[Coco] Modern Coco Keyboard Replacements

[Mark J. Blair]

I apologize for my earlie grumpiness. I've just had a nice nap, and I'm feeling more cheerful now.

> On Aug 28, 2015, at 19:09, Steve Batson via Coco <coco at maltedmedia.com> wrote:
> 
> I don't think Al or anyone is doubting what these companies are charging, he's just saying you can't simply add a percentage for inflation to get he actual value today. For the most part, electronics have gone down in price while increasing to capability over the years.

Top-quality mechanical-keyswitch keyboards sell for $150 and up today. That's not far from the inflation-adjusted price of original CoCo keyboards, even though they're selling into a much, much larger market than the original CoCo upgrades ever did, given that they're making keyboards that plug right into every PC or Mac made in the last 15+ years. Granted, they have twice as many keyswitches in them; they're also being manufactured in tens of thousands of times the quantities that I would be for the five or so keyboards I envision making (including one for myself). They get ten thousand to million piece pricing, and I'm going to get one to one hundred piece pricing. The fact that it's looking like I can even get close to the same selling price for my silly little project (pending sheet metal fabrication quotation) is exciting to me.

> In reality, it shouldn't be $200 for a CoCo keyboard but these custom houses are going to get as much as they can. If the perceived value of a CoCo 2 for example is $50 max, why in the world would someone want to pay $200 for a keyboard?

Because they would like to type on a better keyboard, perhaps? Yes, $10 keyboards are available. They don't feel like $150 keyboards. If you're happy with the $10 keyboard, then by all means buy one. I type on a $150 keyboard daily, that I bought with my own money for use at work because I didn't want to type on the $10 keyboard that they provided, and I had the cash to spare. Many people just plain like the feel of mechanical keyboards. The availability of a cheap burger at McDonald's doesn't put nicer restaurants out of business, either. I eat at both, myself.

This is a *hobby*. If you don't want to spend $200 on a keyboard, then don't. A lot of people would call us all fools for wasting time and money with 35 year old computers. We do it because we like to, not because it makes any rational sense.


> On Aug 28, 2015, at 19:07, Al Hartman <alhartman6 at optimum.net> wrote:
> 
> If you choose the most expensive keyswitches out there, of course you're going to pay a premium price.

My project aims to be a top-quality mechanical keyboard, to be made in prototype quantities. When you compare its price to low-quality keyboards manufactured overseas by the tens of millions for current production mass market consumer products, you're comparing apples to paper clips.

> On Aug 28, 2015, at 19:16, Al Hartman <alhartman6 at optimum.net> wrote:
> 
> To Mark J. Blair,
> It appears to me you are not acquainted with the venerable mascot of Spectrum Projects...
> "Cheap Dog"
> Cheap Dog never buys anything for $5.00 when he can get it for .99 cents, or better yet... for free.
> That was Bob Rosen's nickname around the office.

Well, good for Bob. I'm not Bob.

> In my case, being on disability, I just can't afford $200.00 for a replacement keyboard. I'll just go buy a Yellowed Coco 2 for $35 and grab the keyboard out of it.

It's not a replacement keyboard. It's a brand new *upgrade* keyboard. No, it's not going to cost the same as a 35 year old removed-from-equipment keyboard. If you don't want it, then don't buy it. If you can't afford it, then *definitely* don't buy it... eating daily is much more important than wasting money on toys, and there are plenty of cheaper toys to fill your leisure time with enjoyment.

I'm just a bit put off by the backlash I'm seeing at my audacity to try to make a hobby project for myself, and perhaps a few other silly enthusiasts like me, that is not precisely what *you* want. My keyboard is not meant as a personal insult. If you think that its mere potential existence is an affront to your sensibilities, then I'm sorry that you are burdened by such a terrible outrage. If you want a different kind of hobby product, then why don't you make it rather than telling me that mine is absurd?

-- 
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x at nf6x.net>
http://www.nf6x.net/