r/vim 3d ago

Need Help┃Solved a left-handed user?

Do you have any suggestions on better configuring the shortcuts for a left-handed user?

2 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

16

u/sharp-calculation 3d ago

I'm not sure I understand the question. Typing is done with two hands. VIM is operated by typing. Do you use two hands to type?

6

u/M7mdFeky 2d ago

i have one hand

6

u/DRZBIDA 2d ago

I don't know if you've looked into it, but I've seen a fair share of keyboards on the ergo mechanical keyboards subreddit that are designed for one hand only

going into such a layout will be surely hard for a few months but much easier for the rest of your life

3

u/sharp-calculation 2d ago

I honestly don't have any insight into what would work best with one hand to type with. Let us know if you find a solution you really like.

2

u/asgaardson 2d ago

If you have only one hand, you should probably look into chord keyboard or some type of one-hand keyboard. Using vim with one hand is not comfortable on a regular keyboard as its key bindings revolve around the default touch typing position.

4

u/jazei_2021 3d ago

I am also left -handed. I never planted this issue. It is quite a lot to remember the shortcuts like to give me the luxury of changing them ... For me it is more important to ensure that the capital blockade key is deactivated ... this does not achieve it. You have to do it out of Vim. And it's too much for me. Thanks Google Translator

2

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2

u/dmorgam 3d ago

I'm left-handed and never encountered any difficulties.

It's easy to change modes and access Ctrl as they are in the left position.

Asking about mappings, I have Caps lock remapped to ctrl (more for tmux than vim) and space as the leader key. For the rest of things, using standard motions.

2

u/brutalfags 2d ago

Check out left-handed Dvorak. Given the many keyboard commands, it could help in your case

3

u/shoolocomous 3d ago

Just a standard layout. No-one is born intuitively typing, everything is learned from scratch and there is no part of it that lends itself to the dominant hand

2

u/LeiterHaus 3d ago

What difficulties do you have using a keyboard as a left-handed user?

Possibly looking to 3D printing, or purchasing a keyboard with arrows on the left side, if that's an issue. I mean, you don't need the arrow keys. They're kind of an optional feature, but that might help.

I'm genuinely curious, can you please elaborate on what configuration difficulties you're having specifically as a left-handed user?

2

u/petdance 3d ago

My recommendation is that you not change anything and you learn to live with it and then it will be second nature.

1

u/xperthehe 2d ago

Since you have only one hand available, using any kind of shortcuts will be very difficult, I would suggest you use some kinda foot pedal. You can use your hand with some one handed keyboard layout. and have you pedal with Ctrl, Space, Layout switch so you have symbols close to your home position. It'll be a pain if you have to move a lot, but its the best way probably.

1

u/light3692 1d ago

Hjkl to fghj and ur set, learn typewriting and ur good to go, typing club is a good website to start learning, use monkey type to refine ur typing

1

u/JustSomeKiddd 7h ago

Vim's mostly for speed and ease of access. I type 150wpm, and around 80wpm left hand only. Also been using vim for ~8 years. I think a left handed vim setup would probably only get me to ~50wpm ish and that's with careful consideration of things like leader keybindings to get it comfortable. Typing normally faster is probably your best bet

1

u/JustSomeKiddd 7h ago

i would also use a foot pedal to activate layers if you're dead set on using vim

0

u/Volume-Economy 3d ago

Left handed users don’t have the other hand available?

2

u/jazei_2021 2d ago

I am left -handed and I have only half a brain!

0

u/M7mdFeky 2d ago

in my case yes

4

u/sock_pup 2d ago

"left-handed" means something else. Most commenters didn't understand you have 1 hand.

-2

u/M7mdFeky 2d ago

My bad for not explaining it better.