The expectation that a GMK base kit should cater for 40% and grid layouts is worth addressing by keyset designers.
It wasn't that long ago that GMK base sets weren't much more than 100% winkey layout plus a winkeyless bottom row (7U spacebar, 1.5U mods). Throw in an ISO Enter and short shifts to almost please those using ISO. HHKB support? GTFO you weirdo. 1800 support? Who the hell owns an 1800 layout keyboard? Keep using your stock beige set, you weirdo. /s
Have a look at something like GMK Triumph Adler:
If Zambumon were to use that as his base kit these days, the pitchforks would come out.
Remember when GMK Hyperfuse round 1 was lauded for it's support of not only 65% but 1800 layouts? And HHKB as well? And more ISO support? Wow. BunnyLake, you're our hero.
As more custom keyboards with "non-standard" layouts were made, the demand for those layouts in base kits grew. Support for 65%, 1800 and HHKB layout increased. It made sense to add this to a base kit, as there is a lot of overlap. For example, a split right shift supports all three of these layouts. And in turn, all that support in keysets meant that it was feasible to make more "non-standard" custom keyboards that would work with those layouts.
A base kit supporting winkeyless/65%/1800/HHKB/Basic ISO is already a huge number of keys. People generally don't mind subsidizing layouts they don't plan to use, as it's reciprocated. e.g. Johnny doesn't do HHKB but he doesn't mind those few extra keys in his base kit because all those other people who
do use HHKB will buy into this keyset groupbuy and make it reach MOQ (or hopefully a price break).
So adding more keys to a base set needs to be justified... that the increase in sales (more buyers because more *potential* buyers) will offset the cost of those extra keys by reaching a price break and bringing the price of the base kit on par with what it would be without those extra keys.
Why is adding 40% support
now any different to how 65%/1800/HHKB support was added
in the past?
The perception is that the number of 40% users are low, and nagging for 40% support is basically asking for everyone who doesn't use 40% (which is the majority) to subsidize their niche within a niche keyboards for zero benefit. The price of the set increases due to the extra keys, but it's not offset by more sales, it doesn't reach a price break, and we're all left grumbling about the high price of the base set.
There's also the perception that 40%s are a bit of a novelty. Giving up an F-row is one thing, but a whole number row as well? You're all crazy! /s
Plus also, in the past, 40% users made do with caps in the wrong profile or with wrong legend. Expecting blank "shift" keys and row 2 Esc keys is expecting "perfect" coverage. There's a sense of entitlement that the keyset has to match in profile
and legend.
If I'm totally wrong and there are thousands of 40% users out there all wanting GMK keysets, then they can show their numbers by buying a "40% kit" when offered, even if they
only need a few keys from that kit, because that's the equivalent of what everyone else is doing when they buy a base kit and
only use the 60% keys - subsidizing the other people who use different layouts to themselves. They can pay that premium for perfect coverage with profile
and legend, instead of just using whatever cap fits that space, which IIRC is how those layouts were designed in the first place, designed to use the keys in
existing keysets, not
future keysets with perfect coverage for profile and legend.
I know it sucks. Sometimes for lulz, I see how many kits of an SA keyset I need to buy to cover my winkeyless 65% with split backspace and row 3 control, LMFAO and then close the tab. I like buying a GMK base set that covers what I use and plan to use in the future (yes, I stick to 60% and above).
But seriously, you can't expect a GMK base set to keep increasing in size to accommodate new layouts, new keyboards... it's got to stop somewhere, and IMHO the time to stop is now.This rant was brought to you by the letter Ń