Re: [9fans] The utility of a chording pad

[Lucio De Re <lucio@proxima.alt.za>]

> For some definition of "standard", really.  The thing is that the
> letter "a" is a clear concept no one is likely to argue with (and even
> there, different keyboard layouts throw a spanner in the works, but at
> least one assumes the keyboard has clear labels in place), but using
> F1-F2-F3 as mouse buttons is a totally different idea and needs to
> gain critical mass (think F1 as the Help key) before developers can
> safely commit to it.

Forgive me for following up my own mail.  What struck me now is that
my particular dissatisfaction with data entry devices is that I need
to change mode for tasks that are not particularly differentiable.  In
a nutshell, I hate taking my hands off the keyboard to move the cursor
and I hate having to use the keyboard to execute an operation.

If one could figure out how to enter keystrokes entirely with one
hand, then the mouse would be considerably more useful.  Another
interesting speculation may be to have two mouse devices (I have no
idea yet whether "mice" is the right plural) acting in some sort of
combined mode.

But I'm no expert, just a dissatisfied customer that can't even touch
type and has little prospect of learning after many years of bad
habits.

++L