The *Ping* Award 2013

[webwit]

Use this category to name the worst keyboard or keyboard/input device related experience in 2013. Anything goes. You have to give a short motivation for each suggestion. This category is named after the infamous Summer of Ping. You cannot nominate yourself.

Current suggestions (this list is frequently updated):

• Talons Keyboard
• 7bit self nomination
• "GH-moderation strikes again!" event
• "Deskthority - a small moan" topic at geekhack
• Shoe pictures with keyboards at reddit
• tinlong self nomination
• PayPal for its persistence to lock account with no good reason
• teraset.net/Ducky Nordic websites
• Vortex vaporware
• GMK's MOQ
• GMK group buys (despite some great effort by enthousiasts)
• Expensive blank keycap sets
• eBay sellers for being too expensive and for lousy shipping
• Cherry for their new MX keyboard's incompatible switch positions & random availability of MX switches
• TheProfosist for his failed Phantom groupbuy

[Compgeke]

This thing didn't actually make it to production thankfully, but that Talons Keyboard that showed up on Kickstarter.

Many issues with it such as the major issue: momentary push button switches instead of keyboard switches. Typing on that thing would be hell, I would rather just not type at all than use that. There's also a small trackball in a horrible spot when you're actually gaming. It also doesn't look as it if would be very comfortable, at all.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/162 ... th-integra

[7bit]

I nominate myself for
- still not having sent out HaTaa's price for 2012.
- shipping Round 3 replacements way after Round 4 has shipped.
- still not being able to ship long promised red (NW only), green (NW only), white (NW only), dark grey, blue and black switches.

[002]

Some fireworks here and here.

Shoe pictures with keyboards on r/CMQuickfi-...I mean mechanicalkeyboards was also a good old laugh

[tinnie]

I nominate tinlong for still not having sent out 7bit's nikon neckstraps.

[webwit]

I nominate myself

I nominate tinlong

Disqualified!

[rindorbrot]

I nominate PayPal.
They keep locking accounts without reason.

[Julle]

Damned rindorbrot, I was just about to nominate Paypal as well for ruining a lot of keyboard related transactions. When I pressed Submit, I got a notification about your post.

[CeeSA]

Not really that bad, but teraset.net / Ducky Nordic because they are not capable to make a shop / website for the distribution.

[Ekaros]

Not really that bad, but teraset.net / Ducky Nordic because they are not capable to make a shop / website for the distribution.

I don't know if their international volume is really that big to warrant one...

[CeeSA]

they have already a shop. How hard could it be to set up a little section? Or a little standalone Webpage....
I think they could sell a little more with a valid page. As I said, not that bad...

[Muirium]

https://www.teraset.net/ducky.php

They could be a little more obvious, I admit. Like directing people there instead of sending emails.

[Grond]

Vortex vaporware.
GMK's MOQ.

[Broadmonkey]

I'd like to nominate all the GMK group buys as a whole (not those organized by Originative) for a number of reasons, but not exclusive to:

1. Ridiculous high MOQ/prices.
2. A few individuals hyped Purple for the modifiers in the first round and won by one vote, even though nobody really wanted it and it crippled the chances of reaching MOQ.
3. A lot of people ordered Purple mods they didn't want in order to get full set in the second round and strengthen the relationship with GMK. GMK responded with a higher MOQ and nobody returned to the next buy.
4. Fear of Originative taking potential gb participants, halted and crippled the group buys and still do, and makes people think reaching MOQ is even more unrealistic.

I will just leave it at that... and add that Ivan has done and is doing a tremendous job!

[webwit]

I'll combine the last two posts into one entry "GMK group buys".

[7bit]

It is not the group buys, it is the MOQ of 400 keys that screams for getting the ping award!

[webwit]

I can separate them, but it will spread the vote among two choices in round 2.

[7bit]

IvanIvanovich's GMK group buys are not bad, but they are mostly killed by GMK's MOQ, so no reason to give him the ping award, even though I still believe if a GMK group buy should be successful, it must be in one color and one mega-kit with rolling deadline and all that.

[webwit]

Ok added 'GMK's MOQ'.

[webwit]

Expensive blank sets! They should be much cheaper than labeled.

[Compgeke]

I would also like to nominate ebay sellers. A lot of them are the worst kind of people - ones that over value everything by about 9002% Not only that, you also find ebay sellers who think it's appropriate to pack your $200 keyboard in a plastic bag and shove it in a flat rate box with no extra padding.

[Halvar]

Cherry for the incompatible switch positions of their new MX keyboard series and the random availability of their MX switches.

[Grond]

If GMK turns out to win the Ping Award, we should actually deliver the prize to them along with written motivations.

[tinnie]

I nominate theprofosist for the as soon as postponed phantom groupbuy.

[Muirium]

They can be hard.

*cough* http://deskthority.net/marketplace-f11/ ... t5834.html *cough*

I don't know the Phantom GB's story, but ours began and ended with a no show on Taobao. It's not always the organiser's fault.

[Broadmonkey]

IvanIvanovich's GMK group buys are not bad, but they are mostly killed by GMK's MOQ, so no reason to give him the ping award, even though I still believe if a GMK group buy should be successful, it must be in one color and one mega-kit with rolling deadline and all that.

I did not intend for it to be pointed at Ivan, quite the contrary. He has been able to negotiate with GMK and he has done a very good job.
GMKs MOQ bad, but is not alone in killing the group buys, it's how people react and what they expect that is the worst part. Often they simply think it's a lost cause before they even give it a try, or won't participate because they are used (spoiled by SP) to only buy what they themselves need, that is the real "ping" here.

So please don't make it into two separate nominations.

[matt3o]

Muirium, that is a completely different story...

[Muirium]

Muirium, that is a completely different story...

Fair enough. I've not followed that story.

I just don't like when people blame an organiser who's put in all the work. Like Ivan's troubles with GMK, and you and Tinnie's wasted time on Taobao. Being a customer is the easiest part of all. Well, unless things go seriously wrong after payment.

[Broadmonkey]

I don't think anybody is blaming those you just mentioned...

But regarding the Phantom GB, if you start organizing something and collect money, you'd better get the job done or pass it on else people will not be so appreciative. Both Bavman and TheProfosist failed at that.

[matt3o]

I just don't like when people blame an organiser who's put in all the work.

couldn't agree more