The wiki thread

[Daniel Beardsmore]

http://deskthority.net/wiki/File:Hua-Jie_switches.png

Posted the image from Channing. I cannot translate it via OCR at that resolution. My guess is that only the "gilded" (as he put it in his e-mail) switch is still made (I've asked).

The "gilded" (AK-CN2 (2)) version has the same metal parts as Xiang Min KSB-C and KSB-N, while KSB-LE has the same metal parts as the other Hua-Jie type depicted (AK-CN2). Xiang Min have never answered my questions as to why they labelled their sample bags with both companies' part numbers, nor have either company offered any insight into why the metal parts are the same now, and seemingly in the past.

Considering that Xiang Min and Hua-Jie use the same metal parts but different plastics (including the numbering), some switches may remain of unknown origin.

I am not convinced they work together. Too many differences in the plastic parts that would be pointless if they were the same assembly line.

[bhtooefr]

I decided to move the Alps CM article to "Alps SKCL/SKCM Series". Keeps it 100% accurate. Needs some polishing, and I wouldn't be surprised if "CM lock" turns out to be a different model.

[Findecanor]

While I was adding Apple M0118, I also added a page called Apple Keyboard for disambiguating between models that have all had the product name "Apple Keyboard".
Are people OK with that, or should I have put the disambiguation into the description for Category:Apple_keyboards?

[002]

Hey check it out, Daniel - new mech keyboard seller in Aus is using your picture http://www.mechkb.com/learn
And here: http://www.mechkb.com/buying-guide

[MechKB]

Hey check it out, Daniel - new mech keyboard seller in Aus is using your picture http://www.mechkb.com/learn
And here: http://www.mechkb.com/buying-guide

Hey guys, saw some traffic coming to our website from here. Yes we did use Daniel's pictures, they were listed as "public domain or nearest equivalent" so we assumed it was ok. Hope that's ok with everyone

We're very new as far as online sites go, one of the things we are trying to do is educate users on the finer points of mechanical keyboards. Every other site is using those gifs (I assume you know which ones I'm talking about), which is fine but we couldn't find any information on where they come from or what's the copyright on those. Anyway, actual pictures of the switches seemed more authentic.

Please let us know if you'd like an attribution of any sort

Warm regards,
Roland Chen
Public relations and community management
MechKB

[002]

It's cool - just thought I'd point it out to Daniel. I don't think he's going to mind because as you say they are public domain.
Good to see another mechanical keyboard retailer in Australia. PC Case Gear are getting slack with the Topre keyboards. I know your reddit post said you would have trouble stocking them because of certain reasons (I'm guessing distribution rules) but it wouldn't hurt to ask! Would love a cheaper way to get my hands on the Type Heaven or, even better, the 104UG HiPro models

[Daniel Beardsmore]

QWERkeys are using my half-finished Cherry MX diagram on their masthead, which is funny. I need to finish that off one day now that I have loose MX switches that I can measure myself. (I based it on Cherry's really badly drawn MX diagram.)

[7bit]

What is this good for:

[002]

I like to think of it as an analogical logo symbolising the act of storing "gold coins" of keyboard knowledge in a wiki "pot" at the end of the beautiful "rainbow" cesspool that is the Internet.

[webwit]

I suspect this was done by the same leprechauns who secretly edit the wiki by night.

[Halvar]

.. and who feed knowledge gold back into the wiki from matteo's keyboard database.

Search for "leprechauns" in the forum search:

http://deskthority.net/search.php?keywords=leprechauns

[7bit]

Oh well ...

[webwit]

It's FUGLY!

[Muirium]

Yes, Fugly the merry and highly knowledgable leprechaun. She's a real gift to this community. And we owe her our thanks.

(Leprechauns like dwarves are bearded irrespective of gender. Do take this into account and try not to hurt their hirsute little feelings.)

[webwit]

.. and who feed knowledge gold back into the wiki from matteo's keyboard database.

Search for "leprechauns" in the forum search:

http://deskthority.net/search.php?keywords=leprechauns

Actually I did slightly mistranslate when I used the word leprechaun there when used first. In Dutch there is a saying that "the kabouters will do it" (they will sneak in at night, you hope, and do your dishes). And the proper translation of kabouters is gnomes. I don't know if there is something comparable in Irish mythology and folklore, of which my knowledge is disappointingly limited.

[Halvar]

Yes, the German word is Heinzelmännchen, and there is a legend that explains why wikis are not filled by heizelmännchen any more.

[webwit]

I'm sure those took a couple of my keycaps!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

De Kabouterdans!

I admit I was impressed that you knew about leprechauns — admittedly, though, gnomes is a much better suggestion for the role than leprechauns, who have more of a capricious reputation than that of being helpful.

[webwit]

I just like to note that Beardsmore is an excellent kabouter name.

[002]

^ Haha!

On another note...is there some rule for determining whether or not something has graduated from 'stub' status?
I feel like we've got a lot of decent pages now that are still marked as stubs (e.g. http://deskthority.net/wiki/Matias_switch)

[webwit]

No rule, if you consider something no longer a stub, I'd remove that status.

[002]

I'd better lay low for a while I think! I have angered the beast...lol

[Daniel Beardsmore]

If you have a query, fine, but flooding the revision history to ask the same question over and over and over is annoying. (You're probably right about the XM switch page, but I don't care as that needs a lot of work anyway.)

There are plenty of pages where it's pretty obvious what photos are needed, and it would serve the wiki better if people just added some photos already. For example, [wiki]keycap printing[/wiki] needs more lasering shots (spooge infill and paint infill). HHKB, Poker, all the other 60% boards, decent photos of a black G80-3000 (I can't really do black keyboards) … the list of photos that need adding is endless. Something like 80% of the photos are already taken, but they're trapped in the forum, in their hundreds if not thousands. We need a photo uploading party where everyone posts all their photos. For example, some guy took some incredible photos of the Quiet Pro—ones that I couldn't reproduce in my wildest dreams—but they're on Flickr.

What's more, a lot of the existing photos need replacing with ones that are better lit, are in focus, that show cleaner keyboards, are left at 4:3 for tidy galleries, are high resolution (lots of pictures are so small you can't even read the keycap legends) and where people have removed all their junk out of the frame. Plenty of my own photos suck and really need replacing with better shots — a lot of my older shots in particular are terribly lit, and my blue Alps shots are filthy.

BTW, if anyone is willing and able to take decent, high quality shots of switches for the wiki, they're welcome to my entire switch collection (which is growing — getting one or more M9s soon).

[002]

Daniel, none of what you have said was known to anyone except yourself. The purpose of the template you created is to let others know what they can do to help. It's not just your wiki -- everyone can contribute and setting clear requests is helpful for John Citizen who comes along and realises he can help. Is he supposed to know that 'Mr Daniel Beardsmore is working on it so don't worry about it bro!'?
You say I flooded the revision history with crap but who is it hurting? Making a post/thread about it (as you suggested) only serves to fuel the problem you just complained about (which is that shit gets lost in the forum).
We're now in a place where the TODO Photo template is (almost) accurate on every page and it only took like 20-30 edits. Your alternative seems to be "Hey don't do that I'm working on it! "

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Then just ignore anything you don't understand and just add the photos you do have. Pretty simple. You either do, or you do not, have existing photos to add, or items to photograph. If you do, do it, if not, don't. This would sort out 99% of pages overnight if everyone did that.

[Muirium]

What's the procedure for writing a page about a keyboard whose name isn't known? I know there's a lot of provisional names in use for switches, for instance, so what's the rundown for a keyboard? The Honeywell is photogenic and worth a spot, but I really don't know much about the keyboard; like a sensible title.

[Ascaii]

What's the procedure for writing a page about a keyboard whose name isn't known? I know there's a lot of provisional names in use for switches, for instance, so what's the rundown for a keyboard? The Honeywell is photogenic and worth a spot, but I really don't know much about the keyboard; like a sensible title.

I suggest you go by the product code and the manufacturer. In this case, Micro Switch. See if you can talk to Haata, he was going to post some boards similar to this in the next weeks after he has finally settled in to Cali.

[Muirium]

Thanks Ascaii. I ran it by Haata when I didn't even know it was a Honeywell (there's no branding on the case at all). Could be worth another PM as he's got some similar ones to document.

[Findecanor]

Leprechauns ... De Kabouter ... gnomes...

In Sweden, there are old folks tales of the tomte. He (usually a he) is taking care of the farm and especially the farm animals, when you sleep. You need to be kind to him or he will make bad things happen (cows will give sour milk, etc).
Somehow the legend has merged with the one about Father Christmas, into "jultomte"... There are lots of Swedish Christmas decorations with pictures of red and green-clad gnomes making and delivering presents.

The word "tomte" is sometimes used as a slightly derogatory term for someone at a company who has been working behind the scenes for a long time, but which may not keeping up with current developments.

decent photos of a black G80-3000

I could do it tomorrow, but my camera is a bit of a disappointment...

[Muirium]

Industrious polar gnomes are part of the general western image of Christmas. I still remember looking at both poles on a globe for "China" thanks to reading the "Made in…" labels on toys and the incredibly unhelpful insistence in American cartoons that China was literally on the opposite side of the world to them. Unless you're in a good chunk of east Asia, New Zealand, Spain or Patagonia, you can rest assured that what lies directly opposite you is ocean. So much of it in the southern hemisphere…

As for photographing black keyboards: find some good light. I suggest indirect sunlight. Then move the keyboard and camera around until you get reflections where you want them. A good shine is the only way to get engraved or embossed text like the Cherry logo on switch bodies, for instance.