Pricing niche products

Post by dmix » Fri, Oct 04, 2019, 9:48 PM UTC

cestith wrote: post #236

random3 wrote: post #66

There's even Keycon https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=98877.0 If you want to see the full range and get a sense of what this is about: https://old.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/ https://old.reddit.com/r/ErgoMechKeyboards/ 1.6K seems a bit steep. You can find most kits in the low 00s However mechanical keyboards are popular with gamers and more about collectibles / art than anything, so price becomes less releva…

My Keyboard.io Model 1s are still my two favorite keyboards. I backed them on KickStarter and I'm glad I did. I'll still point out this article to Jesse and Kaia to make sure they're mindful of the option for future models.

Post by mud_dauber » Fri, Oct 04, 2019, 10:13 PM UTC

AlanYx wrote: post #249

CommieBobDole wrote: post #114

These things have become so esoteric and expensive because the mechanical keyboard hobby is undergoing a more intense version of what happens to most hobbies/pastimes; the purpose of the hobby has transitioned from primarily "making/using the thing" to "obtaining and displaying ever more extreme versions of the thing to impress other people who know about the thing". I feel like this is an outgrowth of the basic huma…

I think this is so strong in the mechanical keyboard community because there's not a lot of "there" there I think cast iron frying pans are an even more emblematic example of what you're describing. It's a four thousand year old product with no moving parts that's long been mastered, but over the past 15 years they've transitioned into a hobby item with ever-more-expensive niche vendors (Finex, Butter Pat, etc.) sell…

Post by read_if_gay_ » Fri, Oct 04, 2019, 10:19 PM UTC

criley2 wrote: post #214

chipotle_coyote wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple users don't wear white ear buds to signal to one another, they do it exclusively to signal to people who don't have it that the apple user can afford product and symbol greatly in excess of the person. Or, you know, they're not interested in "signaling" anything, they're wearing them because they're the free ear buds that came with their smartphone and they're listening to music or making a phone call.

Right, and a decade of advertisements featuring those status symbols were pointless because no one cares about them. Alternatively: Or you know, mechanical keyboard users aren't interested in "signalling" anything, they're just using well manufactured accessories featuring high quality processes and materials.

Post by Multicomp » Fri, Oct 04, 2019, 10:41 PM UTC

cr0sh wrote: post #259

pilsetnieks wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those keyboard enthusiasts are in fact obsessing about the very same keyboards you mention, like the IBM Model M. One of those in good condition can be sold for quite a bit of money.

IIRC - the Model F keyboard of the old XT was one beast. I used have an XT I rescued from the trash; that thing had a solid aluminum case and weighed a ton. I love my Model M keyboards and my Unicomp - but I would love one of those older keyboards.

Post by ipqk » Fri, Oct 04, 2019, 10:56 PM UTC

yummypaint wrote: post #41

ghaff wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Alternate layouts & ortholinear/ergonimic designs should be the forefront of the movement. Ehh. There are a lot of good reasons to have layouts that are fairly common across all the equipment you'll use. From what I've seen, while there may be some advantages to different layouts and configurations, very few things are so compelling as to warrant a wholesale change outside of some niches like court stenographers for…

I don't think consistency is an issue unless other people need to use the unusual equipment. For example I think most people who use dvorak on their personal system have no trouble at all switching back to qwerty as needed, at least that has been my experience.