Editing Deskthority Awards

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The '''Deskthority Awards''' is a yearly award, given by [[Deskthority]] for outstanding achievements in the field of keyboards and input devices. The awards have been held every year until 2020 at the end of November.

==Description==
===Nominees===
The nominees have been nominated and voted for by the members on the forum, in multiple rounds in case they have been many.
Nominees have been either commercial entities or individual users within the community, depending on the category.

To be eligible for a nomination, the achievement needed to have been performed (or at least be relevant) within the last rolling year, or since the last year's award started.

===Prizes===
From 2012 forward, each winner that has had a presence on the forum has received a ''Wingnut Throphkey'' from [[Clack Factory]] as prize.
Winners of ''The Deskthority Award''' have received a golden wingnut while other winners have received one in silver.

===Voter prizes===
Besides award winners, voters have been randomly selected to win prizes from sponsors.

Voter prizes have in many cases been full keyboards.
<!-- 
Sponsors have included ...

Gah. Counting and ranking all the sponsors would be more work than counting award winners!
There hasn't always been one voter prize/category but a number of winners for different prizes picked from multiple categories ...
-->

==Award categories==
The categories have varied (and much debated) throughout the years, but common categories (more than 4 of 8 times) have been:

;The Deskthority Award
:The most prestigious award. Awarded the Golden Wingnut prize for a significant achievement that had shadowed all others this year.

;Best regular keyboard
:A few years divided into "vintage" and "modern" or "regular" and "compact"

;Best ergonomic keyboard, "alternative" or "other" input device
:Most years one category, but a few years two separate.

;Best company or brand
:Awarded to a commercial entity, although the community-organised project behind the [[Phantom]] did win this in 2012.

;Best new project or innovation
:Awarded to something exciting that has brought the state of the art forward

;Best keycaps
:Has some times been split into two categories: for key sets and individual [[Artisan keycap|artisans]].

;Best keyboard switch
:Often debated on forums, and has varied with user tastes. 

;Best Deskthority contributor
:Was in 2012 and 2013 divided into "forum" and "wiki" contributors. 

;Best vintage keyboard or relic/discovery
:Has been one or several categories throughout the years.

... and
;The *Ping* Award
:For something related to keyboards that happened in the last year that the active users find worthy of scorn. It is named for the "Summer of Ping" debacle on [[Geekhack]] in 2011.

==Notable winners and nominees==
<!-- 
Rationale used for this list:

To be eligible for mention:
• Won at least twice, or:
• Nominee in the last round at least three times
Sorting:
• The Deskthority Award trumps others awards, even more wins
• People over things
• Recent wins over older
• *Ping* always comes last
-->
* [[user:7bit|7bit]] has won ''The Deskthority Award'' twice (2012 and 2014), ''Best forum contributor'' (2012) and ''Best keycaps''(2015).

* Electronics Plus ('''elecplus''') has won ''The Deskthority Award'' twice (2014 and 2018) for rescuing old keyboards and offering them to the community at fair prices.

* '''Chyros''' has won both ''Best Deskthority contributor'' (2015) and ''The Deskthority Award'' (2017) for his [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD0y51PJfvkZNe3y3FR5riw keyboard videos on Youtube].

* [[user:Haata|HaaTa]] has won ''Best Relic/Discovery'' no less than six times.

* [[user:Daniel beardsmore|Daniel Beardsmore]] won the ''Best Deskthority wiki contributor'' award both times it was a category (2012 and 2013).

* IBM 4704 series / "Kishsaver" 60% has won ''Best space-saving/compact keyboard'' (2013) and ''Best vintage keyboard'' twice (2014 and 2015).

* [[IBM buckling spring]] and [[Topre switch|Topre]] have each won ''Best keyboard switch'' twice, and been nominated many more.

* The [[ErgoDox]] won ''Best ergonomic keyboard'' in 2012 and 2013.

* [[Rollermouse]] won ''Best other input device'' in 2012 and 2014

... and
* [[Massdrop]] has won ''The *Ping* Award'' twice (2015 and 2017).

[[Apple]] has been a runner up to ''The *Ping* Award'' three times for the [[Apple butterfly mechanism|ultra low-profile "butterfly" keyboards]] in MacBook laptops (2015-2019).

==Awards by year==
<!--
Sorting of category/winner tables:

• The Deskthority Award always first
• Input device awards:
  • Best keyboards. Normal first
  • Ergo, vintage, other
• Best company or brand
• Best project or innovation (could be anything)
• Best key switch
• Best keycap (key set before artisan)
• DIY projects/mod
• Community awards:
  • Best contributor (forum before wiki)
  • Best relic/discovery
  • Best photo
• The *Ping* Award always last.
-->

Deskthority Awards were not held in [https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=24982&p=475834 2020], 2021 or 2022.

===2019===
This year, [https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23042 nominations] were free-form, without rigid categories. When nominating, suggestion for its category were welcome but not mandatory. Two categories were formed by organiser '''matt3o''' after the nomination round was over:
* [https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23084 Finds / Collections / Restorations]
* [https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23083 Project & Overall Coolness]

The [https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=23121 winners] were:
{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| Finds / Collections / Restorations
| '''karlmartin95''' for his [https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22176 IBM 4704 F77 find and restoration]
|-
| Project & Overall Coolness
| '''SneakyRobb''' for his [https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=21851 Beamspring project]
|-
|}

===2018===
[https://deskthority.net/deskthority-awards-2018-f112/ Deskthority Awards 2018] subforum.

This year, '''webwit''' had stepped down and '''matt3o''' took over running the awards. The award categories were reduced to four.

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| The Deskthority Award || [https://www.elecshopper.com/ Electronics Plus] ( '''elecplus''') for saving so many keyboards and giving fair prices for them.
|-
| Best Project or Innovation || '''DMA''''s [https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/commonsense-controller-better-capsense-for-the-ibm-type-f-t13988.html Common Sense Controller]. A [[Keystroke sensing#Capacitive|capacitive-sensing]] controller, now with support for [[Bluetooth]] and [[Topre switch|Topre]].
|-
| Best Keycap or Keycaps Set || [[Double-shot moulding#Cherry|Cherry original doubleshots]]
|-
| Best Vintage Keyboard or Relic || '''Aer Fixus'''' [https://deskthority.net/photos-f62/ibm-3279-beamspring-restoration-t18572.html IBM 3279 Beamspring Restoration]. He took a [[IBM Beam Spring Keyboards#3279|beam spring keyboard]] that had been subject to horrors few other keyboards have suffered and restored it back to health.
|}

===2017===
[https://deskthority.net/deskthority-awards-2017-f105/ Deskthority Awards 2017] subforum

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| The Deskthority Award || '''Chyros''' for his [https://www.youtube.com/user/Chyrosran22/videos youtube] productions in 2017
|-
| Best modern keyboard or company || [[KBDfans]]
|-
| Best vintage keyboard or relic || '''JP!''' 's IBM 3741 Data Station / System 3 [https://deskthority.net/keyboards-f2/ibm-system-3-barn-find-t16698.html Barn Find]
|-
| Best "other" input device || [[Keebio]]'s [[Iris]] ergonomic keyboard
|-
| Best project or innovation || Click bar on [[Kailh BOX|Kailh BOX switches]]
|-
| Best keyswitch || Vintage [[Cherry MX Black]]
|-
| Best keycaps || GMK "Honeywell"
|-
| Best artisan keycap || Jelly Key's [https://www.jellykey.com/artisan-keycaps/artifact-series-forbidden-realm-keycap/ Forbidden Realm]
|-
| Best input device photo || '''iArson'''—[https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4567/37912067284_1e0956f7be_z.jpg Jungle Mix Moba × Reaper]
|-
| The *Ping* Award || [[Massdrop]] for "continuing to fail on numerous occasions"
|}

===2016===
[https://deskthority.net/deskthority-awards-2016-f97/ Deskthority Awards 2016] subforum.

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| The Deskthority || The [https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/remodeling-the-model-m-t13796.html Model MF] project
|-
| Best modern keyboard or company || [[Zeal PC]]
|-
| Best "other" input device || '''Kurplop''' 's [https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=76149 Planet 6] Keyboard
|-
| Best project or innovation ||  The [https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/remodeling-the-model-m-t13796.html Model MF] project
|-
| Best keyswitch || [[Topre]]
|-
| Best keycaps || GMK "Carbon"
|-
| Best artisan keycap || Jelly Key | Nebula
|-
| Best vintage keyboard or cache || '''Snuci''''s Model M rescue
|-
| Best relic or discovery || '''HaaTa''''s Topre 39-AA-0101
|-
| Best input device photo || '''HaaTa'''—[https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5484/30164383963_1f0b2a9bb4_h.jpg Robotron K7673.09]
|-
| The *Ping* || '''IvanIvanovich''' for "organising group buys and disappearing with the money"
|}

===2015===
[https://deskthority.net/deskthority-awards-2015-f89/ Deskthority Awards 2015] subforum.

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| The Deskthority Award || User [[User:Seebart|Seebart]] for his [https://deskthority.net/w/index.php?limit=500&tagfilter=&title=Special:Contributions&contribs=user&target=seebart&namespace=&year=2015&month=-1 contributions] to the Wiki this year
|-
| The Deskthority Lifetime Award || '''Hasu''' for his [https://github.com/tmk/tmk_keyboard TMK firmware] and other projects
|-
| Best keyboard company or brand || [[Gateron]]
|-
| Best commercial keyboard || [https://www.justmyshop.com/camp/realforcehipro/ JUSTSYSTEMS × Realforce 108UW-HiPro]
|-
| Best vintage keyboard || IBM 4704 series, including the "Kishsaver"
|-
| Best commercial alternative or other input device || [[Matias Ergo Pro]]
|-
| Best input device innovation || '''E3E''' 's [https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=77497.0 Backlit Hotswappable Alps] build
|-
| Best input device project || [http://deskthority.net/group-buys-f50/brand-new-f62-kishsaver-f77-industrial-model-f-s-made-this-year-t11046.html Ellipse's new industrial Model F keyboards]
|-
| Best keyboard switch || [[Buckling spring#IBM buckling spring|IBM Buckling Spring]]
|-
| Best keycaps || '''7bit''''s [https://deskthority.net/photos-f62/round-5-the-cappening-t10938.html Round 5]
|- 
| Best deskthority contributor || '''Chyros''' for his [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD0y51PJfvkZNe3y3FR5riw videos]
|-
| Best relic or discovery || [[user:Haata|HaaTa]]'s [http://deskthority.net/photos-f62/the-original-cherry-keyboard-switch-t11362.html find of Cherry 01APBSW switches]
|-
| Best input device photo || '''Madhias'''—[http://i.imgur.com/6ew6sjl.jpg IBM Space Saving Keyboard at Work]
|-
| The *Ping* Award || [[Massdrop]], for scruffy KC60 and Infinity ErgoDox drops, bad packaging of GMK trays, registration barrier (and other grievances)
|}

===2014===
[https://deskthority.net/dt-awards-f80/ Deskthority Awards 2014] subforum in the Archive.

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| The Deskthority Award || Cindy of Electronics Plus
|-
| Best keyboard company or brand || [[GON's KeyboardWorks]]
|-
| Best regular keyboard || KFC board
|-
| Best space-saving or compact keyboard || TEX Yoda
|-
| Best vintage keyboard || IBM 4704 "Kishsaver" family
|-
| Best alternative or other input device || Contour [[Rollermouse]] Red
|-
| Best keyboard innovation || [[Cooler Master NovaTouch TKL]]
|-
| Best keyboard switch || Topre switches with Cherry stems in the [[Cooler Master NovaTouch TKL|NovaTouch TKL]]
|-
| Best keycaps || The Granite set by matt3o
|-
| Best self-built keyboard || [https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/bringing-the-ibm-pc-xt-into-the-21st-century-t3047.html Wcass' XTant]
|-
| Best input device mod, device or software
| [https://deskthority.net/f-o-r-s-a-l-e-f58/xwhatsit-s-grand-unified-ibm-capsense-usb-controller-thread-t7993.html Xwhatsit's Model F controller]
|-
| Best Deskthority contributor || Matt3o
|-
| Best relic or discovery || HaaTa's [http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f64/smith-corona-ultrasonic-i-plus-t8752.html Ultrasonic]
|-
| Best input device photo || HAL for [https://deskthority.net/resources/image/12432 "Generations"]
|-
| The *Ping* Award || The [https://deskthority.net/vendors-f52/i-am-going-to-scream-t9171.html crushing] of rare IBM "Kishsaver" keyboards because of a bank's data destruction policy.
|}

===2013===
[https://deskthority.net/dt-awards-f43/ Deskthority Awards 2013] subforum in the Archive.

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| The Deskthority Award || [http://dougengelbart.org/ Douglas Engelbart] (1925-2013).<br/>Human-computer interface pioneer
|-
| Best keyboard company or brand || [[Ducky|Ducky Nordic]]
|-
| Best regular keyboard || [[WASD Keyboards|WASD V2]]
|-
| Best space-saving/compact keyboard || IBM "Kishsaver" [[60%]] [[IBM Model F|Model F]]
|-
| Best ergonomic input device || [[ErgoDox]]
|-
| Best other input device || IBM [[TrackPoint]]
|-
| Best keyboard switch || [[Buckling spring#IBM buckling spring|IBM Buckling Spring]]
|-
| Best keycaps || [https://deskthority.net/photos-f62/post-your-ibm-beam-springs-here-t5301.html#p103766 APL triple-shot beam-spring keycaps]
|- 
| Best Deskthority forum contributor || Muirium
|-
| Best Deskthority wiki contributor || [[User:Daniel beardsmore|Daniel Beardsmore]]
|-
| Best input device mod || [http://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/beamspring-usb-controller-t6044.html xwhatsit's beam spring USB controller]
|-
| Best relic/discovery || HaaTa's [http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/univac-f-1355-00-t6489.html Univac F-1355-00 keyboard]
|-
| The *Ping* Award || GMK for its minimum order quantity
|}

===2012===
[https://deskthority.net/external-f34/ Deskthority Awards 2012] subforum in the Archive.

From this year on, each winner (with the exception of the *Ping* award) that is a Deskthority member received a ''Wingnut Trophkey''. The keycaps were made especially for the Deskthority Awards by [[Clack Factory]].

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner <!-- !! Runner up !! Sponsor -->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/the-deskthority-award-2012-t4637.html Deskthority Award]
| [[user:7bit|7bit]]
<!--
| The [[Phantom]] project
| [[WASD Keyboards]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-keyboard-company-or-brand-2012-t4631.html Best keyboard company or brand ]
| [[Phantom]] (group buy)
<!--
| 7bit
| [[user:Ascaii]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-regular-keyboard-2012-t4635.html Best regular keyboard]
| [[IBM Model M]]
<!--
| [[Cherry G80-1800]]
| [[Signature Plastics]]-->
|- 
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-space-saving-compact-keyboard-2012-t4627.html Best space-saving/compact keyboard]
| [[Phantom]]
<!--
| [[HHKB Professional|HHKB Pro II]]
| [[Signature Plastics]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-ergonomic-input-device-2012-t4628.html Best ergonomic input device]
| [[ErgoDox]]
<!--
| [[Cherry G80-5000]]
| [[QWERkeys]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-other-input-device-2012-t4626.html Best other input device]
| [[CST 2545W]] trackball, [[Rollermouse]] (tie)
<!--
| 
| [[WASD Keyboards]]-->
|- 
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-keyboard-switch-2012-t4625.html Best keyboard switch]
| [[Cherry MX Ergo Clear]]
<!--
| [[Cherry MX Blue]]
| [[The Keyboard Company]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-keycaps-2012-t4629.html Best keycaps ]
| imsto for group buy of thick PBT keycaps
<!--
| [[SkiData]]
| [[The Keyboard Company]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-input-device-mod-2012-t4632.html Best input device mod]
| [http://deskthority.net/wiki/Converter#Soarer.27s_XT.2FAT.2FPS2_converter Soarer's Converter]
<!--
| bpiphany's Filco replacement controller
| [[user:Ascaii]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-deskthority-forum-contributor-2012-t4633.html Best deskthority forum contributor]
| [https://deskthority.net/7bit-u78/ 7bit]
<!--
| [https://deskthority.net/ascaii-u61/ Ascaii]
| [[Signature Plastics]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-deskthority-wiki-contributor-2012-t4634.html Best Deskthority wiki contributor]
| [[User:Daniel beardsmore|Daniel Beardsmore]]
<!--
| [[User:002|002]]
| [[The Keyboard Company]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/best-relic-discovery-2012-t4630.html Best relic/discovery]
| [[user:Haata|HaaTa]] for more finds.
<!--
| Ascaii
| [[WASD Keyboards]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/external-f34/the-ping-award-2012-t4636.html The *Ping* Award]
| [[Geekhack]] for "turning into a key cap enthusiast's forum/circlejerk arts and crafts site"
<!--
| sixty for leaving the hobby
| [[QWERkeys]]-->
|}

===2011===
[https://deskthority.net/awards-f28/ Deskthority Awards 2011] subforum in the Archive.

{|class="wikitable"
! Category !! Winner
|-
| The Deskthority Award
| [[User:7bit|7bit]] for organizing [[Doubleshot Replacements Round 4|Round 4]]
<!--
| '''sixty''' for group buys
| [[The Keyboard Company]]
-->
|-
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1629 Best keyboard company or brand]
| [[The Keyboard Company]]
<!--
| [[WASD Keyboards]]-->
|-
| [https://deskthority.net/awards-f28/best-regular-keyboard-in-2011-t1632.html Best regular keyboard]
| [[Filco Majestouch]] family
<!--| [[Cherry G80-3000]], [[WASD Keyboards|WASD V1]] (tie)-->
|-
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1631 Best ergonomic keyboard/HID]
| [[DataHand Professional II]]
<!--
| [[Cherry G80-5000]]-->
|-
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1625 Best other (non-keyboard) HID]
| [[Kensington SlimBlade Trackball]]
<!--
| [[Rollermouse]]-->
|- 
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1626 Best keyboard switch]
| [[Cherry MX Brown]]
<!--
| [[Buckling spring#IBM buckling spring|IBM Buckling Spring]],<br/>[[Cherry MX Red]]
|rowspan="5"| [[Unicomp]]
-->
|- 
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1633 Best input device mod]
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1067 Lowpoly's Apple M0110 mod]
<!--
| [[Signature Plastics]] key caps
| rowspan="2"| [[Clack Factory]]-->
|-
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1623 Best relic/discovery]
| [[user:Haata|HaaTa]] for his combined archeological work in 2011
<!--
| The [[Space-cadet keyboard]]-->
|-
| [http://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1627 The *Ping* Award]
| [[Geekhack]] trojan attacks, No [https://deskthority.net/workshop-f7/miniguru-progress-t7545.html MiniGuru] in 2011 (tie)
<!--
| [[Corsair]] for mech/rubber-dome [[Hybrid-mechanical|hybrid]],<br/>The Summer of Ping!
| [[Clack Factory]]
-->
|}