Re: quality keyboards

["Gian Uberto Lauri" <saint@eng.it>]

Joel Rees writes:
 > 
 > Say what? Since when does a keyboard need a firmware update?
 > 
 > Hmm. Maybe the USB controller stuff, but still, ...

Nope. Check the item before engaging the fingers :).

These keyboard have some on board controller that is responsible to
controlling the color of each key according to a fixed or dynamic
pattern. "Very useful things" [1] like color pattern changing with
time or keys that change the color when you type them - was not it
easy enough to peek a secret password watching the fingers typing it?

Furthermore they should allow some form of "macro". I am not sure of
what they are, but they smell like the programmable keys of the
venerable Qume 102 I used hooked to an AT&T 3B2, a long time ago.

 > Can you tell what the micro-controller is? Maybe try re-programming it?

They are working on reverse-engineering the communication protocol and
re-programming instructions.

[1] they could be used for some blinkenlights at boot time.
"Das computermachineboot ist gestaren, relaxen und watchen das
blinkenlichten."

-- 
 /\           ___                                    Ubuntu: ancient
/___/\_|_|\_|__|___Gian Uberto Lauri_____               African word
  //--\| | \|  |   Integralista GNUslamico            meaning "I can
\/                 coltivatore diretto di software       not install
     già sistemista a tempo (altrui) perso...                Debian"

Warning: gnome-config-daemon considered more dangerous than GOTO