[citation][nom]Computer_Lots[/nom]Didn't Apple and IBM both do this with the old tan boxes in the 80's with 5 1/2 inch floppies. They were pretty much keyboards with the computing guts underneath and an external screen. Now, why did we abandon this design.... Oh, yeah, because if you break a key on the keyboard, you have to replace your computer. Keyboards are $5 and the computer costs 100's. It just doesn't make sense.If you need portability, then get a laptop.[/citation]
Actually, the IBM had a seperate keyboard, that was heavier than most cases made today. The Apple, and many others like Tandy, Commodore, and Atari did have the keyboard part of the case. My guess is the practice went away because IBM became the standard, and not something intrinsically inferior about it. There were advantages, of course, and disadvantages. The advantage being the machine was much smaller and was cheaper to make, and you didn't have to worry about the keyboard getting unplugged or the damn cord (wireless sucks, as we all know, so we'll leave that out). The disadvantage was you were stuck with that keyboard (for the most part), and were more limited in how you could move it.
The disadvantage you point out wasn't one. You could easily replace the keyboard. You'd have to open it up, and maybe remove a screw or two, and a ribbon cable, but it wasn't anything most people couldn't do. They sold replacement keyboards too, so they weren't hard to get, even after market ones.
Actually, the IBM had a seperate keyboard, that was heavier than most cases made today. The Apple, and many others like Tandy, Commodore, and Atari did have the keyboard part of the case. My guess is the practice went away because IBM became the standard, and not something intrinsically inferior about it. There were advantages, of course, and disadvantages. The advantage being the machine was much smaller and was cheaper to make, and you didn't have to worry about the keyboard getting unplugged or the damn cord (wireless sucks, as we all know, so we'll leave that out). The disadvantage was you were stuck with that keyboard (for the most part), and were more limited in how you could move it.
The disadvantage you point out wasn't one. You could easily replace the keyboard. You'd have to open it up, and maybe remove a screw or two, and a ribbon cable, but it wasn't anything most people couldn't do. They sold replacement keyboards too, so they weren't hard to get, even after market ones.
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