[IC] Minimalistic (hopefully cheap) GMK WoB mod kit

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 14:49

Chatting to some folks on Telegram, I thought it'd be nice to have an adapter kit to support existing, cheap Cherry WoB sets with incompatible mods. The idea right now is to support vintage boards, winkeyless boards and HHKB layout (because lots of people like 1.75 shifts, ctrl instead of caps lock, and so on so it seemed like a good fit):

The right shift is icon + text to fit the rest of the mods in the US WoB kits (eg. G81-8000)

(I don't want the extra cost of adding 1.25 mods, if you want 1.25 mods you can just stem-mod the caps from the G81-8000)

Would anyone be up for it?

hansichen · 18 Feb 2018, 14:50

Sounds good

Khers · 18 Feb 2018, 14:50

Awesome idea!

I'd be up for a set or two or three or four.

hypkx · 18 Feb 2018, 14:56

Interested in two.

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 14:59

For pricing, Wodan's HADapter is a pretty comparably-sized kit:

That was ~€20, so I assume this kit would be around that price.

Myoth · 18 Feb 2018, 15:12

I just have three requests

adding a stepped Control key
changing the backspace arrow on delete to the cutie, the last WoB Mod kit had
Spoiler:
adding a 1.25u enter key in R3, because of my dream layout
Spoiler:

(edit : hrm it seems that DT didn't resize my image, click on it, it should be fine if you do so)

hansichen · 18 Feb 2018, 15:13

No, that backspace is horrible and will never come into this kit. And stepped control (which I would use) is nice but I think the market is a bit too small for that.

Myoth · 18 Feb 2018, 15:16

yeah the stepped control is just a feature, it's not too important, and for the backspace, well whataver floats your boat, I quite like the one I showed, I just think it's a nice and unique arrow that isn't really that bad looking and is refreshing

hansichen · 18 Feb 2018, 15:18

It's way oversized and doesn't fit the normal cherry icon style at all. No idea who came up with this legend.

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 15:19

So in the interest of keeping this cheap, I think that:

1. I don't think stepped ctrl is a great use of a cap, sorry - existing sets already come with a stepped caps lock key. If this proves to be popular I can figure out what difference in price it'd make but I'm not sure it's worthwhile.
2. I don't mind which delete legend we use! People I spoke to were very passionate about using the leftwards arrow over the boxier delete legend. I really like both. If this works out we can poll to figure out which to use.
3. R3 1.25 enter - I'm sorry but I don't really see anyone else using this.

I don't think it makes sense to include it if (MOQ - 1) people will never use it. 40% users don't count. That set of users could probably use a load of off-size mod keys but it's just too fragmented and difficult to figure out.

(unless you want to buy 50 kits and significantly help MOQ, in which case I'll add whatever

)

Myoth · 18 Feb 2018, 15:34

well, guess I should have kept it quiet since I didn't add anything

too bad, I'm still interested in picking one of the kits

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 15:36

Nah, no worries, it's good to have input! I'm always happy to hear suggestions from people, but with the disclaimer that I mightn't be able to fulfil all of them.

Khers · 18 Feb 2018, 15:44

Which white colour btw? The recent WoB sets have used WS1, whereas Cherry's old kits used CP. Given the intended usage, I'd hope for CP.

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 15:55

Unless anyone feels particularly strongly about it I’d be inclined to agree, let’s use CP for the legends.

kekstee · 18 Feb 2018, 16:05

It's a nice minimal approach to convert all kinds of US sets onto WKL bottom rows in general, as well as split right shift (+ HHKB).

Threw together how this would look with a regular ANSI set. You can tell the original keycaps from the yellowed legends.

: up.jpg (474.25 KiB) Viewed 9321 times

//e

It's not like I can't stand the del-symbol bs, but I kind of prefer the arrow if I have the choice.

: up2.jpg (451.5 KiB) Viewed 9314 times

Khers · 18 Feb 2018, 16:40

kekstee wrote: ↑It's a nice minimal approach to convert all kinds of US sets onto WKL bottom rows in general, as well as split right shift (+ HHKB).

Threw together how this would look with a regular ANSI set. You can tell the original keycaps from the yellowed legends.
up.jpg

//e

It's not like I can't stand the del-symbol bs, but I kind of prefer the arrow if I have the choice.
up2.jpg

I'm also firmly in the arrow backspace camp.

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 16:52

I think it’s worth pointing out that not all WoB sets have yellowed legends! Just in case that puts people off. My WoB sets still have white legends.

kekstee · 18 Feb 2018, 17:54

Oh yes, that one is particulary bad, sorry for that. (and the picture quality :D)

PlastikSchnittstelle · 18 Feb 2018, 19:38

Interested as well BUT only if you would include like three extra 1U caps for the right column of a 65% or 75% layout.

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 19:45

I guess the extra 65% caps would be an extra ~25% of the price of the existing keys so unless there is a very very strong case for it, I don't think it will make the cut. I can ask GMK about pricing but I don't expect it to work out.

PlastikSchnittstelle · 18 Feb 2018, 19:47

try a Google form

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 19:49

To put it another way, if I had the choice between including three meaningless diamond keys and three icon modifiers, I would choose the extra icon modifiers. 3 new keys would also be a good chunk towards adding 1.25 mod support, which would probably be much more meaningful.

PlastikSchnittstelle · 18 Feb 2018, 19:53

meaningless?! you included the diamond, right? and for 65% and 75% three exrta caps mean a lot.

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 19:58

By "meaningless" I mean that they don't convey the function of those keys at all, which I think is a fair thing to say. The diamond is also a legit "Super" legend; look at the HHKB.

PlastikSchnittstelle · 18 Feb 2018, 20:01

I know what you mean and YES, the diamonds do fit as OS-key - more that they would for that right column.

but for me it's not about the diamonds in particular, anything that would make it compatibele for 65% / 75%. whatever most would be OK with, I'd gladly take blanks.

but OK, I get it. you want to limit it to 60% layouts only. given the popularity of 65 and 75% layouts lately it would make sense in order to have a higher chance reaching MOQ, IMHO.

scottc · 18 Feb 2018, 20:21

Once we have a better idea of the scope of this kit I will throw out a poll - but my idea here is to support a very minimalist mod kit, with minimal cost. You're right about the wide reach of 65%/75% kits, though. I'm also a bit worried that in order to support that cohort we'd probably also need full 1.25 mod support etc etc which would blow the size of this kit out of the water; totally not what I'm going for.

PlastikSchnittstelle · 18 Feb 2018, 20:24

I know, it's difficult, as soon as you give in and add 65 and 75% right column keys, then others will ask for 1.25U MODs for sure.
If extra caps for that column happen, then I will be super happy, but if you decide to keep it as minimal as possible, then I'll still support it.

I'm in

ideus · 18 Feb 2018, 21:55

I am in. You would like to consider adding a fourth row (B-profile) back slash pipe for those adapting ISO keyboards. That key tend to be very elusive.

kekstee · 18 Feb 2018, 22:15

ISO support for weird bottom row ANSI sets would open a whole new can of worms. Why that key?

hansichen · 18 Feb 2018, 22:24

The row 4 key does not realy make sense to me as no 1.25u shift is included.