I’m a bit reluctant to share this under the “fun finds” category as it’s IMHO a rather sad topic. But it nevertheless seems to be the most appropriate category, so here we go:
Despite everything is marked as “sold out” on thevankeyboards.com since very recently, Evan still seems to have a bit of stock left which he’ll sell from this week on.
He wrote in the newsletter:
I want to thank everyone for reaching out over the last few weeks. I want to thank you for your kind words and sharing stories of how these keyboards have changed your lives. I am humbled to have created something that has impacted so many people around the globe.
I have been feverishly shipping orders and finally shipped that last one last night. This has allowed me to see exactly what I have left.
The good news is that I have parts for a few more kits.
Next week I will be listing the final kits. There will be 130 available. The case colors available with be catalyst smoke, clear, and black.
The kit will include the case, a hotswap pcb, rubber feet, screws, case badge, and stabilizers. The kit will be approximately $100.
If you are looking to get a MiniVan, next week may be your best opportunity.
Yeah, I linked to it. Admittedly only a few minutes after posting, but I was aware of it.
EDIT: Interestingly the autolink feature in that posting only referred to your comment and not my posting, probably because I only added that link retroactively. Then again, I still got a badge for cross-referencing another posting.
the remaining stock will be available on friday. I have the various items added to the store and will be updating the products with relevant information this week. on friday I will make all the items available until they sell out.
Now I have to go to fetch my most recent MiniVan order from the post office box: A white case, a purple case, two PCBs and some J-Spacers.
And let me take this occasion to thank you for the MiniVan keyboard in general — and also for DSA Light Cycle and GMK Paperwork!
The hotswap MiniVan is definitely my most favourite standard-staggered 40%, especially the one with the Catalyst aluminum case. It’s very well designed, very usable, and one of the few 40% keyboards with a dedicated cursor cross on R4/R5.
And for the sake of completeness: My most favourite ortholinear-ish/uniform-staggered 40% is the Zlant. Can’t decide if I like the MiniVan or the Zlant more as they’re so different.
Then again, I so far own only one Zlant (waiting for the preonic-like 5-row 50% Zlant) — but after the imminent visit to my post office box, I own four MiniVan keyboards: 1 aluminium case, 3 plastic cases (black, white, purple). This probably says something about my favourite 40%, too… (And two sets of each, DSA Light Cycle and GMK Paperwork, where one of each sits on a MiniVan. )
I wish you Godspeed in all your future endeavours!
Thank you, @evangs, for all you’ve done for the keeb-munity. I’m saddened that I will never fulfill my dream of a Rack Minivan with Paperwork on it now