"ilPostino" <ne**@ip80.com> wrote in message
news:OV**************@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
This question is for long term coders hense the extra posting on c# ;)
I find coding for long periods and on big projects frustrating when trying
to use keyboard AND mouse. Do any of you use just plain text editors
besides VS? Is it possible to use VS without a mouse, I've tried but it ain't easy
;)
Totally off topic but then again, where else than in the fore-front of
computer programming do you find a lot that is so sensitive to RSI ?
When I started to feel the first worrying signs of RSI or plain overload of
my right hand (mainly the index finger) I switched to using my middle
finger. Whenever I still use the mouse with my right hand I use the middel
finger most of the time. Shortly after that however I started using my left
hand and I am now completely double handed, I hardly have a preference. It
is only for games that I still use my righthand exclusively for controlling
the mouse. At home I have a working mouse on either side of the keyboard and
I switch all the time without thinking.
I also started experimenting with different types of mouse. I used one of
those things you can walk around with for presentations with a little track
ball on top to be pushed with your thumb. The mechanics of that thing were
pretty bad though, it was before optical technoligy became a comodity so
that didn't work very well. I now have several optical trackball mice with a
big ball on top among which a Logitec Marble Mouse that you just lay three
fingers on, controlling the buttons on either side with thumb and little- or
ringfinger.
I've had colleagues that worked mainly with the keyboard, the types that
lean back knowing all stroke combinations by heart. I often discussed the
matter with co-workers and got laughed at by suggesting I wanted pedals too
that would allow me to work the mouse pointer and maybe some cursor keys. I
still feel it would be a valuable addition for office workers that don't get
enough exercise anyway and are stressing their fingers too much.
I also tried a pen and tablet, it worked rather nice but unfortunately had
no drivers for NT/2000/XP so I ended up not using it. If I saw a nice one
today with Windows XP-support I would probably buy it although it is more
time consuming to pick up a pen then it is to grab a mouse. The absolute
positioning does some getting used to as well but it certainly takes of the
stress if you can no longer handle a standard mouse because it feels
completely different and doesn't trigger the same strain.
Martin.
