It would be killer feature since there are no commercially manufactured compact mechanical keyboards with trackpoint on it — right now you can go with Unicomp EnduraPro (but it’s still full sized), or (if you’re lucky enough) you search ebay and wait for one of the rarest IBM M13 spacesaver version (not likely). There are also some modern keyboards like Tex Yoda — but still it’s not serially produced, people are waiting it for a long time, right now there are around 4000 requests on the massdrop — and all because of trackpoint.
I’m also interested in a trackpoint mod. The height of the keyboard might necessitate a design like the Tex Yoda, which has a longer stem that comes up through the PCB.
Yoda screenshots
I’m not sure about the buttons. Does the capsense controller support mouse-button mapping? If not, did that QMK port ever pan out? Some people might be able to survive without extra buttons on the keyboard itself, and just have mouse clicks on a second layer. Maybe not ideal, but definitely easier.
Since Tex seems to be, as far as I know, the only game in town that’s had success producing trackpoint mechanical keyboards , I asked justin-tex on reddit about the possibility of offering trackpoint “kits” – made for modders to add a trackpoint to other keyboards. He didn’t discount the idea, but I think interested parties would need to make a financial case for it.
His response: “We can try this , make TrackPoint to a module , and interface protocol use I2C , that might be can easy work in other keyboard project or any open-source keyboard !”
They’re currently in the process of developing a new keyboard (Tex Shinobi), so this idea might not be on the top of their list. Just wanted to throw this out as an option for interested parties.