Original ClackFactory ClickClack Skull on left (courtesy MagicMeatball), Ti Skull Cap on right (Megnin)

As stated elsewhere on this forum, it's a tightknit community so I can't understand why people knock off other's ideas.

I was originally annoyed but mostly with a chuckle/smirk and a head shake when the star caps that I included with hundreds of keyboards I sold, traded and shipped all over the world were copied and sold by someone else who didn't even bother to update the svg file they were made from.

But to see someone so blatantly copy ClickClack who labors over one cap at a time to create them is a bit much.

Why am I so sensitive to it?

Because I'm the kind of person who thinks up ideas, makes things from scratch and it's a part of my living doing so. I came up with some incredible keyboard designs, but there's no way I'm sinking the R&D and production costs into them so some company can make a half assed copy of it. Miniguru anyone? The knock off brigade used his own 3D renders to advertise their upcoming keyboard! If you don't know of this, it led to the Pure/Poker. Miniguru was cancelled because the investor backed out. In my opinon it is because he knew it would be knocked off and undersold which would hurt his return on investment. I believe rumors of a copy already surfaced and led to the investor backing out, but this is only my opinion.

Miniguru - A multi-layered keyboard to be available with and without trackpoint.


So on one hand we get to enjoy cheap electronics and various items that get copied by knock off artists who range from slight deviations to exact copies. But there's another side to it that's ugly, hurts innovation and slaps those in the face who get copied.

I will keep encouraging and supporting those of you who come up with your own ideas and I'll keep buying your products even when they're expensive to produce. That may seem counter-intuitive to some of you but I enjoy doing it. I did buy a Poker as well. Maybe I shouldn't have but it's the closest I'll come to owning a Miniguru. I should have held out for an original design like the Race.

I don't mean to discourage anyone for trying to make something, I applaud the effort but wish your energies were directed at new ideas rather than stealing the thunder from those who came up with something on their own.

We'll I will state my opinion...I think those keys look nothing alike. Yes they both are skulls, but the design is not even close. Also feng's is Titanium with openings for eyes, unlike any keys I've seen before. I did a group buy on Alien keys, and shortly after feng sold some aluminum keys with an alien logo lasered on - I did not take as an attack or a rip off. They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.

http://www.everythingisaremix.info/watch-the-series/

I had to watch that as part of my writing assignment last semester and the guy brings up some very good points about innovation and reinvention. Things are copied because they work; why would anyone copy something that sucks?

How do you know that what you described was the fate of the Miniguru? I have never read that story.

The investor did back out, the timing of the ripped off 3D renders coincided with him doing so and then the prototype photo was posted by those copying it. But them being connected is only my opinion. I do know that Lowpoly (the inventor of the Miniguru) was positively furious about the blatant knockoff and even being so bold as to use his own 3D images to market it.

Hey, if I have to lurk at LEAST start some name calling!

And what about everybody copying my Lego keys!

http://i.imgur.com/jgxAh.jpg

Woah, never knew you made a lego cap - Now you can buy a DS rendition from qwerkeys.co.uk

Poor mini guru, didn't know about investors backing as the reason why it didn't come to life.

With that being said I thought this titanium skull was discussed earlier already on DT photos-videos-f8/clickclack-keycaps-t89.html

Feng also said the maker of this titanium skull contacted CC before making it or something like that

As long as it isn't a straight clone taking away his business side of things, it's healthier for clickclack to regard it like this:

People will always copy stuff and ideas.
As an artist you can be copied.
Or you can not be copied.
Which do you prefer?

So in a way it's a complement that some guys want to harvest on the popularity of specialty keyboard caps by making a fugly version of a skull key which is regarded as a popular meme, as started by the master himself. A lot of people who apply paint to canvas and call themselves artists are still copying Van Gogh - badly.

The thing about the guru, was it was going to be programmable... so I would still have bought as it is my biggest complaint about the Poker / Pure is their horrid 2nd layer.

lysol wrote:The thing about the guru, was it was going to be programmable... so I would still have bought as it is my biggest complaint about the Poker / Pure is their horrid 2nd layer.

Lets not forget about the eraser head though!!

WW actually puts it quite well.

On the Miniguru it was going to be the only keyboard of it's kind so it had a certain shock to it that most consumers would be like "Wow what is that?" but it would be diluted now and most people in the world wouldn't spring the extra cash that we would for being programmable. Lowpoly was ahead of his time, too bad it couldn't be pulled together.

I regret buying a Poker; as it sits in its box unused, I still want the Miniguru. Having the pointing device built in would be so much more comfortable, and the programmability would have allowed me to use Colemak on every computer I attached it to.

Race is hardly original.

Noppoo has a small form factor keyboard similar to it.

And deck did a small form factor backlit keyboard before both. With a better layout than the crap the race is.

And I believe 356 mini was out before mini guru (which I'm sad it never happened) was introduced.

But those skulls are ugly.

demik wrote:Race is hardly original.
Noppoo has a small form factor keyboard similar to it.
And deck did a small form factor backlit keyboard before both. With a better layout than the crap the race is.
And I believe 356 mini was out before mini guru (which I'm sad it never happened) was introduced.
But those skulls are ugly.

You're right, the Race is almost a Chocmini. For some reason I forget about the chocmini, I'm sure it's because the location of the delete annoys. It should have been top right or more easily accessible than where it is. Just my opinion. But I still want a white chocmini with mx reds.

The TG3 BL-2 and Deck boards were really nothing like the miniguru either, they were made for cops and other portable scenarios where durability was required. No programmability, no trackpoint though some had a touchpad and definitely nothing like the miniguru.

The 356cl was more like a Filco tenkeyless kit on steroids with an aluminum case, the Miniguru bears no resemblance.

The miniguru stood alone. There were others who talked about doing it but lowpoly took it to a completely new level with working prototypes and a plan to make them for the masses.

didja wrote:

demik wrote:Race is hardly original.
Noppoo has a small form factor keyboard similar to it.
And deck did a small form factor backlit keyboard before both. With a better layout than the crap the race is.
And I believe 356 mini was out before mini guru (which I'm sad it never happened) was introduced.
But those skulls are ugly.

The TG3 BL-2 and Deck boards were really nothing like the miniguru either, they were made for pigs I mean for cops and other portable scenarios where durability was required. No programmability, no trackpoint though some had a touchpad and definitely nothing like the miniguru.

The 356cl was more like a Filco tenkeyless kit on steroids with an aluminum case, the Miniguru bears no resemblance.

The miniguru stood alone. There were others who talked about doing it but lowpoly took it to a completely new level with working prototypes and a plan to make them for the masses.

i never said the tg3 was like the mini guru. that was more towards the comment that the race was "original" tg3/deck already made a small form factor backlit keyboard.

and im not talking about the regular 356. im talking about the 356mini.



but again, im not 100% sure which was out first. 356mini or mini guru.

Woah, that one got past me. Looks cool. Pretty sure lowpoly's chicken came before that egg though. Hhis design was original and approach to keep your hands on home row at all times was unique.

And the flattery continues...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0821886176

yeah, obviously. Misifts, the exploited, grateful dead, -but offspring ? wtf ?

I just attribute it all to copying ClickClack... but you're right that is definitely an Offspring skull.



I haven't seen a Steal Your Face yet but liked the white clickclack with one red and one blue eye, it reminded me of the GD.

Haven't seen a Misfits cap, but ClickClack originals go where eagles dare.

3D Fiend cap would actually be pretty awesome. Mold being made for it in China in 3...2...

didja wrote:I just attribute it all to copying ClickClack......

Pretty long shot, like: everyone putting a trackpoint on a keyboard is copying IBM.
Haven't seen anyone complaining about that ie with the miniguru, but maybe it's okay because they are biiig.
Now a misfits cap.. that, I would buy.

Didja, the Chinese copy entire Austrian villages!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13820048

I could see Austrians moving abroad and recreating part of their culture but another country doing an exact copy like that is weird. Maybe it's like the small Eiffel tower erected in Vegas. I propose a Geek Hack group buy for Austriasian condo timeshares.

That's a hot topic. I still working on Papers and will keep working for a long time on IP right issues.

So far, my though is, for SME, IP right is very important and should be protected more aggressively in most place. But IP right for large company who already earning a lot, we should reduce the protected range because it is over protected. Apple , Samsung spend millions to billions on fighting with IP right case, the money should have a better use.

Pity the little guy then. Writes wikis but then IP banned from reading them.