3 ms·

Stephen mentions that his mouse is on the left because he's left-handed. I'm left-handed, and I don't think I've ever seen someone put the mouse on the left.

Stephen mentions that his mouse is on the left because he's left-handed. I'm left-handed, and I don't think I've ever seen someone put the mouse on the left. How much difference would it make to accuracy, or does the other hand eventually learn to compensate?

ardy42 8y ago
> I'm left-handed, and I don't think I've ever seen someone put the mouse on the left. I'm left-handed. I mouse left-handed at work and right-handed at home. I used to mouse exclusively right-handed, but I started developing wrist-aches and realized I could prevent them by not using one wrist so disproportionately. > How much difference would it make to accuracy, or does the other hand eventually learn to compensate? Zero. I got used to using my left hand very quickly, in no more than a day or two.
- thestepafter 8y ago
  Do you use a left handed mouse or the same mouse you would use for your right hand? Also, which mouse are you using?
  - ardy42 8y ago
    I use generic ambidextrous mice, but flip the left/right buttons so my index finder is always main-click and my middle finger is right-click.
evanb 8y ago
I'm left handed but when I have had a physical mouse (or... trackball) it's always on the right. My left hand, at this point, is essentially incompetent at mousing. That's partly because in the computer lab at school the mice were on the right side and often the cables were too short to be moved to the left with easy use. In other shared environments it's good to be able to just sit down at any machine and use the mouse there---the same reason left-handed people often want to still learn right-handed guitar. If I'm on my laptop I use the trackpad mostly with my left, but on the few occasions I've used a separate trackpad device I've put it on the right.
detaro 8y ago
I (also left-handed) got the impression that I'd probably be a bit more accurate using my left, but found right-handed overall more practical, since you can't really switch all the random PCs you use around, especially nowadays where many have non-symmetric mice you can't really hold with your left, and for me consistency wins then. I use laptop touchpads with my left though.
mhd 8y ago
I'm right handed, and after experiencing some starting RSI issues, I've switched my workplace mouse to the left. I'm using a cheap upright mouse. At home it's right-handed, with a three-button IBM/Lenovo mouse (no scroll wheel). Helped my issues a lot, and I haven't experienced a major difference between UI navigation or even light image manipulation between the two setups. Then again, I'm not a twitch gamer or visual artist, so you might call that an "ambisinister" setup. Only having to move my left arm 10cm at work to get from keyboard to mouse is a nice added benefit, although you'd get the same for a dextrous arrangement if you wouldn't use a full size keyboard.

ardy42 8y ago

> I'm left-handed, and I don't think I've ever seen someone put the mouse on the left. I'm left-handed. I mouse left-handed at work and right-handed at home. I used to mouse exclusively right-handed, but I started developing wrist-aches and realized I could prevent them by not using one wrist so disproportionately. > How much difference would it make to accuracy, or does the other hand eventually learn to compensate? Zero. I got used to using my left hand very quickly, in no more than a day or two.

thestepafter 8y ago
Do you use a left handed mouse or the same mouse you would use for your right hand? Also, which mouse are you using?
- ardy42 8y ago
  I use generic ambidextrous mice, but flip the left/right buttons so my index finder is always main-click and my middle finger is right-click.

evanb 8y ago

I'm left handed but when I have had a physical mouse (or... trackball) it's always on the right. My left hand, at this point, is essentially incompetent at mousing. That's partly because in the computer lab at school the mice were on the right side and often the cables were too short to be moved to the left with easy use. In other shared environments it's good to be able to just sit down at any machine and use the mouse there---the same reason left-handed people often want to still learn right-handed guitar. If I'm on my laptop I use the trackpad mostly with my left, but on the few occasions I've used a separate trackpad device I've put it on the right.

detaro 8y ago

I (also left-handed) got the impression that I'd probably be a bit more accurate using my left, but found right-handed overall more practical, since you can't really switch all the random PCs you use around, especially nowadays where many have non-symmetric mice you can't really hold with your left, and for me consistency wins then. I use laptop touchpads with my left though.

mhd 8y ago

I'm right handed, and after experiencing some starting RSI issues, I've switched my workplace mouse to the left. I'm using a cheap upright mouse. At home it's right-handed, with a three-button IBM/Lenovo mouse (no scroll wheel). Helped my issues a lot, and I haven't experienced a major difference between UI navigation or even light image manipulation between the two setups. Then again, I'm not a twitch gamer or visual artist, so you might call that an "ambisinister" setup. Only having to move my left arm 10cm at work to get from keyboard to mouse is a nice added benefit, although you'd get the same for a dextrous arrangement if you wouldn't use a full size keyboard.