keyboard for g3 desktop

[iameatingjam1]

I just ordered a 266mhz g3 desktop (beige) off ebay that runs 9.2 has a USB card installed. Can I use a modern windows keyboard on it? I'll probably replace it eventually, would a newer apple keyboard work? Thanks.

 

[ifrit05]

It should work. The Windows Key is the "Apple/Command" key on MacOS 9.

If you want to ever install OS X (10.2.8 is the last version that desktop supports) you wont be able to use it in Single User Mode unless it's a wired USB keyboard.

Any official Apple keyboard should work with 9+.

 

[gavinstubbs09]

You should be fine with any USB keyboard, however some PC keyboards I have had issues with such as trying to get to the disk menu on my G5 with the original iMac G3 keyboard.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Also of note: If you ever have to do anything that requires the keyboard before the OS has loaded its USB drivers, you're out of luck.

So no holding Option to select a boot device, no holding Command-Option-P-R to reset the PRAM, no holding Shift to boot OS X into safe mode, or OS 9 into "Skip Extensions" mode, etc, etc, etc.

You'll need an ADB keyboard for any of that. (Any Mac with built-in USB can do any of that with any USB keyboard, but not off an add-in USB card.)

 

[iameatingjam1]

Okay, good to know, thanks for the help.

I don't ever plan on installing OSX, the whole point was to run 9 natively, so as long as nothing goes wrong I shouldn't need to use any start up features (I hope).

 

[jrsx]

Also, some G3s running OS 9 might not like your keyboard- I mean it will work and everything, but it might come up with a message at start up saying it doesn't recognize the keyboard, or it is too new. It probably won't in your case, though.