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Which shift key do you use?

Discussion in 'Flash and Spam Games' started by Oz, Nov 12, 2010.

?

Left shift or right shift?

Poll closed Dec 12, 2010.
  1. Left

    65.3%
  2. Right

    10.2%
  3. Both

    24.4%
  1. Alindrome

    Alindrome A bigger, darker mark DLP Supporter Retired Staff

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    So, how do you right-shifties cope with all the small keyboards like on mobile phones? I've never seen one that included the right shift key.
     
  2. Perspicacity

    Perspicacity Destroyer of Worlds ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    I learned to touch-type at age 10, around the time I learned to code. (I used an old TRS-80 with a dreadfully non-ergo keyboard requiring 400 lbs of force to depress the keys). It was inconvenient to chord the special characters with one hand, so I learned to use both shift keys and have never gone back.

    I exclusively use my right thumb for the space bar, which will be the subject of the next gripping thread on here, I gather.
     
  3. Tehan

    Tehan Avatar of Khorne DLP Supporter

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    I use my right index finger for the spacebar. The only thing I use my thumbs for is the alt button.
     
  4. Moridin

    Moridin Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

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    This for the spacebar, but I rarely use my thumbs when typing. Occasionally to pull of Ctrl-Alt-Del or some such, but not really otherwise.
     
  5. Lokesin

    Lokesin Slug Club Member

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    Both. Typing classes in elementary school and high school taught it that way, but I didn't really need it...spent enough time on the computer as it was.
     
  6. Chengar Qordath

    Chengar Qordath The Final Pony ~ Prestige ~

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    I tend to go between the two depending on what I need to capitalize. With some letters it is easier to use the left shit key, while with others the right one is easier.
     
  7. Teresoul

    Teresoul Seventh Year

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    Hm. The only thing they taught us about typing was that it gets easier over time, and that you "use the shift key to display big letters and the upper symbols". Anyway, I use both shift keys. However, it seems that my left hand is more flexible, so I use the left one more often. Also, side of left thumb for the space key.
     
  8. Gabrinth

    Gabrinth Chief Warlock DLP Supporter

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    I'm left-handed, first off, if anyone is still interested in how that correlates. (But I'm a touch ambidextrous, as I use my right for sports and my left to type and eat.)

    I use the right shift about 2/3 of the time, and the left shift about 1/3. I think this is because I have big hands, so it's actually harder for me to make that little motion towards the left shift than the relatively bigger one towards the right shift.

    I use my right thumb for the space bar.

    Mostly, I do the 'opposite side shifting' that others do. All the punctuation keys, along with p, o, and l I do with right shift, though.
     
  9. eXcalite

    eXcalite Seventh Year

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    There is a right shift?
     
  10. Fiat

    Fiat The Chosen One DLP Supporter

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    I use the right shift because when I type, my right pinky is almost always right there. I don't have to move my hand at all. The same reason I use my left thumb for the space.
    I assume we cope with it by not typing the same way we do on normal keyboards. On phones, I type with my thumbs, as it would be totally impossible to use all ten fingers.
     
  11. aaltwal

    aaltwal Auror

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    Typo, but still made me laugh.
     
  12. Heleor

    Heleor EsperJones DLP Supporter

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    I use my right shift for programming - my left shift for most normal writing. Ironically enough, the "I" in "ironically" was capitalized with the right shift. As are most of the things I am capitalizing now.

    ... Apparently I had good typing skills ingrained in me sometime.
     
  13. Sarah

    Sarah Daddy Issues

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    I'm pretty much this as well...

    I can't really force myself to type otherwise.

    And both of my thumbs lay on the spacebar too...huh...
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2010
  14. Mage

    Mage Chief Warlock DLP Supporter

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    I use my thumbs, but I have a Droid and I do use the right shift key on that. Never really though about it, but it would probably really screw with me if I didn't have a right shift key on it.
     
  15. Coyote

    Coyote He howls n' stuff

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    Left shift key here. They tried to teach me the whole use the opposite shift key of the letter you're capitalizing thing in school, but I could type twice as fast as my teacher using terrible form on a bad day. :p
     
  16. Ash

    Ash Moves Like Jagger DLP Supporter

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    I usually use my right shift key. I just tried using the left one and it felt wrong....because it's not RIGHT. :facepalm
     
  17. Eidolonic

    Eidolonic Supreme Mugwump

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    I second the person that mentioned shift key as an modifier in gaming. As those that use WhatPulse probably know, I press a lot of keys. My left shift, alt, and ctrl all get heavy usage in conjunction with my '12345qertfgvc' keys.

    I keep my left hand tilted at a bit of a strange angle on the keyboard, so that my left pinky is all but grazing the shift key at all times. I still bring it up to hit caps/tabs/q, but other than that, my pinky hits nothing but shift. Ring finger hits a and z, which is probably odd for most people. Just is more comfortable with the angle I've developed.

    As people have said, all of my (very few) right shift usages have been from poking some coding into stuff. I don't code much on this computer, at least, so it's not a huge keystroke generator.

    But...using the right shift for actual typing? I just can't fathom it.
     
  18. Lyndon Eye

    Lyndon Eye Minister of Magic DLP Supporter

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    I usually only use the right shift key on American keyboards, but the British right shift key is tiny and inconvenient. It always messes me up.
     
  19. Dark Minion

    Dark Minion Bright Henchman DLP Supporter Retired Staff

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    I'm ambishiftrous.

    Like Custer and other people said - if you learn to type with 10 fingers, you're supposed to use the shift key opposite to the key you intend to capitalize.

    When I was looking for a laptop and then a netbook their keyboards were an important part of my decision, especially a usable right shift key (and large cr).
     
  20. Snarf

    Snarf Squanchin' Party Bro! ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    I use both, depending on which key I'm capitalizing. My Is all are capitalized with the right shift, though I usually use the left shift when I type numbers.