| A left-handed keyboard is one with a standard | | | | constantly rearranging their wrists, hands and |
| configuration of letter keys (e.g. QUERTY), but its | | | | fingers. What's more, not having the number pads |
| accessory keys (arrow, delete, insert, etc.) and | | | | on the right permits typists to align their mice |
| numerical keypad are on the left side of the letter | | | | nearer to the middle of their bodies. Such physical |
| keys. At first, a left-handed keyboard appears to | | | | comfort considerations can lessen the chance of a |
| be a mirror image of a standard one. | | | | user ending up with some sort of repetitive strain |
| The express purpose of the left handed | | | | injury. |
| keyboard is to provide left-handed typists with a | | | | Gamers may also like left-handed keyboards. |
| key arrangement more suited to their abilities. | | | | When a game demands simultaneous use of a |
| Right-handed typists, however, can benefit from | | | | numerical keypad (e.g. for navigating) and the |
| this alternate arrangement since the placement of | | | | mouse (e.g. for shooting), gamers must use a set |
| accessory keys on the right side of a keyboard | | | | of letter keys as a surrogate numeric keypad. |
| provides little ergonomic advantage. | | | | How easy it would be if a numeric keypad were |
| Right-handed people normally control a mouse | | | | right there--beneath the user's left hand! |
| with their right hand, so in order to use the | | | | Clearly, there are benefits to left handed |
| accessory keys, a user must release the mouse. | | | | keyboards that right-handed users should not |
| But if a right-handed person used a left-handed | | | | ignore. In fact, it is a wonder that standard |
| keyboard, he or she could control the mouse with | | | | keyboards are not configured in this way. A typist |
| the right hand while at the same time access the | | | | must use both hands to use the letter keys as |
| accessory keys on the keyboard with the left | | | | they are intended, but the numeric keypad and |
| hand. | | | | arrow keys were designed to be used with one |
| That arrangement of keys can be of advantage | | | | hand. It makes ergonomic sense that these |
| to people who wish to utilize their computers in a | | | | one-handed features be located underneath the |
| more efficient and less uncomfortable manner. | | | | typical user's free hand, not next to a hand that is |
| Those whose jobs involve entering data can pick | | | | already occupied operating the mouse. |
| spreadsheet cells and enter numerals without | | | | |