Comments on: Keyboard V. Mouse http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse The Weblog of Erik J. Barzeski Wed, 23 May 2012 23:05:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: JeremySJ http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse#comment-3457 JeremySJ Sat, 24 May 2003 09:07:07 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse/#comment-3457 I think reliance on the keyboard is a Mac thing. I've always used every shortcut I can find (partly a relic of years of using laptops rather than desktop machines) and it's heaps faster than the move hand-find cursor-navigate menus threestep. The same does not apply to my colleagues at work, all of whom bar two or three have never touched a mac. For them, the mere existence of keyboard shortcuts comes as a shock to the system. Even Alt-F4 (the equivalent, sort of, of cmd-Q) was a new experience... I think reliance on the keyboard is a Mac thing. I've always used every shortcut I can find (partly a relic of years of using laptops rather than desktop machines) and it's heaps faster than the move hand-find cursor-navigate menus threestep. The same does not apply to my colleagues at work, all of whom bar two or three have never touched a mac. For them, the mere existence of keyboard shortcuts comes as a shock to the system. Even Alt-F4 (the equivalent, sort of, of cmd-Q) was a new experience...

]]> By: Carebear http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse#comment-3456 Carebear Fri, 23 May 2003 17:25:22 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse/#comment-3456 I agree, I had to do a presentation on a Tablet PC, and since my roommate had one, I got to give my Tablet PC presentation on a Tablet PC... :) Anyway, it's fun and all, but it's really not that useful, both a keyboard and mouse, are vastly superior to that stupid stylus thing. I use keyboard shortcuts for everything, I love <a href="http://synergy.wincent.org/">Synergy</a> because it lets me operate iTunes with one button, even cooler, it lets me rate songs from outside of iTunes. There really is a huge difference between most people and "power users." I tried showing my mom tabs in Safari last night, and she was like, why do I need to open 15 pages at once? And I thought to myself "because I do it everyday anyway" Just a random thought I agree, I had to do a presentation on a Tablet PC, and since my roommate had one, I got to give my Tablet PC presentation on a Tablet PC... :) Anyway, it's fun and all, but it's really not that useful, both a keyboard and mouse, are vastly superior to that stupid stylus thing. I use keyboard shortcuts for everything, I love Synergy because it lets me operate iTunes with one button, even cooler, it lets me rate songs from outside of iTunes.

There really is a huge difference between most people and "power users." I tried showing my mom tabs in Safari last night, and she was like, why do I need to open 15 pages at once? And I thought to myself "because I do it everyday anyway" Just a random thought

]]> By: Thomas http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse#comment-3455 Thomas Fri, 23 May 2003 09:55:53 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse/#comment-3455 As for me I couldn't agree more with Arcterex. I am a keyboard guy. Perhaps I can type manipulate text faster using vi than perhaps say notepad. As for mouse, I am using a one button mouse on Mac and 60% of my time I navigate thru the Windows/Menu using shortcut keys rather than a mouse. I find it faster and less strain to my wrist. Just my once cent opinion... :) As for me I couldn't agree more with Arcterex. I am a keyboard guy. Perhaps I can type manipulate text faster using vi than perhaps say notepad. As for mouse, I am using a one button mouse on Mac and 60% of my time I navigate thru the Windows/Menu using shortcut keys rather than a mouse. I find it faster and less strain to my wrist. Just my once cent opinion... :)

]]> By: Arcterex http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse#comment-3454 Arcterex Thu, 22 May 2003 16:13:43 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse/#comment-3454 My thing is not the context switch from typing to "what's the keyboard shortcut", but the context switch from home row typing to putting my hand on the mouse, figuring out where the cursor is, clicking the button (either physically or on the screen) and then coming back to typeing. I'm also an old unix hack that's lived in VI for the last 7 or so years, so working in a context switching system (insert mode vs command mode) is second nature to me, but all my context switching is done on the keyboard, so my fingers never leave it, and I have to say that if my hands stay on the keyboard, I'm far faster than if I am constantly having to switch from mouse to keyboard and back. That said, for non typing operations, surfing, gfx, etc, I use mostly the mouse, but that is probably a pretty common thing :) My thing is not the context switch from typing to "what's the keyboard shortcut", but the context switch from home row typing to putting my hand on the mouse, figuring out where the cursor is, clicking the button (either physically or on the screen) and then coming back to typeing.

I'm also an old unix hack that's lived in VI for the last 7 or so years, so working in a context switching system (insert mode vs command mode) is second nature to me, but all my context switching is done on the keyboard, so my fingers never leave it, and I have to say that if my hands stay on the keyboard, I'm far faster than if I am constantly having to switch from mouse to keyboard and back.

That said, for non typing operations, surfing, gfx, etc, I use mostly the mouse, but that is probably a pretty common thing :)

]]> By: Mike Cohen http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse#comment-3453 Mike Cohen Thu, 22 May 2003 15:07:23 +0000 http://nslog.com/2003/05/22/keyboard_v_mouse/#comment-3453 I can't live without a 5 button mouse :) I always map the left & right side buttons to back & forward in web browsers, spacebar & delete in email & news readers, and step over/in in CodeWarrior & Project Builder. I can't live without a 5 button mouse :)

I always map the left & right side buttons to back & forward in web browsers, spacebar & delete in email & news readers, and step over/in in CodeWarrior & Project Builder.

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