Tim: >> Just out of curiosity, can you touch-type properly? (As apposed to self >> taught, or hunt and peck.) I've yet to come across anybody with wrist >> problems who was taught how to type on a manual typewriter. Frank Cox: > My wife had terrible carpal tunnel problems (to the point where she required > surgery as she could no longer pick up a pencil) and she types "right" (as do > I). So now you have heard of one. Yours was the first case I'd heard about. I don't/didn't discount the possibility, but it's only since the computer age that I've heard of this condition coming to light. Certainly as a widespread thing, rather than the odd individual injuries from work that we don't hear about. For further curiosity's sake, did she acquire the injury while using computer keyboards? I learnt on manual typewriters, and while a painful thing to do at times, I think the aches stop you from working too far. Computer keyboards, on the other hand (pun intended), do lead you to working very prolonged periods not moving much from where you are (hands, and body), doing awkward movements with your fingers, particular with some hotkey combinations. I'd always found that typing as if at a typewriter, where you really flex your fingers and strike the keys, versus hovering over the computer keys and making tiny precise movements, my fingers felt better. If anything, it's the mouse that causes me pains. If you can't get things at a good height, you bend your hand backwards, and then further lift your fingers awkwardly for the buttons and wheel. Using one when standing is terrible. Then there's the awkward sideways movements. I've certainly suffered sore neck and shoulder from that. > We both find that using Microsoft Natural Keyboards makes typing a lot > more comfortable. And we both "live on computers". I recently got one of those, and I'm beginning to like it. Partially that they've got the key pressure and movement depth pretty good, and partially the curve. Though it's next to impossible to type on one one-handed, the curve goes the wrong way for that. Stop sniggering in the back, it's from typing while talking to customers on the phone, not sex chats... ;-) -- (This computer runs FC7, my others run FC4, FC5 & FC6, in case that's important to the thread.) Don't send private replies to my address, the mailbox is ignored. I read messages from the public lists.
