What hardware do you code on?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ilPostino
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ilPostino

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
;)

or am I just mouse-phobic! there is a huge time delay switching
keyboard/mouse all the time.

C
 
I guess I'm used to it :-)
But for things that get to be too much of a pain, I just create macros, and
assign keys to them.

-Rob Teixeira [MVP]
 
ilPostino said:
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
;)

or am I just mouse-phobic! there is a huge time delay switching
keyboard/mouse all the time.

C
Click to expand...

I rarely use the mouse any more, since I have RSI (repetitive strain
injury) in my mouse hand, probably due to overuse of the mouse in the
past.

I get by without using the mouse when coding, but usually need it when
designing forms.
 
yeah I guess that is ok, I do find it interesting that whenever I see an
msdn tv show they're using emacs or something along those lines ;)

and with msbuild coming out soon it seems geared towards "ide"-less
environments.

C
 
C# Learner said:
I rarely use the mouse any more, since I have RSI (repetitive strain
injury) in my mouse hand, probably due to overuse of the mouse in the
past.
Click to expand...

I now use my mouse in my left hand for the same reason (don't know if I have RSI, it just hurts). It feels kinda natural after a
while but never as natural as using my right.
 
Microsoft can't keep the rules they make.

Back when UI design was new, the Microsoft design guidelines dictated that
every mouse action could be duplicated on the keyboard through accelerators or
shortcuts.

Those days are long gone --
 
Michael Culley said:
I now use my mouse in my left hand for the same reason (don't know if I have RSI, it just hurts). It feels kinda natural after a
while but never as natural as using my right.
Click to expand...

Same here -- if I *have* to use it, it's with the left hand.
 
ilPostino said:
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
;)
Click to expand...

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.
 
Thanks for the feedback, so what you're basically saying is you now have RSI
in both hands hehehe nah just kidding!

I've also switched to a large trackball, its work well as far as RSI is
concerned, I just find moving away from the keyboard
frustrating....

C
 
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