What’s Wrong with Keyboards and Mice? | TechTree.com

What’s Wrong with Keyboards and Mice?

Why a traditional laptop with a touch screen may not be a great idea to buy... there are many other options.

 
What’s Wrong with Keyboards and Mice?

We keep hearing it: “Touchscreens offer an intuitive user experience.” “Touchscreens are intuitive.” Sure they are: To zoom into a picture, you directly touch the edges and stretch it out instead of performing abstract actions such as clicking the zoom icon.

But this kind of implies that keyboards and mice aren't intuitive. They are; they’re just as intuitive as touchscreens for anyone who’s used them even a couple of months.

Now don’t get me wrong: On a smartphone or tablet, say, it would be silly to try and manipulate the little keypad to get things done. The touchscreen is the only way to go. But. But. Once you start bandying about the “touchscreens offer a far more intuitive user experience” thing, you open the door to marketing gimmicks such as touchscreen laptops.

On these abominations, you switch from keyboard to screen, your arms above the keyboard, and then back... over and over. Why would anyone want a touchscreen laptop, I’m wondering.

All this reminds me of a renowned academic — I forget his name — who spoke about how reading is not an intuitive action; that our minds were not made to process language by looking at something; that the intuitive and correct way is to listen to words. If that professor had his way, we’d convert all our books and web pages to audio — and stop reading and typing.

Reading is intuitive — at least for those of us who aren't retarded, and who learnt to read while very young. Likewise for the keyboard and mouse.

Think about this before you fall for the “intuitive” spiel and invest in a touchscreen laptop — or worse, a touchscreen desktop!


Tags : Keyboards, mice, touchscreen laptops, touchscreen desktop