Comments on: Human Computer Interaction http://slinq.com/blog/2010/01/09/human-computer-interaction/ Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:27:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Kieran Simkin http://slinq.com/blog/2010/01/09/human-computer-interaction/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Kieran Simkin Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:29:31 +0000 http://slinq.com/blog/?p=592#comment-53 You can get left-handed mice - they're basically the mirror image of a normal right-handed mouse, you can also get ambidextrous mice that are symmetrical so they're equally uncomfortable in both hands. You can also configure your computer to swap the left and right mouse buttons so that when the mouse is in your left hand the main clicky button is on the right, under your index finger. As a lefty myself, I consider all of the above to be pretty stupid - being different from everyone else in the world is generally a bad idea when it's something that you have to learn to use like a computer mouse. Try using a mouse in your left hand, if you're spent any significant amount of time using computers, it'll just feel wrong, and that's how it would feel for a person used-to a left handed mouse every time they used someone else's computer! <div style="background-color: white; width: 271px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://slinq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/271px-Types-usb_new.svg_.png" alt="USB Connector Types" border="0" /></a></div> I'd heard about the agreement from mobile phone manufacturers too, definitely a good thing - <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13970_7-10165603-78.html" rel="nofollow">it looks like they've agreed on USB Micro-B</a> - this has been emerging as a de-facto standard in the last couple of years - my mobile and camera both use this connector as do quote a few other devices and it's very handy to be able to use the same cables interchangably. It's also handy that my mates have pretty much always got a Micro-B cable too - a lot of the time it doesn't even occur to me to bring a cable with me, I know there will be one when I get there. Interestingly - if you look at the picture of the HTC TyTn II above you can see an example of a slightly unusual modification to the Micro-B connector - notice how it's square on one side - this allows any normal Micro-B lead to be plugged into it, but it also allows HTC to make their own accessories that will only plug-in to the TyTn II. This is used for the hands-free kit - it plugs-in via the USB Micro-B connector, but it's not actually a USB interface and wouldn't work if connected to anything other than the TyTn II - but of course you can't connect it to anything other than the TyTn II because of the square corner on the connector. Doing this means that HTC can get away with only actually having one connector on the phone - everything plugs-in via the Micro-B connector. I'm actually surprised that Apple is one of the companies that have agreed on the USB charger standard - the tendancy for each manufacturer to invent their own connector is a type of vendor lock-in called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendor_lock-in#Connector_conspiracy" rel="nofollow">The connector conspiracy</a>", and Apple have historically been particularly guilty of it (another reason I hate them). The concept of an actual mobile charger is pretty much dead for me - I charge my phone using a USB cable connected to my computer, and I suspect everyone will be doing this soon enough. You can get left-handed mice – they’re basically the mirror image of a normal right-handed mouse, you can also get ambidextrous mice that are symmetrical so they’re equally uncomfortable in both hands. You can also configure your computer to swap the left and right mouse buttons so that when the mouse is in your left hand the main clicky button is on the right, under your index finger. As a lefty myself, I consider all of the above to be pretty stupid – being different from everyone else in the world is generally a bad idea when it’s something that you have to learn to use like a computer mouse. Try using a mouse in your left hand, if you’re spent any significant amount of time using computers, it’ll just feel wrong, and that’s how it would feel for a person used-to a left handed mouse every time they used someone else’s computer!

USB Connector Types

I’d heard about the agreement from mobile phone manufacturers too, definitely a good thing – it looks like they’ve agreed on USB Micro-B – this has been emerging as a de-facto standard in the last couple of years – my mobile and camera both use this connector as do quote a few other devices and it’s very handy to be able to use the same cables interchangably. It’s also handy that my mates have pretty much always got a Micro-B cable too – a lot of the time it doesn’t even occur to me to bring a cable with me, I know there will be one when I get there.

Interestingly – if you look at the picture of the HTC TyTn II above you can see an example of a slightly unusual modification to the Micro-B connector – notice how it’s square on one side – this allows any normal Micro-B lead to be plugged into it, but it also allows HTC to make their own accessories that will only plug-in to the TyTn II. This is used for the hands-free kit – it plugs-in via the USB Micro-B connector, but it’s not actually a USB interface and wouldn’t work if connected to anything other than the TyTn II – but of course you can’t connect it to anything other than the TyTn II because of the square corner on the connector. Doing this means that HTC can get away with only actually having one connector on the phone – everything plugs-in via the Micro-B connector.

I’m actually surprised that Apple is one of the companies that have agreed on the USB charger standard – the tendancy for each manufacturer to invent their own connector is a type of vendor lock-in called “The connector conspiracy“, and Apple have historically been particularly guilty of it (another reason I hate them).

The concept of an actual mobile charger is pretty much dead for me – I charge my phone using a USB cable connected to my computer, and I suspect everyone will be doing this soon enough.

]]> By: Phill http://slinq.com/blog/2010/01/09/human-computer-interaction/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Phill Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:56:57 +0000 http://slinq.com/blog/?p=592#comment-52 Clicky keys are lush! My love for typing on my desktop clickies over my laptop hushies are pronounced. As for pc mice, left handers and right handers,... it's the first time i thought on this subject as a very ambidextrous person. Is there such thing as a mouse for left-handed people!?. It would be the same as a mobile phone charger and having to take it everwhere to use it on another persons pc. Isnt it annoying and down right frustrating when youve forgotten your charger and phone dies with an emergency and no-one around has a charger likes yours to charge it up. I think i heard that now there is some kind of aggreement to standardize mobile chargers across all phone manufacturers. Clicky keys are lush! My love for typing on my desktop clickies over my laptop hushies are pronounced.

As for pc mice, left handers and right handers,… it’s the first time i thought on this subject as a very ambidextrous person.

Is there such thing as a mouse for left-handed people!?. It would be the same as a mobile phone charger and having to take it everwhere to use it on another persons pc.

Isnt it annoying and down right frustrating when youve forgotten your charger and phone dies with an emergency and no-one around has a charger likes yours to charge it up.

I think i heard that now there is some kind of aggreement to standardize mobile chargers across all phone manufacturers.

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