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Ask Slashdot: Single-Handed Keyboard Options For Coding?

Posted by timothy on 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."

5 of 147 comments (clear)

  1. As someone who posted to Slashdot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... you would think you're well adapted to typing with one hand!

  2. Cover Story by Missing.Matter · · 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.

  3. Don't Bother by CrankyFool · · 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 i+kan+reed · · 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.

  4. Nostromo or Frogpad by Anonymous Coward · · 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.