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User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

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Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#41
post #4

If you're looking for a high quality cherry switched keyboard, Das was already company you wanted to avoid - and now possibly even moreso. Das is definitely a "brand over product" company and the market is flooded with much better alternatives, eg Leopold, Varmilo, IKBC, Vortex, Filco, etc.

There’s nothing high quality about Cherry switches. They’re just popular because literally no one else makes cheap linear “gaming” switches.

For actual typing there are vastly superior choices. In descending order: Buckling springs (used or new[1]), used Alps (for 5$ in your nearest thrift shop or for 50$-150$ on ebay) or even brand new Matias switches[2].

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A-vRZth7SI

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nv9_LoLn5c

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've bought three DasKeyboard Model S's, and so far I've had one starting to fail on me (one block of keys not getting their key presses registered) in five years (I have one at home and one at the office in use). That's not a bad track record, but I did notice a decline in their offering. The newer Model S introduced the 'fn' key left of the left super-button, resizing that one in the process. Now the old key-caps d…

A high-end keyboard failing after 5 years is "not a bad track record" ? I have 40-year-old keyboards at home that still work great - one or two are even the awful membrane type.

That could easily be survivorship bias, though. How many of those 40-year-old contemporaries died decades ago?

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#43
post #4

If you're looking for a high quality cherry switched keyboard, Das was already company you wanted to avoid - and now possibly even moreso. Das is definitely a "brand over product" company and the market is flooded with much better alternatives, eg Leopold, Varmilo, IKBC, Vortex, Filco, etc.

I've bought three DasKeyboard Model S's, and so far I've had one starting to fail on me (one block of keys not getting their key presses registered) in five years (I have one at home and one at the office in use). That's not a bad track record, but I did notice a decline in their offering. The newer Model S introduced the 'fn' key left of the left super-button, resizing that one in the process. Now the old key-caps d…

I’ve had a microsoft curve 2000 for ten years, a mechanical keyboard should last way more.

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry to break this to you but outside the US "made in the US" is up there with "made in China" as an indicator of quality.

I can't speak of outside of it, but inside the US, "Made in China" isn't an indication of quality either ways. The cheapest flimsiest forks are made in China, but then so are Apple computers. Also, counter intuitively, "Made in the USA" within the USA is seen as a generic product that is obviously trying to trade on Americanism to interest you in buying it. Quality products usually name the specific state they are ma…

I think by ""made in the US" is up there with "made in China" as an indicator of quality", he meant really low quality.

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#45
post #9

Sounds like they're in the Modder's market: > The Das Keyboard 5Q is a cloud connected keyboard allowing users to display color notifications on each key. Notifications can come from applications such as Twitter, Gmail, eBay, Facebook and many others. Hundreds of applications can be configured via IFTTT and Zapier, transforming the 5Q keyboard into a RGB dashboard. An open REST API is also available for programmers.…

Oh reminds me of the Optimus keyboard. It seemed like an ambitious idea a decade ago, each key was supposed to be an individual display. Afaik, it never made it into production.

https://www.artlebedev.com/optimus/ - the website doesn't work properly, so I'm guessing you still can't buy one?

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't speak of outside of it, but inside the US, "Made in China" isn't an indication of quality either ways. The cheapest flimsiest forks are made in China, but then so are Apple computers. Also, counter intuitively, "Made in the USA" within the USA is seen as a generic product that is obviously trying to trade on Americanism to interest you in buying it. Quality products usually name the specific state they are ma…

I think by ""made in the US" is up there with "made in China" as an indicator of quality", he meant really low quality.

I suppose so, but the statement was just the sort of snarky one-liner that invites conversation by implying a lot of subtext.

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#47
I don't understand that. You buy a keyboard for the hardware, no? It's the switches and individual diodes and good materials that make it expensive.

What makes it more profitable selling a keyboard with proprietary drivers, than one that their users can hack at will?

Especially given the target audience of this one.

edit: I don't even know why a keyboard would need drivers :p but if it's for fancy colored LEDs or so, yes please make that open and hackable!

edit2: oh. cloud connected keyboard. ok.

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#48
post #4

If you're looking for a high quality cherry switched keyboard, Das was already company you wanted to avoid - and now possibly even moreso. Das is definitely a "brand over product" company and the market is flooded with much better alternatives, eg Leopold, Varmilo, IKBC, Vortex, Filco, etc.

Just to vouch for Das Keyboard here. I have one for many years and it's still working perfectly despite heavy (daily) use.

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#49
post #4

If you're looking for a high quality cherry switched keyboard, Das was already company you wanted to avoid - and now possibly even moreso. Das is definitely a "brand over product" company and the market is flooded with much better alternatives, eg Leopold, Varmilo, IKBC, Vortex, Filco, etc.

I'll throw my support for Filco here. I've been using the same Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless with Cherry Browns as my only home keyboard for 10 years, and it's as good as it was on the day I bought it. Absolutely fantastic build quality.

that's exactly the keyboard I have. Solid product.

Re: User banned from Das Keyboard forums for telling people of open-source drivers

#50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll throw my support for Filco here. I've been using the same Filco Majestouch Tenkeyless with Cherry Browns as my only home keyboard for 10 years, and it's as good as it was on the day I bought it. Absolutely fantastic build quality.

My Filco Majestouch lasted barely a year before the USB cable failed at the keyboard end. It's currently lying in the corner whilst I try to stomach paying £25 for a third-party cable made with their custom internal connector. I'd prefer if they just had a USB female socket on the keyboard and then I could use any cable. Why do keyboards have hard-wired cables anyhow? They have plenty of space for a socket and it wou…

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