[blhack]

>If you type a lot over a prolonged period of time, yes. If you type in short bursts (like most programmers), no, mechanicals are actually useful.

Is this really how most programmers work, though? When I'm learning a new language or tool, sure, but after that it's mostly just the activity of writing the code.

[seanmcdirmid]

> Is this really how most programmers work, though?

Yes, well, I guess it depends on how mundane the coding is. It is possible that a programmer spends a lot of time typing and not a lot of time thinking, but then it is probably brain dead boilerplate that should have been automated somehow.

> When I'm learning a new language or tool, sure, but after that it's mostly just the activity of writing the code.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "writing code".

See: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2039522

[blhack]

Look, I'm not trying to get into an argument with you here, but:

1) You are not an authority on all programmers, or even most programmers.

2) The primary way that programmers express their work is by typing. The idea that programmers don't do very much typing, or that typing comfort/safety isn't relevant to programers is demonstrably absurd.

>"it is probably brain dead boilerplate that should have been automated somehow."

3) This thinly veiled derision is, imho, not constructive/rude. Do you consider the linux kernal "brain dead boilerplate"? Just some quick googling shows that the per developer code contribution is about 11,000 loc per release. That is code that was in the release, and doesn't even account for code that was typed, then removed, then retyped, etc.

Believe whatever you want, but I find the idea that programmers somehow don't need to care about ergonomics extremely shortsighted.

[seanmcdirmid]

Again, there is plenty of opinion that programming is much more thinking than typing. Any programmer who says they code at even 20 wpm is probably BSing, or are caught doing a lot of transcription work.

You can write 11K lines of code without continuously typing a lot, especially over a few weeks.