Re: basic question: going back to dired

[Tim X]

"Juanma Barranquero" <lekktu@gmail.com> writes:

> On Sat, Jul 26, 2008 at 06:33, Tim X <timx@nospam.dev.null> wrote:
>
>> Are you a touch typist?
>
> Yes.
>
>> I find C-x C-c really easy.
>
> I don't find any control key combo "easy". Perhaps I would find them a
> bit easier if I did the usual Caps Lock / Ctrl switch, but I suspect
> it wouldn't be much of a difference.
>

Probably not. I find control sequences no more difficult than shift
sequences. (actually, I would like to move the shift lock away from the
shift key as I do sometimes accidentaly hit shift lock). 

I guess it can depend on the size of your hands and the type of keyboard
you have. I do find some keyboards more difficult to use than others,
but not so much due to the layout as the size of the keys, the pressure
and 'feel' of the keys, the incline level etc. Over many years, I've
also found the chair and table height are critical. I've also noticed
that people who seem to have problems with ctl, shift etc also tend to
hold their hands/fingers in a fairly flat way. I use to play a lot of
piano in my youth and my teacher taught me that you should hold your
hands/fingers on the keyboard as if you had an orange under the palm of
the hand. In this shape, the tips of your fingers hit the keys rather
than the flatter pad part of the finger. 

>> However, in general, I think moving
>> away from the home row/keys usually reduces speed and is less
>> convenient.
>
> While programming or doing other everyday computer tasks, I don't find
> typing speed a significant parameter. It doesn't worry me the least
> bit to spend a few fractions of a second moving my fingers out the
> center row.
>

Well, I guess everyone's milage can differ, which is what makes it hard
to reach agreement in debates like this. I work as a programmer, but I
would say nearly half my time is spent writing text as opposed to code
(design docs, project submissions, instruction manuals etc). I agree
that when coding, typing speed isn't as critical.

Tim 

-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au