qwerty layout shortcuts

[Matthew Saltzman]

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006, Tim wrote:

> Tim:
>>> For those who find some key combinations awkward, I'll point out that
>>> when you're taught to type properly, you find out that two-key
>>> combinations are supposed to be done with two hands.  One hand does the
>>> qualifier, the other does the key.
>>>
>>> i.e. For qwerty, you'd do right hand CTRL key, left hand C key.
>
> Ed Greshko:
>> Funny, I've been doing Ctrl+C with my left hand only for the past 30 years
>> and it never seemed to be "improper".
>
> I can do it both ways.  One-handed typing requires some painful
> contortions.  Even worse, is that it's mostly with my left hand, and I'm
> right-handed.  Though I usually end up doing it that way, out of bad
> habit.  But if I'm doing a lot of repetive cutting and pasting, where
> search and replace isn't suitable, I do use both hands for CTRL + C and
> CTRL + V typing.
>
>> What seems "improper" to me is to move my right hand off its "home"
>> keys and use my right index finger to push my left index finger out of
>> the way since it is hovering over the C when my pinky finger of my
>> left hand moves to the Ctrl key.
>
> I really can't visualise what you mean here.  You're using one hand to
> manipulate the fingers of the other, so you can type CTRL C with the
> left hand?

I think Ed means left-hand CTRL key, right-hand C key.  That's not what 
Tim suggested and it's not what I'd think of for a two-handed combination.

I can't resist pointing out that the Microsoft "innovation" of putting the 
left control key to the left of the space bar is the devil's inspiration. 
Long-time Unix hands and early PC users will remember keyboards with the 
CTRL key next to the A, where God intended it to be.  (You can still get 
them from Sun, and I always swap my control and caps-lock keys in 
Prefereces -> Keyboard -> Layout Options.

That makes one-handed control-key combos a *lot* easier, and it makes 
using Emacs a dramatically different experience than otherwise.

>
>>> You're not supposed to do them one-handed, no keyboard is really suited
>>> for that.  That's why it's painful to do.  It's also one of the reasons
>>> that we have shift and caps lock keys.
>
>> I always thought people were supposed to do things in the way that is the
>> most comfortable or least painful.
>
> The point is that the keyboards were designed to be used in a way, which
> is relatively easy to do, even if not brilliantly efficient.  When you
> operate against the design, which is possible, it can be akward and
> painful.
>
> To anyone who's ever thought that a keyboard was designed as a torture
> device, they're probably correct, but they are quite easy to use if you
> learn how.  Proper touch typing is easier than hunt and peck.  It's
> faster, and less painful.  It's worth it if you use keyboards a lot.
> It's also worth finding a decent keyboard, many are just plain crap.
>
>
>
>

-- 
 		Matthew Saltzman

Clemson University Math Sciences
mjs AT clemson DOT edu
http://www.math.clemson.edu/~mjs