What is SpaceFN and why you should give it a try
The SpaceFN concept - setting up your space key as a layer switch when held - is probably one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby. Let me explain how it works. My SpaceFN article on kbd.news made some rounds recently - quite surprisingly given the age of this concept. This piece you're reading is a condensed version of the full post. If you're left with unanswered questions, you'll most likely find the info you're looking for in the original write-up. On my imaginary top list of the most useful keyboard features, tweaks and hacks, SpaceFN would deserve a podium finish for sure. But what makes it so special? In short: SpaceFN is easy to implement, easy to learn, costs nothing, can be used with any keyboard, and can improve your productivity instantly. I will list its benefits below, but can state right at this point that the SpaceFN concept, setting up your space key as a layer switch when held, is clearly one of the most useful tweaks in the keyboard hobby....
Apr 30, 2024
I dunno. I think it's probably more feasible as an add-on kit to create a complete Dox set than to buy a complete Dox set.
What is being asked is that users buy a full kit for $105, then an Ergodox kit for $45, and then throw all but 36 keys from the full set in a drawer. It's a waste and there's no way that it's more cost-effective. You're looking somewhere between $80 and $100 (depending on buy in) as opposed to nearly +$150.
Ergodox user preference is in favor of All-in-One kits or the ability to buy alphanumeric sets and modifiers.
They announced the GMK kit and the novelty with zero intention of adding ANYTHING else. In a matter of DAYS, they added a kit to appease a very vocal minority, but a minority nonetheless. I think that if you're anxious to get GMK Carbon for your Dox, you count your blessings that they made the option available. It's an expensive hobby, which sucks for our wallets (and the wrath of our wives/husbands/parents/friends/pets) yet we continue to plug away.
End of the day, if you really want the Dox kit you'll buy it, as will the other people who really want it. It's pricy but it's rare, and no doubt you'll see them going for far more on mechmarket et al after the shipping date.
"Would it be more fiscally beneficial to the end user to be able to make an all-in-one GMK Dox kit? Maybe." - No, definitely. Unless the cost of getting R3 1.5 keys from GMK is absurdly high, there's no way this kit even comes close to $150. I would be really surprised if it broker $90 ... it's a loose estimate based on other GMK GB pricing discussions, so if someone has better math, feel free correct me.
"But how much would that add to the back end in cost, manpower, time, shipping, headaches, missed deadlines, etc.." - What? Massdrop is a fully-staffed business. They have an awesome staff of folks working in their San Francisco office and a solid warehouse in New Jersey. This isn't a community GB run by first timers. These folks are good at their jobs and you make it seem like 36 extra keys has the potential to overwhelm them.
There was " zero intention of adding ANYTHING else. In a matter of DAYS, they added a kit to appease a very vocal minority." -Were you even on the GH thread? Because I was. I tossed out the idea of adding an Ergodox kit months ago. I'm by no means saying it was my idea, as the reason I raised it was that Tomb3ry has said that SA Carbon on Ergodox was the best version of Carbon. I've also had a conversation with MD about having Ergodox-centric drops. Once again, not claiming credit here ... but my point is that you have no idea what was talked about in advance. Even if they waited to gauge their user interest, you can't know that they didn't intend on adding this from the start... at least certainly not enough to break out ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
"a minority nonetheless" - Ergodox users buy into GBs in larger numbers than ISO layout users. It's not like we're an obscure bunch.
"It's an expensive hobby, which sucks for our wallets (and the wrath of our wives/husbands/parents/friends/pets) yet we continue to plug away." - I'm not new here...
"you count your blessings that they made the option available" - Yes. I am so desperate for this. It would literally make my life better and result in world peace.
"End of the day, if you really want the Dox kit you'll buy it," - False. I love this kit. As I have said, I advocated for the creation of this kit months ago. I'm not going to buy in on a unfriendly pricing model.
I'm right there with you that having a stand alone Ergodox drop would be nice, but I think this format really works for the majority of people and ultimately benefits everyone.
I think I'd subscribe more to the 'splitting MOQ' argument if the extended base set hadn't just passed 1,000 buy-ins. Congratulations on that, it's a huge achievement. But, even if everyone on this buy dropped their order on the base kit, it would still be wildly successful. Even this drop, despite the high buy in, is still doing very well. Fortunately, it doesn't look there will be any talk of "almost" hitting MOQs.
Ultimately, I get that this is a "first time" for this type of buy. GMK drops have been ... difficult to predict.
I appreciate that Massdrop and keyset designers have been willing to experiment with different ways to satisfy ergodox users. I leave feedback because I care, even if it's a bit ill tempered. <3
Actaully it is an Addon as you can see. And it was not in my plans to make that addon since we are talking here about a GMK keyset. But things went greater than i have expected. I expected to sell 250 base sets but now we exceeded 1k mark. So pretty late into GB i just suggested to "try" an ErgoDox addon and because of that, we made it simple but thrilling, so we could achieve the lowest pricing. My intension was also to invite non ergodoxians into ergodox world. So we needed low pricing. By no means we could split alphas at that stage from the base set. But making ergodox set with alphas was also risky, since it would cost more and i couldn't foresee if it would reach its moq. But i was sure that this Addon would do it.
So it is not about making more money or something. It was just giving a chance for a proper Ergodox kit, because this was never done before. Its always painfull to see those frankenstein ergodoxes. I thought it would be cool to provide this opportunity.
And I don't mean to disparage you or anyone else by using to word minority in any way, I simply mean that as a userbase of Mechanical Keyboards, the majority aren't necessarily using the Dox. I'm not trying to fight with you at all, just illustrate that it's difficult to put together a massive buy of a product that is still vapor.
And when I was using all caps, that was more a lack of formatting options; I would much rather have added emphasis with italics than caps. I was on the GH thread and definitely saw a huge amount of requests for Dox. Again, think of the MD userbase buying these kits vs the GH userbase. And, at the end of the day, both GMK and MD are companies that are trying to make dollars.
I hope that they do figure something out. If not this drop, perhaps the next!
I see the missing keys pic up there, but is there any reason you couldn't make it work with some combo of keys from base and ergo? Is it just a 'less than ideal' type situation or is there no caps that go there?
"Blame" is not the word I would use. Ultimately, this is a good thing. I'd imagine that this more or less proves that Ergodox users aren't a "vocal minority," and that we have the numbers to make an impact on a GB and crush MOQs.
However, this is not how I would like to see Ergodox compatibility handled in the future. The extended base set has ~160 keys, Ergodox users will use 36-40 of those. We're paying a lot of money to toss out (aka, carefully store in plastic bags) over 100 weird modifier that accommodate everything from the Pok3r to Duck Lightsaver.
I understand not splitting the alphas from the bast set in this instance. Messing with a set that has 1,000 people in on it would likely be bad news, even if it could possibly drop costs by having more Ergodox users buy the alphas. Though, while I would have liked to have seen alphas added to this kit, but as it is about to reach its max buy-in price break, I understand leaving well-enough alone in this instance too.
But that is what I think should be considered in the future (which is why I'm writing manifesto length responses). Alpanumerics as a stand-alone and then extended modifiers and ergodox+ortholinear (I gotchu, friends) as separate add-ons. Theoretically, it would not effect the overall buy-ins (unless MD has some data that suggests that people don't like how that math works). And it's not asking standard users to pay for their non-standard compatriots.
Reasonable suggestion. And indeed for the next drops (Carbon SA and probably GMK) the Alphas will be stand alone.
However i just wanted to explain the current situation. If i could foresee those selling numbers then sure i have made it like you have suggested. There is no doubt about it. Its just before, we had no clue what is comming at us. So i was careful with setup.
So, what I'm proposing here is a Planck/Preonic option, attached to this drop. For an extra $5-$10, buyers can opt for the additional 3 caps. Then you can rename this drop to "GMK Carbon Ergodox Modifier Kit with option for Planck/Preonic"
PS. you can add Preonic compatibility up there in the description too.