@dorkvader/dox: If the price can stay below $400 for *everything* (except assembly), I'm definitely interested. If it can stay below $300, I'd like one. If below $150-200, I think I might want two.. lol, or at least an extra case+PCB. Assuming it can get done in the next few months so I can get it together and get used to it before school, and of course that no future design decisions make it not work for me (which I don't expect to be the case). Created an account just so I could track this thread
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A few of the things that matter to me:
- The thumbs having a good amount of keys within easy reach (as in the current kinesis looking thumb group)
- The cord between the two being cheap, easy to get, and *small* (as is being discussed). I've never tried, but it seems to me that anything thicker / less flexible than a typical usb cord would be a pain when the two halves of the keyboard were close together on a desk. And aesthetically, a ribbon cable connector or even an ethernet connector (or a pair of them), would ruin it IMO. 2x2.5mm audio connectors (like kps suggested) would be pretty cool, if there's nothing better in a single similarly sized and shaped cable.
A few of the things that don't matter to me:
- Assembly service. If it's going to be done by another member, and/or going to cost more than maybe $20, I may as well take the opportunity to learn
- Layout. I'm planning to change it all anyway.
- Whether the parts all come in the same box, or whether we have to get them from different places. As long as they're not way too hard to find/buy, and the total price can stay below my above limits.
Random preferences (if they make a difference here):
- I'm leaning towards cherry browns, after a bunch of reading. I haven't found a place to try them, but they sound like what I want.
- Colored or clear keycaps. I know these would be extra... but if they turn out not to be too much more, it'd be really cool.
- O-rings (the soft ones), probably. I assume these would be extra too.
- For layout, I'll probably do something close to arensito, at least with the AltGr symbol layer.
Other thoughts:
- I'd prefer it not to be red. Lol, though I guess I'd live if it were.
- Once it gets closer to being done, if I'm not the only one here who's a noob at all things hardware, maybe someone could post links to save us searching around for all the parts we'll have to get ourselves, how to put it together (or at least common pitfalls), how to reprogram/reflash the firmware for remapping (and other things?), and all that? I understand it's DIY so I shan't complain, but it'd save me a bit of tangential effort.