Ask Slashdot: Single-Handed Keyboard Options For Coding?

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Ask Slashdot: Single-Handed Keyboard Options For Coding?

Posted by timothy on Thursday August 23, 2012 @01:53AM from the you-don't-like-the-nose-based-keyboard? dept.

First time accepted submitter dubbreak writes "I was recently injured in a car accident which will limit the use of hand for six weeks or so. I'll be taking a little time off, but deadlines march on, and I'll need to be (semi) productive after my initial recuperation. What is you experience with single handed keyboards or other input option that require one hand at most? The current project is mainly C#, so I've need to be able to type brackets, semicolons and parentheses quick and painlessly."

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As someone who posted to Slashdot... by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 01:55 · Score: 5, Funny

... you would think you're well adapted to typing with one hand!
1. Re:As someone who posted to Slashdot... by jellomizer · 2012-08-23 03:32 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  While a joke. I am using a normal keyboard, with one hand. The other is on the mouse. (With a different window). While not as fast as normal, I can still type at a good speed. I can seem to type everything I need. !@#$%^&*()_+ My hands are average sized.
  I really don't see the need for a new keyboard for a temporary usage.
  
  --
  If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
2. Re:As someone who posted to Slashdot... by Zibodiz · 2012-08-23 03:53 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Same here, I've been typing one-handed for years, usually because I work on the move a lot, and use the other hand to hold my laptop. I can type about 60wpm with both hands, about 40wpm right-handed, and probably 30wpm with my left. You'd be amazed how quickly you can learn to type on a regular keyboard one-handed. I originally learned how because of a nasty bee sting that swelled up my left hand for about a week & a half. The transition only takes a day or two and you're typing without looking as if you've always been 1-handed. Brackets & such are easy, because the Shift key is not far from them.
Cover Story by Missing.Matter · 2012-08-23 01:56 · Score: 5, Funny

Nice cover story... what are you really looking to do with that other hand while coding?

On a serious note, maybe this would do the trick: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FrogPad

I've used one. There's a learning curve, but after a week I was pretty fast with it. I've never actually coded with it though just typed notes, but all the keys are there for just one hand.
1. Re:Cover Story by MickyTheIdiot · 2012-08-23 02:21 · Score: 2
  
  The frogpad comments made me curious, but it seems like the FrogPad company is a zombie at this point. There is only one on ebay and their company web site goes to a blank screen.
2. Re:Cover Story by Frightened_Turtle · 2012-08-23 05:32 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The Frogpad is no longer made.
  A British company, Maltron, does make single-handed keyboards. They can be purchased in the U.S. here at Enablemart. But these keyboards are pretty pricey, so it might not be worth the investment to get one, unless you expect your injured hand is going to be out of commission much longer than a few weeks.
  About thirteen years ago, I had sustained a horrific injury to my left arm that resulted in my arm being put into an immobilization cast for the better part of fourteen weeks and a brace for months after. My fingers, however, were still functional. The immobilization cast kept me from positioning my hand over a keyboard. I rigged a dowel using some duct tape so I could at least press the shift, option and command keys with on my left while I typed with my right hand. I definitely couldn't type as fast, but I was able to get the job done.
  If you have an Apple Macintosh computer, it already has the Dvorak one-handed keyboards built into it. Just go to the Language and Text pane in the System Preferences application to switch to one or the other. Look up the keyboard layout and download the image so you have something to look at while you learn to type the layout. This will be a LOT cheaper than buying a specialized keyboard for a condition that you say will only last a few weeks.
  If your hand is immobilized for just a few weeks, it probably is not worth the effort to learn a new layout like that. It takes a couple of weeks at least to become proficient using a new layout to make it productive, and a couple of months to really develop the reflexes needed to touch type using the new layout without having to glance at the keyboard to find the key you want. If your hand is out of commission for a couple of months or longer, then it is certainly worth the effort to learn a new keyboard layout to maintain productivity. If your hand is out of commission for longer than a year or perhaps permanently, then a one-handed keyboard would be worth the expense.
  Above all, don't panic and think through what you really need. And DON'T skimp on your physical therapy! P.T. is what will bring the usability of your hand back to you. Shirk your P.T., and your hand could heal permanently out of order.
  
  --
  
  Whew! This water sure is cold!
Don't Bother by CrankyFool · 2012-08-23 01:57 · Score: 5, Insightful

One of my coworkers can use only one hand. He has no special equipment, uses a regular keyboard and mouse, etc. The guy's wicked-effective, and his work output appears to be -- at minimum -- at reasonable volume. Frankly, he's one of the most productive engineers I know. And that's with both Java and Perl, which is a pain in the ass given its special characters.
Consider using this as an opportunity to focus on design and thinking before you bang your keyboard. You may be surprised by the results.
1. Re:Don't Bother by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 02:04 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Agreed. I know a guy who literally has only one hand (his other arm ends in a nub due to a birth defect), and he does great with a regular mouse + keyboard. Special equipment may be nice, but it certainly isn't necessary.
2. Re:Don't Bother by i+kan+reed · 2012-08-23 02:07 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Don't forget sticky-keys. This guy is plainly working in windows which has a number of baked in(usually annoying) features for accessibility.
  Just press shift 5 times. Then you can press shift, then the key you need to use, separately. I just wrote a method for work one handed to see if it works. It seems to. Give it a try.
3. Re:Don't Bother by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 02:36 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  I used to know a guy who was wheelchair bound, he typed with a stick in his mouth. He wasn't a fast typer but his code NEVER had bugs.. he had the time to think about what he was typing and it was basically done right the first time. He was one of the most productive members of the team due to the quality of his work.
4. Re:Don't Bother by isopropanol · 2012-08-23 02:37 · Score: 2
  
  Given the mention of parenthses etc, it seems likely the submitter has an impaired right hand. The trick for me when I had an impaired right hand due to a traffic accident was to put the mouse on the left, then scooch the keyboard a little to the left. Now the left thumb or index can hit shift and the other fingers can reach any of the special keys you need. Keeping the mouse on the left helps me with the longer term effects of my injury; others find it odd to see me typing normally with one hand and hunt-and-pecking with the other.
5. Re:Don't Bother by dintech · 2012-08-23 03:18 · Score: 2
  
  Maybe with an old keyboard at floor level and some bits and pieces from the DIY store, he could rig himself up a shift-key foot pedal?
Twiddler by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 01:57 · Score: 2, Insightful

I have the original serial-based Twiddler keyboard (there is now a USB one), and it isn't all that amazing. However, if I really had to use one hand to type, I could get used to it.
The biggest problem is with hand cramping. It is not ergonomic in any way.
http://www.handykey.com/
OS Accessibility Features by themightythor · 2012-08-23 01:59 · Score: 2

Take a look at turning on sticky keys for the duration of your recovery. I'm assuming that you're on Windows, but Linux for sure and Mac probably has the same feature (just maybe called something different). Also, take the opportunity to think more and type less. Maybe you'll achieve code enlightenment, which is nice. Good luck on the recovery and do whatever your orthopedist says.
Nostromo or Frogpad by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 02:00 · Score: 5, Interesting

I'de go with Nostromo because I know it.
Fully programmable single hand key pad for gaming.
You can easily create your own layout and do chords like a court reporter would.
EG key combinations to type a letter.
I believe it even comes with a template for single handed full ascII map typing.
There is also a website for templates others have created.
After a day or two of practice most people can type via chord input at 80 to 90 % of two handed typing rate QWERTY style.
1. Re:Nostromo or Frogpad by ultraexactzz · 2012-08-23 02:14 · Score: 2
  
  +1 - I've used the Nostromo for just this purpose, and it was easy. The one I have has three different toggled layouts, so you can shift functions easily. The D-pad also maps to eight different functions, if you need it. And it has a built-in mousewheel, which is all sorts of useful.
  
  --
  Never underestimate the potential of Human stupidity. -Heinlein
Dvorak Single Handed by 0100010001010011 · 2012-08-23 02:01 · Score: 3, Informative

Comes in both the left and right varieties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard#One-handed_versions
1. Re:Dvorak Single Handed by Zocalo · 2012-08-23 02:55 · Score: 2
  
  Because it's vitally important to load balance...
  
  --
  UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
Vim Remapping by TheMatt · 2012-08-23 02:02 · Score: 4, Informative

I broke my hand a year ago and I too had the fun of doing one-handed coding (in Fortran, baby!) for a couple months. In truth, it wasn't that bad, though my productivity was slowed a bit. I managed by remapping keystrokes in vim to be more friendly, like remapping '' to 'jj' and ':wq' to just 'wq'. If you are clever, you could easily remap shift-combos (like braces) to un-used areas. Say, remap '{' to '[['...unless C# has those. (I am not a C# programmer). It's a bit harder for '(' as you can't just remap that to '99'.

--
Fortran programmer...oh yeah. Array math for life!
1. Re:Vim Remapping by Overzeetop · 2012-08-23 02:07 · Score: 2
  
  "I broke my hand a year ago ... coding (in Fortran, baby!)"
  Breaking your had must have been like a breath of fresh air. I can't imagine the pain and torture of having to code in Fortran. I still have blank spots in memory from my college years when I was forced to learn/use it. Or maybe that was the rum.
  
  --
  Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Foot pedals. by porter235 · 2012-08-23 02:03 · Score: 4, Interesting

Another thing to consider is a foot pedal or two. Set them up to do SHIFT and CTRL and away you go!
1. Re:Foot pedals. by MickyTheIdiot · 2012-08-23 02:15 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  I have four foot pedals on my work computer for various tasks I need. They are really great. Even more nice is that fact that they can be programmed to any keypress that you want.
2. Re:Foot pedals. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 02:16 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Sorry for not logging in. Any recommended footpedal brands? If I were to make my own it would be clutch, brake, and accelerator pedal.
I'm disappointed in Matias. $595 for a keyboard? by tepples · 2012-08-23 02:07 · Score: 2

A long time ago, Matias was selling a "half keyboard" for use with PDAs and other mobile devices at a more or less reasonable price of $99. The following is patented: "Hold the space bar to flip the keyboard horizontally." When that market failed, Matias jacked up the price by hundreds of dollars to take advantage of companies that were buying the "half keyboard" as a legally required accommodation for employees with disabilities.
If you have to ask, you can't afford it by tepples · 2012-08-23 02:10 · Score: 2

You posted four minutes before I did. I remember what product that was, but now it costs $595.
I went through something similar by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 02:16 · Score: 2, Interesting

...and did this
http://daughtrey.com/?cat=13
Re:Voice is the anwser by tracius01 · 2012-08-23 02:17 · Score: 3, Interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7f9Iik3q58 http://sourceforge.net/projects/voicecode/
I must have missed the memo by darjen · 2012-08-23 02:17 · Score: 2

That in order to be a super productive coder you need to be able to type at 150 words per minute.
I almost never code with both hands anymore. My carpel tunnel has gotten worse over the past few years, so I am constantly switching arms. So far I have still been able to hold down my senior developer job.
XKCD has the answer by Anonymous Coward · 2012-08-23 02:19 · Score: 4, Informative

Great mods of slashdot , forgive my AC ways and mod this to +1
You can mirror the keyboard with say , the caps lock key. I tried it and you get used to it really quick because the motion is already familiar to you since you use the keyboard in a "mirrored" fashion anyway. One hand for each side.
http://blog.xkcd.com/2007/08/14/mirrorboard-a-one-handed-keyboard-layout-for-the-lazy/
The one I have used for a decade now.... by Lumpy · 2012-08-23 02:27 · Score: 4, Informative

http://www.handykey.com/
Works great and you can actually type REALLY fast with it once you get used to it.

--
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
I'm sure youre boss wouldn't approve. by BronsCon · 2012-08-23 03:40 · Score: 2

Just clost the damn porn and get back to work.

--
APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
Morse Code?! by blackt0wer · 2012-08-23 10:32 · Score: 2

http://www.tandemmaster.org/home.html I don't know how well you know Morse Code, but you can use it as a total keyboard replacement. One handed typing all day long. Quadriplegics use it with a bite sensor for typing.