So, I’d like to say that everyone’s comments here are totally on point. You have enthusiasts coming up with interesting designs, going through vendors who have made the necessary connections to get items made and shipped out to real people. It’s a very limited marketplace that values creativity, quality, and has many different ideas for what is “good”.
If you are interested in the hobby, the route I went through was starting with older keyboards. Owning and using an IBM Model M, or a good o
Dell Bigfoot with Alps Black switches will allow you to try out and play with modding and allow you to play around with the idea of “how” a keyboard works. You’ll discover what you want a keyboard to feel like, what you want it to look like.
Or, start building a board from someone like MechWild or get a NovelKeys or GMMK board to play with different switches, keycap profiles, etc.
After falling in love with my IBM Model F keyboard, and programming a ProMicro to run my Blue Alps Leading Edge DC-2014, it helped me truly appreciate what a “good” clicky keyboard can be, and in turn made me hate just about every other clicky switch made since. It was then that I realized that I’d probably only ever buy MX linear or tactile switches for any of my new boards.
Idk, just some ideas for areas to explore in the hobby that aren’t prohibitively expensive and can help you focus on what you demand from a keyboard. At that point, you’ll know what you want and are willing to spend real money on and wait two and a half years to get. That may sound crazy, but I’m still waiting for my KAT Mizu keycaps, so….
Keyboards are like legos, they come in many kits and styles, and can all be equally satisfying to someone. Don’t get stressed out over out of stock runs, just recognize that something even better will eventually come along.
PrezPolk t1_isjiuh2 wrote
Reply to Am I getting the wrong impression about this hobby? by Rare_Acanthaceae5890
So, I’d like to say that everyone’s comments here are totally on point. You have enthusiasts coming up with interesting designs, going through vendors who have made the necessary connections to get items made and shipped out to real people. It’s a very limited marketplace that values creativity, quality, and has many different ideas for what is “good”.
If you are interested in the hobby, the route I went through was starting with older keyboards. Owning and using an IBM Model M, or a good o Dell Bigfoot with Alps Black switches will allow you to try out and play with modding and allow you to play around with the idea of “how” a keyboard works. You’ll discover what you want a keyboard to feel like, what you want it to look like.
Or, start building a board from someone like MechWild or get a NovelKeys or GMMK board to play with different switches, keycap profiles, etc.
After falling in love with my IBM Model F keyboard, and programming a ProMicro to run my Blue Alps Leading Edge DC-2014, it helped me truly appreciate what a “good” clicky keyboard can be, and in turn made me hate just about every other clicky switch made since. It was then that I realized that I’d probably only ever buy MX linear or tactile switches for any of my new boards.
Idk, just some ideas for areas to explore in the hobby that aren’t prohibitively expensive and can help you focus on what you demand from a keyboard. At that point, you’ll know what you want and are willing to spend real money on and wait two and a half years to get. That may sound crazy, but I’m still waiting for my KAT Mizu keycaps, so….
Keyboards are like legos, they come in many kits and styles, and can all be equally satisfying to someone. Don’t get stressed out over out of stock runs, just recognize that something even better will eventually come along.