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Keyboard & Mice Programs 

Contents

Commodio
QPointer

Darryn Davis
MButton

Dvorak Keyboard Tools

hsh

JR Software
Mouse Tool

Matias Corp
Half-QWERTY

Microsoft
Access Pack for Windows

PowerClicks

Mouse2

RSIGuard Software
RSIGuard

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Keyboard control tools enable you to change your keyboard mapping so you can type with one hand, or with a different two-handed layout. One-handed typing tools may help, but be VERY careful about how you use them - if you keep the same overall typing workload you are doubling your hand use for the hand that you use for typing, and may therefore simply cause your remaining "good" hand/arm to deteriorate rapidly. There is probably a large number of people who have worsened their RSI in this way and regret it.

Mouse control tools change the way your mouse works to avoid or modify operations that are painful - mouse dragging is a common problem.

 

Commodio - Human Computer Interaction
20 Hata'as street, Kefar-Sava, Israel
+972-9-7643764, Fax: +972-9-7643765
info@commodio.com
http://www.commodio.com/ 

QPointer

  • A beta version  is now available for download on Windows 2000 and will be available for Windows 98 in the near future.

QPointer is a software product, which enables convenient, mouseless operation of  the computer by means of keyboard input. With QPointer running, the keyboard starts functioning as an absolute and relative pointing device, in addition to being a typewriting device. As a pointing device, it provides full functionality of a mouse plus an additional novel absolute pointing and object navigation capabilities.

(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)

(Information last checked:  Aug'01)

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Darryn Davis
DarrynDavis@cit.com.au

MButton (freeware)

MButton is an EXE and DLL that hooks into the middle button message and generates a double click instead. It will work with both Windows NT (i386) and Windows 95. However, it is aimed for users of Windows NT who have a 3 button mouse and wish to have middle button functionality.

----------
From: Grahame[SMTP:grahame@bitforge.com]
Reply To: rsi-uk@loud-n-clear.com
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 1997 5:40 AM
To: rsi-uk@loud-n-clear.com
Subject: Middle mouse button utility for Windows NT

Greetings,
I've had quite a few requests for the NT middle mouse button utility, (turns the middle button into a double click), so I've placed it in the list files.

You can get it by sending a message to:
rsi-uk-admin@loud-n-clear.com
with any subject line, no signature, and a single line in the body of the message which should read:
GET rsi-uk mbutton.zip
The file will then be e-mailed to you.

NOTE: Don't send these requests to rsi-uk, send them to rsi-uk-admin

Cheers,
Grahame

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Dvorak Keyboard Tools

X window system software, via anonymous ftp
ftp://ftp.cs.princeton.edu/pub/typing-injury/software/xdvorak.c

Microsoft systems

Standard in Microsoft Windows, Windows for Workgroups and Windows NT Available as a free add-on for MS-DOS

To quote the Microsoft documentation

Dvorak keyboard layouts are based on designs created by August Dvorak, a professor at the University of Washington during the 1930s and 1940s. Dr. Dvorak studied the way people type standard English, and determined the most common letter combinations. He then designed new keyboard layouts to speed up typing and reduce fatigue. These layouts, now called Dvorak or simplified keyboards, were initially developed for two-handed typists. Following World War II, Dvorak layouts were developed for typists who use the right or left hand alone.

It is doubtful that switching to Dvorak will have a major impact on RSI, but it may be helpful in preventing RSI. If you do switch, your typing rate will go down a lot initially, which will help!

Microsoft Windows products support Dvorak as a standard keyboard layout - look in the International setup in the Control panel.

MS-DOS supports this via the MS-DOS Supplemental Disk, available from Microsoft, which includes standard and one-handed Dvorak layouts. These layouts are available for Windows in Application Note GA0650, available from Microsoft or from various online services as GA0650.ZIP.

Training and keycap stickers for the Dvorak layout are available from:

KEYTIME
4516 NE 54th St.
Seattle, WA 98105-2933
(206) 324-7219 (voice and fax)

If you are also looking at alternative keyboards, you might also like to look at the Maltron layout, which is claimed to be more efficient than Dvorak. See the alternative keyboard FAQ for supplier details.

(Information last checked:  Pending)

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hsh

Allows one-handed typing and other general keyboard remappings. Only works through tty's (so you can use it with a terminal or an xterm, but not most X programs).

(Information last checked:  Pending)

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JR Software, LLC
http://www.mousetool.com

Distributor:  DITR Marketing, Inc.
11772 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 120, San Diego, CA 92121
(619) 259-4700, Fax: (619) 259-5425
service@ditr.com
http://www.softwarestore.com 

MouseTool (software)

  • Estimated Price:  $39.95 for registered version (free trial version available)
    online by credit card at: http://www.ditr.com/software/mousetool/order.html
    • For phone, fax, or email credit card orders and regular mail check orders, contact DITR Marketing

MouseTool clicks your mouse buttons, so you don't have to. MouseTool is a software solution to a serious hardware problem: long hours spent using a mouse can lead to permanent debilitating injury of the wrists. There are many, many mice on the market.  They all have buttons that can injure.  MouseTool works with all mice, so you can use your favorite, without having to click the buttons. When the problem is caused by clicking buttons, the solution is to not click those buttons. Download a free trial version of MouseTool now and see how well it works for you.

The basic idea is simple: the MouseTool watches as you move the mouse. When you stop, it clicks.  It's an idea that may take some getting used to, but the program itself is surprisingly easy to use. There are variations that let you drag the mouse, or switch to right-clicks or double-clicks. MouseTool also has a stretch break timer that will remind you to take breaks.

(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)

(Information last checked:  Dec'97)

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The Matias Corporation
Address: 178 Thistledown Boulevard, Rexdale, Ontario, Canada, M9V 1K1
Phone: 416-749-3124 (Canada)
FAX: 416-740-4132
E-mail: ematias@dgp.toronto.edu
WWW: http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/matias/

Half-QWERTY

Free Demos:

PC: ftp://explorer.dgp.toronto.edu/pub/Half-QWERTY/1handemo.zip

Mac: ftp://explorer.dgp.toronto.edu/pub/Half-QWERTY/1handemo.hqx
Also, available on floppy from the company

Price: $395 + shipping ($5) (higher in Canada, quantity discounts available)
Shipping: Now.
Compatibility: Mac, DOS, and Windows.

Half-QWERTY is software that turns your standard keyboard into a one-handed keyboard. Touch-typists can learn it with little or no retraining.

When you hold down the space bar, all the keys under your hand change to those that would normally fall under the same fingers of your other hand. The space bar is still used for typing spaces. It differentiates based on the duration you hold it down.

When you are not holding down the space bar, you can use your keyboard as a normal two-handed keyboard (maybe you want to switch from one to two-handed typing depending on your task, i.e., whether you are using your mouse).

(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)

(Information last checked:  Pending . . .)

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Microsoft

Access Pack for Windows

http://www.microsoft.com/enable
http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/accp.htm

  • Free commercial software
  • Compatibility: Windows

The Microsoft Windows family of products is designed to make PC's easier to use for everyone, from PC professionals to average users, including those users with disabilities. To meet this goal, Microsoft provides Access Pack for Microsoft Windows. Access Pack for Microsoft Windows is a set of utilities that make it easier for users with motion related disabilities to use the keyboard and mouse. Users that desire visual feedback rather than sounds will also find Access Pack valuable. A PC with Access Pack installed is ideal for settings where computers are used by multiple people, such as public or workgroup machines. Machines with Access Pack can easily be used by both those individuals that require its additional features and those that do not.

(see website given above for more manufacturer product information)

(Information last checked:  Feb'98)

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PowerClicks, Mouse2

"PowerClicks is a cdev that can replace mouse click and mouse click-holding with self-defined keyboard combinations. For example, I use my right hand to move the mouse around, and use my left hand to press F1 for mouse click, and F2 for mouse click-holding." - Charles Hsieh

Mouse2 makes the mouse move twice as fast, so that your hand doesn't have to move as far.

(Information last checked:  Pending)

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RSIGuard Software
226 Jeter St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
info@rsiguard.com 
http://www.rsiguard.com 

RSIGuard

  • Shareware
  • Compatibility: Windows 95/98/NT
  • Available: Direct, free 45-day trial ($40 registration)
RSIGuard was designed by a software engineer experiencing RSI symptoms. Not finding what he wanted in other RSI-related software, he decided to write what he personally needed.

BreakTimer is the most useful break timer available because it models your body's stress and has a much better idea of when you need to take a break.

DataLogger is a complete activity logger that lets you and your health professional monitor how you are using the computer. Stress from typing and mousing are separately stored, as well as typing speed. Hours of work per day as well as how much break time you take is recorded. Using 'RSIGuard Reports', this data can be viewed in graphs over the course of months to watch trends, or verify reductions in work intensity. 

AutoClick is a tool designed to avoid one of the most trauma-causing computer actions—clicking a mouse. AutoClick clicks the mouse for you whenever you stop moving the cursor. 

ForgetMeNots is a behavior modifier based on the Feldenkrais™ method that keeps you aware of your body. ForgetMeNots shows you tips at times of day you specify. It reminds you to be aware of how you're using your body and the computer. Tips are dynamically selected based on how you're working and from a list of tips you select. You can also add your own reminders to the list.

(see website  for more manufacturer product information)

(Information last checked:  Dec'99)

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Last Updated: 08/29/01