| I disagree. When I hold my hand straight out to my screen(s), it is an additional 20 to 30 cm I would have to lean forward to actually touch one. I don't particularly want to start looking down at my screen. I suppose there could be an optimal angle of compromise - but, I have other reservations about using touch screens exclusively. 1. Keeping any one finger extended while keeping the rest off the screen is none to pleasant for me, whereas mice are pretty comfy to rest the hand on. 2. Being a female with somewhat longer nails, I find using touch pads and touch screens to be a nightmare in terms of accuracy. I know exactly where my mouse is and what it's going to activate when I click - I can't say the same for my finger nail getting in the way or the larger area of finger-pad that touches as a result of avoiding nail contact. I suppose this could be remedied with a stylus of some sort, but I'm also sad when my hand is in the way of viewing stuff around what I'm trying to manipulate. I've got some pretty slender hands, but this still leads to awkward wrist action trying to keep a finger on the screen and look at everything around it simultaneously. 3. The distance I cover with my mouse on the desk in order to move my pointer across three monitors is a fraction of the actual distance travelled by my pointer, so instead of sweeping my arm dramatically across a meter or so, I've flicked my wrist a few cm to achieve the same effect. But, when I move my mouse very slowly, I can still achieve pixel accuracy. 4. Unless screens develop the ability to change their texture and structure, there is just no screen substitute for the little grooves between the keys, home row extrusions, and physical feedback of my keyboard. I can rest my hands on the keyboard without worry because it takes a certain amount of pressure to activate the keys, and I know for certain when I have pushed a key, even if there is no immediate visual feedback. I can always look down to my keyboard and it reveals a good deal of it's functionality to me. It also never takes up any precious screen real estate and I don't have to do anything elaborate to bring it up. 5. Goodness, can you imagine how dirty my screens would get, so fast! Yuck. Finger prints and smudges everywhere.
But this is just my opinion and may be subject to change if better technologies come around. Presently I'm in no hurry to abandon my mouse & keyboard. -edit for formatting. |