[Thinkpad] Re: Which hand strikes the 6 key? (RE: T41p: Problem with USB device)

On 7/29/05, Michael Geary <Mike@geary.com> wrote:
>
>
> You've developed your own style of touch typing, which of course is
> perfectly OK. Everyone should type in the way they find most comfortable.
>
> However, a classically trained touch typist will use the right hand for
> the
> 6 key. Any touch typing course, such as the one I learned with in the late
> '50s, will teach you to use the right hand for the 6 key.
>
> There are two reasons for this that I know of. First, it splits the
> numeric
> keys evenly between the hands. If you use the left hand for the 6 key,
> then
> the left index finger is responsible for three numeric keys (4-5-6) and
> the
> right index finger only one (7). Second, it follows the slanted column
> arrangement of the QWERTY keyboard. The left index finger is responsible
> for
> the 4-R-F-V and 5-T-G-B columns, and the right index finger is responsible
> for the 6-Y-H-N and 7-U-J-M columns. Using the left index finger for the 6
> key mixes up these columns.
>
> Actually, I'm curious: Which fingers do you use for the other right hand
> numeric keys? Is it index:7, middle:8, ring:9, pinky:0, as a classical
> touch
> typist would use, or do you do it differently? If you go strictly by
> vertical alignment, you would use index:8, middle:9, ring:0, which would
> seem odd to a touch typist who is trained to go by the slanted columns on
> the keyboard. Don't get me wrong, whatever you use is OK, I'm just curious
> about it.

Well since you asked: first off it's kind of a toss up whether I use my
middle or index finger for 4 and 8. I feel like I have to turn my wrists
inward in order to get my index finger on them, but I can't seem to hit them
reliably if I use my middle finger. Basically if I have to type more than a
single digit I let go of the homerow and turn into an index finger pecker.
Uh, that is to say... anyway you know what I mean.

As for the slanted column business (and though I'm too lazy to read through
your references) I don't know why your left and right hands would both claim
columns on the keyboard that slant from upper left to lower right. I
certainly don't twist my left wrist so that my left hand is facing the upper
left hand corner of the keyboard. More natural for me is to have have the
left index finger claim the 6TFC column and the right finger claim the 7UJM
column.

This leaves a nice DMZ between 6 and 7, but does leave Y as a metaphorical
Dokto Island which has fallen under control of the right-hand forces and B
as a Hans Island which remains under dispute to this day.

And as for dividing the numbers evenly... By that logic shouldn't we divide
the letters evenly and change the right homerow to HJKL? :-)
What's important is to split the _keys_ evenly, and that's what the 6/7
split does.

Angus Graham
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Received on Sat Jul 30 14:17:47 2005