What does your friends/family/pets/neighbours think about your keyboard hobby?

[singaporean123]

For many people, spending anything more than $100 on a keyboard is madness(or so I have heard from my friends).



I love collecting the many different keycaps. My parents feel that I shouldn't spend on something I don't need, while my girlfriend thinks that I should slow down on the novelty keys (though she's unsupportive on the surface..she did buy me a topre CC..which I couldn't use:/ ). I think I'm old enough to be entitled to my hobbies though 

So my question is.. how does the people around you feel about your hobby, and how does it affect you?

[tjcaustin]

My roommate seems interested in watching me burn money but is unconvinced that with how he jackhammer types that it's worth his investment.  I disagree but that's neither here nor there.

[esoomenona]

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[moonprismpwr]

My friends have liked the rainbow keys I have and think it's pretty cute ^^ And needless to say my husband loves that I am getting into keyboards with him

[DarkShot]

I had a friend over and he started using my keyboard after explaining the basics of them

He messaged me when he got home cursing the fact that he had to use his rubber dome after.

Another friend is interested in them from my posting about them on Facebook, so some seem pretty interested.

[The_Beast]

I loaned out one of the boards I didn't want anymore hoping he would buy it. He did because he liked it so much ^___^


One board I don't have to deal with anymore and someone else who as seen the light of mechanical boards

[demik]

friends?

what's that o.O

[tjcaustin]

I loaned out one of the boards I didn't want anymore hoping he would buy it. He did because he liked it so much ^___^


One board I don't have to deal with anymore and someone else who as seen the light of mechanical boards

I need one or three of those.  I've totally gone all shiny and bought way too much.

[Halverson]

friends?

what's that o.O

Only us wizards know.....

Most of my friends think it's cool, but the money is nuts. Most people keep saying "make caps, make money". And I always reply "it's not about the money, its about cool caps".

[tjcaustin]

Only us wizards know.....

You're a girlshark wizard now?  This could get exhausting.

BTW, you should buy my brand new Race cuz they're bluuuuues.  I seriously can't believe how much money I've spent in 20 days.

[TheProfosist]

Every friend that ive ever brought this up to have gotten involved and ive bought a keyboard + extras off here for them.

[longweight]

My friends are initially confused and then interested! I spend a lot of time talking to them about it!

[Halverson]

Only us wizards know.....

You're a girlshark wizard now?  This could get exhausting.

BTW, you should buy my brand new Race cuz they're bluuuuues.  I seriously can't believe how much money I've spent in 20 days.

My YOTD is the only blue board I need I'll stick with my brown and my white races for meow.

My friends are initially confused and then interested! I spend a lot of time talking to them about it!

I always wonder after talking to some people about it. Were they generally interested, or did they just want me to shut up about it

[WRXChris]

Most of my friends think I'm crazy, but one understands because he likes to collect things.  He's always interested when I get new clacks, but other than that I think he pretends to listen when I talk about keyboards, lol! 

My family has no idea about my unhealthy keyboard addiction and its financial ramifications, and I intend to keep it that way!

[tjcaustin]

Only us wizards know.....

You're a girlshark wizard now?  This could get exhausting.

BTW, you should buy my brand new Race cuz they're bluuuuues.  I seriously can't believe how much money I've spent in 20 days.

My YOTD is the only blue board I need I'll stick with my brown and my white races for meow.

My friends are initially confused and then interested! I spend a lot of time talking to them about it!

I always wonder after talking to some people about it. Were they generally interested, or did they just want me to shut up about it

Whites are totally blues without the awesome click. You need the awesome click.

[hashbaz]

My wife is amused by all the time and effort I've put into group buys and the Cherry legend project, but she doesn't "get it".  She does like the click of MX blues though, and the pretty keys she sees me sorting through.

Mainly she's happy that I have a fun hobby that I'm passionate about. <3

[Kellybear]

My friends don't really understand.. especially when I get excited about certain keycaps, or talk about how I want a specific board..

I do get some who come to me for recommendations on what keyboard to get, but in the end, they settle with a black widow :l

[jil_jil32]

They keep questioning me about how many hands I have...

[snoopy]

my girlfriend only likes the clickclack skulls and nyancat stuff... but not really interested in the rest...

[Sifo]

Every friend that ive ever brought this up to have gotten involved and ive bought a keyboard + extras off here for them.

Why aren't you my friend?


My gf likes typing on blues and likes the pretty keycaps. Doesn't really understand the "prestige" of owning the fancier mech boards. I think she'd want a CM Storm or something... but I'd like to get her a WASD.

Family thinks I'm crazy and stupid. Friends think I'm weird, but they know I'm a professional typist. Co workers think I'm weird but I get work done so they don't really care.

[scytheR]

when me and one of my friends bought filco majestouch's together a year ago, we started a 'peer pressure' sort of thing, now everyone in my friend group has a mechanical keyboard. whether its a razer blackwidow, a leopold or a filco ninja. My friends and i work that way.. we're a sortof nerdy starcraft loving group, and once one of us gets something we all get it. most recently it has been protein shakes and gym..

They've purchased some coloured keycaps from WASDkeyboards, but haven't really got into it like most of us here.

[tp4tissue]

My family doesn't know about it. Top Secret... it just shows up on the Bill as paypal and amazon.com.... Muahahahahahahaha

[esoomenona]

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[tp4tissue]

Yesterday, my UPS guy was apparently laughing because stopping at my house has become a daily thing...

He'd laugh he knew about your 30+ fleshlights.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Most of my friends think I'm nerdy as hell... but I don't give two ****s about that...

My family doesn't know much about it, other than the fact that I get sooo many keycaps in the mail... if only they knew how much money I was really spending lol...

[esoomenona]

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[fruktstund]

My cat looks a bit sad when I don't let him walk all over my SSK. I fear he'll murder me next time he sees me sleeping.

[phetto]

My familiy does not want to understand.
I tried to compare it as a normal collecting hobby, as people are collecting stamps, or starwars stuff, or even pokemon cards (THE ****!!!!!!!!!) but they just dont want to understand. :-D

[Lethal Squirrel]

My friends think its awesome , and have either bought one or had one given to them by me. My mom thinks its cool and she loves to press keys with blue switches, but deosnt really type. My stepdad said "damn that's a nice keyboard, where'd you get this?!" when I let him use my computer.
My 20 year old brother thinks its kinda weird but he understands. My 12 and 13 year old brothers love blue switches just like my mom. My grandpa who lives with me think I need to start a business that sells them. xD (Im 22 btw(no I dont still live at home(its when they visit)))
my cat... sometimes she walks across my desk and onto the keyboard, but she never really tells me if she likes it more than walking on a rubber dome keyboard ; P

[phetto]

^ You should be happy as hell

:jelous:

[Lethal Squirrel]

Yeah, it's pretty cool. My family and friends have always been chill, and don't care how nerdy I am or what I'm into. My grandpa even accepts that I have anime figures. normally it would be like "what's with those gay ass barbie dolls" with any other grandpa xD

[phetto]

ok dude. those chinese dolls are a bit cheesy ^___^

[Lethal Squirrel]

japanese*

[tp4tissue]

Yeah, it's pretty cool. My family and friends have always been chill, and don't care how nerdy I am or what I'm into. My grandpa even accepts that I have anime figures. normally it would be like "what's with those gay ass barbie dolls" with any other grandpa xD

I doubt he'd think you're gay, but surely he'd lean towards "effeminate". That's seriously looked down upon in asian cultures, but that's why America is great.

[Will@Drop]

japanese*

Seems like your jimmies are rustled : )


My friends are all pretty nerdy guys so they appreciate my hobbies. The more difficult one for them to stomach is my Headphone addiction.

[mars-bar-man]

Family are thankful it's not Crack or on silly wheels and a spoiler for my car.

And my girlfriend hates it because I spend the money on the boards and not her.. That much..

[Redndwhite]

Family are thankful it's not Crack or on silly wheels and a spoiler for my car.

And my girlfriend hates it because I spend the money on the boards and not her.. That much..

Cars are not on a crack level of addictiveness; we make them look like someone craving a salty snack.

I'm just starting out on the keyboard hobby, so they can't judge me just yet. Although I should have a second on the way anytime now...

[tcv]

Everyone that's ever used one of my keyboards enjoys it and can tell the difference between mechanical and membrane.

If they see me looking at keyboards online they assume i'm buying a new one every time.

[1391401]

Most people don't get it so I don't bother explaining, they just say "cooool" when they see my red alert and "oh look at the colors" when they see my QWERKEYS/Billiards/Dreamcheese board

[TheProfosist]

Every friend that ive ever brought this up to have gotten involved and ive bought a keyboard + extras off here for them.

Why aren't you my friend?

i guess i worded that wong as there was definitly as funds or work involved with all of the exchanges.

[TheProfosist]

If your looking for a board to convice someone to convert get a corsair board as it has both types of switches on the same board you can tell people notice the difference when they have to use on of the switches that isnt mechanical.

[Viz]

My girlfriend is quite positive about it.
Some of my friends are quite geeky, but I tend to be the geekiest. So they usually listen to me whenever I recommend something.

However, they're all laughing at my HHKB :/

[fohat.digs]

First, you can't allow them to control your life.

Any hobbyist finds something to be interested in, and becomes interested in it.

I want my shoe collection to give me performance, that is, to be comfortable and hold together under stress.

I want my record collection to give me aesthetic pleasure, of which 90% listening pleasure and 10% is artistic and educational.

For the past year, the primary board sitting on my desk has been a heavily modded Model F 122-key terminal keyboard.

It is like me, old and tough and they just don't make 'em like that any more. But, also, cleaned up and modernized from time to time, when it makes sense.

Life is too short to use bad keyboards.

[SmallFry]

Nice one Fohat.digs! I have always liked your F. I have been meaning to do a lot of the modernizations that you have done to my M.

[fohat.digs]

RIT dye works great on some colors but many are hopeless.

There is a huge amount of wasted volume in the case and a teensy Teensy will easily fit inside to give you a dinosaur keyboard with a USB plug.

Do the bolt mod - it is super-easy on the F and you can buy the bolts at Home Depot instead of having to mail order them from McMaster-Carr.

[SmallFry]

I have my M all dyed. If you click the link in my signature you can see it! I have been putting off a bolt mod since I don't want to screw up 'specially when I only have a few broken rivets.


EDIT! 1,000 posts! WHOO!

[NikoGasm]

My friends and family and my friends' families think I'm absolutely out of my mind. I receive a lot of skepticism and flak for spending as much as I do on a keyboard. They just don't understand that it's beyond a simple tool to Google something. I get judged a lot for it simply because they refuse to try one of mine, so they don't understand the value behind these magnificent input devices. When I try to explain why I put so much time and money and effort into keyboards they still don't get it. Clearly the hobby is not for everyone.

But I always rationalize it like this: You spend tons of time and money souping up your car and making it look amazing and such; well, it's the same for me when it comes to keyboards. It's something I'm interested in, it's something I use every day, and it's just lots of fun. It's a hobby, don't judge. I have no interest in your sports and your cars just like you have no interest in my computers and video games and keyboards. ggnore

[Glod]

this happens after my wife finds out i just bought another keyboard, she doesn't know yet about the keycaps and o-rings coming as well LOL

[rowdy]

Sounds like a battle cry!

[Kabuks]

My parents think its a waste of money but my little brother on the other hand has recently been converted to mechanical keyboards by me.