Welcome to the Deskthority Awards 2011!

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 00:14

Image

The Deskthority Awards 2011 is a new event which, if successful, is something we'd like to repeat on a yearly basis. In a nutshell:

Various categories plus one general "Deskthority Award" category which can be anything from a keyboard to a company.

Three rounds of one week each.

First round (21 Nov - 28 Nov):
Suggest categories, give input on the awards, suggest nominees for each category;

Second round (29 Nov - 5 Dec):
Vote for the suggested nominees so that the top 5 nominees in each category make it to the last stage;

Third round (6 Dec - 12 Dec):
Vote for the winners out of 5 nominees for each category. It will be a "blind" vote. The winners will be announced on Monday 12 December 20:00hrs GMT by our special guest star, The Keyboard Oracle.

I propose the following categories to start off the discussion, this is subject to change depending on the input we get:
Spoiler:
  • Deskthority Award 2011 (super category)
  • Best keyboard
  • Best other input device
  • Best keyboard company/brand
  • Best keyboard shop
  • Best mechanical switch
Of course this is all highly subjective, so read "Most popular" instead of "Best" if this bothers you.
Voters on some categories in the final round can win a prize, depending if we found a sponsor for the category. The winners will be selected randomly from the voters in the third round, and will also be announced on 12 December. To vote, you need a minimum of 10 posts on deskthority. UPDATE: See the Voter Prize announcements for the latest details. We have these sponsors:

The Keyboard Company will sponsor a category with a Filco of the winner's choice, Unicomp (!) is in as well, thanks to acfrazier, and The Clack Factory has a special SPLASH set for a lucky winner, and an IBM Model M compatible tri-color skull key.

Because this is the first time we do this, your input is important.
The first thing we need to settle on is the categories. It should be a fairly limited number, but if you have better suggestions, please state them. This is also a good place for a general discussion about the Awards. I'll later make topics for each category, so nominees can be suggested.

cactux

21 Nov 2011, 00:36

[Account and posts deleted on request]

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 00:59

I like that idea. Also I wonder if "Best other input device" maybe should be excluded, I'm not sure if there's enough interest for this category.

User avatar
nathanscribe

21 Nov 2011, 01:15

Perhaps leave it in the poll for round 1, and if there's little reason to keep it, get rid - personally I like the idea. Mice, trackballs, touch surfaces, plugs in the brain... an interesting category I think.

What about ergonomic devices? Would that be a separate category, or would it be better to include them in the respective groups already listed?

User avatar
Jim66

21 Nov 2011, 01:24

cactux wrote:what about adding the best mod?
I like this idea. + what about splitting the 'best keyboard' up into 'best regular keyboard' and 'best ergonomic keyboard'?

I'd get rid of the best other input as well...

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 01:34

What about this:
  • Deskthority Award 2011 (super category)
  • Best regular keyboard
  • Best ergonomic keyboard
  • Best other input device (keep it unless it turns out there's little interest)
  • Best keyboard company, brand or shop (include shops here because there are probably only 2 or 3 popular candidates?)
  • Best keyboard switch
  • Best input device mod

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 01:41

I also propose that, for example, "Best Keyboard 2011" doesn't necessarily have to mean that it was introduced in 2011. So if an IBM Space Saving keyboard or vintage Cherry keyboard was your thing this year, you could vote for that.

mintberryminuscrunch

21 Nov 2011, 01:47

webwit wrote:What about this:
  • Best mechanical switch
what about changing this to "best switch" to avoid the Topre trollfest

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 01:49

Ah yes, consider it done.

User avatar
7bit

21 Nov 2011, 13:24

What about this:
  • Deskthority Award 2011 (super category)
  • Best regular keyboard
  • Best ergonomic keyboard
  • Best other input device (keep it unless it turns out there's little interest)
  • Best keyboard company, brand or shop (include shops here because there are probably only 2 or 3 popular candidates?)
  • Best keyboard switch
  • Best key caps
  • Best input device mod

User avatar
Ekaros

21 Nov 2011, 17:15

I would separate Brand and shop. Not much to do with each other, they aren't same atleast for me.

User avatar
Matuka

21 Nov 2011, 17:26

Best space-saving/compact keyboard
Best mouse

User avatar
nathanscribe

21 Nov 2011, 17:40

Matuka wrote:Best mouse
That would fall within "Best other input device".

hoggy

21 Nov 2011, 21:23

Best layout? That could include Colemak or the Filco Ninja...

Best input related software? (Needs a much better name) Swype or some phrase expansion software... Probably not...

User avatar
Ekaros

21 Nov 2011, 21:33

Can I suggest my network adapter for best input device? ;D

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 22:34

Hmm, some good suggestions, but also more categories. This gives the problem of too many splinter categories with a limited number of nominees or possible winners. As an example, this is probably already a problem with Best ergonomic keyboard. You'd have a few usual suspects, and the same ones next year. I.e. little dynamics. It would be nice to have one or two aggregate categories, but I'm not sure what those should be. For example "Best keyboard accessories" would be one, but only Best keycaps" currently would quality for it, so it's not a very good example.

In other news, clickclack has joined the list of sponsors for the main event in the last week! There will be some great keycaps among the prizes.

woody
Count Troller

21 Nov 2011, 23:03

Best original homebrew art - ClickClack. Even if I don't own any.

JBert

21 Nov 2011, 23:14

webwit wrote:As an example, this is probably already a problem with Best ergonomic keyboard. You'd have a few usual suspects, and the same ones next year. I.e. little dynamics.
If you want more dynamics in that particular section, you could always add an "Ergonomics fad of the year" category. Fun times all round!

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 23:22

I currently have it down to this:
  • Deskthority Award 2011 (super category)
  • Best regular keyboard
  • Best space-saving/compact keyboard
  • Best ergonomic keyboard
  • Best other input device (keep it unless it turns out there's little interest)
  • Best keyboard company or brand
  • Best keyboard switch
  • Best key caps
  • Best input device mod
Included the space-saving category. Maybe this could be one category with ergo keyboards? Removed shops, there aren't many and people probably buy from the place closest to them, so there's little to compare. Didn't include best layout and best software. Interesting for a poll, but not sure if we should include these in the awards at this point.

mintberryminuscrunch

21 Nov 2011, 23:24

i'm missing worst keyboard/-layout/-branding/-rip-off
it could be fitted all into one category(couldn't come up with a name for it)

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 23:25

I was thinking about such a category too... worst input device experience or whatever. Could be fun ;)

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

21 Nov 2011, 23:27

Maybe simply "Worst of 2011" or a funny name like the *Ping* Award.

User avatar
HaaTa
Master Kiibohd Hunter

22 Nov 2011, 09:23

Hmm, a category for "Relic/Discovery of the Year". For example, uncovering some keyboard/keycap tech/switch that was previously lost to the keyboard community at large.
There have been quite a few this year, dunno how many have been posted on Deskthority though.

User avatar
Jim66

22 Nov 2011, 11:08

webwit wrote:Maybe simply "Worst of 2011" or a funny name like the *Ping* Award.
The Truly Ergonomic award... I hear that they are supposed to be shipping any day now...

hoggy

22 Nov 2011, 20:31

Jim66 wrote:
webwit wrote:Maybe simply "Worst of 2011" or a funny name like the *Ping* Award.
The Truly Ergonomic award... I hear that they are supposed to be shipping any day now...
I wouldn't worry. I suspect that Wired magazine will have it in their vapourware awards this year.




And next.

mintberryminuscrunch

22 Nov 2011, 23:05

how many votes per category will each user have?

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

23 Nov 2011, 00:02

I was thinking of 5 votes per category in the second round where we trim down the nominees to a max of 5 for each category. So for example there are 12 nominees in Best key caps, people vote for their 5 favorites, and the 5 most voted for go to the last round.

In the final round where the winners are determined, I suggest only one vote, unless someone has a convincing argument to do otherwise.

User avatar
Ekaros

23 Nov 2011, 11:59

BTW is 2011 including past? And in future only current year, or will it be all for all? ;D

User avatar
webwit
Wild Duck

23 Nov 2011, 12:08


rouston

24 Nov 2011, 09:50

the only issue that can see with that is : you don't know every device, so you can't compare. Except some of us 8-)
So you can only vote either for what you own or for the idea you've got of a product, without having put a hand on it

Post Reply

Return to “Deskthority Awards 2011”