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Education Programming IT Technology

Programming for the Single-Handed 67

Posted by Cliff from the one-handed-jack-arrrr dept.
NullProg writes "Yesterday I was diagnosed with wrist-drop, and now my right arm/hand is in traction for a spell. It may or may not be related to me sitting behind a keyboard for the last twenty years. How have other programmers dealt with the loss of a hand or even multiple fingers? I moved my mouse to the left of the keyboard and can still type faster than my wife using one hand, but upper case keys are giving me problems. Has anyone experience with the smaller keyboards from Happy Hacking? Do they help one handed people? What editors did you find the most keystroke friendly. Gvim is bearable, is there a better one I can use for single key operations? What other tips do you have for someone in my situation?"
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Programming for the Single-Handed More

Programming for the Single-Handed

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  • Dvorak one-handed (Score:5, Informative)

    by amcnabb ( 682951 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @07:54PM (#6990271) Homepage
    I know that there is a left-handed Dvorak and a right-handed Dvorak keyboard mapping (in addition to the more common two-handed Dvorak layout). It would take a little learning, but it's probably the most efficient solution.

  • One handed? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    They just make it oh-so-easy... :)

  • Oh great... (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I see a whole wad of "one handed typing" jokes cumming up.

  • Accessability options (Score:5, Informative)

    by linuxwrangler ( 582055 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @07:58PM (#6990296)
    Don't know your OS/desktop/etc. but check out the accessibility options. For instance, the KDE control center has accessibility options to "stick" the control, shift and alt keys so you don't have to press them simultaneously (press shift then f to get F for example). I've seen similar options for other systems.

    • "sticky keys" (Score:3, Informative)

      by HughsOnFirst ( 174255 )
      If you are using a recent windows machine, press the shift key 5 times in a row. This starts "sticky keys" ( oh no , I think some more one handed typing joke attempts are about to erupt )
      "sticky keys" allows you to use the shift, alt, and control keys while typing with one hand ( or one finger ot one stick held in your mouth or one...)
    • Apple's keyboard options for Universal Access stuff are excellent. I don't have any trouble with typing but I still use them. I like it so much I even checked out the MS version at work. Naturally it sucked terribly.

      Apple put a big translucent symbol in the top right of the screen, big enough to see easily on the largest screen. When it's locked on it's not translucent. One tap of the shift/ctrl/option/command key holds it down for one character (not including other modifiers), 2 taps locks it down un

  • Get a twiddler (Score:5, Informative)

    by Sevn ( 12012 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @08:01PM (#6990319) Homepage Journal
    handkey.com [handykey.com]

    I gots one just because. I can pick it up every few months and maintain 45wpm.
    • So then. You got a one-handed twiddler "just because".

      This has even less challange to it than the original article. Come one, who's next, the person who "learnt to touch type one handed so they could find variations on the goatse guy quicker while still jerking off".

      • Re:Get a twiddler (Score:3, Interesting)

        by Sevn ( 12012 )
        Sure. Just because.

        The same reason people buy a samurai sword or a dimestore trinket or an espresso machine that's collecting dust. I had some disposable income and thought "hey, wouldn't it be neat to never have to take my hand off my mouse?". So I put the thing in my left hand and got pretty fast with it. I eventually got bored with it. If anything I noticed a slight improvement in my guitar fretwork. Otherwise I'm about twice as fast with a normal keyboard.

  • One Handed Keyboards (Score:5, Informative)

    by EverLurking ( 595528 ) <<slash> <at> <davechen.org>> on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @08:13PM (#6990401) Homepage
    I've played around with the one handed typing modes executed in software (holding down the spacebar to mirrror the right half of the keyboard while the left hand keeps typing). Takes some getting used to, but it looks like there are keyboards made for this.

    The original Half Keyboard [keyalt.com] very basic and compact. Half QWERTY keyboards [half-qwerty.com] looks nice but a bit pricy. This Frog Pad [keyalt.com] looks cool.

    or how about this more extensive Maltron One Handed Keyboard [keyalt.com].

    Lots of links if you google around a bit. Might even be a good thing to use with a tablet PC? I can imagine building one into the back side where you grip it.

    DaveC

    • Re:One Handed Keyboards (Score:3, Interesting)

      by FrenZon ( 65408 ) *

      I've played around with the one handed typing modes executed in software (holding down the spacebar to mirrror the right half of the keyboard while the left hand keeps typing). Takes some getting used to, but it looks like there are keyboards made for this.

      FWIW, Matias corporation own the patents to that technique, so any software you're using may get taken down. I once wrote some software [halfkey.com] to do it, but was asked to take it down within 12 hours of releasing the first alpha (which was fair enough in a way

      • Wow, I'm quite surprised that Matias went after you. Isn't the patent extremely shaky on the grounds that it's merely similarity of interface rather than implementation, just like any piece of software with a cloned UI?

        I also was impressed by Matias' idea but disgusted by the ridiculous overpricing of their software implementation, so wrote my own. Granted, mine never made it to release stage, but I can definitely sympathize with the work you did.

        For those using Linux, there's still the five line kernel
      • I notice a concern that the keyboards for one-hand typing are a bit pricey. That's true because of the huge costs associated with building a product for a small market.

        If you are unable to type two-handed for medical reasons, there are a bunch of ways to subsidize the purchase of a one-handed keyboard.

        - Ask for a recommendation from your Occupational Therapist

        - Contact your local Goodwill Industries Organization

        - Check your Insurance Coverage

        - Contact your local Worker's Compensation Org. - to get you
    • Could someone explain to me the logic behind the Maltron?

      Honestly, the thing looks like a badly-designed torture device. It looks like one-handed typing would be easier on a full-size qwerty.

      If that thing doesn't give you carpal tonel, NOTHING will.

      Besides, who the heck names a product beginning with 'mal'?

      Oh well... it's expensive, so it must be good!
    • My office partner can only use his right hand, and he uses a maltron keyboard.
      He seems to be very fast with it.

  • Talk to RMS (Score:2, Insightful)

    by T-Ranger ( 10520 )
    ...he spent at least a few years dictating code to someone else his hands were so screwed up.

    But in all seriousness, Dvorak, of the alternat two handed keyboard fame, also developed keboards for one handed use, both right hand and left hand. Unfortunatly, on quick googling around I can only find reference to this as a component of the Dvorak history - no pages where you can purchase one.

    (I have no idea if mentioning RMS in a non software section will be good or bad for my karma... hmm...)

    • But in all seriousness, Dvorak, of the alternat two handed keyboard fame, also developed keboards for one handed use, both right hand and left hand. Unfortunatly, on quick googling around I can only find reference to this as a component of the Dvorak history - no pages where you can purchase one.

      There is no need to purchase one -- you can easily re-map an existing keyboard to the task.

      All major OS's have Dvorak, Dvorak-left and Dvorak-right layouts built in. This includes Linux, Windows, and OS/2 (and pr

  • Foot pedals? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by fingers.benefitpoint ( 708406 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @08:18PM (#6990431)
    I recently cut off three fingers from my left hand, and have learned to remain effective on the keyboard. As you mentoined, the shift, ctrl, and and keys are my biggest problems, particularly when using them in conjunction with the mouse.

    I've considered modifying a junker keyboard and soldering in a few external connections for foot pedals to activate these three keys. Of course, this never happened because I could still use my elbow. :)

    I use a laptop keyboard most of the time, and haven't found to much really difficult, but the small size, low profile and short stroke makes work easier than on a conventional keyboard (or worse yet an ergo keyboard), except the single control key on the bottom left. If you're considering a mini-keyboard, it's probably a good idea if your dexterous in your left hand.

  • Are you sure you really have wrist drop? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Mawbid ( 3993 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @08:20PM (#6990442)
    A wrist drop is the characteristic deformity of a radial nerve lesion.

    In order to demonstrate this phenomenon, if not already obvious, direct the patient to flex the elbow and pronate the forearm and ask him to extend the wrist. In a radial nerve injury causing wrist drop a patient will not be able undertake this manoeuvre.

    Doctor: Flex your right elbow please.
    Patient: <flexes elbow>
    Doctor: Good. Now pronate your right forearm.
    Patient: <blink>
    Doctor: Aha! As I suspected! Yet another case of wrist drop!

  • Get a "chording" keyboard (Score:3, Informative)

    by n1ywb ( 555767 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @08:23PM (#6990465) Homepage Journal
    Chording keyboards have been around for a long time. I remember reading about one called "The Bat" in Macworld many years ago. The idea is that you use one hand on a limited number of keys, and you press multiple keys simultaniously to generate the various letters. It sounds strange, but most people actually learn to use them pretty quickly. Also, most people never manage chord quite as fast as they can type. But you can still go pretty fast (50, 60wpm). Most of them have one key for each finger, although I've seen some with more. Anyway a quick google search http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie =UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=chording+keyboard [google.com] turns up plenty of links.
    • One thing I forgot to mention, it seems like it should be a trivial software issue to turn an ordinary keyboard into a chording keyboard. Somebody has to have done it already, and if not, you just found yourself a good open source project :)
      • Unfortunately, no it's not. Conventional keyboards, even high quality ones like the classic IBM model M, use scanning hardware that can only recognize a limited number of simultaneous keypresses, and only in certain combinations. This has frequently been an issue for me, as I often use (and have written, for what it's worth) software that maps a conventional keyboard into a music keyboard, and play musical chords on that.
        • Good point, I (and most other gamers) have run into this problem before. On the other hand, it SHOULD be easy to BUILD a chording keyboard, if you have the skillz.
        • Conventional keyboards ... use scanning hardware that can only recognize a limited number of simultaneous keypresses...
          I ... have written ... software that maps a conventional keyboard into a music keyboard, and play musical chords on that.

          Interesting. I'm guessing you're trying to use the regular computer keyboard to avoid using an actual musical keyboard, but I wonder about the reverse situtation - if you have the musical keyboard, how hard would it be to make it work like a chording keyboard? Surely

          • I actually have done the reverse before, with a fair degree of success. My little hack "xmidiqwerty" takes incoming MIDI messages from a piano-style keyboard and translates them into X11 keypress pseudo-events (which work with the majority of X11 software, although "xev" can tell the difference between them and your real keyboard). Making chorded mappings for such a system is rather easy, and the hardware supports it without breaking a sweat.
  • http://ask.slashdot.org/askslashdot/03/06/30/18452 34.shtml?tid=137 http://www.etla.net/~willey/projects/chordkey/ http://www.infogrip.com/ sells a chorded keyboard. here is another /. link somewhat related to the handedness of typing. basically the dvorak vs. qwerty. http://slashdot.org/askslashdot/99/09/26/1841254.s html
  • I'm not even going to touch that one

  • Try working on technology/editors that use voice activation. A combination of voice dictation and copy and paste using mouse with one hand might help you some with lesser typing...

  • No Happy Hacking keyboard for you. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ptaff ( 165113 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @09:20PM (#6990769) Homepage
    I'm a proud user of a Happy Hacking keyboard, and though I feel I'm more productive typing on it, when I can only use one hand (holding a coffee, mouse, cigarette, name them all minus one :) it's more of an annoyance than a regular keyboard.

    That keyboard is really intended for touch-typists; they have less keys, so to compensate for F-keys, Home, End, Insert, and so on you have yo use key-combos. The lack of two "Control" keys would also be a nightmare for you (hey folks try to do a Ctrl-P with your left hand using the left Control key).

    And, should your other side be okay, I really suggest these keyboards - the feel is really right. On the downside, watch out after you're used to them: I just recently noticed most of all other PC keyboards are broken (ctrl/caps misplaced, Escape too high, Backspace too far away, ...) :)

  • Watch it... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by cmowire ( 254489 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @09:36PM (#6990901) Homepage
    Watch it... In cases like these, I've heard of the left-hand getting major RSI symptoms just as soon as you switch to one-handed typing on the left hand.

    You might consider taking a break and making some major lifestyle changes, not stressing out your other hand.
  • Just send in some money to the Benny Hinn crusade. For a nominal fee, he'd be more than happy to heal your injury.


  • www.fingerworks.com sells a number of products that can be used with one hand. I just switched to a TouchStream keyboard, but that's two-handed. I really like having the entire surface as a mousepad, arrow keypad, special gesture pad, etc.

    Switching, of course, is a kick. It's taken me several minutes to type this post.

  • This one [halfkeyboard.com] might be a bit easier to get used to than some of the freakier chorded setups.
  • I've been having problems with one hand lately, due to over-clicking while playing Morrowind (damn fine game though!).

    I've found that I can't type for very long before it becomes very uncomfortable for my right hand. Presently I've taken to switching to typing entirely left-handed, but this is difficult. It also makes it impossible to use my favorite keyboard, one which I meticulously painted over with a sunset--the painting makes it impossible to see the lettering, and I need to look at the keyboard whe

    • Another option that I'm aware of lies in an old linux kernel patch to the keyboard driver--I only know of it because a friend of mine wrote it. The patch makes it so that if you hold down the spacebar, the keyboard is mirrored, so that you can continue to type one-handed, and allegedly learning the reflected keys is very fast, since you already sort of know where they are. In case this wasn't clear, if you wanted to type "type", you would type T-(hold space)-T-Q-(release space)-E. I'm not sure where the l

  • Programmable foot switches (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Bushcat ( 615449 ) on Wednesday September 17, 2003 @11:52PM (#6991550)
    You could try a set of programmable foot switches, such as Kinesis [kinesis-ergo.com]. You need to program the actions from a Windows machine, but the unit can then be used with other OSes. I used this together with a small programmable keypad a few years back.
  • You have 1 option if your using Windows. Under Accessories -> Accessibility -> On-Screen Keyboard. Unfortantly, capital letters take 2 clicks. You may look into the Click-N-Type [lakefolks.org] keyboard. In this one a Right click will input the shift of that key.

    I hope someone adds an On-screen keyboard to Linux GUI's soon. I'm a CS student with a disability and use these. Plus, it improves your FPS aim.

    P.S.[OT] I can't post using Firebird! What gives??

  • My first idea (assuming your biggest problem with the keyboard are the various "shifting" keys): Get some foot switches from the local electronics store, open the keyboard, and wire the contacts of Shift, Ctrl, Alt, and (if present) the Apple or Windows key to one switch each (in parallel to the original key-operated switch). Using a headphone jack for each foot switch at the keyboard might be a good idea.

    Each foot operates two keys, the "smarter" one should operate the most frequently used keys (I guess S

  • I am a two-handed, ten fingered person who, thanks to a stroke at age 3 days, have only 50% use of my right arm, hand and leg (ultra mild case of CP) (i walk with a slightly noticible limp)

    being one handed is bad enough, but with said one hand being the left it presents its own challenges here in a right handed world.

    I have trained myself, over time to type one handed, with a sustained rate of 30-35 WPM, burst rate at 60 (!), with one hand (i look at the board, so sue me). I can now also work a gas pedal
    • I'm using the Kensington TurboBall right now on my left hand. I'm a righty by nature, but trying to avoid the need to become a lefty. It's a good five button trackball with a scroll wheel. It's not optical, but it does well enough for me.
  • Oh no.. you posted a story about hand problems.. now that guy that sued mattel because they wouldn't pay for his bogus accupuncture and trip to china is going to be ranting and raving again..
  • those kids that type on there cell phones seem to be pretty proficient at it, especially with the newer ones that guess what you are typing so you don't need to always press the number down 3 or 4 times to get the letter you want.. It would work well for chatting and such, but it may be harder for more serious programming work.
    • If I recall correctly there's a Japanese widget called the "keiboard" which effectively is a cell phone number pad you plug in through USB to have a keyboard so you can use the ass-pain phone typing model to type on your PC.
  • Dasher [cam.ac.uk] has been profiled on slashdot [google.com] before. I've played with it a bit by using a full character set arranged appropriately and "teaching" it with existing code snippets. It sometimes guesses entire lines like "for" statements, "#include"s and so on.
  • I broke my hand in an auto accident a few years ago while majoring in computer science. That semester I had 3 programming-heavy courses, and couldn't afford to skip a semester. I tried to find someone to program for me (for payment), but, even with a cs student is didn't work well enough to be productive (you just can't tolerate the continuous spelling correction delays. I looked into Dragon Naturally speaking, but at the time (1997) there was no way it would understand the syntax of a programming languag

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