Any keyboard input, no matter how "arcane" or "irrational" runs circles
around the mouse for speed and efficiency, especially so if you use the
accelerator keystrokes for menu item access and the context key for a
right-click of the mouse. I can type probably 20 characters in the same time
that it takes to move my hand off the keyboard, move it to the mouse, drag
the mouse, find the button, click the button, and move my hand back to the
keyboard. If you don't have a Natural or similar ergonomic keyboard, get
one. It might take a few weeks to get used to it, but the payoff in comfort
and ease of use is more than worth it. Get rid of the worthless key such as
F1, CAPS LOCK, SCL LOCK, and NUMLOCK and it is even better.

I've been using Natural keyboards since they came out in about 1993 or 1994.
(I've gone through probably 15 or 20 keyboards on various machines over the
years.) I cannot and will not use a standard keyboard. When I go to a client
site, I either bring my own keyboard or buy one there. (The best keyboard I
ever used was an MS Natural MultiMedia with USB ports on the back. Alas, MS
has discontinued it and now offers only the Natural 4000 and Natural Elite,
neither of which measures up to earlier offerings.)

but why should "paste" be CTRL-V

You can't blame MS for that one. CTRL V originated on the Macintosh before
Windows was anything more than curiosity. And since the "V" key is next to
"X" and "C", it does make some sense to group the Cut/Copy/Paste commands on
adjacent keys. MS wanted either (1) to make it easy for Mac users to use
Windows or, (2) stole the Mac UI, depending on your version of history, and
so copied many Mac keyboard assignments.

After a while, muscle memory takes over and your fingers just move to right
keys before you even think about exactly what keys you are using. This all
assumes, of course, that you are a full-touch typist, none of that
hunt-and-peck nonsense.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting
www.cpearson.com
(email on the web site)

"James Silverton" wrote in message
...
Ron wrote on Sat, 8 Sep 2007 23:06:29 -0400:

RC If you want to shun the keyboarding techniques on
RC principle, that's your prerogative.

??
RC This is my opinion:
RC The mouse is easier for exploring menu structures to find
RC the commands I'm interested in, but slow and inaccurate
RC for speed work. Once I know where they are....if I have
RC to repeat the same command many times (or even a
RC few)...I'll generally use the keyboard shortcuts or
RC navigate with the keyboard using the underlined menu
RC characters.
??
?? Are you kidding or so immersed in the later 20th century
?? that you are prepared to learn arcane irrational key
?? strokes?
??


Sorry, I'll admit that I sound a bit bad tempered there but, even if I do
know a number of them, arbitrary key strokes are things that sometimes
irk me. I can admit CTRL-C for "copy", CTRL-X perhaps for "extract" but
why should "paste" be CTRL-V, cancel be ALT-Z and ALT-X be "convert hex
unicode to symbol"? The original programmers for Excel and Word must
really have loved Word Star :-)

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not