Liberated from the vice-like control of IBM Corp, Lexmark International Inc, Lexington, Kentucky is preparing to capitalise on the fact that while many users do not hold the IBM PS/2 personal computers in any great regard, they do like the keyboards. Microbytes reports that Lexmark is already supplying the PS/2 keyboards that it manufactures to Dell Computer Corp and some other manufacturers, and soon, anyone will be able to have one – it is to offer the keyboards under its own name direct to end users. IBM still keeps some measure of control however – under a provision in the contract under which it sold 90% of Lexmark to buyout specialist Clayton & Dubilier Inc and the operation’s managers, the keyboards cannot be offered for sale through retail outlets for two more years, insiders told the news wire. But Lexmark is expected to announce that beginning on March 15, it will establish a toll-free 800 number in the US via which individuals will be able to order keyboards over the telephone.
