Left-Handed Mousing

[RayintheUK]

A few years ago my friend asked me to help by teaching a 60+ years lady to use her very first computer, that her son had bought for her. He'd delivered it, set it up, then abandoned ship. I agreed, but warned that it would be a week or two until I had some free time.

When I evenutally arrived, she'd been trying to teach herself, bless her, but had made a fundamental mistake. She knew what the mouse was, but thought that she should hold it by the "head" with the tail towards her. She operated the buttons with the heel of her hand and had actually got proficient with it.

Try it - see how horrendous it is - the pointer even goes the opposite way, but she had adapted and was using it effectively. I had to return in another couple of weeks after she'd been practising using it conventionally.

Good luck, David!

Ray.

[cabinetman]

A few years ago my friend asked me to help by teaching a 60+ years lady to use her very first computer, that her son had bought for her. He'd delivered it, set it up, then abandoned ship. I agreed, but warned that it would be a week or two until I had some free time.

When I evenutally arrived, she'd been trying to teach herself, bless her, but had made a fundamental mistake. She knew what the mouse was, but thought that she should hold it by the "head" with the tail towards her. She operated the buttons with the heel of her hand and had actually got proficient with it.

Try it - see how horrendous it is - the pointer even goes the opposite way, but she had adapted and was using it effectively. I had to return in another couple of weeks after she'd been practising using it conventionally.

Good luck, David!

Ray.

You mean the wire is supposed to be in the front?????
.

[Uncle Cracker]

So that's it... I need to add a wire to mine...

[sscherin]

I'm left handed and I won't even use the mouse on the left.
Mess with your friends and put one on both sides..
You can plug in 2 USB mice and they will both work

[BobSch]

I have a mouse on the left side of the keyboard and a graphics pad on the right. Gets confuzin' some times

[jackellis]

I injured my right hand from typing and mousing so much that I can no longer use my right hand to control the mouse without triggering a relapse. I'm as proficient with my left hand as with my right.

It may take a little while, but you can adapt.

[skipwill]

I hate left hand mousing too...

For a long time, I used to amuse myself (dosent take much) in boring meetings and classes by practicing mousing with my left hand, thinking it was the better way. That would free up my right hand to use on the keyboard, etc. I got ok at it, but still dont like it.

[Mr__Bill]

Sorry about that earlier flippant answer.

There are many keyboard shortcuts for the mouse. I know several people who use the mouse very little it word/number centric programs like word and excel, and one woman who can type very fast with only one hand -- either hand -- and from either side of the keyboard. It may be easier to train the mind than the left hand and make use of some of the keyboard shortcuts.

The Logitec trackball has the ball in the middle and it reversible. So does the Microsoft one but it's almost impossible to use without rubber fingers as the ball is so smooth.

Then there is the story of the lady who was used to sewing and used the mouse with her foot.

A lot of it is going to be just accepting that you have to learn and spending the time learning. Playing Solitaire is a good learning tool as is posting on this board. I think the advice of having a few to mellow out may help too.

HTH
Bill