geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: fohat.digs on Sun, 08 November 2015, 18:53:03
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Although I am generally pretty tight and protective of my gear, I am considering sending one of my ANSI-modded Model F 122-key terminals out on a limited domestic tour, provided that I can feel assured that I will get it back in good condition in a reasonable time frame.
Having been greatly helped by getting to put my hands on other keyboards during their tours, I can appreciate how informative it can be. But for me it comes down to 2 big concerns: the respect that users have for packaging and time.
Previous tours, like those listed below, generally had only a couple of rules, and relied on respect and trust to keep the process moving forward.
The idea was to keep the keyboard for only a short, finite time, 3 days, 1 week, whatever, then pack it up *well* and send it forward, at your expense, to the next person on the list. Then you owed the forum a timely review of some sort, as short or as long as you felt motivated to write.
With a couple of exceptions, such as the attack of the giant mutant turkey, almost all of the problems seemed to come from people not respecting other people's time and keeping the keyboard far too long. "I have just been so busy at work" or "A family member has been sick" are perfectly legitimate problems, but if you are not in a position to do your duty, then move yourself down the list or put on a new stamp and send the box ahead without opening it.
I still haven't decided whether I want to do this, but if I do, can whoever makes it onto the list assurethe rest of us that you will do the right thing?
Hashbaz built this beauty, and (not being a "Cherry" guy otherwise) after using it for a couple of days, I understood much better what I liked.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39254.msg765888 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39254.msg765888)
And Akimbo sent around this magnificent thing, but without even participating in the tour, I recognized that it was awesome, and built one for myself.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49604.msg1640751#msg1640751 (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=49604.msg1640751#msg1640751)
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provided that I can feel assured that I will get it back in good condition in a reasonable time frame.
Kudos to you for wanting to spread the Model F love, but I wouldn't count on either of the above. Don't "tour" boards usually disappear or come back in disrepair?
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Not interested ... simply because I wouldn't want to give it back. :D
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Don't "tour" boards usually disappear or come back in disrepair?
Probably so, and that is why I probably won't do it, even though I would like to help out in general.
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Main point of concern would be the case on that F. No way I can see it getting shipped around and surviving.
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Such a huge, heavy board that shipping will not be cheap. At that point it's probably better just to wait and buy one from Cindy on DT.
BTW is that still happening?
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I would acquire a dirty F122 to send that around rather than one you have put some work into.
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Main point of concern would be the case on that F. No way I can see it getting shipped around and surviving.
I was probably going to use the "naked" one, and I kind of assumed that everyone here had figured out the flat rate "game board" box at $17.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62781.msg1469919#msg1469919
"I would acquire a dirty F122" - might be a better plan if the thing with Cindy etc really does work out.
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Main point of concern would be the case on that F. No way I can see it getting shipped around and surviving.
I was probably going to use the "naked" one, and I kind of assumed that everyone here had figured out the flat rate "game board" box at $17.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=62781.msg1469919#msg1469919
"I would acquire a dirty F122" - might be a better plan if the thing with Cindy etc really does work out.
I wouldn't ship anything that valuable with the USPS. I'd use UPS and make sure it has a declared value of at least $150. I have a daily rate UPS account that would probably beat that $17 quote, so if you wanted to figure out how to handle the money part of it, I wouldn't mind helping out with the logistics.
UPS has a nice feature that allows all the labels to be printed and paid in advance, so each label could be numbered and the person receiving would just put on the next label and send it off. This way, the reasoning of not being able to ship it won't count since you can literally walk up to a UPS truck (or anywhere that accepts UPS) and give it to them with a prepaid label. (True story, I've actually followed a UPS truck in traffic until he stopped to give him a car-load of boxes--saved me from having to drive to a drop-off point.)
But the idea of sending such a large, difficult to pack keyboard in anything other than an original style box with the styrofoam gives me the willies. I know how package handlers treat boxes and surviving one trip is one thing, surviving many is hard.
I think the best thing to do is have some sort of 'key tester' meets where people bring their favorite board and allow others to type on their setup. Like a show and tell for keyboard fanatics. Essentially, some sort of regional mini-keycons.