Work around for firmware/configuration update error "command not recognized"
I spent more than an hour attempting to update my Drop Shift keyboard. I'm not sure what has changed, but I was not able to do it entirely from the Drop website as I had previously done. I have most of the keys configured how I would like, but the default LED function was a very bright, distracting, rainbow wave going across the keyboard. Every time I turned the computer on I had to manually adjust the lights how I liked. Using the online version or the locally installed app, you first have to install the QMK XAP interface. You then have to flash your already configured firmware file, which can be done on the Drop website. If you are logged in your last configuration is saved under your account and you can alter what you like, so you don't have to start from scratch. So, following the instructions I selected the appropriate board, entered bootloader mode, but when attempting to flash the file, I would get an error that the C:/Users/Mike C..... command is not recognized...
Oct 18, 2024
We are going to post this in Audiophile for now as it’s the largest community on the site, but we have a new section coming for general topics and site updates where everyone can provide meaningful feedback. This post will also be linked from every drop in every community for awhile so don’t be confused if anyone mentions something in this thread other than headphones.
Package Delivery
Over the past year, the most common feedback (see complaint) related to logistics has been centered around the use of DHL for US shipments. There have been polls, posts, threads and discussions aplenty covering DHL and the problems with delivery times and tracking info clarity. We have heard that feedback and have been working for some time now to find a reliable and viable alternative. With that we have some good news. We are now testing out Fedex with the goal of moving away from DHL for domestic shipments. Short summary of the positives, this should hopefully cut down on the delivery time for many of our domestic members while providing better tracking information. This is still in testing and the results will allow us to use the data to better compare with DHL and any other alternatives.
Drop Updates
Brief history and going forward. When the site was small and we all did every job, updating the group through the Discussion was a great way to keep everyone up to date and respond to any questions that may pop up. It was all a bit more chaotic back then, but it meant adding a personal aspect to it without the need for a giant email handler, and the small group involved could all interact from beginning to end. However, the site is now a community of millions spread across 200+ active drops at any moment creating a full time job of handling the back end portion of logistics; talking with vendors and manufacturers, checking in on the production timeline, following up on shipping notifications and tracking, placing and updating orders, and then handling any problems that come up anywhere along the way. We spent a lot of time thinking about how we could work with our current tools to retain Discussion style updates while increasing visibility and responsiveness. However, it’s simply not possible for our Logistics team to write out thoughtful replies for all of the hundreds of questions that get asked every day when updates get posted while also maintaining all of their other responsibilities. Ultimately, the current update system causes more confusion than clarity and the process needs to evolve with the site to match the needs of the community. We are currently working on an improved system that provides a constant up to date status and will automatically provide meaningful alerts whenever something changes. An email alert will still update everyone on each step as the order progresses from buying to shipping, but we will be moving away from posting updates in the Discussion section.
In the interim we are going to start sending the majority of updates through email only. Please go to your Settings tab (https://www.massdrop.com/settings/user_info) to verify you have the correct email to avoid missing any of these updates.
Thank you all for your feedback and help in improving Massdrop.