Keyboard is 3 times faster than the mouse!

[Brett_Tabke]

[f1-key.com...]

We found that it takes 3 seconds longer to use a mouse to issue the same command as a simultaneous 2-key shortcut. As an example, suppose an average user does 10 mouse clicks per hour, rather then use a shortcut, that would mean 16 hours a year are spent moving from the keyboard to the mouse.

[Birdman]

I believe that, for sure. I need to learn the shortcuts myself. I get sick of going back and forth.

Thanks for the wake-up call. Time to study up on the commands.

[mahlon]

I use keyboard shortcuts mostly for Photoshop, it saves a lot of time!

[korkus2000]

Photoshop also got me into using shortcuts. I use shortcuts constantly.

[chiyo]

shortcuts are great if you use the same program very regularly. Add the "learning to memorise" time if you are a regular user of a few programs and the mouse may still be quicker.

I know all the shortcuts for my text editor for example, but very few for PaintShopPro, my wordprocessor and even very few for my internet browser.

[DrDoc]

Not to mention the fact that you can add keyboard shortcuts to the icons in your start menu.

That's also why I like HomeSite .. I can customise all the keyboard shortcuts any way I want it.

A great way to learn these, for the programs you use often, is too look in the menu. They usually have the shortcut keys next to the menu option.

[Krapulator]

"that would mean 16 hours a year are spent moving from the keyboard to the mouse."

But Gee what a great 16 Hours!

[Hester]

What about Opera with its mouse guestures?

[fathom]

"that would mean 16 hours a year are spent moving from the keyboard to the mouse."

But Gee what a great 16 Hours!

So I guess this would be referred to as "the Mouse Trap" ;)

[creative craig]

I pretty much use the keyboard for most things as well.. saves so much time ;)

Craig

[vitaplease]

Laptops are great keyboard short-cut addiction generators.
(certainly when they did not have the mouse-pads or the erotic looking red button)

[Nick_W]

If you do a lot of text editing, investing some time in something like Vim is well worthwhile.

I do everything without hardly moving my hands ;)

Nick

[caine]

certainly with DW, once you have a good command over the key shortcuts, then you can fire through the creation of pages.

[txbakers]

I came to IT from a MAC environment where much was mouse driven. When I went to Windows, I already knew mousing so it wasn't very traumatic.

Then I learned the AS/400 computer - all command line, all keyboard, F-keys, the works. After a few months solid of AS/400, I was *ANNOYED* at having to lift my hands of the keyboard to have to click a mouse. I thought it was the most useless thing every invented.

I've since gotten used to using it again but I still remember that feeling of actual disgust at having to use the mouse for something.

There's no doubt in my mind that the keyboard is faster.

[gsx]

I did a business course on Microsoft Office a few years back. To start off with, the tutor said "Anyone used MS Office before?", a few who thought they knew what they were doing put their hands up. He said "OK, can you type me up a letter to your managing director to state you have completed the course and I want to to paste link in an excel spreadsheet into the document." Then he quickly ran round the room and removed all the mice. They looked at him blankly!

Using the keyboard (as that was all we could use for a week) was much, much faster than the mouse. e.g. selecting a whole document (ctrl-A), most people go to the top and drag all the way down (even 100+ pages documents!), but if the phone rings they have to start again! That one makes me laugh and I like to ring someone in the office if I see them doing that!

[MarieC]

Yes, I much prefer using keyboard shortcuts for just about everything. Unfortunately, the online games I play don't allow for keyboard shortcuts. At least not that I've discovered.

[limbo]

ctrl c
ctrl v
ctrl x
ctrl z
ctrl a
ctrl s
F5
F12

etc...

faster faster faster! :)

[ElMongol]

It would be ace if there was true HTML (or XHTML) support for keyboard shortcut embeddings. Hopefully we'd develop some defacto standards then, such as hitting "S" to search, etc...

M.

[ElMongol]

Oh and also... hitting tab should be intuitive in forms... but often it ain't :(

M.

[werty]

it is all about keyboard plus mouse combos in graphic arts programs... i just wish everything was standardized between quark, adobe and macromedia for the zoom, "hand tools", resizing, things like that

it seems like most newer versions you can program your own shortcuts, a nice feature when the upgrade changes one from the previous version.

i get so mad when i see my BOSS click to use the magnifying glass...

time is money.

i get a little smile when i work faster than my computer. cntrl+s to save followed by cntrl+p to print.

[Macguru]

My new mouse got so many buttons that my keyboard turns red.

Plus, 16 hours a year are not really saved since it takes time to learn all those shortcuts for all these different software.

My GF is a big fan of keyboard shortcuts. You should see her going nuts every time she upgrades some Adobe stuff. She spends 16 hours a month swearing about the changes. :)

[Hester]

CTRL + A in Word is a winner! Thanks for that!

I use Windows shortcuts all the time. CTRL + X, C or V work in nearly ALL programs for cut, copy and paste - even Word where a right-click menu doesn't come up! (Such as when entering mailmerge addresses.)

The best ones are these:

WINDOWS + BREAK = Device Manager

WINDOWS + E = Explorer - fastest way to open it!

SYS RQ (PRINTSCREEN) = copy screen. (There's one to copy just a window too but I can't recall it.)

To see a full list, check Help Topics from the Explorer Help menu.

I admit I prefer the mouse for most tasks, but copying and pasting is quicker with keys.

One useful mouse function is the middle button - the wheel - if your mouse has one. Set it in Windows to "double-click". You can then press it TWICE to get the equivalent of a triple-click, which is handy for highlighting whole lines or table cells on websites - some have trouble when highlighting text. Or you could set the wheel to other key commands too.

[Susanne]

I LOVE keyboard shorties. But there's one shortcut I haven't managed to find so please help: how can I maximise a window without having to mouse click on the little square in the corner? I'd be VERY happy to learn that.

[creative craig]

F10 and then use the arrow keys to scroll to what command you need.

Craig

[Susanne]

Craig,
It doesn't work... :( I mean, I don't have the maximise command under File. Using IE 5 at the moment. Do you have any other idea? Thanks anyway for your reply!

[Hester]

I just found F11 makes a small window fullscreen (But only in Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer.)

Here's a couple from Windows Help:

"Minimize or restore all windows: WINDOWS+D
Undo minimize all windows: SHIFT+WINDOWS+M"

I sometimes right-click on the taskbar and choose these options from there.

F2 is another gem. Instant renaming of files!

[Susanne]

Thanks Hester, yeah I know about F11, just wish it was a maximise button instead of a whole screen button... And why doesn't the Windows + D command have an opposite?! Great reminder by the way, I had forgotten about the minimise commands! ;)

[victor]

It would be ace if there was true HTML (or XHTML) support for keyboard shortcut embeddings. Hopefully we'd develop some defacto standards then, such as hitting "S" to search, etc...

HTML has reasonable support for shortcuts via the accesskey attribute. So:

<a href="http://www.webmasterworld.com" accesskey="W"><u>W</u>ebMasterWorld</a>

will enable alt+W to effect clicking the link. Underlining the double-u adds a visual clue.

[werty]

everyone should know this little widows shortcut:

windows key(between alt and ctrl) + d = minimizes everything and brings up your desktop

good if a boss or something is about to roll by

[ggrot]

Just got a new logitech keyboard. They now have the uses for the cntl and alt combos printed on the keys. They are printed on the side of the key that faces toward your waist when typing, not on the top. Kinda a nice feature if you are just starting with the combos, although hardly useful later. Oh, and dont forget (cntl)+shift+(end/home) for selecting all above/below text, or cntrl+arrow for selecting text one 'word' at a time.

On another note, I've been using the mouse almost exclusively for surfing recently. Bought the new logitech mx700 mouse (christmas gift) and it has back and forward buttons where your thumb sits. It also has an alt+tab button on top, but its not conveniently placed with my hand.