How is your experience dealing with Unicomp?

[SmallWalrus]

Does everyone generally have a good experience dealing with Chuck? Or is it just me?

[laden3]

I hate Unicomp because their spacesavers aren't tenkeyless

[SmallWalrus]

There's a Praise for Unicomp thread here.

Did you ask him about that upcoming Mini?

Nope, I didn't. Just feeling somewhat concerned as I organised a group buy a while ago and two of the boards came wrong, so initially Chuck's reply was that they may either provide a small rebate, or replace the keyboard & ship a set of coloured housing to make the order right again.

Subsequently he never replied anymore, and I'm just rather worried as to what's going on. In the world of eBay buying and selling not getting replies to emails is typically a cause for alarm!

[laden3]

I called them and they said in the future but no specific time/date.
Maybe they don't want those ppl selling/have Model M mini to hate them as production of "Unicomp spacesaver mini" = price drop of current Model M mini.
or
It doesn't make sense to sell the mini for more than $69 since there are less materials used and if it is cheaper than $69, the company doesn't make much profit as some ppl with buy mini instead of the full-sized ones.
or
There will be a bunch of keys for the number pads left behind as it is costly to make a new mold for the key caps.

Just some thoughts and speculations without any sources...

[platon]

Maybe they don't want those ppl selling/have Model M mini to hate them as production of "Unicomp spacesaver mini" = price drop of current Model M mini.

I dont see why they should care for other sellers. Unicomp is the owner of the buckling springs patent (they bought it from IBM). They can do whatever they feel like with it.

[laden3]

I dont see why they should care for other sellers. Unicomp is the owner of the buckling springs patent (they bought it from IBM). They can do whatever they feel like with it.

There isn't just a straight forward way of comprehending a sentence. We love conspiracy theory, dont't we? Just saying...

It is just a pain to design+make new molds while the profit doesn't correspond to the extra effort. The $ generated from selling full-sized keyboards probably is enough to keep the company running (actually new buckling spring keyboards available at a reasonable price).

Anyways we should appreciate their effort for keeping the buckling spring keyboards alive. I love my Customizer 104=)

p/s: Don't hate me if u find these disturbing, homework is too boring and I couldn't stop my imagination from going awry.

[Rusty Rat]

Did you ask him about that upcoming Mini?

I asked today by email -
"Is there any chance of this model being re introduced please?"

Response from Chuck
"I don't believe so"

I assume that Unicomp still have the moulds, keys are not an issue, the controller should not be, perhaps its the membrane mat or perhaps they don't believe there's a market for them.

I think a pimped one with black casing and silver grey keys would look neat and appeal to a new generation of Model M owners.

So I can forget about one for Christmas - unless Ripster wants to sell some of his?

[a_fluffy_kitten]

I emailed Unicomp a question and got a response the next day from Chuck asking for clarification.  I clarified the question and then never heard back from him.  Subsequently I decided to buy two Filcos instead of two Unicomps.

[SmallWalrus]

I emailed Unicomp a question and got a response the next day from Chuck asking for clarification.  I clarified the question and then never heard back from him.  Subsequently I decided to buy two Filcos instead of two Unicomps.

So Chuck owns Unicomp? Considering he seems to be the only one manning the support and sales email address… that's not exactly the right attitude to go about it.

[itlnstln]

I don't think he owns Unicomp, but he does seem to be the point man for customers relations.  It used to be Jim Owens some time back.

[SmallWalrus]

I don't think he owns Unicomp, but he does seem to be the point man for customers relations.  It used to be Jim Owens some time back.

Oh dear, if the point man is not able to address our issue then we're quite stuffed.

[jpc]

I asked today by email -
"Is there any chance of this model being re introduced please?"

Response from Chuck
"I don't believe so"

I don't want to start a rumor.

But COMPTEKW2K IS UNICOMP. Think about it.

[Daniel Beaver]

As much as you guys want a space-saver, recall that there just isn't much of a market for high-end keyboards. Unicomps are already a niche, and there are large costs associated with re-tooling to make a new product. I would be very surprised if we ever saw a space-saver come out of Unicomp.

[J888www]

Words may be interpreted in different ways, people may form different opinions, but I have nothing but praise to say in my communications, dealings with Chuck. Exemplary in all aspects.

NB: I AM NOT CHUCK :laugh: (chuckles)

[Sam]

I dont see why they should care for other sellers. Unicomp is the owner of the buckling springs patent (they bought it from IBM). They can do whatever they feel like with it.

That patent was granted back in the 1970's, right?  Has the patent expired yet?

[maxlugar]

That patent was granted back in the 1970's, right?  Has the patent expired yet?

Yeah, WTF???

Normally patents are good for 17 years and even if they were extended, they should have expired long ago.

The intellectual property behind the Model M is a combination of a couple seperate patents:  (1) the buckling spring switch mechanism and (2) the specially engineered membrane which enabled mass production of a relatively low cost durable keyboard.

[itlnstln]

There is a Chinese company that is producing BS keyboards. Lam47 has one, and he said it sucks royally.

[ch_123]

Oh dear God, another "Make me an SSK thread". Usually propagated by those who have never seen an SSK in real life, and thus don't realize that its only about an inch narrower than standard rubber dome keyboard.