Programming for the Single-Handed

NullProg writes "Yesterday I was diagnosed with wrist-drop, and now my right arm/hand is in traction for a spell. It may or may not be related to me sitting behind a keyboard for the last twenty years. How have other programmers dealt with the loss of a hand or even multiple fingers? I moved my mouse to the left of the keyboard and can still type faster than my wife using one hand, but upper case keys are giving me problems. Has anyone experience with the smaller keyboards from Happy Hacking? Do they help one handed people? What editors did you find the most keystroke friendly. Gvim is bearable, is there a better one I can use for single key operations? What other tips do you have for someone in my situation?"

Comments

Dvorak one-handed

[amcnabb]

I know that there is a left-handed Dvorak and a right-handed Dvorak keyboard mapping (in addition to the more common two-handed Dvorak layout). It would take a little learning, but it's probably the most efficient solution.

Accessability options

[linuxwrangler]

Don't know your OS/desktop/etc. but check out the accessibility options. For instance, the KDE control center has accessibility options to "stick" the control, shift and alt keys so you don't have to press them simultaneously (press shift then f to get F for example). I've seen similar options for other systems.

Get a twiddler

[Sevn]

handkey.com

I gots one just because. I can pick it up every few months and maintain 45wpm.

One Handed Keyboards

[EverLurking]

I've played around with the one handed typing modes executed in software (holding down the spacebar to mirrror the right half of the keyboard while the left hand keeps typing). Takes some getting used to, but it looks like there are keyboards made for this.

The original Half Keyboard very basic and compact. Half QWERTY keyboards looks nice but a bit pricy. This Frog Pad looks cool.

or how about this more extensive Maltron One Handed Keyboard.

Lots of links if you google around a bit. Might even be a good thing to use with a tablet PC? I can imagine building one into the back side where you grip it.

DaveC

Get a "chording" keyboard

[n1ywb]

Chording keyboards have been around for a long time. I remember reading about one called "The Bat" in Macworld many years ago. The idea is that you use one hand on a limited number of keys, and you press multiple keys simultaniously to generate the various letters. It sounds strange, but most people actually learn to use them pretty quickly. Also, most people never manage chord quite as fast as they can type. But you can still go pretty fast (50, 60wpm). Most of them have one key for each finger, although I've seen some with more. Anyway a quick google search http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie =UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=chording+keyboard turns up plenty of links.

One-handed QWERTY keyboard

[Meowing]

This one might be a bit easier to get used to than some of the freakier chorded setups.

"sticky keys"

[HughsOnFirst]

If you are using a recent windows machine, press the shift key 5 times in a row. This starts "sticky keys" ( oh no , I think some more one handed typing joke attempts are about to erupt )
"sticky keys" allows you to use the shift, alt, and control keys while typing with one hand ( or one finger ot one stick held in your mouth or one...)