and switches. Almost all the switches had been desoldered and replaced with Alps compatible Matias click switches which weren't even soldered in. Stinks. Could have raised a stink but whatever.
The point to “d” and “k” was that even if one of your hands was shifted by a letter, you’d still feel the nub, but you’d feel it on the wrong finger and know.
By moving the nub to “f” and “j”, they broke that contract. It’s harder to notice the absence of a nub than it is to notice it’s under the wrong finger.
I worked as a relay operator that summer -- AT&T had a TTY terminal and a billing terminal and me in between; I'd get phone calls from someone with a TTY/TDD (typically a person "hard of hearing") and a person without the TTY/TDD device (such as a school chum or a pizza place or relative). It was my job to relay what I heard or read to the other party. I then would have to enter the session into the AT&T billing system. Oh, and obviously I had a phone setup as well; interestingly there was no automated dialing system I had to just read the number from one interface and dial into another. I think to this day I can touch type a phone number pad with only my right and and a "regular" number pad only with my left.
These two devices had different home key setups (one with nubs, one with deep indentations) -- they had different number pad setups (one was "normal 10key" the other was setup like a telephone number pad) , and obviously my job was to be a super fast but accurate typist.
So when I got to school and was confronted by yet another cursed keyboard I snapped and "fixed" them. I would like to think everyone in the lab except the rich kid with a IIci in his dorm who was just using the laser printer to print his fanfics appreciated it.
Your logic is sound; I'm not going to disagree on principals but my fingers would get really agitated when trying to use those things.
If you touch type anyway (and the keyboard allows it), you could switch the keycaps between 'd' and 'f' and 'j' and 'k'. Or any other combination that puts the nubs in the place you want, really.
As a bonus, it'll confuse the hell out of anyone who doesn't touch type.
I tend to switch every few weeks between Apple's current wireless keyboard and the Extended Keyboard II with an iMate attached. I've had the iMate for about 25 years, and I've also been wondering about the battery. Thanks to the author for finding out what it's for! I do have the same gripe as the author regarding the iMate not distinguishing between left and right modifier keys, though.
Anyhow, after all those years, it's indeed amazing how the whole ancient setup still works flawlessly with my current ARM Mac.
I seem to remember depletion-node FETs were available in the late 90s, which could have solved this problem in a more elegant way than a "lifetime" battery.
