The idea is to present the facts, and let people draw their own conclusions.
This is exactly what I'd like to see on this site... and that means from time to time we will have to say things vendors dont want us to say, even on threads where vendors are participating.
-Plastic is plastic, and regardless of the type or how long it takes, it will eventually go shiny. It might take a week, it might take a year, it might take five years, but it's going to happen.
but the devil is in the details -- coating coming off in a month versus letters wearing off after 5 years (as on my toshiba laptop) are very, very different things, and worth differentiating between. Let alone differences between key construction itself.
To say, however, that the other 'board's keys will never go shiny would be silly.
at the same time, to even imply that printed keys are the same as laser etched keys or dye sublimated keys or double shot keys, would be equally silly, right?
Ripster taught me that. There's a reason why YOU GUYS taught ME the VALUE of the different types of keys, and why I came to believe that consumers -- as part of their awareness when they shell out big bucks for an expensive keyboard - should be made aware of those differences too.
Only an informed consumer can be a non-sucker in this marketplace which is filled with crappy elements on boards sold as, er, whats the word? Special? High Class? Lets just say "expensive".
For instance, if I want crappy controllers and keys that wear, I shouldnt have to spend more than $20 on amazon. One has to know what they're getting and what they're not getting for this kind of money. And that means we have to be able to discuss good and bad points
freely.We have to be able to inform consumers when we find differences in quality in different constructions (in controllers, in keys, whatever). And not feel uncomfortable that we're going to hurt a vendor's feelings.
The vendors would like nothing more than for us to say that the flaws on that vendor's boards "are just like" the flaws on "any" board. But thats just not true. Different boards have different flaws. Some ARE better than others in certain things, even at similar price points.
Its up to the consumer to decide based on their purchasing priorities. But they cant decide if they're not informed. Ripster's tests of different keys (and his discussion of comparative quality) is
invaluable. It taught me to be more aware of key differences where I was not aware before. Why would anyone (even ripster himself) want to downplay the value of that awareness? Where else would such a discussion take place on the internet except at geekhack? So long as it remains free and an enthusiasts site rather than a shopping mall, that is.
The only thing we can count on vendors to do is make a sales pitch. I'm not going to participate in that. They dont need help from us in making the monolithic sales pitch.
If a vendor has a crappy return policy - we should be able to say so without fear. Return policy's arent "the same" any more than keys are.
I'll get off the soap box now, but I feel I cant make these points strongly enough. I really dont want to see GH be infiltrated by vendors talking points. This is really a structural change in the make-up of the site, I feel, and something worth discussing and guarding against.
