Re: C-f, C-b, C-n and C-p or right, left, down, up?

[David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org>]

"Daniel B." <dsb@smart.net> writes:

> David Kastrup wrote:
> > 
> > brakjoller@hotmail.com (Barman Brakjoller) writes:
> > 
> > ...
> > 
> > The contortions one has to go through in order to switch from one
> > direction of movement to another make this quite unergonomic, 
> 
> If you think there's a contortion between control-b and control-f
> (back and forward (left and right)), see below.

I have to hold down control with the pinky, and reach b and f with
two fingers that are in quite different bends and directions.  Three
fingers being bent out of their rest position and in need of pressing
coordinated make for RSI.

> If you think there's a contortion between control-n and control-p
> (next and previous (down and up)), then what's going on with you?

> > and you have the control key locking down another finger at the
> > same time.
> 
> Have you experienced the control key in its correct location (not
> where IBM-PC-style keyboards put control keys)?  That will make a
> big difference.

I will still need to use my pinky for it.

> Typing Control-A is supposed to be as easy as putting your left little 
> (leftmost) finger to the left of the A key and putting your left ring 
> (second leftmost) finger on the A key.

We are not talking Ctrl-A, and besides, little and ring finger share
the same sheath for their sinews.  Since you have to move them
independently, (CTRL down A down A up CTRL up), you have to let them
work against each other.

> > Contrast that to vi, where the keyboard bindings for movement are
> > simply _the_ thing to use.
> 
> What you mean by _the_ thing to use?

No vi user with a modicum of experience will use cursor keys instead
of hjkl-Navigation.

> Modern version of vi accept arrow keys as well as traditional vi
> movement keys, don't they?

Right.  For the same of beginners, mostly.  Experienced vi users will
use hjkl, whereas most experiences Emacs users will escape to using
cursor keys when available.

> And what contrast is there?  Emacs takes main-keyboard keystrokes as
> well as arrow keys, and so does vi now.

vi movement commands on the main keyboard are single-key, not
control-combinations.  And they are all located on different fingers
of a single hand in rest position (shifted to the left by 1 key in
contrast to the 10-finger typist rest position, the only slight
awkwardness).

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum