Thursday, December 14, 2006

Are computers meant for left handers?


I've been having this nagging pain in my right hand from last Sunday. Its probably because of the 3 hours I spent playing a silly little flash game on the laptop and that too with a bad posture.

So I am now left with a pain in my right wrist that has now spread to the palm and a bit of the forearm. I think this is an early stage of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

For the past two days, I've changed the mouse setting on my laptop to a left-handed configuration. So using my left hand for the mouse too.

I did have some teething problems with the clicking of mouse buttons. But once I got over that and started entering a comfort zone, what I realised was this keyboard of mine, is not really meant for left handers.

Just look at the layout. There is only one ctrl key. That too on the left hand side. Thats where my mouse is. So if I have to do a ctrl+mouse scroll, my right hand has to come right across the kbd.

Then comes the touch screen area for the mouse. Usually, when you have it configured for right hand, you can just tap that area to simulate the regular click. But once you change the config to left handed, tapping the area, gives u a right-click effect.

This actually got me thinking about the regular keyboard itself. Have a good look at it. You see the number pad? You think left handed people will actually use that easily? Nah....

I also have an optical trackball. That cannot be used by a left hander, coz its shaped only for the right hand. I have seen other models, where the ball is in the top, but the click buttons are positioned only for right handers.

So basically I dont know how Neeluking has never discussed this with me. Dude, here's a case for you... :)

And yes, I am typing this with some significant pain. But I am doing it only to support the oppressed members of our society.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

To quote Mrs Avvayar:
"ALL THAT IS LEFT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS"