The Geekhack key - orders starting soon

[sixty]

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST BEFORE COMMENTING

ALL KEYS ARE SOLD OUT - DO NOT POST ASKING TO ORDER ANYMORE






About this keycap
I got the idea from this when I was browsing the Korean forums kbdmania and OTD and saw all their cool community created/community exclusive products. I figured that we are at least as passionate about collecting keyboards as they are. So the question I asked myself was "if they can do cool stuff like that, why can't we?"

I paid for the production of these keys on my own and kept everything a secret to surprise the community with the release of these. While the price may seem a bit hefty, please be assured that I make almost absolutely no profit on these.

If I somehow made a mistake in my calculations and end up with too much spare cash, I will send most of it iMavs way as a donation to the server.

Prices
2 Keycaps - $9,99
4 Keycaps - $17,99
6 Keycaps - $25,49

Please note that the maximum order is limited to a total of 6 keys per forum member to keep things balanced. Let's try to make everyone happy and get a set to everyone interested.

The price listed for the keycaps above also includes free shipping. All keycaps are shipped from Germany and may take some time to arrive, depending on your location.

Orders
The actual sale opens later today, around 9 PM EST time and will be handled in a dedicated topic. Please DO NOT POST ORDERS IN THIS TOPIC.
This topic is simply dedicated to information and comments. If you have any more questions about these, ask ahead!

I hope you all enjoy this. I am quite satisfied with how they came out.

[nanu]

Awesome!

I'd definitely want a set just to Rit-dye one cap for red text and wonder what color the cap ends up being (nearly black?)

[eunjea]

Wow, Awesome! Sixty. Way to go~

[Half-Saint]

Can't wait!

[Rajagra]

Nice. Might put one of these on my DAS III to ward off evil transposition spirits. Would add a nice accent to the board.

Edit> Next step double-shot Windows keys? But maybe with OS-neutral logo?
I'm thinking some kind of hybrid flag/command/meta key design like this:

 Just a thought.

[skcheng]

Very cool!!!  Now that's a must-have!!!  

PM sent ...... won't be around tnite.  

skc

[kriminal]

i wonder what 9am in germany, relates to in my time? cant wait XD

[HaaTa]

Gya! Stupid paypal "limited" my account yesterday.

Damn pain in the ass it is to fix it when you're out of the country.

But yeah, enough crap from me. I'll suck up and just use plastic instead.

[HaaTa]

Oh, and what kind of plastic did you use sixty?

And because I feel cynical tonight (you can blame paypal) the 'G' and the 'H' don't line up...almost like the 'A' is taking up too much space.

But yeah, I still want some

[skcheng]

I'd like to order some Red GeekHack caps with "black" lettering  :-))

[sixty]

Oh, and what kind of plastic did you use sixty?

The keycaps are made from ABS. They are a bit thinner than Cherry Corp original keys and are made from the same molds that were used on the old WYSE keyboards and this Korean Filco double shot set. They have a rough texture (compared to Filco, Cherry) and feel a lot more like IBM keycaps. I really like their texture.

I'd like to order some Red GeekHack caps with "black" lettering :-))

I tried a draft with black on red, it just didn't look as good as the white one. I guess I like the high contrast more.

[iMav]

Nice.  I'll be ordering the max 3 sets.  

Can't wait to order up what clickclack has going on as well.

[itlnstln]

I'm definitely in.

[kishy]

I don't have a Cherry keyboard yet, but I intend to at some point (and I've got that numpad now)...I'll definitely be interested in this.

Unfortunately I don't know exactly when 'later today' is, and I've got a test and work later. Hopefully they won't all disappear in the course of an hour...

Edit: I don't know how I missed it, since I did read the OP...nevermind. I'll be here, I suspect. Was gonna go see Bill Clinton speak but jumping through hoops to get a ticket in time just wasn't gonna happen.

[Mental Hobbit]

9 PM EST

3 am my and your time? Hate you. Keep in mind I know where you live before telling me I was too late tomorrow. ;P

[didjamatic]

Awesome!  Count me in

[chongyixiong]

Please note that the maximum order is limited to a total of 6 keys per forum member to keep things balanced. Let's try to make everyone happy and get a set to everyone interested.

Thanks sixty! Was about to suggest that but seems like you got it all covered. My original plan was that you could make some money but maybe 60% goes to iMav to maintain this great site. Just saying. But kudos for this keycap set and I'm gonna order 1!

[wellington1869]

very very nice. great idea.

[Half-Saint]

3 am my and your time? Hate you. Keep in mind I know where you live before telling me I was too late tomorrow. ;P

Indeed, what about us, european guys who need to sleep at night

[elbowglue]

Count me in for 1 pair.  Looks awesome.

*edit* oh wait do not post orders in this topic - ohwell I'll post it again later..
10,000 post count here I come!

[sixty]

Following that Korean Leopold link I'm getting $67 a full 104 key doubleshot set for the Korean lettered ones.  That's not too bad.  Well, all things considered.  After all, a Topre keyset for only 60 keys goes for $68, one dollar more.

Still not sure why Google does this translation:

The google translate link is hillarious.

Iowa enthusiasts also released a double injection in a rare show of kikaepeun Hangul

Indeed, what about us, european guys who need to sleep at night

I know, I know. But considering that most of the members on the forum are from the state I had to be fair and base it a bit around their schedule. I highly doubt that all sets will instantly sell anyway. You should hopefully all be fine.

[sixty]

Mmmmmm.....

Show Image

Hotlinking blocked, again. I think this is the second time this happens to you!

[kishy]

That's disappointing.

[-----------8<------------]

love dem doubleshots.

Show Image

want!

[InSanCen]

If you will accept alternative payment methods (I have bought from Germany before), then I am down for a set. Hell yes.

[phoenix]

Oh, and what kind of plastic did you use sixty?

And because I feel cynical tonight (you can blame paypal) the 'G' and the 'H' don't line up...almost like the 'A' is taking up too much space.

But yeah, I still want some

Since the font is not a monospace font G and H really should not line up unless you adjust the character spacing. But I agree with you, there should be less space between A and C. Sigh, this kills it for me, because I'm also a typography nerd. Sixty, will you fix the kerning in the next run?

[mrbill]

Want a set, but I'm sick and about to go back to bed, and will therefore probably miss out unless you're still taking orders tomorrow. 8-(

[mrbill]

I'll order up 3 sets.  Sick, infirmed, and financially paypal-less can go to bed and PM me later.

PMed you.  Thanks a ton, respiratory infections suck.

[ricercar]

So 35 minutes to go. I better not blink.

[phoenix]

So kerning is how they adjusted the spacing between "m" and "y"?

Just asking.

I like the key the way it is.  Revision One will be the collectible version.

That key is awesome. You are right. Kerning is how the space between two characters is adjusted to achieve more uniform spacing. E.g., WA will look horribly separated if no kerning is applied. AC is a somewhat less important pair and often unavailable in a font. Auto-kerning works most of the time but not quite perfectly.

I'll try to get a set, too. I hope Sixty doesn't get mad at me for complaining about kerning

[itlnstln]

That key is awesome. You are right. Kerning is how the space between two characters is adjusted to achieve more uniform spacing. E.g., WA will look horribly separated if no kerning is applied. AC is a somewhat less important pair and often unavailable in a font. Auto-kerning works most of the time but not quite perfectly.

I'll try to get a set, too. I hope Sixty doesn't get mad at me for complaining about kerning

So for us dumb people, kerning is how they get "justified" text-alignment to work?

[Rajagra]

sixty, will you fix the kerning in the next run?

Human emotions. Quite illogical...

[sixty]

I'll try to get a set, too. I hope Sixty doesn't get mad at me for complaining about kerning

Kerning is the plastic factories fault, I could probably get it corrected if there would be a second batch.

[ricercar]

I suggest the manufacturer treats all text like a mono-spaced font even when it is not. Fault is not likely to be admitted.

Kerning has nothing to do with justification.

• Justification is manipulating space between words to satisfy the left and right margin requirements.
• Kerning is pressing letters together to make a word take up less space and look more aesthetic.

[itlnstln]

Got it.  I feel less dumb now.

[ricercar]

Nah, I think it's because Intel is less than half of intelligence.

[NOMiS]

I'd just like to say well done on how you've set everything up so well. I definitely hope people do more things like this.

Can't wait to get mine.

[kriminal]

muahahahahahahaa!!! payment sent!!!
now all i have to do is wait on clickclack and im all set.
**plans to rule the world finally set in motion**

[InSanCen]

I missed out on this run. If you do another, I'll be on it.

[bsvP585hUO2Y6]

*sigh* --- all sold out :-/

That's what I get for not visiting twice a day...  That key would have
fit nicely on my Compaq MX11800 since I wouldn't have known about the
board's very existence without geekhack.

[hyperlinked]

Human emotions. Quite illogical...

I'm really afraid of how that mind of yours works, Ray.

[kriminal]

wait.... why is it named.... "kern" ing?  -_-"

[platon]

I know, I know. But considering that most of the members on the forum are from the state I had to be fair and base it a bit around their schedule. I highly doubt that all sets will instantly sell anyway. You should hopefully all be fine.

Unless i counted wrong 100 keys went to 29 people. That's not very fair. Only way i could be in time was to wake up at 4 am. Didn't make it.

[Ulysses31]

An interesting idea.  A little more useful might be double-shot key-caps where the white part of the plastic had glow-in-the-dark dye mixed in to it.  For all I know that probably already exists.

[hoggy]

Unless i counted wrong 100 keys went to 29 people. That's not very fair. Only way i could be in time was to wake up at 4 am. Didn't make it.

It's one of the few times I've benefited from not being to sleep...

[kishy]

Perhaps not my place to comment but I think it should have been limited to one set per person for the first batch.

Unless of course the limited supply and small number of members to receive them is intentional for exclusisivity, which I can agree with (if there end up being ten thousand of them, it's not terribly symbolic anymore).

I'd also make a remark about very recent joiners but the reality is some do seem to be dedicated members who will "last", so that type of discrimination doesn't necessarily work too well (voiding my own point if I were to make it).

[Shadin]

Really cool, though I don't have a Cherry board.  Who was the manufacturer?

[kishy]

I disagree. It is quite an investment to have a custom cap made. What you say he should have taken an even bigger financial risk by limiting sales to one set each. I don't see it, and think you should be pleased with the three set limit and the fact a geekhack member took that risk. Considering the success, I wouldn't be surprised to see a second run.

I didn't mean to suggest risk would have increased or that greater risk should have been taken, but I suppose it could be viewed that way.

It would seem that all of them would have been purchased anyway, even with such a limit, it just would have taken slightly longer (say two weeks instead of two days, or was it only one?)

I also wouldn't be surprised to see a second run, and I think it'd be awesome (though the exclusisivity factor goes out the window, but it's ultimately not too important). Hopefully it's proving to be profitable at least slightly for those who've made it possible.

[Rajagra]

There was no guarantee he would sell many of them, let alone enough to break even. These keys are a novelty item of interest to a tiny number of people. He took a big gamble. Even if he can afford to take that gamble he still deserves credit for doing so, it was a pretty generous favour he did.

I think he handled it just right, so here's a big thanks to sixty!

Maybe there's enough interest to do a second batch.

[ricercar]

Wait and see. Someone's undoubtedly going to re-sell for an astounding markup.