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Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

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Re: Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

#91
post #88

I use a Moonlander keyboard: https://www.zsa.io/moonlander It's very easy to change the layout on these boards since you can do it directly from their website. One of the left thumb keys "flips" the board so that the left half behaves like the right half. In my experience it's not hard to learn to type like this. Here's my layout: https://configure.zsa.io/moonlander/layouts/oLyWr/latest/0 Bonus of using a Moonlander…

A highly customizable split keyboard seems like the perfect solution for one handed typing.

I have one too & really enjoyed playing around with the layout editor. It makes it really easy to try out a new layout and revert changes. Expensive, but you're getting a ton of unique features for a niche market.

My coworkers have also recommended superwhisper for speech to text

Re: Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

#93

There is Edgar Matias's "Half Keyboard" layout, where the right hand's keys of a regular keyboard are mirrored on the left hand when holding a modifier key with your thumb. The idea is that if you have learned touch-typing then muscle memory for the right hand should be available also on the left. Matias wrote an article [1] about it and then made it into a commercial product [2], but the concept should be possible o…

I severely broke my wrist some years ago, which prevented me from using my dominant hand for many weeks. During this time, I used an AuthoHotKey script based on the Matias documentation in order to allow myself to continue to work efficiently in my technical role. The script worked by "mirroring" the layout of the left side of the keyboard with the right during the time when the spacebar was continuously held down. A momentary press of the spacebar still produced a space character.

I can wholeheartedly endorse this method. I never measured it precisely, but I would say I was still upwards of 80% proficient in typing speed using this script with just one hand.

Re: Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

#94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because it's a lengthy stream of barely-parsable copy-paste diarrhea when a simple "Dasher might be a great option! I don't have time to summarize why I think it would be great, but here are some links to previous HN threads where it's been discussed , and it comes recommended by , a at - here's a couple 45-minute Youtubes to not-watch " would do much better.

Even though the parent comment is useless and off-topic, I am vouching and unflagging it, so my response is visible. Please give MyPasswordSucks a chance to respond and attempt to redeem himself by trying to post something useful and interesting instead of whining. (Although I don't expect he's capable of doing that, so I feel sorry for him, but he deserves a chance to try to do better, or prove he can't by not respo…

I agree, Dasher is a beautiful piece of software design.

I am ok with the long-form reply. We are all sentient, one can scan for the information or insights that are valuable to him/her. On the other hand, I dislike when information is withheld from me.

I was researching different input methods, and stumbled upon Dasher. What I like the most is:

  - the fact that I can write with one hand (like with a fountain pen, remember those?)

  - right edge of the interface is literally The Library of Babel of J. L. Borges

Re: Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

#95
I have a long fascination with weird input devices, owing partly to a predisposition to fine joint problems, and Chorders are always both super interesting in theory and kind of weird in practice, going all the way back to the Engelbart/SRI 5-key Keyset that was carried forward to the Alto.

Of the ones I've played with, I find the 7-key kind (4 fingers and 3 thumb positions) to be the most appealing, and I don't see them mentioned in the thread. Infogrip has sadly discontinued their commercial BAT offering, the "Spiffchorder" family ( https://www.chorder.org/wiki/doku.php/start ) use the same chord-set and are designed to be cheap and easy construction - I've made a few in different physical arrangements. I'm too qwerty habituated and never got _completely_ comfortable, but I've been up to tolerable a couple times.

My "normal" typing is mostly on conventional splits (Kinesis makes make some nice off-the-shelf options that just split and tent), largely to avoid shoulder issues. I recently tried a ortholinear split and... I'm pretty convinced they really don't have meaningful benefits.

Re: Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

#96
Wouldn't think that they could use their voice. I had a serious shoulder injury and a surgery an all that. At first I tried my other arm but it would get tired. Voice conversion to text works really well nowadays. Voice to text worked for me.

Re: Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

#97
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even though the parent comment is useless and off-topic, I am vouching and unflagging it, so my response is visible. Please give MyPasswordSucks a chance to respond and attempt to redeem himself by trying to post something useful and interesting instead of whining. (Although I don't expect he's capable of doing that, so I feel sorry for him, but he deserves a chance to try to do better, or prove he can't by not respo…

I agree, Dasher is a beautiful piece of software design. I am ok with the long-form reply. We are all sentient, one can scan for the information or insights that are valuable to him/her. On the other hand, I dislike when information is withheld from me. I was researching different input methods, and stumbled upon Dasher. What I like the most is: - the fact that I can write with one hand (like with a fountain pen, rem…

What's magnificent about Dasher is that it works with so many modalities, like eye tracking, suck tube, pressing a single button and waiting, etc. It's able to extract the maximum number of bits of text per minute from the minimum amount of bits of input per minute, harnessing every input device to its fullest potential.

It also seamlessly supports multiple languages, it can be pre-trained on examples of what you write so it adapts to your vocabulary and gives your favorite words more shelf space on the Library of Babel, and you can include symbols and control functions too. You could even have an "emoji" branch where you spell out the :smile: codes, constrained to just the defined codes so it's easier to select them (and see the growing emojis as you get near to spelling them out all the way), incrementally learning your favorites and making them easier to pick.

It drives me nuts how we blindly accept these ancient, kludgy input methods -- QWERTY is the biggest offender, but let’s not forget those shitty swipe keyboards that think gliding your thumb over letters is somehow “intuitive,” or the garbled cell-phone autocomplete systems that keep mangling your sentences until they’re barely recognizable, then texting embarrassing obscenities to your mom.

Dasher is in a league of its own. Instead of shoving you into a historically fixed grid of scrambled letters, or forcing you to hunt and peck through a list of predicted but unpredictable words, Dasher treats writing as a continuous journey through a probability landscape! You don’t tap tiny squares or hope the AI guesses what you meant, you literally “dive” into the next letter or word that’s statistically most likely. Maximum text output for minimum physical effort, without any of the guesswork or awkward ergonomics baked into hunt-n-pecking QWERTY, slippery swipe tricks, or psychotic autocomplete engines.

Re: Ask HN: Options for One-Handed Typing

#99
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am low key thinking about trying this without any disability, as a way of always keeping the right hand on the mouse.

I stopped using a mouse when I moved from desktop to laptop computer because I found the touchpad is so much more convenient for keeping my hand near the keyboard. However, doing this for over 20 years means I'm now very stuck in my habit of needing touchpads with real buttons. All my attempts to get used to the awful buttonless modern touchpads have been an absolute nightmare so far :-(

Doesn't a touch-screen make it easy? When I use my laptop I seldomly use the mouse nowadays. I scroll or tap/move the cursor with my finder on the screen, and I 'fine tune' the location with the arrows.
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