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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: lemur on Sun, 25 March 2018, 20:11:08

Title: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: lemur on Sun, 25 March 2018, 20:11:08

Hey!

Maybe this has been covered before, but I didn't have much luck finding it..

I am wondering about the icon for the Alt key used by DSA Granite and various GMK sets, like Yuri.. in one set its an angled thing like a forward slash /  and in the other it is upside down and more like a backslash \  ....backwards/mirrored

They both have the same icon for Alt, but use it in different orientations.. not knowing where this icon originated, I am wondering which way is the 'correct' way..  Obviously it doesn't *really* matter... but I do wonder..

See images (collected from around the internet):

dsa granite group buy image:
(https://i.imgur.com/hS2PmYxh.png)

set in the wild:
(https://i.imgur.com/lTCsqcAh.jpg)

gmk yuri group buy image
(https://i.imgur.com/P6komPG.jpg)

in the wild:
(https://i.imgur.com/rAEVhUVh.jpg)

gmk blue on black (signal) group buy render:
(https://i.imgur.com/AJcJ4Lph.jpg)

in the wild:
(https://i.imgur.com/akqZnyMh.jpg)

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: xondat on Sun, 25 March 2018, 20:48:27

Good spot!

No idea on the reasoning though. Would love to know too.

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: rowdy on Sun, 25 March 2018, 20:51:21

It is the Apple "option" key icon.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201236

Technically one that looks like a backslash with flat ends is more accurate.

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: Puddsy on Sun, 25 March 2018, 22:22:14

i've asked the designer about this before

he says that that's actually how the icon is supposed to look

i'll shoot him this topic to give a better explanation

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: T0mb3ry on Mon, 26 March 2018, 02:35:53

Hello Lemur,

both Icons are correct. Here is the source of the info: http://xahlee.info/comp/unicode_computing_symbols.html
The difference is, Granite is using Apple's Option icon and Yuri is using standard Alt icon.

I am trying to be OS neutral with my sets and in my opinion the standard icon matches and looks better with control key icon due to its angles.
(https://i.imgur.com/F1sNZgw.png)

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: lemur on Mon, 26 March 2018, 07:46:25

Good info, thanks folks!


I guess the mystery is solved now :-)

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: ideus on Mon, 26 March 2018, 20:52:10

Quote from: T0mb3ry on Mon, 26 March 2018, 02:35:53

Hello Lemur,

both Icons are correct. Here is the source of the info: http://xahlee.info/comp/unicode_computing_symbols.html (http://xahlee.info/comp/unicode_computing_symbols.html)
The difference is, Granite is using Apple's Option icon and Yuri is using standard Alt icon.

I am trying to be OS neutral with my sets and in my opinion the standard icon matches and looks better with control key icon due to its angles.

Show Image

(https://i.imgur.com/F1sNZgw.png)

I like the standard version better, as well. Thank you for the reference.

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: Findecanor on Tue, 27 March 2018, 02:20:15

Standard schmandard! The ISO/IEC 9995-7 document's symbol is ⎇ with an arrow point where as GMK's symbol is simply the Macintosh symbol upside-down.
The actual symbol that GMK is using is not found in Unicode!

But practically nobody uses ISO symbols anyway ...
ISO also has ⎈ for Control, ⇬ for Caps Lock and ⇭ for Num Lock, but practically nobody uses those either.

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: T0mb3ry on Tue, 27 March 2018, 05:14:04

Quote from: Findecanor on Tue, 27 March 2018, 02:20:15

Standard schmandard! The ISO/IEC 9995-7 document's symbol is ⎇ with an arrow point where as GMK's symbol is simply the Macintosh symbol upside-down.
The actual symbol that GMK is using is not found in Unicode!

But practically nobody uses ISO symbols anyway ...
ISO also has ⎈ for Control, ⇬ for Caps Lock and ⇭ for Num Lock, but practically nobody uses those either.

The arrow point is not necessary. For example the Font PragmataPro has no arrow point. You can check it under following link just expand PragmataPro View: http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/2387/fontsupport.htm (http://www.fileformat.info/info/unicode/char/2387/fontsupport.htm)

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: Blaise170 on Wed, 28 March 2018, 14:31:08

Here's the oldest example I know of with the Alt symbol used, on an Apple Extended Keyboard.

(https://i.imgur.com/zjwT2QP.jpg)

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: ideus on Wed, 28 March 2018, 15:17:58

I'd love to see Tom's Icons made in Beige. Hopefully someone comes with a mod set with them, at least.

Title: Re: Are GMK alt icon keycaps upside down?
Post by: noSatellite on Fri, 30 March 2018, 21:00:17

Quote from: T0mb3ry on Mon, 26 March 2018, 02:35:53

I am trying to be OS neutral with my sets and in my opinion the standard icon matches and looks better with control key icon due to its angles.

Show Image

(https://i.imgur.com/F1sNZgw.png)

As someone that uses multiple os’s, I appreciate this more than you know - thank you.