Hello, friends!

I’m finding Kickstarter kind of funny, because it separates milestones in strange ways. A successful Kickstarter is better than a failed one, of course, but a Kickstarter being finished doesn’t mean the books are in people’s hands quite yet. Stretch goals and initial funding muddle things even further. Are you supposed to quarter-celebrate each time around? Just wait until everything is shipped?

I don’t actually know. But in the meantime, here we are, close to yet another milestone: The Kickstarter campaign for Shift Happens has only about 60 hours more to go! Yes, it’s over 400% funded, which is honestly incredible, and it’s the second book in the history of Kickstarter non-fiction publishing. We all know the book will get printed by October.

But we’re not quite done yet.

If you want the book, I recommend backing before Thursday

I am planning to print a limited number of copies of the book beyond what’s required to meet the campaign demands – just so that people will be able to buy them online even after the Kickstarter campaign ends this Thursday. However:

• The price won’t be lower than the current Kickstarter price, and if market/expenses continue to rise, it might even end up getting a bit higher
• The extra copies I print could might sell out quickly, as there is a fixed maximum number the printer can handle in a single run, and I currently have no plans for a future reprint

If you haven’t backed the book yet, but were thinking of doing so – or if you have someone else you want to buy the book for, I would encourage you to do this before Thursday morning.

Likewise, if you have a friend, family member, or colleague you meant to tell about the book, this is a good time to do so. Backing the book locks in your copy at the lowest price from now on, and guarantees you won’t miss out.

(Also, you will help us get to the last stretch goal of $700,000, which will guarantee a full-color third volume and a much better Gorton font for everyone!)

A big box of fun goodies you don’t want to miss

1.

There’ll be a very casual end-of-Kickstarter livestream! My editor and project manager Glenn Fleishman and I will be on the air on Thursday half an hour before the Kickstarter finishes – join us if you are in a mood for just hanging out!

2.

I made a typewriter simulator! It seems kind of ridiculous because what is a computer if not a better typewriter? But this simulator has sounds, and overtyping, and rotating paper, and Wite-Out, and ribbons, and a lot of things to try. Check it out!

3.

I wrote an article about Canon Cat, Apple, NeXT, and Oasys for FastCo. This isn’t an excerpt from the book, but sort of an alternate cut through a bunch of the themes. If you want to learn about the first “thumb war” before iPhone, please check it out!

4.

Test your knowledge of keyboard shortcuts throughout history! Actually press the right shortcut to reveal the answer! Can you get all ten!? (Or, you know, click or tap 10 times to cheat. That’s ok, too.)

5.

Make your own “Dvorak hands” in a little interactive experiment I put together! It’s a fun way to learn about how different layouts tax your fingers.

6.

The designer Arun Venkatesan created a beautifully photographed preview of the one-chapter test print of the book that arrived from the printer. It’s really worth checking out!

7.

Figma, my employer, put up this fun interview with me about the book and some specific design nerdery within it. There’s even a cute little video!

8.

I was a guest on a British podcast called Patented which was a lot of fun – probably the most casual podcast appearance, and it was fun to nerd out on the inimitable ZX Spectrum.

Okay, phew! A lot has happened recently. As always, thanks for reading and your support. I will need a lot of rest this weekend!

Also, a new old keyboard just arrived from Japan, so I should better get that unpacked…