7/13/2023 0 Comments Front wire for mac![]() A lot of monitors have built-in USB hubs, and in many cases, a 3′ cable can work with a traditional desk. Running a keyboard cable from the keyboard to the back of the desk and then to the computer sitting on the floor just can’t be done with a 3′ cable, especially when the USB ports are within 8″ of the floor. There is not a single USB port near the top on the rear of any Power Mac G3, G4, or G5 model, which would have been a nice touch for those who use their Power Macs on the floor. Part of the frustration is that while Apple was smart enough to finally have a front-facing USB port on the Power Mac G5, all of the USB ports are within 8″ of the floor. So what if the keyboard cable was only 3′ long – but trying to work with a big (20″ tall, 8″ wide, 19″ deep), heavy (36-49 lb.) Power Mac G5 on the floor with my keyboard and monitor on a desk, it doesn’t really work. I picked up 12 very used Power Mac G5 computers over the weekend, and it was okay sitting on the floor to check their configurations. That was great with iMacs and fine for Power Macs on the desktop, but for Power Macs sitting on the floor, not long enough. Just like before, the new “pro” keyboard had the same 3′ cable. These also made their way to the iMac line. It wasn’t until July 2000 that Apple introduced a full-fledged extended keyboard, the Apple Pro Keyboard, and a non-round mouse, the Apple Pro Mouse, for USB Macs. On the plus side, the Power Mac G4 had a more subdued graphite color palette, and the USB mouse (still round) and keyboard were updated to match that color scheme, but still with a short cable. When Apple released the Power Mac G4 later in 1999, the ADB port was gone, making the Power Mac USB only going forward. One nice feature of the Blue and White Power Mac G3 was that it retained a legacy ADB port, so longtime Mac users upgrading to it could keep their beloved extended keyboards and mice. Needless to say, this helped create a market for third-party USB extended keyboards with the traditional Mac layout. Apple actually shipped a 3′ USB extension cable rather than produce a second USB keyboard, which also left users with the truncated iMac keyboard. The problem was that if you put the new Power Mac on the floor, the keyboard’s 3′ cable just wasn’t long enough. And with a drawbridge door on the side, access to the computer’s interior had never been easier. ![]() On top of that, it was a big step forward in power – faster CPUs, faster data bus, faster graphics, more expansion slots. It was such a visual improvement over earlier beige Power Macs. ![]() The Blue and White Power Mac G3 was a beautifully sculpted and colorful computer aimed at pros, and if it sat on the desktop, it got a lot of attention. And it even had a Power key, just like ADB keyboards, although this was strictly in violation of the USB standard. And it had a pass-through for a USB mouse. ![]() Like the AppleDesign keyboard, the new USB keyboard had a built-in cable – but only 3′ long, which was perfect for use with the iMac. To keep the size of the keyboard more appropriate to the size of the iMac, Apple introduced a USB keyboard with an entirely new layout – and several keys traditionally found on extended keyboards went missing. However, Apple didn’t provide an extended keyboard with the iMac. In 1998, Steve Jobs gave the world the iMac, an all-in-one desktop computer reminiscent of the earliest Macs and The Jetsons. On the plus side, it still had ADB pass-through for the mouse. On the minus side, Apple dispensed with the coiled keyboard cable, and now you had a 6′ cable even if you were using it with a desktop computer just inches from your keyboard. On the plus side, you no longer had to worry about the keyboard end of the cable coming loose. Unlike earlier ADB keyboards, the AppleDesign had a built-in ADB cable. Then came the budget AppleDesign keyboard in 1994, the year that Apple introduced its first PowerPC Macs. PCs didn’t do that, and they had separate ports for mice and keyboards, adding to cable clutter. It really was a great time to be a Mac user. The ADB keyboards even had a Power button that let you turn on the Mac II (and most subsequent Macs) without having to reach around the back to use the computer’s power button.
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