Keyboard Theory For Beginners...

[tigpha]

Hi Deskthoritans,

In responding to Olrynn I tried to search for a wiki page where beginners can learn a bit more about "Keyboard Theory", somewhere to start if the subject is entirely new to the reader. Is there such a place on the wiki? Would it be a worthwhile contribution?

I asked μ if there was such a thing in the wiki, but is seems that new participants don't have somewhere on DT to refer to for answers.

There is of course plenty of blogs and articles to be found across the entire internet. I feel that being able to collect some of that wisdom here would be helpful. And besides, by volunteering I am bound to learn a lot for myself too.

[Muirium]

I answered that I'm easily the least knowledgable DT regular when it comes to the wiki. I seldom look at it, let alone contribute. (Despite my vague intentions, I'm a thoroughly lazy bugger!) So all the better to ask you guys here in public where people might have a clue.

@Tigger: You might want to mention that classic documentation you found. It could be a superb starting point.

[seebart]

Get started here:

wiki/(Mechanical)_keyboards:_getting_started

[tigpha]

Hi seebart, I'll prepare a "How keyboards work" section, and post a draft here when I have something to show. This may not be until the end of next week, most likely longer than that.

[seebart]

OK I'm sorry I misunderstood you, you want to create a page like that in out wiki right? Go right ahead, looking foreward to your draft. Why not show it here in this thread when you're ready?

[tigpha]

I've explored the wiki a bit more. It pretty much covers everything, and is well written with diagrams etc. so I don't believe that I am able to add any value by writing more of the same. Unfortunately the wiki feels like a huge library where all the books are in a jumbled pile: the knowledge is in there, but can only be found by digging for a long time. This seems to be a common curse of wikis -- they are great at collecting, but terrible at organising the knowledge of a community.

Wikipedia has the concept of wikibooks. I wonder if organising the "keyboard theory" from the DT wiki and elsewhere into a DT book would be worth while?

[Muirium]

Nah. That's what links are for. Make a page that has a brief, symbolic overview, and links to actual definitions, details (and the infinite nitpicky exceptions to the rule that curses all wikis) so that newcomers can find the place they're looking for, and so can we!

[seebart]

Unfortunately the wiki feels like a huge library where all the books are in a jumbled pile: the knowledge is in there, but can only be found by digging for a long time. This seems to be a common curse of wikis -- they are great at collecting, but terrible at organising the knowledge of a community.

Yes unfortunately there is some truth to that. I'm not sure if the wikibooks concept would work. Also we are talking about a fair amount of information to "reorganize" at this point. I have thought about this quite a bit, I'm sure others have too, I don't see a obvious solution. Personally I miss something like a central index, which we have with the main page but it seems clustered.

[Halvar]

Yes, I agree that someone reorganising the main page and make it more approachable would be welcome. On the other hand, most people use a search-centered approach to finding stuff anyway in 2016, right?

[Muirium]

But how to search when you don't know the term?

[seebart]

Yes both correct. This wiki of ours is highly "noob-unfriendly" IMO. The front page must seem like the entry to a maze full of strange technical data. Solutions? Hmmm...

I think we might need a direction / pointer / link to a general introduction to mechanical keyboard basics on the front page? But what shall we call this? This is OK but of course it's "hidden" too...

wiki/Mechanical_keyboard

[ohaimark]

Most places solve that with a GUI nowadays. Including photos representative of each category on the main page might be a solution.

[seebart]

Most places solve that with a GUI nowadays. Including photos representative of each category on the main page might be a solution.

OK, so a GUI with text and picture examples and direct links to wiki pages? Got a sample link of something like that?

[ohaimark]

I'm thinking something like e-commerce categories, but simplified. This is a photo from Newegg:

[seebart]

Yeah cool, with rotating content? But what about that noob / beginner / basic info's link on the front page?

[ohaimark]

Rotating content would be useful and cool, particularly where things like keyswitches are concerned. Having a photo of Alps, then MX, then rubberdome roll by would have been enticing and useful to me when I was beginning the hobby.

The noob/basic info page should still be there. It's just that some noobs won't take the time to read it. Some people are extremely visual learners, especially on the internet. It's part of the reason why YouTube was a hit. If we can target those visual people, who will range from hobbyists to inexperienced users who "just want to find out what my Omnikey has," we'll appeal to a broader demographic range.

[seebart]

Right, having the front page like that would be great, but you know how it works around here by now right ohaimark? We should ask other DT club members before changing anything! Let's get some feedback on this!

On the noob issue I still say we should have one link on the front page to this or some kind of introduction for people who need that.

wiki/Mechanical_keyboard

[ohaimark]

Want me to make the new thread in Wiki Talk?

[Halvar]

Just to mention it at this point: to appeal to a broad demographic range or to provide motivation for newbies is not the most important goal at all IMO.

The most important goal has been and should be to have a lot of valuable information, and to make that information approachable/findable. Changing images, or images at all, seem totally uninteresting to me. What I would find important would be that the start page gives you a good hint of what's in stock in the wiki and easy ways to find it.

A good start page would be a page where, when I come to the wiki having a question, the start page helps me with finding the answer to that question without needing me to know anything about how the wiki is structured, and regardless of my knowledge level in keyboardology.

Newbies to the mechanical keyboard world are probably a very small part of the demographic that uses the DT wiki.

[seebart]

Right Halvar, there is a reason I say

We should ask other DT club members before changing anything! Let's get some feedback on this!

There will be no change until all DT club members have been given the chance to provide their opinion. If we need to we can set up a vote. Club master matt3o will have the final word on this IMO.

Want me to make the new thread in Wiki Talk?

Sure why not.

[Halvar]

All in all, the wiki is a meritocracy, keep that away from the club I'd say. Let's discuss this an a wiki talk forum thread, so everyone who's interested can participate, and then just do it.