deskthority

I was a nerd back when it used to mean something--nowadays everybody is a nerd! I feel like I just entered the twilight zone after I stumbled upon this keycap for sale:

https://interscope.com/products/x-keycap

I can't think of anything as diametrically opposed to each other than hip-hop and keyboards. When I was growing up, it wasn't cool to be engaged in anything remotely cerebral, especially computer related. You would be laughed at, teased, and bullied. For your survival, you kept your computer interests to yourself.

Has things really changed that much?

Nah I'm probably as old as you and custom/specialized keyboards were always cool. In the same way that Zoo York watches and apparel have been cool since the early '90s. You can be "hip" and also be into nice stuff like mechanical watches and mechanical keyboards. Interscope has just found a revenue vector and they're exploiting it... which is not a problem. I'd rather go for a whole keyboard than one custom cap, though.