Great idea here, but I personally don't like the aesthetics. It's just (objectively speaking, my opinion only) looks a bit too bland and messy. Maybe if the oled was under a glass panel, or maybe if you try some through hole style design (where some diodes and wires are visible) you might be able to add a bit of character into this board, as right now it's just another ergo 40%.
I think it might actually be better to remove the oled and try to put as much circuitry on the bottom as possible because I think the lack of a lot of keys, the three key thumb cluster, and the deep matte black plate would make a very good minimalistic keyboard, but once you add wires and **** all of a sudden it gets messy and makes me turn away. Basically, I think you should either change the design to as minimal as possible, or change it into a Mercutio style board where there a lot of components; either remove the clutter or add more in the form of diodes and such. All or nothing mentality.
Just some food for thought, still quite interested in where this board will be heading because I think there is some potential with the low price point.
Howdy. Thanks for the lengthy feedback. I think that if you consider this "just another ergo 40%" then you are missing the things that make this board notable. You're allowed to not like the look. That's fine, we all have our own taste.
As many of the components as possible are completely hidden away inside of the case itself. There are also
no exposed traces on the top side of the PCB. Both of those design choices are made consciously in order to make the board sturdier and able to be transported easily in a bag to and from work. Hobbyist stenographers typically do not buy boards for every location they choose to use them, and instead will take their workhorse with them as they commute. This design was made to make it easier to have a sturdy affordable design. With that in mind, I believe I did exceptionally well.
The OLED is not only extremely useful, but you might have seen in the writeup that it will be larger in the next prototype/final version. This, again, is to accommodate ease of use in stenography. If you'd like to know more about the applications for this in stenography, I'd be happy to talk more about it.
I have no idea what you mean by "once you add wires." Especially since it follows your other thought of this board being too minimalistic. It feels like you want two different keyboards, and neither of them is an ergo 40%. I get what you mean by all or nothing here, I don't know what you mean by "wires."
I do appreciate the feedback, I just wanted to type up this response to let you know that while your complaints are largely based on preference, I have actual legitimate reasons to not do them the way you suggest.
