Unicomp SSK... for real this time?

Muirium · 02 Apr 2014, 21:45

scottc wrote:If they're making a new barrel plate anyway, give us a 1.75U shift! Please!

Pretty please!

scottc · 02 Apr 2014, 21:50

They could even take the shift mold from the Brazilian layout

Daemon Raccoon · 02 Apr 2014, 22:46

I'd really like a 1.75U non-stepped key, also the 1.5U 'Hat' keys.

nourathar · 02 Apr 2014, 22:50

from the original thread I would think this render is closest to perfect:

why would anyone bother with more than 60% ?
the rest of those keys just seem superfluous to me !

scottc · 02 Apr 2014, 22:52

I recently got my hands on an M2: imagine those low-profile caps on one of those!

Broadmonkey · 02 Apr 2014, 22:54

nourathar wrote: why would anyone bother with more than 60% ?
the rest of those keys just seem superfluous to me !

What? are you serious? Arrowkeys alone is enough to justify it.

Yslen · 02 Apr 2014, 23:23

Broadmonkey wrote:
nourathar wrote: why would anyone bother with more than 60% ?
the rest of those keys just seem superfluous to me !
What? are you serious? Arrowkeys alone is enough to justify it.

I don't miss the arrow keys when using my Poker. I'd be very happy with a Unicomp 60%, tbh.

Muirium · 02 Apr 2014, 23:40

The eternal battle of the 60% vs. TKL. I like them both, for different reasons. But I'm still to see something between them that really appeals to me. Perhaps a function row-less TKL…

Hypersphere · 03 Apr 2014, 00:15

nourathar wrote:from the original thread I would think this render is closest to perfect:

why would anyone bother with more than 60% ?
the rest of those keys just seem superfluous to me !

Yes! I agree!

Hypersphere · 03 Apr 2014, 00:22

Muirium wrote:The eternal battle of the 60% vs. TKL. I like them both, for different reasons. But I'm still to see something between them that really appeals to me. Perhaps a function row-less TKL…

I agree! For example, I like some aspects of the Matias Mini Tactile Pro and Mini Quiet Pro, but the aspect ratio (and glossy finish) make these boards unattractive (IMO). However, deleting the F-key row would be a decided improvement. I am fine with Fn+1 + F1, etc.

matt3o · 03 Apr 2014, 00:24

removing the F-row would make it a... Leopold 660

Hypersphere · 03 Apr 2014, 00:28

Yes, but with buckling springs! (In the case of the hypothetical new offering from Unicomp, that is).

Muirium · 03 Apr 2014, 00:51

The Leopold also misses most the navigation sixpack and has a smooshed right shift. Leave my shift alone! That's where Fn goes!

Besides that, great layout. Functionkeyless makes so much sense for buckling spring, if Unicomp can dare trim in both dimensions.

acfrazier · 03 Apr 2014, 01:04

Daemon Raccoon wrote:I'd really like a 1.75U non-stepped key, also the 1.5U 'Hat' keys.

I'd really like for them to build a model F 60%, but you know I'll never see that...

Muirium · 03 Apr 2014, 01:07

Miss out on the Kishsavers, did you? 60% Model F is one keyboard I actually have. Although it's waiting for a controller.

Hypersphere · 03 Apr 2014, 01:08

acfrazier wrote:
Daemon Raccoon wrote:I'd really like a 1.75U non-stepped key, also the 1.5U 'Hat' keys.
I'd really like for them to build a model F 60%, but you know I'll never see that...

Never say "never"! If enough people make their wishes known, good things can happen.

Muirium · 03 Apr 2014, 01:13

It did. In 1984…

Hypersphere · 03 Apr 2014, 01:18

Muirium wrote:The Leopold also misses most the navigation sixpack and has a smooshed right shift. Leave my shift alone! That's where Fn goes!

Besides that, great layout. Functionkeyless makes so much sense for buckling spring, if Unicomp can dare trim in both dimensions.

I think you have coined a new term. Like tenkeyless (TKL) before it, now we have functionkeyless (FKL). So, yes, let's call for a FKL-TKL or F/T-KL board!

When the Leopold FC660M and, even better, the FC660C emerged, I was initially attracted to it, but I was always bothered by the unpleasant aesthetics of the arrow keys and the isolated Insert/Delete keys. In addition, the bottom row just didn't seem right.

Then I finally tried the HHKB Pro 2, and I felt I had finally arrived at the right design.

The HHKB Pro 2 is just about perfect as far as I am concerned. However, by providing some additional keys on the bottom row to satisfy those who might want "Windows" and/or some other keys, it might satisfy even more people.

snowyBlinds · 03 Apr 2014, 01:20

Tradition TKL would be just fine by me... but I wouldn't mind this layout either:

Except group End/Home together instead of having Pg Up/Pg Dwn in between them.

Muirium · 03 Apr 2014, 01:25

The Kishsaver gets it right: three mods, symmetric, either side of the spacebar. A mix of 1.5 and 1.0 units is fine, but I prefer even 1.25. My 60% does this, and makes a great little Mac keyboard. I love the HHKB, but its 1984 original Mac M0110 keyboard aesthetic is a bit clunky for a world with more mods.

Hypersphere · 03 Apr 2014, 01:26

[quote="Muirium"]It did. In 1984… /quote]
Looks good, except PLENTY of room in that l o n g right shift space to insert a Fn key!

Muirium · 03 Apr 2014, 01:28

Agreed. It's so almost perfect… I'm looking forward to really playing with it and getting the all important layers right. Model F twang in a tidy package, it's a wee dream come true.

(That picture's not mine incidentally. My Kishsaver is ANSI, of course.)

M'er Forever · 03 Apr 2014, 02:01

[Account and posts deleted on request]

Muirium · 03 Apr 2014, 02:07

Definitely prefer yours, M. If you're still working on this with them, best of luck.

scottc · 03 Apr 2014, 02:11

Agreed. Unicomp's design is definitely lacking. Same sentiment here as from Mu, glad it worked out for you.

M'er Forever · 03 Apr 2014, 02:23

[Account and posts deleted on request]

Yslen · 03 Apr 2014, 02:51

What's the best way to communicate our preference to Unicomp? Some sort of poll, and hand them a % for each of the two designs?

M'er Forever · 03 Apr 2014, 03:23

[Account and posts deleted on request]

acfrazier · 03 Apr 2014, 03:42

Muirium wrote:Miss out on the Kishsavers, did you? 60% Model F is one keyboard I actually have. Although it's waiting for a controller.

Muirium wrote:It did. In 1984…

[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0HME ... 191948.jpg[\img]

No, I have several. I just can't /use/ them.

E TwentyNine · 03 Apr 2014, 03:54

M'er Forever wrote:A huge OOPS! may be due here...
Just now realized Unicomp put out 2 different announcements today, one concerning a new "traditional" SSK TKL, and also a new 60%-ish keyboard. The choice is not between the two , but rather both are being developed. Sorry I didn't figure this out until now; even I didn't know exactly what they were up to despite working directly with them.

They just put out one. The traditional SSK announcement is my April Fool's Joke from yesterday on Geekhack, but it's managed to spread out a little from there.