What I want to be sure of is that I understand the reasons gamers had for running away from crappy rubber domes.
Also: why did Cherry switches end up rocking the gamer world rather than buckling springs or ALPS-like switches? Was it just the rollover issue? If not, what else?
Gamers went to mechanical keyboards partly because of N-Key rollover, but also in large part because of key feel. Mechanical keys are more consistent than rubber domes, which becomes important when you want to replicate keypresses using the exact same action each time.
You can also 'float' mech keys easier. Holding it just above the actuation point. Whereas on a rubber dome, you have to smash the whole dome each time. It's likewise easier to 'spam' keys on a mech. This latter point is extremely important in gaming, where you might have to repeat a single action many times within the span of seconds.
Mech keyboards are also seen as smoother if properly built, especially if using linear switches. These are lighter and 'cleaner' feeling than rubber domes. Can be very desired in gaming.
Why did Cherry take over? This has been discussed here and on Deskthority. Basically, Cherry won by default. The other major switch manufacturers, such as ALPS, went out of business. Mechanicals in home computers declined because of the advent of cheaper rubber domes. They only survived in the Cherry world because it was used in industrial/retail applications.
This is to the chagrin of many here, as ALPS are seen as a more refined switch than Cherry, in tactiles, clicky, and linear.
To be fair, Cherry survived because the basic switch design is very simple and reliable. It is low-maintenance, less vulnerable to dust, and has a very long service life. And it costs less than ALPS and similar. So Cherry survived in the industrial/retail/government world because there was a demand for a cheap and reliable switch that could be left alone for long periods and low maintenance.
