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Author Topic: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.  (Read 2306 times)

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Offline ideus

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Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 20:04:27 »
User mentality: I just want to have the keyboard that best fit my typing style and aesthetics preferences.

Collectors mentality: I own the rarest and the most special keyboard on earth, wait, there is another one worth of my collection, I got it, um!, I am OK know, no, no, wait again, look at that other rarity is wow, I have to get it. My wallet cry, my wife is very angry, my closet is full, but who cares that other keyboard is one of a kind specimen, that worth all this pain. Wait no, there is another one... (You got the idea).

Builders mentality: Fill your DIY passion here, software, PCB, cases, new combination of switches, ...

The rest of us: Sometimes I am a user, some others I am a collector, I love to try key cap sets, I love to try switches, I love to...(You got the idea again).

The keyboard historian: Research into all sort of old dark and forgotten places to find the roots of ancient keyboards and to share them with we all mere mortals.

Which one fits you better, and what other geek-hacker's behaviors have you witnessed.

------

P.D. Lonely hoarder mindset (added at the request of Sir SpamRay) its definition is still missing, though.

 :thumb:
« Last Edit: Sun, 01 November 2015, 13:48:41 by ideus »
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Offline nubbinator

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 20:09:17 »
I definitely fit in the builder/user mentality.  While I like collecting some cap sets, I get rid of them if I know I'll never use them.  Same thing with artisan caps.  If I know I won't use them, I try to find something I can use trade for that I can use, give them away, or sell for cheap.  With caps, I actively avoid stuff that I know I won't like, even if it looks great.  Once I get my "perfect" board, I stop fiddling and just work on projects.
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Offline katushkin

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 20:10:59 »
Quote from: ideus on Fri, 30 October 2015, 20:04:27
User mentality: I just want to have the keyboard that best fit my typing style and aesthetics preferences.

Collectors mentality: I own the rarest and the most special keyboard on earth, wait, there is another one worth of my collection, I got it, um!, I am OK know, no, no, wait again, look at that other rarity is wow, I have to get it. My wallet cry, my wife is very angry, my closet is full, but who cares that other keyboard is one of a kind specimen, that worth all this pain. Wait no, there is another one... (You got the idea).

Builders mentality: Fill your DIY passion here, software, PCB, cases, new combination of switches, ...

The rest of us: Sometimes I am a user, some others I am a collector, I love to try key cap sets, I love to try switches, I love to...(You got the idea again).

Which one fits you better, and what other geek-hacker's behaviors have you witnessed.

I am most definitely the rest of us. I like a lot of different switches but I have my preferences, I like a lot of different types of boards, but I can't solder for ****. I am starting to get rid of my stock boards and fill my life with classics and customs instead... I'm not quite ready to move onto vintage linear switches though. There is a point I draw the line :P
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Offline SamirD

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 20:49:47 »
I'm more a user and maybe a collector.  I might someday venture in the builder world, but probably not.
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 20:52:44 »
As for computer keyboards, I am a user.

I certainly have the "collector" gene and have a number of collections of everything from books and records (vinyl LPs as well as CDs) to coffee mugs (and hell, I even have more than a couple of dozen bird nests in a box in the garage!) but I don't really want to keep a computer keyboard that I will not ever realistically use.

That said, I want the ones that I have to be "just right" to the point that I will gladly spend hours tweaking something once I get it in my hands.

And while I have (numerous times) un-soldered and re-soldered hundreds of switches from one chassis to another, and removed and cleaned countless thousands of key caps, I have never "built" a keyboard from scratch.

My Model F "restoration projects" rise to almost that level of effort, but I have never felt the need to go beyond tweaking something that was already designed and constructed. Even a "dream project" such as building a Kingsaver from a kit still falls short of creating something from scratch.
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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.
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Offline SamirD

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 21:45:50 »
Quote from: fohat.digs on Fri, 30 October 2015, 20:52:44
As for computer keyboards, I am a user.  I certainly have the "collector" gene...but I don't really want to keep a computer keyboard that I will not ever realistically use.
Yep, this would be me too.  :thumb:

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Offline SpAmRaY

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 21:49:45 »
I didn't see lonely hoarder in the list.  ???
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Offline Aengus

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #7 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 22:09:55 »
For now I am a user.  My bank account fears becoming a collector and I hope to be a builder someday soon  ;D  Once I work up the nerve to buy a soldering iron and give it a go.
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Offline mobbo

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #8 on: Fri, 30 October 2015, 22:10:20 »
I'm still figuring it out, but I have a feeling I'll cycle through them all during my stay here (already catching the collector's bug) and probably settle on the "user" mentality.
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Offline eternalmetal

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #9 on: Sun, 01 November 2015, 10:59:07 »
Definitely 'user'.  The main goal I have in mind when buying computer peripherals is for it to be comfortable and enjoyable to use long term.  I typically buy with the intent to replace, though the wide variety of mech keyboards is rather tempting since I have barely sampled a fraction of what is available.  I still dont think I would collect more than a couple boards at a time, since I dont even really rotate between the few boards that I already have.  I think my end-game lies somewhere between topre and vintage boards, and while I am interested in exploring, I have a hard time justifying it to myself since I already enjoy the keyboard that I have (RF 87U 55g). 

As for building, I wouldnt completely rid the possibility one day.  I have took on a few relatively simple electronic soldering projects in the past, and would definitely consider building something from a kit like the Ergodox.  Unfortunately I dont really like any of the cherry mx switches ive tried, though I have still never typed on the clears that almost everyone here raves about.  But at the moment im quite happy with my setup already, and only aim to replace if I start having complaints.
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Offline tronbeaver

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #10 on: Sun, 01 November 2015, 11:50:50 »
User.  Someday I might get an artisan or two.
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Offline davkol

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #11 on: Sun, 01 November 2015, 11:56:15 »
…and yet another missing type: keyboard historian (= e.g., Daniel Beardsmore, when he was still active).
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 01 November 2015, 13:31:39 »
Quote from: davkol on Sun, 01 November 2015, 11:56:15
…and yet another missing type: keyboard historian

Actually, the dreaded Ripster was one of these, too, until he lost his **** and came unglued.
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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 azhdar

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #13 on: Sun, 01 November 2015, 13:36:04 »
User in the sense that I have various size/switch/layout of keyboard for different usage and all my boards see action.
Collector because with 8 keyboards I can't possibly need that much.
Builder because my favorite part of the hobby is to plan and put together a board.

So a little bit of both.
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Offline vindaon

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Re: Keyboard users, collectors, builders and the rest of us.
« Reply #14 on: Sun, 01 November 2015, 13:38:07 »
User-Builder definitely. Mostly 'cause I can't find a stock keyboard to match my preferences.
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