Inside the Commodore 64

Here we see the C64 keyboard assembly detached from the upper half of the case. In a previous PC World article, I listed the C64 keyboard as the 10th worst PC keyboard of all time, which generated considerable venom from some die-hard C64 fans. Nevertheless, I stand by my opinion because of the C64 keyboard's anti-ergonomic design and confusingly odd key layout. But I'll concede that, for an inexpensive computer, the C64 keyboard got the job done--especially since expectations at the time were undoubtedly far lower than they are today. Compared with contemporaneous consumer boards, some of which had keys the size of Chiclets, the C64's keyboard probably seemed vastly superior.