Keyboard Builders' Digest
Check out PWNAGE!
Keyboard Builders' Digest / Keyboard Spotting

NEC M-System

The NEC M-System was a Japanese input method and a series of word processor keyboards introduced in 1983. Posted by wj-zhe.

KBD.news
Published November 11, 2022
Creators! Feel free to tip me off about your keyboard related projects to bring them to 140K readers.

According to an article by the IPJS Computer Museum, NEC announced M system, a new input system for Japanese language word processors, in March 1983. The "M" comes from the name of the developer of this method: NEC special consultant Morita Masasuke.

At the time, input speed was an issue for Japanese language word processors, due to the mixture of kanji (Chinese characters) and kana (phonetic letters) in sentences. Various methods were developed to improve input speed, including: the kana-kanji conversion system, the romaji (alphabetic letter) kanji conversion system, the pen-touch system, the so-called "kanji-teletype" system, and the association system where kanji were input with 2 kana characters. Each of these methods had advantages and disadvantages. (source)

The author of this new method noticed that the "on-yomi" pronunciations of kanji could be divided into 5 patterns, and came up with his system where text input was done using 3-row, 5 column romaji keyboards.

This system made it possible to input text at a speed more than two times faster than the kana-kanji conversion system.

The first keyboard based on this input system made its debut in August of 1983, accompanying the PC-8800 Series word processor, marketed as PCWORD-M.

Pic: PWP-100 (source: IPSJ)

PWP-100 (source: IPSJ)

In 1984 NEC entered the personal word processor market with the PWP-100 personal Japanese language word processor, followed by a number of M System word processors.

I have another version of an M-type keyboard in the split database:

Pic:

Further reading

Do you like this post? Share, donate, subscribe, tip me off!

Published on Fri 11th Nov 2022. Featured in KBD #102 (source).


Related

Ostrich

Ostrich – a diodeless monoblock keyboard with splayed pinky columns by keyboarddweebs.

Barobord PCB

The barobord repo keeps growing: PCB for MX and Choc switches, cases, etc. - by sadekbaroudi.

Silli41 & Silli18

Squalius-cephalus shared the Reviung-derivative monoblock Silli41, along with its numpad companion.

Truly Ergonomic Cleave

Chyrosran22 reviews the Cleave keyboard by Truly Ergonomic – with Outemu PG816 snap spring optoelectric switches.

Goober

Alex Miller shared his Goober, a Hummingbird-like hotswap monoblock keyboard driven by a RP2040 Zero.

ToadsTempest

The ToadsTempest by tikinson is a pocket monoblock, another runner-up in sporewoh's keyboard contest.

×
top