From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: B Smith-Mannschott Subject: Re: RSI Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 15:25:47 +0200 Message-ID: <28c656e20909070625q40b3d886j67c7ab2e20a3aeba@mail.gmail.com> References: <20524da70909011111p2d990274l89722cae104b9722@mail.gmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Return-path: Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MkeEE-0003a4-RV for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:25:54 -0400 Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MkeEA-0003YD-7c for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:25:54 -0400 Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=40619 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1MkeEA-0003YA-4W for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:25:50 -0400 Received: from mail-ew0-f211.google.com ([209.85.219.211]:37663) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1MkeE9-0004WS-Os for emacs-orgmode@gnu.org; Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:25:49 -0400 Received: by ewy7 with SMTP id 7so747400ewy.31 for ; Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:25:47 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <20524da70909011111p2d990274l89722cae104b9722@mail.gmail.com> List-Id: "General discussions about Org-mode." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-orgmode-bounces+geo-emacs-orgmode=m.gmane.org@gnu.org To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org A few tips from an emacs hand who has had issues with repetitive strain in the past: The first thing I did after starting my first "real job" (years ago, when my RSI was pretty bad and my employer-supplied keyboard was in violation of the geneva conventions): 1. I got a kinesis contoured keyboard (like the "Kinesis Advantage" I'm typing on now.) It places C- and M- (Alt key) under your thumbs. (You could even assign them to foot pedals, though I never managed due to lack of rhythm -- guess I should have taken drumming classes at school.) The layout is completely programmable without additional software. In short: it's the ultimate emacs keybaord. 2. More recently, I had a flare up (Apple's wireless mouse is the work of the devil, for my hands at least.) It was then that I discovered "Sticky Keys". Sticky keys takes some getting used to. It makes every modifier key work a little like caps lock. Sounds horrible, doesn't it? Well, it's not really. Basically, if you press control once, it "locks" control down for the next keystroke only, after which point the keyboard returns to normal. Press control twice, and it locks down until you release it with a third press. C-x C-f Used to be: press and hold control. Press and release x. press and release f. Release control. Now it's Press and release control twice. Press and release x. press and release f. Press and release control. This turns out to be easier on my hands because I don't find myself contorting my hands across the keyboard while I try to hold down more than one key at a time. I have sticky keys turned on on all my computers, except for the one at work where I have the kinesis keyboard. 3. I've rebound caps lock to control on all my keyboards (apart from the kinesis, where I have caps lock bound to the windows key.) 4. I have a "happy hacking" keyboard, which has control where caps lock is on an AT keyboard (and no caps key). The happy hacking keyboard has the drawback that it has no right control key. (Sticky keys helps here too.) // Ben