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
The good news is the keyboards are looking awesome - let me get some pictures put together and we'll work on an email update to everyone as well!
At least to say if they are on track with the planning, these kind of things.
I don't think I will join other "big" drops like that.
Last and only update on this drop : " We should have a meaningful information for everyone towards the end of August, hopefully with some photos and progress updates."
Yeah, well...
The keyboard looks really nice though. So I think (and hope) I will be happy with the final product.
That said, an 'official' update would be nice, but if you read through the comments here you'll see updates from those in the know peppered throughout. We've got pictures, and the thing looks amazing. One of the web guys commented that he's been working on the customization software for more than a month to get it ready for launch.
They send a shit ton of mail about the active drops, but once you joined, there is pretty much nothing.
It's not a big deal, it's just a keyboard, just a bit disappointed not having any official updates that's all. Keyboard looks very great on the recent pictures and I am confident it will be a great product.
@YanboWu said that they were waiting on creative for pictures. To you and I, that leaves us wondering "How long does it take to snap a few pictures??" But when you look at it from a company wide scale, MD does a TON of drops, not just keyboard related. Each drop has a ton of moving parts, whether it is a keyboard, watch, notepad, camera, roasting pan or fountain pen and ink. There will be a process each drop has to follow, and order for each one. Some of those drops become even more complex when they are new products never before made (like this one). So going to creative may be the next step for this drop, but there may be 10 other drops ahead of this one waiting on creative.
As far as the controversy goes, there are lawyers involved on both sides of the argument, and I'd bet dollars to donuts those lawyers have advised keeping anything to do with the situation close to the vest. "What does this have to do with giving us an update?", you might ask. In most situations, there is going to be a legal department. For the Fortune 500 company I work for, this is about 8 people, so I highly doubt that MD has more than 1-2, and anything that could be of legal concern then has to filter through that group, and sometimes on to lawyers, be rewritten to make sure they cover their own butts, and then sent back. This process adds a lot of time to a communication. Our company accounts for this by starting the legal process much earlier, but again, no one was expecting I:C and MD to have a falling out, which means that nothing would have been prepared for legal.
That last paragraph is mostly intuition based conclusions, but I'd bet that it's closer to the truth than not.
At the end of the day, it's best to just have patience. MD is doing everything they can, in my opinion, to make sure that this drop sees the light of day and we get what we were promised when we made our purchase.
Of course, an update would still be nice... ;)
That is to say everything is now buttoned up and I'll get something emailed out.
Seems you were right, and we got our update :)
Thx YanboWu for the official update, great to hear the keyboard is on track ! Looks really nice !