GeekHack Custom Keyboard

itlnstln · 18 Feb 2011, 16:38

Don't get mad; get even.

-Old Sicilian Proverb.

webwit · 18 Feb 2011, 16:41

Look, geekhack already responded with a new t-shirt

Moogle Stiltzkin · 18 Feb 2011, 16:41

hate to point out the obvious here, but this is deskthority forum.

So maybe .... a deskthority keyboard would be more appropriate over here

webwit · 18 Feb 2011, 16:50

We're not even 3 weeks old and we're excused. I think itlnstln and me are on the same line here. The (vintage) geekhack keyboard was a Siig minitouch with XM switches and some geekhack caps, you didn't hear people complain. People will buy a keyboard with simple flairs, from a name and community they know and are part of.

ripster · 18 Feb 2011, 17:24

I just collect keys for the lulz.

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 17:27

keyboardlover wrote:I never gave a shit about the folks who complained in the thread though. I gave a shit about the 90+ people on board. If I could find a distributor to do it. I'd go the pre order route.

Still don't get why anyone would want a Ducky with a lame forum's nameplate on it. So GH in no way got owned. Ducky is still sucky.

Wait a bit for the Poker to settle. I know that one will be customizable and available for OEM. If you want, I'll hook you up with the according contact and info.

As for the topic of the OCN Ducky. I am not really very impressed, but its a nice touch. Looks like most on OCN are very happy about it. We are just elitist bastards, so we are hardly impressed.

itlnstln · 18 Feb 2011, 17:31

sixty wrote:Wait a bit for the Poker to settle. I know that one will be customizable and available for OEM. If you want, I'll hook you up with the according contact and info.

As for the topic of the OCN Ducky. I am not really very impressed, but its a nice touch. Looks like most on OCN are very happy about it. We are just elitist bastards, so we are hardly impressed.

That will be a great GH keyboard.

KBL, if you want to go the Poker route, I am more than willing to help out.

webwit · 18 Feb 2011, 17:32

200 keyboards per pallet.

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 17:37

: poker_oem.PNG (86.79 KiB) Viewed 5409 times

webwit · 18 Feb 2011, 17:39

Btw, the KBC poker will be available in all four switch types, but lead time of MX reds is 12-14 weeks. PBT and POM keycap options will be sold separately.

lootbag · 18 Feb 2011, 17:53

webwit wrote:200 keyboards per pallet.

I am sure those will all be spoken for with no problem.
I would buy a few myself

laden3 · 18 Feb 2011, 18:23

A re-branded poker? Doesn't that make it more expensive?

If I am not mistaken, you can customize the FN layer.

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 18:26

Maybe not if you buy 200. Who knows.

webwit · 18 Feb 2011, 18:31

I think those are the manufacturers specs, of which KBC was a customer? I think this also because of the photos (not shown here) where something (a logo probably) was erased.

keyboardlover · 18 Feb 2011, 18:31

I like this idea, but 200 keyboards is a LOT for me to handle by myself...

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 18:35

Just collect payments in advance. That is the only way to do such a project, imo. Collect payments, tell them "it will take XX months or weeks, please be aware of that guys" and then see what happens. The actual order required might be lower too.

keyboardlover · 18 Feb 2011, 18:38

Physically too though. Won't I have to get 200 keyboards delivered to my home and then ship them all? The thought of all that work is like "whoa".

laden3 · 18 Feb 2011, 18:40

Metadot did this several years ago

webwit · 18 Feb 2011, 18:41

Not the only way to do it. OCN announced them and they were available. And they didn't "whoa" at the thought of it all. Where is the troll smiley?

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 18:43

OCN has the advantage that Ducky already has a US distributor. I'm assuming they worked with them and skipped the shipping and organizing part.

keyboardlover · 18 Feb 2011, 18:45

Yea...that'd be nice. If we go this route, since the idea came from DKT I say it's officially a "DKT" keyboard. Any objections?

webwit wrote:Not the only way to do it. OCN announced them and they were available. And they didn't "whoa" at the thought of it all. Where is the troll smiley?

Yea but you already OWN 200+ keyboards!

(easy for you to say).

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 18:48

I already sent a mail to KBC a few days ago to see what the further OEM options are. I don't think we can pull of a 200 piece order here, at geekhack you probably can. Depends on how many we actually would have to order.

I already know some changes I would make to the FCN layer... and there it would all begin again.. some people would likely not agree with my layout and so on.

Damn, custom keyboards are such work intensive business. Need a dictator.

laden3 · 18 Feb 2011, 18:53

You could make a keyboard with programmable controller.

turbocharged · 18 Feb 2011, 19:15

I would definitely be down for a custom spec'd kbc poker with cherry reds instead of the tenkeyless...lead time is fine...especially if it actually gets made.

Geekhack/deskthority collaboration?

laden3 · 18 Feb 2011, 19:22

webwit wrote:Thanks for the info mass! Much appreciated. Those OTD keyboards are the best Cherry/Alps keyboards money can buy. I illustrated your story earlier in this picture..

Where is deskthority.net

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 19:25

So beautiful and over everything else, that it is not visible to the human eye.

daedalus · 18 Feb 2011, 20:18

The problem with a custom keyboard is making something sufficiently unique such that people will give a shit. No one is going to want a Costar board with a Geekhack logo for the simple reason that everyone either has such a keyboard, or is not interested in the ones currently available. didjamatic's idea with the Minitouch with special keycaps was quite clever in that it offered the "Merchandise" aspect with something that was quite unique and interesting.

Minskleip · 18 Feb 2011, 20:41

sixty wrote:I already know some changes I would make to the FCN layer... and there it would all begin again.. some people would likely not agree with my layout and so on.

Arrows on ESDF?

sixty · 18 Feb 2011, 20:45

Nope, but I would offer for that option via dipswitch. (I should also include a dipswitch that makes every key type "RIPSTER".. he loves dip switches. A dedicated one would make him drool!)

Anyway, I would probably change fn+space to backspace, and fn+backspace to del.
Also I would turn capslock into the FN key.

Minskleip · 18 Feb 2011, 20:53

Fn+space to backspace is a good idea. I tried it with autohotkey for a time, but never used it. Having backspace and del on the same key is also necessary. Isn't it like that on the one you've got?

Edit: just remembered why I never used Fn+ space for backspace. I also made shift + space backspace, so I usually backspaced instead of spaced. Bad idea.