However, most people (and I generalize, but I’m prety sure I’m not far from the truth), aren’t touch typists, know exactly where every key is on their keyboard, or have good muscle memory. I’ve been using computers since the Morrow/Tandy days and while I can type very quickly, I still require quick glances at my keyboard. I’m not an efficient typist, nor is my memory able to memorize the keys even though it’s been years. BTW I’m a power user that prefers a mix of both mouse/keys. Recently 1/2 my keys have their printed letters worn away (I game a lot) and my mistakes in input have been horrifying. Muscle memory is definitely NOT there…and I’d hardly call myself an uncoordinated person.

A person using many different and advanced programs would also have a veryhard time memorizing keyboard commands simply because, apart from general commands like “save” etc, most of the shortcuts and bindings are different from program to program. It also complicates matter even more when, to be efficient in one program, you set up bindings and macros that will deviate even more from everything else. That could explain why my memory of keyboard shortcuts are so horribly bad for a power user.

Even the combo of using mouse + keyboard, no matter how efficient, will lose out to the mouse as a single input device in certain areas. One of which is that often times, we have the other hand occupied as well; eating a sandwhich, drinking, working a calculator etc…

This idea you’re looking into is in terms of absolutes. You either use both hands or you’re crippled if you can’t use both hands.

I can’t see the day I could hand over a computer with such a UI design to my mother, for instance, and not have her totally freak out and go catatonic because there are no cues. A lot of people who use computers use it as a tool to accomplish 1 or 2 functions and nothing more. Many don’t have the intention or interest to delve any deeper than they need to. To these people, CTR + V is considered pretty advanced. To these people, the use of CTR, ALT and SHFT are arcane and no amount of “education” or training is going to ge them to see it.

UI, in many instances, is about designing to the lowest common denominator. By doing so, it makes it generally easy and generally efficient to use. The operative word is “generally”.

The only groups of people I typically see using keyboards as a preferred input device are IT/Tech/Programmer types. Most people are in between (and a lot of power users fall in-between as well).

Anything that requires a user to use 2 hands when 1 will suffice (apaer from typing), is not good UI design. It may be the most efficient, but it won’t be liked, understood or be “easy to use” by the general populace.

I would dare to say that if it hadn’t been for the mouse, the personal computer would still be relegated mainly to businesses and IT professionals. Very few people would have it in their homes and very few, even still, would use it the way it is used today.

So while the keyboard may be more efficient and faster (I don’t disagree), the mouse + graphical icons is infinitely more user-friendly to the layman than arcane button combinations that could or could not be consistent from one app to the next.

And to a poster above about how we should learn to all touch type. It reminds me of when my mother used to get irritated with us because we didn’t have 20/20 eyesight like the rest of everyone in our family. She used to say, “Why can’t you just see properly like the rest of us! Just take off you glasses and see properly. You don’t need glasses.” Sure, if we actually had 20/20, I’d gladly throw away my glasses. The reality was I had 380/400.

The though of never using a mouse has never arised for me mainly because of gaming, things like copy and paste, the most basic of uses on the computer are definitly much faster with a keyboard, however if i had to move my courser with the keyboard all the way to the text i wished to copy, hold shift and select it all then Ctr C and Ctl V, i belive i would be swinging from the rafters of my house with my excriment all over the floor from the shock of the quick jerk of the rope around my neck snapping it quite nicley….

the thought is definitly unique but the GUI without a mouse is a life i choose not to live.

Good article. Well written.

There is a best of both worlds I believe, to let the user choose between mouse and keyboard. And this solution is already in use in well behaving applications in Windows.

Like this:
Start Microsoft Word. Type away.
To save either: grab mouse-click(-click)
or if you use the visual clues: alt-f-s
or if you have decided to remember: ctrl-s

The above is an example.

Shortcuts like (alt-f-s) don’t have to be remembered, they are easily visible in programs that follow the rules of Windows (if the user hasn’t turned off the underscores witch unfortunately is standard in WinXP)

Use Opera as browser and mouse gestures and easy ways to manipulate fonts and colours will make other-screen-and-font-sizes-than-the-author-prefers easy to read anyway.

Contrary to the writer I don’t believe “power users” use the keyboard. I am a programmer and so are my colleagues. Too many of them use the mouse to the extent that some programs they make are not usable by keyboard.

Mainly I use the keyboard while working and mouse while surfing and doing continous stuff like drawing.

/OF