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Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

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Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#71

Post by mike_h »

doki_pen wrote: post #26
roelbondoc wrote: post #12

I'm a ruby/php developer who works on a Macbook Pro 9 hours a day and I've learned to work w/o a mouse. Took a while to get used to, but now I keep my mouse in my desk drawer and only pull it out if someone borrows my computer. First it starts with the setup. At work I have an external monitor and keyboard. I keep my MBP to the right so I can use the touch pad here and there when I can't use the keyboard for certain…

I'm not trying to besnarky, but why even use a MAC. It seems like Linux is a better fit and less expensive. MAC is really about the UI, and if you don't take advantage of that you are just left with an almost Unix environment.

A common misconception about the OSX UI is that its main virtue is visual. For me, an equally-prominent virtue is the far-superior ability to control it using the keyboard and a universal scripting framework (applescript/automator). No linux WM that I know of has such a unified UI paradigm.

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#72

Post by prawn »

jaxn wrote: post #50
mccutchen wrote: post #38

This might be old news to you, but it took me a while to discover after I started using OS X: Cmd-Tab switches between applications (as I'm sure everyone knows), but it's less useful on OS X than Ctrl-Tab is on Windows or Linux because it doesn't switch between individual windows in those applications. Cmd-Tilde (~) was the missing link for me. It switches between windows in the current application. Those two are pro…

That is Cmd-` (~ would require a Shift) And after Cmd-Tab, Cmd-~ takes you backwards in the list of apps. So if you Cmd-Tab too many times, Cmd-~ takes you back instead of having to cycle through. Likewise, in Safari Cmd-} (aka Cmd-Shift-]) and Cmd-{ take you forward and backward through the tabs. This also works in Terminal. Cmd-L puts the focus on the location bar in Safari if you want to type in a URL (or tab over…

Only had a MBP for a few days (first Mac), but isn't Safari tab-cycling also via Ctrl-Tab, and Ctrl-Shift-Tab to go in reverse? At least on the laptop keyboard, involving the square brackets would necessitate a fairly long stretch, or using both hands?

Being new to the Mac, I'd be happy to hear more shortcuts!

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#73

Post by Hagelin »

thibaut_barrere wrote: post #10
Hagelin wrote: post #9

"MouseClick is an ergonomic software that will click the mouse for you. The software assists in the recovery and prevention of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).” http://ufridman.org/mouseclick.html

Are you using it ?

Nope, thankfully I don’t have a need for it.

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#74

Post by js2 »

bingaman wrote: post #40

Visor http://visor.binaryage.com/ hasn't been mentioned but it's how you should be opening and running your terminal. Turn on and spend a few minutes learning the keyboard shortcuts in GMail if you use it (conveniently, they map nicely to vi). This alone probably has saved me days of mousing, plus it can make ripping through your inbox kind of fun. I also strongly second vimperator (the only reason I'm still using Fi…

Seems substantially similar to DTerm -- which BTW, doesn't require SIMBL http://www.decimus.net/dterm.php

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#75

Post by yalestar »

One really simple thing that was driving me crazy was when an app pops up a dialog with buttons. Coming from Linux and Windows, where you can tab between the buttons and just hit enter to click the selected button, I was shocked that Mac doesn't do this.

Turns out, Enter always fires the default button that's colored blue (e.g. Save), but you have to hit Space to fire the button that's highlighted (i.e. just outlined in blue).

That simple revelation has prevented me from defenstrating my MBP in a fit of pique.

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#76

Post by superheroname »

Not exactly what you're asking for, but I found the only thing that "cured" RSI for me was push ups. Check out http://hundredpushups.com/ and give it a shot for a few weeks, I'll bet you see a difference. I struggled with RSI for years before hitting on it.

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#78

Post by gkelly »

mccutchen wrote: post #38

This might be old news to you, but it took me a while to discover after I started using OS X: Cmd-Tab switches between applications (as I'm sure everyone knows), but it's less useful on OS X than Ctrl-Tab is on Windows or Linux because it doesn't switch between individual windows in those applications. Cmd-Tilde (~) was the missing link for me. It switches between windows in the current application. Those two are pro…

Use Cmd-w to close windows and Cmd-q to quit applications.

Also, when Cmd-Tab'ing, you can hold down Cmd and hit q to quit an application. It's a quick method for closing a lot of applications.

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#79

Post by bingaman »

js2 wrote: post #74
bingaman wrote: post #40

Visor http://visor.binaryage.com/ hasn't been mentioned but it's how you should be opening and running your terminal. Turn on and spend a few minutes learning the keyboard shortcuts in GMail if you use it (conveniently, they map nicely to vi). This alone probably has saved me days of mousing, plus it can make ripping through your inbox kind of fun. I also strongly second vimperator (the only reason I'm still using Fi…

Seems substantially similar to DTerm -- which BTW, doesn't require SIMBL http://www.decimus.net/dterm.php

Tried it and I much prefer Visor. But I tend to want to go into Terminal and stay there rather than just running single commands.

Re: Ask HN: tips for working with Mac OS X without using the mouse? (RSI)

#80

Post by loire280 »

hopeless wrote: post #43
piramida wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not quite a trackball, but apple released a separate track pad not that long ago. There are two input devices that Apple does way better than most - keyboards and trackpads. Magic mouse was a complete disaster, unfortunately.

I'm not sure if trackpads have the same ergonomic properties as a trackball. It's possible but I might wait and see if any research or anecdotal evidence emerges

Chalk me up for anecdotally noticing a huge improvement when switching to the touchpad.

It's worth noting that the Apple trackpad is not only way bigger than a laptop's touchpad, it's also angled so you're not resting your hand on its edge. Also, if you've never used an Apple touchpad on a recent Macbook/Pro (the ones that are glass instead of plastic), you'll probably be surprised at how good the accuracy/tracking. They're much better quality than the Synaptics touchpads that are common in PCs.

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