Admiral Shark
@sharktastica.co.uk
Hi, I share retro IBM keyboards, PCs & ThinkPads! - Welsh 🏴, he/him, software engineer, Debian user, lover of sharks, rock, metal, Star Trek & Stargate! #LLAP
Website: https://sharktastica.co.uk
Socials: https://linktr.ee/sharktastica
Subreddit: /r/modelm
Website: https://sharktastica.co.uk
Socials: https://linktr.ee/sharktastica
Subreddit: /r/modelm
Pinned
Admiral Shark
@sharktastica.co.uk
· Nov 16
Hi, I'm Admiral Shark, and I've been on a mission to collect, research and document IBM, Lexmark, Unicomp, Lenovo & TGCS keyboards for 5 years for posterity! I also enjoy PCs, ThinkPads, terminals & POS equipment.
Site: sharktastica.co.uk
Socials: linktr.ee/sharktastica
Reddit: reddit.com/r/modelm
Site: sharktastica.co.uk
Socials: linktr.ee/sharktastica
Reddit: reddit.com/r/modelm
Happy 40th birthday to the #IBM 5140 PC Convertible design patent, the work of the wonderful Richard Sapper! sharktastica.co.uk/topics/keybo...
U.S. Design Patent 290,256 (USD290256S) | Keyboard Patents
ASK Keyboard Patents database entry for U.S. Design Patent 290,256 (USD290256S)
sharktastica.co.uk
January 17, 2026 at 10:59 PM
Happy 40th birthday to the #IBM 5140 PC Convertible design patent, the work of the wonderful Richard Sapper! sharktastica.co.uk/topics/keybo...
Reposted by Admiral Shark
Gene Roddenberry designed Star Trek to depict a future in which racial and gender equality were the norm. Not only did he give his ship had a diverse crew, but he fought for the alien character, Spock, as a constant reminder of the variety of life and of the diversity of thought.
January 17, 2026 at 5:20 AM
Gene Roddenberry designed Star Trek to depict a future in which racial and gender equality were the norm. Not only did he give his ship had a diverse crew, but he fought for the alien character, Spock, as a constant reminder of the variety of life and of the diversity of thought.
I've got a high temperature, my nose and throat are fucked, I'm a wee bit drowsy, and actually in bed before 23:00 for a change... This #BLAHAJ is being held and squished tightly, providing ample warmth and comfort on this awful night. Gn, y'all.
January 9, 2026 at 12:10 AM
I've got a high temperature, my nose and throat are fucked, I'm a wee bit drowsy, and actually in bed before 23:00 for a change... This #BLAHAJ is being held and squished tightly, providing ample warmth and comfort on this awful night. Gn, y'all.
SHORK Mini #Linux is continuing to take shape, now bearing a Git client! The previous 2 days were spent endlessly compiling curl & Git because HTTPS remote support didn't want to build... I now want to get Lynx compiled, then it will be time to do extensive testing on real #486SX hardware!
January 8, 2026 at 10:14 PM
I've been trying to find at least 1 photo of each original #IBM Electric #Typewriter model (01-10) for revamping my IBM typewriter & keyboard models page with, but the best I've managed after a week is 6/10. May have leads for 06, but others still at large. I fear they may be lost to history. 😔
January 2, 2026 at 4:44 AM
I've been trying to find at least 1 photo of each original #IBM Electric #Typewriter model (01-10) for revamping my IBM typewriter & keyboard models page with, but the best I've managed after a week is 6/10. May have leads for 06, but others still at large. I fear they may be lost to history. 😔
Happy new year, everyone!
January 1, 2026 at 5:14 AM
Happy new year, everyone!
RIP. Computer Chronicles (which he produced and hosted) has been invaluable for both my research and general interest. I'm very grateful they archived them on their YouTube channel. One of my favourites: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_AB...
December 31, 2025 at 8:36 PM
RIP. Computer Chronicles (which he produced and hosted) has been invaluable for both my research and general interest. I'm very grateful they archived them on their YouTube channel. One of my favourites: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_AB...
Merry merry merry science, y'all. youtu.be/J0NXY89WsxY
Portal - Carol Of The Turrets
YouTube video by Harry101UK
youtu.be
December 25, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Merry merry merry science, y'all. youtu.be/J0NXY89WsxY
What isn't cursed is the keyboard! Tadpole ANA-based laptops used a Lexmark or Key Tronic-made Model M6-1 buckling sleeve keyboard derived from IBM ThinkPad 700/720's Model M6! The design is also used by the Tadpole-made IBM RS/6000 Notebook N40.
December 22, 2025 at 7:30 AM
What isn't cursed is the keyboard! Tadpole ANA-based laptops used a Lexmark or Key Tronic-made Model M6-1 buckling sleeve keyboard derived from IBM ThinkPad 700/720's Model M6! The design is also used by the Tadpole-made IBM RS/6000 Notebook N40.
Reposted by Admiral Shark
Some thoughts on Mozilla's trajectory and Waterfox's stance on AI in the browser 👇
www.waterfox.com/blog/no-ai-h...
www.waterfox.com/blog/no-ai-h...
No AI* Here - A Response to Mozilla's Next Chapter - Waterfox Blog
Mozilla's pivot to AI-first browsing raises fundamental questions about what a browser should be. While ML tools like local translation offer real utility, LLMs are opaque black boxes. Waterfox won't ...
www.waterfox.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Some thoughts on Mozilla's trajectory and Waterfox's stance on AI in the browser 👇
www.waterfox.com/blog/no-ai-h...
www.waterfox.com/blog/no-ai-h...
#Mozilla #Firefox Something something, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. "It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions" - I'm good, thanks. blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/l...
Mozilla’s next chapter: Building the world’s most trusted software company | The Mozilla Blog
Today, I step into the role of CEO of Mozilla Corporation. It is a privilege to lead an organization with a long history of standing up for people and buil
blog.mozilla.org
December 17, 2025 at 1:26 AM
#Mozilla #Firefox Something something, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. "It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions" - I'm good, thanks. blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/l...
After watching Action Retro's recent video, I'm now on a mission to make myself a 486SX-compatible #Linux 'distro'. I started with FLOPPINUX, but affording myself some luxuries like networking, nano, ftp, ssh, etc. I'm *hoping* to make something that will allow me to work from my early #ThinkPads!
December 14, 2025 at 5:19 AM
After watching Action Retro's recent video, I'm now on a mission to make myself a 486SX-compatible #Linux 'distro'. I started with FLOPPINUX, but affording myself some luxuries like networking, nano, ftp, ssh, etc. I'm *hoping* to make something that will allow me to work from my early #ThinkPads!
Some more polite ThinkPads
December 9, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Some more polite ThinkPads
Not only can't I sleep, but I'm more irritable than usual. I can't just let loose. Even now, as I type this, I'm getting worked up with how awful it is to type on a smartphone. Autocorrect is also fucking batshit. Honestly, take me back to the Sony Ericsson K320i I had in primary school...
Can't sleeeeeeeep
December 4, 2025 at 5:21 AM
Not only can't I sleep, but I'm more irritable than usual. I can't just let loose. Even now, as I type this, I'm getting worked up with how awful it is to type on a smartphone. Autocorrect is also fucking batshit. Honestly, take me back to the Sony Ericsson K320i I had in primary school...
Some polite ThinkPads
December 2, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Some polite ThinkPads
The first two marketable sticks were the #Lexmark force-sensing resistor stick (US5467108A, 1st image) and #IBM #TrackPoint II strain gauge stick (US5489900A, 2nd), implementing it using the sensor techs in their respective names! (Note that both patents were filed after they were released.)
November 30, 2025 at 12:23 AM
The first two marketable sticks were the #Lexmark force-sensing resistor stick (US5467108A, 1st image) and #IBM #TrackPoint II strain gauge stick (US5489900A, 2nd), implementing it using the sensor techs in their respective names! (Note that both patents were filed after they were released.)
Reposted by Admiral Shark
Happy birthday, #TrackPoint! 35 years ago today, #IBM filed the original pointing stick patent (US5521596A), the work of Edwin J. "Ted" Selker and Joseph D. Rutledge. It will then-soon evolve into the staple feature of #ThinkPad! sharktastica.co.uk/topics/keybo...
U.S. Utility Patent 5,521,596 (US5521596A) | Keyboard Patents
ASK Keyboard Patents database entry for U.S. Utility Patent 5,521,596 (US5521596A)
sharktastica.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Happy birthday, #TrackPoint! 35 years ago today, #IBM filed the original pointing stick patent (US5521596A), the work of Edwin J. "Ted" Selker and Joseph D. Rutledge. It will then-soon evolve into the staple feature of #ThinkPad! sharktastica.co.uk/topics/keybo...
Happy birthday, #TrackPoint! 35 years ago today, #IBM filed the original pointing stick patent (US5521596A), the work of Edwin J. "Ted" Selker and Joseph D. Rutledge. It will then-soon evolve into the staple feature of #ThinkPad! sharktastica.co.uk/topics/keybo...
U.S. Utility Patent 5,521,596 (US5521596A) | Keyboard Patents
ASK Keyboard Patents database entry for U.S. Utility Patent 5,521,596 (US5521596A)
sharktastica.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Happy birthday, #TrackPoint! 35 years ago today, #IBM filed the original pointing stick patent (US5521596A), the work of Edwin J. "Ted" Selker and Joseph D. Rutledge. It will then-soon evolve into the staple feature of #ThinkPad! sharktastica.co.uk/topics/keybo...
I've spent most of today taking and editing photos of IBM buckling sleeves from various Model M keyboards and ThinkPads. This is one of the new charts I'm working on for my wiki!
November 28, 2025 at 11:51 PM
I've spent most of today taking and editing photos of IBM buckling sleeves from various Model M keyboards and ThinkPads. This is one of the new charts I'm working on for my wiki!
ThiccPads (mostly).
L: T480, Z61m, W530, W700
R: G40, G41, G50, A30p
L: T480, Z61m, W530, W700
R: G40, G41, G50, A30p
November 26, 2025 at 5:19 AM
ThiccPads (mostly).
L: T480, Z61m, W530, W700
R: G40, G41, G50, A30p
L: T480, Z61m, W530, W700
R: G40, G41, G50, A30p
I wanted a wallpaper slideshow of IBM patent diagrams, so I made it so! I took the patent drawings as seen on Google Patents, inverted them, removed any artefacts outside the bounds of the subject, and then made them 16:9. You can find them all on my FTP: ftp.sharktastica.co.uk/patents/
November 22, 2025 at 2:41 AM
I wanted a wallpaper slideshow of IBM patent diagrams, so I made it so! I took the patent drawings as seen on Google Patents, inverted them, removed any artefacts outside the bounds of the subject, and then made them 16:9. You can find them all on my FTP: ftp.sharktastica.co.uk/patents/