RE: key assignments

It is proper to type the 6 (or the 0, on the original Dvorak :-)) with the
right forefinger. Although the left forefinger may seem slightly more
convenient when typing a 6 from the home row, it is definitely a poor choice
when typing multi-digit numbers, for which we usually move both hands up to
the top row.
 
Scott Horne
 



  _____  

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Fred Craven
Sent: 27 janvier 2007 08:34
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [altkeyboards] key assignments



Ben, 

It sounds like you ran across the "proper fingering vs. key position"
problem. "6" (or on my keyboard "0" (Dvorark original)) should be hit
by your right index finger for proper fingering, but Keyboards lean to
the left. Thus many people type with wrong fingering--especially with
the left hand--to correct for the left leaning keyboard. We've had many
discussions about this here.

When split keyboards first came about, some manufactures stuck with
proper fingering, others cut the keyboard in half where they saw fit.

This is one of the reasons why I like the Kinesis Contoured (and
Typematrix). Both have their keys in straight columns. Of course to
those who aren't used to it, it can be quite disconcerting.

That being said, I think that on a traditional keyboard, especially with
qwerty, "proper fingering" can be painful, cumbersome, and wrong. After
all, the six is closer to the left hand.

Fred

On Friday, January 26, 2007 Thus spake Benjamin Cohen

>I recently purchased a Belkin Ergoboard one piece split keyboard to 
>replace a keyboard that died. I also have and continue to use on 
>another computer a Kinesis Maxim two piece split keyboard. I have 
>also used two other two piece split keyboards, a PerfecTouch 101 and 
>a LexMark. The last three split the numbers between the 6 and the 
>7. The Belkin splits the numbers between the 5 and the 6.
>
>Two typing books, Mavis and an old typewriter-based book, confirm 
>that the standard key assignments are 6 and 7 to the index finger of 
>the right hand.
>
>A ruler confirms that the distance from the upper left corner of the 
>right index finger's home key to the lower right corner of the 6 key 
>is 1-1/4 inches (on a non-split full-size keyboard) while the 
>corresponding reach from the upper right hand corner of the left 
>index finger's home key to the lower left corner of the 6 key is 1 
>inch. At first glance the assignment of the 6 key to the right hand 
>seems logical, except that it's a long way to reach, except when you 
>split the keyboard!



 



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