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From: iann@cnw01.storesys.coles.oz.au (Ian Nicholls)
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Left Handed programmers (was Sinister Hackers 8-))
Message-ID: <1044@cnw01.storesys.coles.oz.au>
Date: 24 Aug 90 02:46:55 GMT
References: <12772@hydra.gatech.EDU> <2100@trlluna.trl.oz>
Organization: Coles Myer Ltd., Melbourne, Australia
Lines: 26

I suppose I'm a mixed up person, because I use my right hand for writing and
other fine work, and my left arm for golf, archery, and ten-pin bowls.  I can
use either hands for things such as squash, tennis, chopsticks and table-
tennis, although I'm better with my left hand (it's a good show-off to swap
hands between every shot, especially when your opponent tries the same.)

Whenever I realise I've been using one hand for a task more often than the
other hand, or my hand gets tired doing something, I make a concious effort
to swap hands for a while.

Some studies I have read (ages ago!) suggest that most left-handers are somewhat
ambidextrous, while few right-handers are, and that there is a higher than
normal mental breakdown and suicide rate among left-handers.  This last
point I've seen from a few sources, and they all make the guess that
left-handers have more trouble coping with a right-hand world.

Left-handers might even run in families.  My father and I are left-handed,
but the other five in the family aren't.  I also know a family with two
girls, two boys, and two parents.  One of each pair are left-handed, so
they're a fairly balanced family.

-- 
"He who laughs, lasts."
Ian Nicholls         Phone : +61 3 829 6088   Fax: +61 3 829 6886
Coles/Myer Ltd.      E-mail: iann@cnw01.storesys.coles.oz.au
L1 M11, PO Box 480, Glen Iris 3146, Australia