[Usability] About Shift|Ctrl+Ins|Del

[Daniel F Moisset <dmoisset arnet com ar>]

Hi.

I'd like to point out some advantages of the Shift|Ctrl+Ins|Del
shortcuts over the Ctrl+X|C|V. First, I must confess that my first
experiences with a text editor with a PC keeyboard was with Borland's
IDEs, so it could be just that I've got used to them.

When I work with text (mostly, code), and have to do clipboard
operations, my left hand moves over the Left Shift/Ctrl Area, and my
right hand over the cursor keys; I usually do selection with
shift+arrows instead of mouse (that way I don't have to move my  right
hand away from the keyboard to the mouse). Then, I can cut/copy/paste
moving my right hand over the extended cursor keys (Ins, Del, et. al.).
It's much more comfortable than using my left hand. I don't use Ctrl
almost never; although is necesarry for 'Copy' (Ctrl+Ins), what I
usually do for, for example, copy a paragraph on a text is:

1) move with arrows to the closest end of the paragraph (arrows, right
hand)
2) Depress shift (left hand)
3) select the paragraph with up/down arrows  (RH)
4) with shift still depressed, do Del, Ins sequentially. That is
Shift+Del (Cut) and Shift+Ins (Paste), so I get the original text
unmodified, but a copy of the paragraph in the clipboard (That is, it's
a weird form of 'Copy'). (RH)
5) I release shift (LH)
6) Move to the destination position with arrows (RH)
7) Shift+Ins (LH&RH)

To move the paragraph instead of copy It's the same, omitting the Ins
key in step 4.

Note that all I have to do with my left hand is press and depress shift
on the right moments. I'm not left hand disabled nor anything, but I'm
very right-handed, and It's usually uncomfortable for me doing Ctrl+key
with my left hand alone (A lot of times I use the right Ctrl, and the
other key with my LH). Then only situations where I use Ctrl+X|C|V is
when I have the mouse in my right hand, and I can't use
middle-button-paste (if it works and I have to move something I do
mark+middle button+mark+Delete).

When I have to cut/paste using only my right hand (for example, holding
the phone with the other one), I always use the Shift|Ctrl+Ins|Del keys.
In particular, I find much easier using those keys with my left hand
than using Ctrl+X|C|V with my right hand, so form an accesibility
standpoint, I think they're better for single handed users.

They key tha I DO use us CTRL+Z for Undo, I find it easier to type than
Alt+Backspace

Perhaps all this is only wierdness in the way I use the keyboard, but I
think it deserves a little research before dumping the
Shift|Ctrl+Ins|Del shortcuts away. In my opinion both of them should
stay, in the windows way.

Hope this helps,

	Daniel