Do You Catalog Your Collection?

[mashby]

There's been a thought itching at the back of my mind for some time that I should build a database, or spreadsheet to track my keyboard collection. With the many boards, cases and key cap sets I've collected, there is some sense of calm when I think of everything being accounted for and tallied. I guess I'm weird that way. 

I have a copy of Delicious Library 3, but it seems a bit less than ideal, but it might work. I put in an HHKB just to to test and I have to say, I especially like the charting option for when I need a good cry. 



Anyhoo, I figured I'd throw the question out to the great hive mind here and see if anyone else is already doing this and if so, then what do you use?

[esoomenona]

I would probably kill myself if I kept track of this. All the keyboards and keycaps I've bought, then basically given away... No thanks!

[SpAmRaY]

I keep thinking I should have started something like this a year ago

[Lastpilot]

Same as moose~ I don't think I could deal with looking at the numbers. But I do keep pictures in my profile of each board...even though I've reached the picture limit already

[rowdy]

No - I have little idea of what I actually have, hence I get a nice surprise when I sort through my keycap box.

[LONGZILLA]

I created a generic spreadsheet and backdated all my keyboard related expenses awhile ago, it was... eye opening, to say the least. On more than one occasion, it's restrained me from making random impulsive/ill-advised keycap purchases by putting things into cost-perspective

[rowdy]

I created a generic spreadsheet and backdated all my keyboard related expenses awhile ago, it was... eye opening, to say the least. On more than one occasion, it's restrained me from making random impulsive/ill-advised keycap purchases by putting things into cost-perspective

I don't want to know how much I've spent on keyboards and keycaps!

[StylinGreymon]

Yeah, I don't wanna know how much I've spent/have yet to spend on this hobby.
I make next to no money, so to to see how much of it I would've saved on a less expensive hobby would be depressing.

Best to stay ignorant, and enjoy muh clickity clackity.

[LONGZILLA]

I created a generic spreadsheet and backdated all my keyboard related expenses awhile ago, it was... eye opening, to say the least. On more than one occasion, it's restrained me from making random impulsive/ill-advised keycap purchases by putting things into cost-perspective

I don't want to know how much I've spent on keyboards and keycaps!

[Tarzan]

I created a generic spreadsheet and backdated all my keyboard related expenses awhile ago, it was... eye opening, to say the least. On more than one occasion, it's restrained me from making random impulsive/ill-advised keycap purchases by putting things into cost-perspective

I don't want to know how much I've spent on keyboards and keycaps!

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Heh!  Indeed!

[naasfu]

I refuse!

[noisyturtle]

I just use my mind palace.

[LONGZILLA]

I just use my mind palace.

[Novus]

[rowdy]

I don't mind either way.

[baldgye]

I compiled a list of all known disc versions of Metal Gear games as I collect those, but I've yet to really mark down what I own and the cost of it all... If that counts? Lol

[mashby]

I compiled a list of all known disc versions of Metal Gear games as I collect those, but I've yet to really mark down what I own and the cost of it all... If that counts? Lol

Did you just throw it in a spreadsheet?

[Wildcard]

I have a spreadsheet of Clacks. But the rest of the inventory is in my mind

I end up putting Clacks on boards which go back into boxes and then I can't remember where they went.

[baldgye]

I compiled a list of all known disc versions of Metal Gear games as I collect those, but I've yet to really mark down what I own and the cost of it all... If that counts? Lol

Did you just throw it in a spreadsheet?

No not yet... just make a massive post of a forum thread;

http://w11.zetaboards.com/The_Cardboard_Box/single/?p=8063219&t=7681932

Though originally it was designed for people of the forum to be able to catalogue there stuff so we could have like "the forum collectively owns X" and get who ever has it to post pics etc... but trying to have that in a format that made sense and worked within the forum code was a nightmare so I stripped it down to a single list.

I think when MGS:GZ's comes out or maybe MGSV I'll try and get a book made up full of pictures of all the items on the list that way it will be book-ended with the MSX/NES end of at the PS3/360 generation.

[davkol]

I have a list of the ~66 keyboards I've owned so far.

[mashby]

I have a list of the ~66 keyboards I've owned so far.

What do you track in your list besides the name of the board?

[davkol]

I have that list in my personal wiki and each piece of hardware that I've modified or at least used a lot has a dedicated subpage with a short description.

[mashby]

I have that list in my personal wiki and each piece of hardware that I've modified or at least used a lot has a dedicated subpage with a short description.

Wow, that sounds really, really nice. A ton of work, but a great resource. 

[davkol]

I definitely recommend gitit. It's lightweight, but supports pandoc (an excellent extension of Markdown, which includes LaTeX formulas and export to a number of format including LaTeX or slides) and uses git for file storage (thus you can edit pages in your text editor of choice and manage them in the distributed version control system, no need to struggle with a web browser).

Nowadays, I use it for everything ranging from writing the thesis to my personal website to tracking of projects.

[eth0s]

I have a list of the ~66 keyboards I've owned so far.

What do you track in your list besides the name of the board?

Well, I have a visual inventory system for keyboards.  I have all of my keyboards stacked up in boxes in my home office.  I can just look at the labels on the boxes to see what I have.  I am proud to say that I am down to only 25 keyboards right now, and I'm hoping to reduce that number in the next few weeks with a Classified thread. 

The only spreadsheet I ever made was the one that I created to keep track of Clacks.  The Column Headings I had were: Clack Name, Color(s), Switch Type, Price Paid, Date Purchased, and Seller Name.   The purpose of the spreadsheet was to keep track of what I had, and how much I paid, and who I got the Clacks from.  But, I got busy and fell behind in my cataloguing, so the list is now incomplete.  I guess I should update my spreadsheet. 

I think my system would work well for keyboards as well.  Use my column headings, and use a new row for each keyboard.  Other columns you might want to add are:  Condition of Keyboard (NIB, used, shiny, etc.); Keycaps (OEM, SP, GB set, etc.); and Connector type (USB, PS/2, DIN, etc.).  You could also add a column for resale value, if you wanted to keep an eye on the total $ value for your collection.  And if you wanted to be thorough, you could add a row at the very bottom where you subtract total current value from total price paid, in order to find out how much your keyboard collection is really costing you.  Which may be more or less that you thought, so be careful.  Not everybody is comfortable with the truth.  And it goes without saying that wives are never comfortable with this kind of truth, and don't really need to know that information.  Not even attractive and understanding wives like Mrs. Mashby really need to know that kind of info.      Just my opinion.