Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!gatech!gitpyr!glenns@pipe.gatech.edu From: glenns@pipe.gatech.edu (Glenn R. Stone) Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: Touch-typing on the shuttle Message-ID: <6553@pyr.gatech.EDU> Date: 12 Oct 88 15:09:21 GMT References: Sender: news@pyr.gatech.EDU Reply-To: glenns%pipe@gatech.edu (Glenn R. Stone) Distribution: na Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Lines: 21 In article khai@amara.uucp (S. Khai Mong) writes: >With all the talk about computers on the shuttle, I wonder whether it >is very difficult to touch-type in zero G. I would imagine so. Every >keystroke would probably throw you back literally.... The answer to this is very simple... the keyboard is anchored to something, and you have a seatbelt on your typing chair. The rest will take care of itself, although it will take a little getting used to (i.e. holding one's hands on the keyboard instead of allowing Earth to do so).... A pro typist will probably want the keyforces to be lighter, as well. Laptops would be difficult, but as long as you remember to keep pushing up with your knees, it might be workable. You would, indeed, have to develop a gentle touch... perhaps a keyboard extention on which the wrists rest to keep the rest in place would be useful. -- Glenn R. Stone (..gatech!glenns@pipe.gatech.edu) BITNET : CCASTGS@GITNVE2 USNAIL: P. O. Box 30372 Atlanta, GA 30332 VOICE : (404) 873-1525 "I know it's impossible.... now how's the best way to go about doing it?"