Programming for the Single-Handed 67
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?"
Dvorak one-handed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Dvorak one-handed (Score:2)
One handed? (Score:2, Funny)
Oh great... (Score:1, Funny)
Accessability options (Score:5, Informative)
"sticky keys" (Score:3, Informative)
"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...)
Re:Accessability options (Score:1)
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)
I gots one just because. I can pick it up every few months and maintain 45wpm.
Re:Get a twiddler (Score:2)
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)
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)
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)
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
Re:One Handed Keyboards (Score:2)
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
Re: Expensive One Handed Keyboards (Score:1)
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
Re:One Handed Keyboards (Score:3, Interesting)
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!
Re:One Handed Keyboards (Score:2)
Re:One Handed Keyboards (Score:1)
He seems to be very fast with it.
Talk to RMS (Score:2, Insightful)
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...)
Re:Talk to RMS (Score:2)
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)
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.
Re:Foot pedals? (Score:2)
Are you sure you really have wrist drop? (Score:4, Funny)
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!
Re:Are you sure you really have wrist drop? (Score:2)
Re:Are you sure you really have wrist drop? (Score:1)
Looking this up wasn't exactly difficult (to pronate the forearm is to turn it such that your palm points downward, in case you haven't already looked it up) but the bit that confuses me is how you "extend the wrist" does that mean point with it, or something?
Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny
Get a "chording" keyboard (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Get a "chording" keyboard (Score:2)
Re:Get a "chording" keyboard (Score:2)
Re:Get a "chording" keyboard (Score:2)
Re:Get a "chording" keyboard (Score:2)
I
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
Re:Get a "chording" keyboard (Score:2)
Chorded Keybords. (Score:1)
one handed programming... (Score:1)
Voice (Score:2)
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)
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,
Re:No Happy Hacking keyboard for you. (Score:2)
Re:No Happy Hacking keyboard for you. (Score:1)
(hey folks try to do a Ctrl-P with your left hand using the left Control key)
Works for me, I have just the standard keyboard that came with this Dell workstation...
Small hands -> Small feet -> ? ;)
Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny
Watch it... (Score:5, Interesting)
You might consider taking a break and making some major lifestyle changes, not stressing out your other hand.
Get it healed... (Score:2)
There are two shift keys (Score:1)
FingerWorks keyboards (Score:2)
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.
One-handed QWERTY keyboard (Score:2, Informative)
Similar (but lesser) problem here... (Score:1)
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
Re:Similar (but lesser) problem here... (Score:1)
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)
On-Screen Keyboard (Score:1)
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??
Foot switches and some wire (Score:1)
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
single-handed lefty... (Score:1)
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
Re:single-handed lefty... (Score:1)
oh no.. (Score:2)
cell phone (Score:2)
Re:cell phone (Score:2)
Dasher (Score:2)
Broke my hand (Score:1)