At 08:55 PM 9/6/2006 -0400, James Knott wrote:
Patrick Shanahan wrote:
* Paul Abrahams
[09-06-06 19:54]: Is there a Linux program around, preferably part of the SuSE distribution, for testing all the keys on my keyboard? I washed one of my keyboards and it had stuck keys for a while. I want to be sure that they're all gone.
And an aside: what are folks' favorite ways of cleaning keyboards?
I have a programmable 133 key gateway 2000 keyboard (dated 10-02-92) that I got with a 286 (about that time). I remove the keys, vacuum, and clean with lens solution, then air dry. Never a problem.
Many years ago, I used to repair video terminals (remember them?). I'd often wash the keyboards under the hot water tap. Clean water is not harmful to electronics. In fact, many circuit boards are cleaned with hot water or steam during manufacture.
James is correct. Back in the late 60's, I worked for a very large, and very savvy electronics firm, and I discovered that they cleaned test equipment under a hose! But no soap, please. Whatever is in soap tends to be corrosive. But clear water is fine, so long as it gets dry before you turn anything on. Nowadays, circuit boards may be manufactured with a solder flux that's water soluble, and the boards can be washed. Thanx to the DEP. (And finally, there is now a flux that can just be left on the pcb, and no cleaning at all is done.) Some other correspondant mentioned a dishwasher. I would think not. I've seen wooden salad bowls and the handle of a frying pan badly damaged by the hot water. I think the temperatures get up into the 130~150 degree F range. You wouldn't want to stick your hand in that. He may have lucked out, but I wouldn't try it, myself. As far as a program, what could be better than pushing all the keys? --doug