Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!maytag!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: Chord keyboards
Message-ID: <130923@looking.on.ca>
Date: 12 Apr 90 05:46:52 GMT
References: <9004111053.AA13562@encore.encore.com>
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd.
Lines: 28
Class: discussion

I had thought that one of the big pushes for the chord keyboard was that
it was faster.  40 wpm certainly isn't impressive as a top speed.  I would
find it unbearably slow, being used to 90-100 on my qwerty.

The idea was that you don't have to move anything, so you can get fast.
Is this false?

I guess they still have value for special applications where size is very
important, or for those with only one hand, but I doubt many would learn
to use it if you can't use it as your regular keyboard.

How about a double chord keyboard?   Clearly no need for shifts etc. on
a full 10 key chorder.  You would even eliminate the codes that involve
difficult combinations of fingers, too -- in fact the most common
characters might well be done with one hand.   Could that be faster?

The advantage of this is that it can still be small, two balls with straps
you put on your hands or grasp.

I wonder if anything could be done with a split keyboard -- ie. a standard
type keyboard, qwerty or dvorak, but split in half.  The two halves would
be small, and could even be strapped to the arms of a chair or something.

(Of course, you need to change habits a bit, or duplicate some keys, as
some people may use different fingers for the odd middle key or shifted
sequence.)
-- 
Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473