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    Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    • Started by darkness
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    • Registered: 19-Nov-2012
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    28-Nov-2012 08:40:10#1 Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    I have been a hardcore user of qwerty for as long as I can remember when I started using a typewriter. Since I'm so used to the "inefficiencies" of qwerty, I have developed several habits:

    - qwerty is left-hand heavy (16% more than the right), and that seems to have grown on me that when I switched over the colemak, the additional "strains" on the right hand is very uncomfortable
    - I have never used my right pinky for anything even when I touch type (I used my ring finger for "p" all the time, right pinky is only used for enter and right shift, I almost never use left shift for anything)

    Placing "o" on the right pinky now changes the whole game plan where I find a very common trigram "ion" to be very difficult to type and I get right pinky pain very rapidly, esp. the need for the outward roll on the right hand which is very unconventional for me.

    I'm thinking of customising the colemak layout to simply leave the following keys as they are on qwerty:

    - U, I, O, L shall remain where they are now on qwerty
    - Y goes to where ; is
    - ; goes to where P is

    Would like to get some comments on what are the repercussions of going to an "unconventional" layout that is not used by anyone else in the world... ;-p

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    • From: Sofia, Bulgaria
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    28-Nov-2012 09:32:35#2 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    Regarding your question:
    Having L and O on the ring finger will drastically increase your same finger ratio for that finger, since LO and OL are far from uncommon. Also having IE and EI on the same (middle) finger is not great, since they're also not very uncommon.

    It will generally increase the upper row and decrease the home row usage, thus also increasing the finger travel distance.

    My advice is to stick with Colemak for a bit longer. Everyone feels uncomfortable using their pinkies at the beginning of the touch typing learning. That is until they get stronger. You've already decided to make the switch to Colemak for optimization purpose. Why having this step back? And it's a big step back. Touch typing is more important than optimized layout, and neglecting some of its "features" is a big drawback.

    I can assure you that after a while your pinkie is going to feel completely fine – as with all of us, and you'll be more than happy to have a key like O on the Colemak's position.

    Hi-games profile: http://hi-games.net/profile/4663
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    • From: Viken, Norway
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    28-Nov-2012 18:52:12#3 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    A Wide ergonomic mod will help a bit without changing the layout per se (I consider a Wide Colemak to be "Colemak + Wide", not a non-Colemak).

    I don't think you'd gain a lot from your proposed changes - but I can't say I know for sure. Chances are you'd run into some other problems instead like pafkata suggests.

    Last edited by DreymaR (28-Nov-2012 18:52:33)

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    29-Nov-2012 12:47:46#4 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    Changing layout is very unconventional in essence and you have to relearn all your favorite key combinations. In your case, you have to learn touch typing at the same time so more stresses are put on your pinkies.

    Things will become better after a month, when your pinkies will have to be stronger.

    My fastest typing records http://hi-games.net/profile/4314
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    • From: Canada
    • Registered: 29-Nov-2012
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    29-Nov-2012 19:52:10#5 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    I have the same problem.  When using QWERTY, L hand hurts from overuse.  When using Colemak, R hand hurts from overuse.  Remember, Enter and punctuation (including programming symbols) are all on R hand on both layouts.

    You can move those symbols inward to the index fingers - with a wide mod, or thumb keys.   I have employed some tricks like Shift+Spacebar for Enter in the past.  You can get more thumb keys if you move the entire layout up a row, and use the bottom row as thumb keys.  I don't know if anyone has done this except me, but its something to try, it certainly will relieve the Enter pain.  Don't be afraid to keep changing your layout if that interests you.  But be aware that its very hard to make a 'pure' improvement on Colemak.  You may solve one problem but create several other - especially in regards to the alphabetical layout.

    These days I switch between Qwerty and Colemak to balance the load on my R and L hands, but I haven't given up on a better layout involving symbols in center, bottom row of thumb keys, alternate (thumb) enter, etc... keep at it!

    I work for Keyboardio and post code on GitHub

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    29-Nov-2012 21:36:31#6 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    Forum user Cevgar suggested a "lifted" mod like what you describe. He removed the spacebar to avoid hitting it accidentally. Never tried it myself.

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
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    • From: Canada
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    30-Nov-2012 00:48:22#7 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain
    DreymaR said:

    Forum user Cevgar suggested a "lifted" mod like what you describe. He removed the spacebar to avoid hitting it accidentally. Never tried it myself.

    thanks for the link!  'lifted' is a good word for it.

    I work for Keyboardio and post code on GitHub

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    30-Nov-2012 04:50:41#8 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    Qwerty is 15% leaned to the left hand, while Colemak is 6% leaned to the right hand. For balance while using Colemak, use left hand to press Spacebar and Backspace.

    An ideal layout will make both of your hands equally tired from heavy use.

    My fastest typing records http://hi-games.net/profile/4314
    My switching experience https://forum.colemak.com/viewtopic.php?id=970

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    30-Nov-2012 12:33:34#9 Re: Help: comments on suggestions for right pinky pain

    An ideal layout wouldn't make your hand/s tired at all ;)

    Last edited by pinkyache (30-Nov-2012 12:33:48)

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