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CAD/CAM software would be difficult, possibly unusable to use keyboard only. I had a good left hand hotkey setup for everything I could, but there were things I

CAD/CAM software would be difficult, possibly unusable to use keyboard only. I had a good left hand hotkey setup for everything I could, but there were things I had to use the mouse for that would have been slow, painful and tedious to do on a keyboard and I can't really think of anything better than a mouse for those.

Haga 7y ago
Precision pointing can be done via keyboard, if one uses a screen octtree and arrow keys for pre placement and arrows for fine placement. Do not blame a tool for its outdated use.
htns 7y ago
A drawing tablet is better than a literal mouse. They are pretty cheap, have better ergonomics, and you can use them proficiently pretty much instantly.
- abakker 7y ago
  Not for CAD/CAM. I’ve tried it, but, for my money and time a mouse is way more effective for managing multiple, detailed selections.
  - kaybe 7y ago
    Are you using a 3D mouse?
- MzxgckZtNqX5i 7y ago
  For you, yes. I (and a lot of other people) have a disorder that makes my hands shakes when the muscles are tense [0]. This means that the only way I can interact precisely is with my arm laying down on the desk and only the fingers moving the mouse. This is just one example of a wide variety of problems/annoyances. To everyone out there design user interfaces: please remember that people are not either perfectly fine or with disabilities in a black&white fashion, there is a lot of grey in between. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_tremor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_tremor
  - RhysU 7y ago
    My father has ET. I have often watched him use the mouse two-handed. One arm driving tensely (with tremor) and the second hand holding the wrist of the first (with less as not engaged in fine work). I have early signs. I often wonder if I will eventually be pushed into the grey disability area parent mentioned moreso from UI "progression" than from ET progression
    - MzxgckZtNqX5i 7y ago
      I lived with (not that bad) ET since I've memories more or less, and I'm still under 30. Nonetheless, I encounter daily "difficulties" in doing basic things like typing my code on the door keypad (I miss the correct button and I need to re-enter the code), signing on the POS while the delivery guy keeps it floating mid-air in front of me, etc. Those are obviously nothing compared to real disabilities, but some of them could be easily avoided with a bit of smart design of UI.
- tluyben2 7y ago
  For you perhaps; I find these very hard to use. Something hand-eye coordination that really does not work for me while a mouse is no issue at all. And I tried because the idea feels nice.
userbinator 7y ago
Anything graphical is naturally difficult to use with the keyboard only, but since you bring up CAD/CAM --- that's an example of software which is equally difficult or even impossible to use with the mouse only, especially when you want precise control over things.
- grawprog 7y ago
  True, I had my setup done fps style. Most of my commands were within finger reach of wasd. When i first learned the software, there were no commands set to hotkeys. It was a lot slower using menus or toolbar buttons.
- daemin 7y ago
  My dad had a digitiser tablet for doing CAD, this big slab in front of the keyboard with a mouse like thing but instead of a ball or optics it had a crosshair made out of copper on it to precisely pin point where you were on the surface. There was an area that represented the screen and around it were all manner of UI shortcuts. I remember it was much more accurate to use than a mouse, and better interface than having toolbars all over the display.
  - gpderetta 7y ago
    so did my dad for a very long time. But in recent years he (and my brother as well) switched to a normal mouse. I haven't asked him why (I should!), but I suspect that lack of support from more recent OS revisions and the hardware just being harder to find might be a reason. I have used the digitiser a few times and it seemed much more efficient than the mouse. Also autocad has (or at least had, last time I looked at it years ago) a very prominent prompt where to input keyboard commands (in autolisp, no less!).
    - baq 7y ago
      maybe current breed of optical/laser mice are just really good enough.
      - 7y ago

Haga 7y ago

Precision pointing can be done via keyboard, if one uses a screen octtree and arrow keys for pre placement and arrows for fine placement. Do not blame a tool for its outdated use.

htns 7y ago

A drawing tablet is better than a literal mouse. They are pretty cheap, have better ergonomics, and you can use them proficiently pretty much instantly.

abakker 7y ago
Not for CAD/CAM. I’ve tried it, but, for my money and time a mouse is way more effective for managing multiple, detailed selections.
- kaybe 7y ago
  Are you using a 3D mouse?
MzxgckZtNqX5i 7y ago
For you, yes. I (and a lot of other people) have a disorder that makes my hands shakes when the muscles are tense [0]. This means that the only way I can interact precisely is with my arm laying down on the desk and only the fingers moving the mouse. This is just one example of a wide variety of problems/annoyances. To everyone out there design user interfaces: please remember that people are not either perfectly fine or with disabilities in a black&white fashion, there is a lot of grey in between. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_tremor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_tremor
- RhysU 7y ago
  My father has ET. I have often watched him use the mouse two-handed. One arm driving tensely (with tremor) and the second hand holding the wrist of the first (with less as not engaged in fine work). I have early signs. I often wonder if I will eventually be pushed into the grey disability area parent mentioned moreso from UI "progression" than from ET progression
  - MzxgckZtNqX5i 7y ago
    I lived with (not that bad) ET since I've memories more or less, and I'm still under 30. Nonetheless, I encounter daily "difficulties" in doing basic things like typing my code on the door keypad (I miss the correct button and I need to re-enter the code), signing on the POS while the delivery guy keeps it floating mid-air in front of me, etc. Those are obviously nothing compared to real disabilities, but some of them could be easily avoided with a bit of smart design of UI.
tluyben2 7y ago
For you perhaps; I find these very hard to use. Something hand-eye coordination that really does not work for me while a mouse is no issue at all. And I tried because the idea feels nice.

userbinator 7y ago

Anything graphical is naturally difficult to use with the keyboard only, but since you bring up CAD/CAM --- that's an example of software which is equally difficult or even impossible to use with the mouse only, especially when you want precise control over things.

grawprog 7y ago
True, I had my setup done fps style. Most of my commands were within finger reach of wasd. When i first learned the software, there were no commands set to hotkeys. It was a lot slower using menus or toolbar buttons.
daemin 7y ago
My dad had a digitiser tablet for doing CAD, this big slab in front of the keyboard with a mouse like thing but instead of a ball or optics it had a crosshair made out of copper on it to precisely pin point where you were on the surface. There was an area that represented the screen and around it were all manner of UI shortcuts. I remember it was much more accurate to use than a mouse, and better interface than having toolbars all over the display.
- gpderetta 7y ago
  so did my dad for a very long time. But in recent years he (and my brother as well) switched to a normal mouse. I haven't asked him why (I should!), but I suspect that lack of support from more recent OS revisions and the hardware just being harder to find might be a reason. I have used the digitiser a few times and it seemed much more efficient than the mouse. Also autocad has (or at least had, last time I looked at it years ago) a very prominent prompt where to input keyboard commands (in autolisp, no less!).
  - baq 7y ago
    maybe current breed of optical/laser mice are just really good enough.
    - 7y ago