Many users out there enjoy a more refined keyboard compared to generic membrane models. Then there are those who have started a small collection and rotate keyboards to change their experience. And at the top, we find enthusiasts like Jacob Alexander, who owns an average of 600 keyboards and also founded a company dedicated to selling custom mechanical keyboards.
If we follow closely the main video game streamers on Twitch and various professionals in the e-sports circuit, we'll discover they have something in common: their preference for mechanical keyboards. Adopting a mechanical keyboard is not just a matter of fashion. Although I can't deny that the advertising around them has skyrocketed (courtesy of manufacturers who finally recognized the demand), there are tangible differences between mechanical keyboards and their low-cost membrane and rubber-dome counterparts. However, one thing is buying a couple of mechanical keyboards for our computers, and another is turning them into a way of life.
That brings us to Jacob Alexander, better known as "HaaTa" on the Deskthority portal. Jacob admits moving from Canada to the United States just to lower eBay shipping costs for the keyboards he buys, and currently has around 600 keyboards. From obscure Soviet models to coveted pieces like the IBM 3278 (a true machine gun with the solenoid activated), his collection demands a complex classification process... which obviously never ends because he keeps buying keyboards.
At the same time, Jacob is one of the founders of Input Club, a small company dedicated to marketing open source keyboards that essentially anyone can customize at will, or build themselves if they have enough skill. Some of the keyboards that have come out of Input Club are the Infinity ErgoDox (inspired by the original ErgoDox that is split into two parts) for which Jacob wrote its firmware, the WhiteFox (designed by Matteo Spinelli), and the K-Type. Proof that you can not only enjoy your hobby, but also expand its reach.
