07-24-2012, 01:15 AM

Aluminum with the chicklets and number pad, Yes the exact same KB except F4 on old is a speedometer icon and on the new, It's a six up square grid. That is it and yes they all worked perfect.

07-24-2012, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

After reading your original post...I have a question. Was your old keyboard the same type of keyboard as you just purchased (both are the slim aluminum keyboard with the white "chicklet" keys)?

If both keyboards are the same design...are the function keys laid out exactly the same way?

Did all the function keys on the old keyboard work fine?

- Nick

Nick. Apple DID cut out 10.5 and even some machines on newer versions of the USB keyboard with Numeric keypad. It was discussed here at one point. Will try and find the URL. I feel it's not fair. It's a keyboard! Keyboards should work on all machines. Grin

07-24-2012, 02:31 AM

Read Charlie's post in this thread.

Aluminum keyboard not working at startup

07-24-2012, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by dtravis7

Nick. Apple DID cut out 10.5 and even some machines on newer versions of the USB keyboard with Numeric keypad. It was discussed here at one point. Will try and find the URL. I feel it's not fair. It's a keyboard! Keyboards should work on all machines. Grin

Well now, the keyboard does work. The function keys work perfectly well as function keys. Their alternate use to control specific features of the OS isn't what's working. That is darned peculiar though.

07-24-2012, 10:15 AM

So does a Windows keyboard. The Apple keys do not function. I will not stick up for Apple on this. There is no excuse.

07-24-2012, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by dtravis7

So does a Windows keyboard. The Apple keys do not function. I will not stick up for Apple on this. There is no excuse.

Actually the more I thought about it… I'd wager it had something to do with switching to 64 bit kernel extensions. That did start with Snow Leopard, and the alternate use of the F-keys to control a number of system functions isn't exactly "standard" in keyboards. Some things, like Dashboard and Exposé/Mission Control can be easily re-mapped since they are just launching an app, but others like the volume and brightness tie more directly to the hardware. I'd bet that those system controls on the new keyboards simply don't work with 32-bit extensions. Whether or not they "could" is a matter of speculation. Maybe the firmware in them is pure 64-bit, thus excluding the ability to work with 32-bit extensions? Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can share some insight. In any event, it's a non-issue. The older keyboards are readily available, even if not direct from Apple. But it is confusing, that much I agree.