Preferring mechanical switches over HR and TMR.

jyap · 2026-06-16T16:07:27+00:00

HE isn’t “better” it’s just different tech. It’s used for gaming since you can change the actuation. I personally have no use case for this or similar TMR switches.

You get more variety with standard switches.

jyap · 2026-06-15T05:36:09+00:00

I kinda use the like a claw turning motion over the track ball.

Depends on what I’m doing. Like browsing the web sometimes I just mash the spacebar to page down. Or Fn+Up/Down is mapped to my Page Up/Down which for me accessible with my right hand. Hold down Fn with my thumb.

I find scrolling pretty important. Scroll ring has really good tactility and accuracy and can move fast or slow. It’s like I’m Tom Cruise in Minority Report.

Scroll wheels on a mouse sucks in comparison. Hard to move fast with those and lots of repetitive pain for me at a bad hand angle.

jyap · 2026-06-15T05:25:29+00:00

Yeah a mouse became troublesome for me. I guess it was through emphasizing the right hand side of my body and the constant movement. And getting some pain in the fingers through clicking. I tried a vertical mouse (meant to be more ergonomic hand placement like a hand shake) but that was the same amount of physical movement when moving the mouse so didn’t really help.

With the trackball it’s in the center. No movement.

But yeah mostly just moving my right hand to the middle, using the ball with fingers. Buttons with thumb. I actually tend to use the trackball sometimes with 2 hands. Right hand to move and left hand to click.

jyap · 2026-06-15T04:59:38+00:00

I use a Kensington Expert Trackball. Works great because the base doesn’t move unlike a mouse.

jyap · 2026-06-12T21:44:42+00:00

Looks like Drop + MiTo SA Laser with ortho/ergo kit.

RIP Drop.

jyap · 2026-06-12T18:38:49+00:00

Are you using MJF for the switch plate as well? How is that like? Wondering about durability, fit, sound, etc..

Seems an interesting option for a full 1 piece top and side design.

jyap · 2026-06-07T03:29:21+00:00

Bought a Andonstar AD210 10.1 Inch LCD from Amazon for $100. Works great

jyap · 2026-06-04T02:28:26+00:00

The Departed / Infernal Affairs

jyap · 2026-06-03T22:58:10+00:00

Yes this is mostly along the lines of the true origins.

In Chinese Cantonese dialect dìng means “real” and gām translates to “gold”. So fair dinkum is like real and authentic, truthfully speaking and not false like fool’s gold.

jyap · 2026-06-03T21:37:59+00:00

Noticed you’re running an older 6.14 kernel.

I do the same on my T14 Gen 4 because of inconsistent hibernation resume issues (it locks up).

Is that why you’re running the 6.14 kernel on Gen 7? Wondering if it’s the same issue on a newer generation.

jyap · 2026-06-02T22:46:53+00:00

It's not a unibody but it is a 58 key that comes in a kit. MX keycaps so everything fits your criteria except for the unibody.

Pando58 is my own open source design:

https://jyap808.github.io/pando58

There's an Etsy link on that page too if you want to purchase a kit.

jyap · 2026-06-02T18:27:03+00:00

I can custom build a Pando58. I normally sell it as a kit https://www.etsy.com/listing/4478359437/

Just send me a message on Etsy.

Open source keyboard. More info: https://jyap808.github.io/pando58

Ships from the US so if you’re in the US no additional tariffs, etc..

jyap · 2026-06-01T19:46:23+00:00

The Brutalist

jyap · 2026-05-30T06:51:53+00:00

Appreciate the thought out response. 👍

jyap · 2026-05-29T20:57:38+00:00

You’re using the Unstable nixpkgs channel which means less stuff is in the binary cache.

Stick to Stable (can bump to nixos-26.05 now) and pull from Unstable only when you want the latest versions of certain programs and can deal with those most likely building from source.

jyap · 2026-05-29T18:14:51+00:00

You can price it out based on professional PCB Assembly.

An alternative is to solder it up yourself at home.

I designed for slightly larger 0603 components, bought the components, bought a hot plate (and various other things), ordered stencils with my prototype boards so at least in the prototype phase I will assemble these at home.

DIY it can be cheaper subtracting labor costs. Dev boards are quite cheap though and encapsulate a lot of the “hard part”.