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From: bill@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com (Bill Frolik)
Newsgroups: comp.editors
Subject: Re: Whence vi's hjkl?
Message-ID: <110300005@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com>
Date: 16 Apr 91 16:13:54 GMT
References: <1991Apr15.021544.19067@umbc3.umbc.edu>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA
Lines: 23


> for cursor movement instead?  Aren't the {j,k,l,;} keys the standard
> left hand's "home" keys for touch-typists?  Does it mean that the
  ^^^^^^^^^^^
Only if you're trying to touch-type with the keyboard upside down.


> I find it somewhat annoying to have to move my fingers away from the
> "home" position to move the cursor.  Does anyone consider the usual {h,j,k,l}
> choice natural?  Does anyone have an explanation for the choice?

I find it annoying, too -- it's one more reason why I prefer Emacs over vi.
I'm a fairly fast touch-typist, and you'd have a hard time convincing
me that any touch-typist would initially consider it "natural".  If, 
however, you use only your right hand and DON'T put your left hand on
the keyboard, it seems to become a somewhat more natural place for one's 
fingers to fall (if that means anything).

___________________________________________

Bill Frolik             Hewlett-Packard Co.
hp-pcd!bill             Corvallis, Oregon
bill@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com   (503)750-4082