Which hand do you use the mouse with?

Squirminator2k

Most people use their comptuer mouse in their right hand, because statistically most people are right-handed. It's also the way most computers are set up, although Windows, Amiga Workbench and, I believe, Mac OS all allow you to switch to a left-handed set-up. I myself am left-handed (or "cack-handed" as they say in soem parts of England) but I use the mouse in my right hand. I sometimes wonder if my aim in FPS games would be improved by switching over.

So my question is: How many people - lefties or otherwise - use the mouse in their left hand, and why?

Incenjucar

Being right-handed, I usually use it in my right hand.

However, I occassionally switch it to my left for one reason or another, generally because I have ambidexity envy.

Frankly I wish they'd come out with Dual Mouse setups so I could use both at the same time.

mantidor

Incenjucar wrote: »

Frankly I wish they'd come out with Dual Mouse setups so I could use both at the same time.

I've never thought of that, it sounds kind of neat.

As a left-handed I use my mouse in the left hand, and I'm kind of a zealot in that regard. I just got used to it when I got my first computer and I was the only user, so I just set up the mouse this way. The funny thing is the rest of the family had to accomodate, and they eventually got used to it. However now that we have three computers in the house, they reverted to a right handed mouse.

AbsoluteHero

In counterstrike and just about any FPS that allows it I will change my gun position to be left handed, since studies show players turn right about 60% of the time. And having the gun on the left gives you an advantage because you can see more and thus an advantage 60% of the time as opposed to 40.

I do this despite using the mouse with my right hand.

On top of that, the only reason to really switch to using your left hand is if you want to jack off hard while using the computer.

sdrawkcaB emaN

Incenjucar wrote: »

Being right-handed, I usually use it in my right hand.

However, I occassionally switch it to my left for one reason or another, generally because I have ambidexity envy.

I wonder if using your off-hand for the mouse would improve your control with it? I mean, aren't there ways to essentially train yourself to be ambidextrous?

AbsoluteHero

suilimeA wrote: »

Incenjucar wrote: »

Being right-handed, I usually use it in my right hand.

However, I occassionally switch it to my left for one reason or another, generally because I have ambidexity envy.

I wonder if using your off-hand for the mouse would improve your control with it? I mean, aren't there ways to essentially train yourself to be ambidextrous?

Probably not.

Here's the thing, most people already have some degree of ambidexterity. I can write neatly with my left hand if I just slow down. If I do that forever I will eventually speed up and it will be natural.

Mice are very simple to use, it's just pushing them around and clicking. After a while you will be used to it. Maybe you won't be precise enough to play fast moving FPS games but it will be good enough. If you use a trackball there is even less of a difference.

jotate

In my experience, one hand, regardless of whether it's dominant, can be decidedly better at something than the other. There are somethings I do with my left hand that, despite being right handed, are totally awkward if I try to switch and use my right hand.

Tach

I'm right handed, and use that hand at home on the PC. At work, I switched to left-handing it, because my right wrist starts to ache a bit when I over use it.

peterdevore

I know somebody who uses his mouse backwards. Yes, he holds the front end regardless of the cable. He is left handed I believe, so that might explain it. It's still weird.

I dont use a mouse at this moment. I use the little 'joyknob' (How do you call those things anyway?) in the center of my laptop keyboard with my (natural) right middle finger.

redx

I used to use either hand for most stuff. Not gaming or anything, but most stuff I'd use either.

I don't do that anymore, because my incredibly comfortable and badass mice are not even a little ambidextrous.

I type better a little better with my right hand, so when I'm using a touch pad, I'll normally use my left.

I normally refer to those as nipples.

Aldo

I'm left handed but I mouse around right handed, because my first PC (back in the early 90s and it was second hand) was set up that way and I didn't know how to change it.

Rhesus Positive

I'm right handed so I use my right hand. The only thing I'm really ambidextrous in is sailing-related manipulation, such as undoing and doing knots. I'm OK with finger stuff, just not accurate movements of the forearm.

meeker

Incenjucar wrote: »

Frankly I wish they'd come out with Dual Mouse setups so I could use both at the same time.

I actually do this at work. I have 2 pcs and when i need to use them both I have both hands on the mice. I know there are configurations that exist for exactly this scenario.

peterdevore

Why use 2 pc's for 2 mice when you can dual wield on one?

(Yes it works with unmodified stuff like GIMP and firefox out of the box, up to 18 devices at the same time, maybe more)

Kelor

I use the mouse with my right hand, even though I'm a lefty. Makes taking notes while online and the phone at work so much easier not having to swap hands.

The left handers only natural enemies are clipboards and any kind of writing book with a ring binder.

Aldo

Kelor wrote: »

I use the mouse with my right hand, even though I'm a lefty. Makes taking notes while online and the phone at work so much easier not having to swap hands.

The left handers only natural enemies are clipboards and any kind of writing book with a ring binder.

And fountain pens. And a shitton of other things tailored to right-handers.

Doc

I'm a lefty, but I mouse right handed.

Asiina

I'm right handed and I generally use my left hand for my mouse at home because of space constraints. It's just easier to have it on the left. I change it to the right when gaming though. I can use both equally, but I find I have better accuracy when using my right hand so that's why I switch.

BigJoeM

Lefty and i use the mouse with my right hand.

I don't like clipboards or spirals but i can't stand right handed scissors.

Malkor

I'm lefty and use the mouse with my right hand. I can also use the computer and write stuff down legibly at the same time.

deadonthestreet

I'm a righty but on occasion I'll use me left when I'm using a trackpad.

yalborap

I use my mouse left-handed, but I keep it on the right-handed button setting.

Blackjack

yalborap wrote: »

I use my mouse left-handed, but I keep it on the right-handed button setting.

Me too.

Jimothy

I am left-handed, but use my right hand for the mouse.

I have been trying to use the Wii Remote with my left hand, and that is pretty mouse-like.

_J_

Right handed - right hand.

sdrawkcaB emaN

AbsoluteHero wrote: »

On top of that, the only reason to really switch to using your left hand is if you want to jack off hard while using the computer.

This.

Shmoepong

Right handed. Mouse in the left hand. I'm not ambidexterous.

Right hand for WoW. I'm a clicker.

Vrtra Theory

Righty. For regular mice I use my right hand, but on a laptop (the little touch screen mouse pad) I generally use one finger on my left hand.

stigweard

I'm a lefty and use my left. I am comfortable doing anything but precise gaming with my right though. I am constantly at other people's computers, so I just use whatever is there. There are a few advantages to being left handed though. Studies have shown that we think quicker and react quicker* than right handed people.

The second is a report citing other studies. There is tons of info on the net about the effect though.

edit: Until I started learning guitar, I was pretty sure I was ambidextrous. The only thing before that that I could not do right handed as well as left was throw a ball.

nexuscrawler

I'm lefty and use my right hand

It's odd because I can use a mouse and write at the same time

Gihgehls

I am a righty and mouse with the right hand. But years ago I broke my right arm in half, so I had to mouse left handed for about a month. This right when Tribes came out... my first experience with that game was playing left handed at my friend's house. Now that I think about it, he had the Trespasser demo too. That was hard to play left handed (or at all.)

Now I can use either hand pretty well, but I would still game with the right hand.

Anarchy Rules!

I'm a lefty, but use my right hand. This is mostly because when I first used a computer it was either at school, or a shared family computer. Now I have my laptop I still use right as I've got used to it, but I use left hand for the touch pad.

I am unable to write with my right hand, but I eat and use objects eg. scissors right handed. It's rather odd.

jothki

Right handed, right hand.

For some reason, I can only put on watches using my left hand to put them on my right wrist. The other way around is doable, but it feels awkward.

Brodo Faggins

Left handed, left mouse, with lefty setup (that's the default on the lefty-only Logitech MX 610).

I wish they'd release lefty versions of all their mice, damnit.

Whenever I go to the library or a computer lab, I can use the mouse in my right hand just fine, but it'd be terrible for StarCraft and the like.

Vulpine

Left-handed, but right-handed mouse. When I first started using one, that's where it was, and since I was about five it felt odd anyway, so I just learnt that way. I can happily use a mouse left-handed though, though I like being able to write something down whilst still using the computer simultaneously. (Really irritates my family if I switch the mouse and leave it so, though... )

Edit: except on laptops. I default to using my iBook's trackpad with my left hand, every time, and it feels good.

The Cat

shit, lot of leftys here. We're only supposed to be 10% of the general population, aren't we? Anyway, count me as another lefty conforming to a rightie society :P I did use the mouse left handed when my right wrist was broken without any troubles, though.

*wanders off to make a poll*

Elki

The Cat wrote: »

shit, lot of leftys here. We're only supposed to be 10% of the general population, aren't we? Anyway, count me as another lefty conforming to a rightie society :P I did use the mouse left handed when my right wrist was broken without any troubles, though.

*wanders off to make a poll*

I'm so sorry, Cat, I didn't know about your condition.


Right handed, with right hand mouse.

Elendil

Right handed, right hand.

I just use my left hand for uh other things when they come up.

Dark Moon

Right handed, mouse with left hand.

I had some tendinitis issues last year with my right wrist and mousing became very uncomfortable using that hand. I decided to switch and, while it took a few days to get used to it, I've since managed to gain about as much dexterity with my left hand as I previously had with my right.

Something strange, though: I didn't switch the position of my right mouse button/left mouse button when mousing with my left hand on a right hand configured mouse. This was done in the beginning because I would switch back to my right hand whenever I needed more precise handling of the mouse, but even after I voided that issue by training my left hand properly I still prefer a right handed configuration when mousing left.

Mom2Kat

Both the daughter and I are right handed and Husband is a lefty, (or wrong handed as most of the family says). We all mouse right handed, and he even has trouble mousing left.

I have a dual mouse set up (2 usb mice) on my comp because my daughter hates my gaming mouse (I keep the switchable resolution fairly high, and even on low it is too fast for her) so I keep a regular old microsoft laser plugged in for her to use. Gets confusing if something heavy has fallen on it and my pointer starts moving randomly.

That made me think of something, how fast do you like your tracking speed? I like mine high as my desk and keyboard tray are small so very small movements of the mouse making large movment on the screen is ideal for me. I use this in WoW to great effect. My mouse of choice is a Creative Fatal1ty as I found it the most comfy and loe the swictable resolution. I also like the 3 finger button and one thumb set up. The one I would love is my brothers set up. He has a Logitech combo that is blue tooth with about 7-8 buttons on the mouse. I loved it for WoW, but at $250+ for a mouse and keyboard I will not be getting it soon.

john fechon

Tach wrote: »

I'm right handed, and use that hand at home on the PC. At work, I switched to left-handing it, because my right wrist starts to ache a bit when I over use it.

Ditto for me. I started getting pains in my wrist so i swapped sides at work. After three months, I've gotten alot better with my left hand, but still not as steady as my right hand. My coworkers hate using my computer though.