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Author Topic: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps  (Read 1944 times)

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Offline FrostyToast

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Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« on: Tue, 15 July 2014, 23:05:32 »
A long, long time back, there was a big thread about a series of sort of little platforms that would go on your switch stems.
There would be ones that would fit on to Topre, MX, Alps, and maybe even BS, however all of the tops would be the exact same sort of shape.
This would allow for universal keycaps that could be placed on any switch you wanted.
I don't have the connections to make something like this happen, but maybe the rest of the folks on GeekHack can work together to make this actually be a thing.
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Quote from: elton5354
I don't need anymore keyboards

Offline rowdy

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 15 July 2014, 23:18:07 »
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"Because keyboards are accessories to PC makers, they focus on minimizing the manufacturing costs. But that’s incorrect. It’s in HHKB’s slogan, but when America’s cowboys were in the middle of a trip and their horse died, they would leave the horse there. But even if they were in the middle of a desert, they would take their saddle with them. The horse was a consumable good, but the saddle was an interface that their bodies had gotten used to. In the same vein, PCs are consumable goods, while keyboards are important interfaces." - Eiiti Wada

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Offline FrostyToast

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 15 July 2014, 23:34:07 »
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Quote from: elton5354
I don't need anymore keyboards

Offline Oobly

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #3 on: Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59 »
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps? "Just" need to make MX and Topre lower cap sections.

Or maybe a whole new design, but I'm not sure the best way to connect the keycap "top" to the stem. If it's not done well it could make them more wobbly.
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Buying more keycaps,
it really hacks my wallet,
but I must have them.

Offline dantan

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #4 on: Sun, 20 July 2014, 11:06:21 »
Quote from: Oobly on Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps? "Just" need to make MX and Topre lower cap sections.

Or maybe a whole new design, but I'm not sure the best way to connect the keycap "top" to the stem. If it's not done well it could make them more wobbly.

did you mean to say oobly?  :D
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:10:42 »
Quote from: Oobly on Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps?

IBM had already gotten it right during Reagan's first term in office.

The mistake was building the profile into the key caps instead of the keyboard.

"Imagine there's no profile .....
"It's easy if you try ....."
« Last Edit: Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:46:53 by fohat.digs »
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"However, even though I was born in the Mesozoic, I do know what anyone who wants to reach out to young people should say: Billionaires took your money. They took your chance to buy a home. They took your chance at a good education. They stole your opportunities. Billionaires took the things you want in life. If you really want those things, you have to take them back.
That's the message. That's the whole message. Say that every day, not just to reach America's frustrated young white men, but people of every age, race, and gender.
Late-stage capitalism is a wealth-concentration engine, focused on vacuuming up every dollar and putting it in as few hands as possible. Republicans are helping that vacuum suck.
How does a tiny fraction of the population get away with this? They do it by dividing the other 99% of Americans against themselves."
- Marc Sumner 2025-05-30

Offline FrostyToast

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Re: Bringing back the idea of the Universal Keycaps
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:17:58 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Mon, 21 July 2014, 20:10:42
Quote from: Oobly on Wed, 16 July 2014, 02:58:59
Perhaps something like IBM buckling spring two-piece keycaps?

IBM had gotten it right during Reagan's first term in office.

The mistake was building the profile into the key caps instead of the keyboard.

"Imagine no profile .....
"It's easy if you try ....."

If we did manage to find a good way to get this sort of thing going, we could angle and raise/lower the stems of the bottom caps to have the proper profile. This would also make the same top cap fit on both DSA and DCS angled bottom caps.
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Quote from: elton5354
I don't need anymore keyboards
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