The mechanical keyboard community is unfortunately really toxic. In addition to second hand accounts, I have a friend who’s a newbie in it who I encouraged to talk to people to get her bearings, and there was a basically unanimous chorus of “fuck off, until you have something to offer us you’re just a waste of time”. I think it’s partially because it’s largely gamers, and partially because it’s largely about perceived superiority, the pursuit of which also motivates shitting on newbies.
It makes me think, though, that one of these manufacturers might be well served by creating an attached forum, like HN, that’s well moderated and permits discussion of other brands. People are getting into mechanical keyboards for the products and the art and then being driven away from community participation; whoever can capture those people could likely become the default home of mechanical keyboard fans, and the attached brand the default brand.