Command Prompt on new HP 8.1

NY wrote:
"Ron" wrote in message
...
Maybe not "lean" over it, but perhaps the positioning of the computer
and his seating position make would make his arms and back ache if he
were to use the touch screen. Perhaps his back and arms ache all of
the time and "reaching" for the screen makes it worse?

The problem with using a touch screen is that your fingers obscure the
screen in the area that you are touching. Also icons have to be made
larger than if you were using a mouse because a finger is larger and
therefore is less precise as a touching device.

If I was going to use a touch screen, I'd get a stylus to give me more
precise control over where I touch. I'd also get a keyboard for text
entry - *much* faster than one-finger typing on an on-screen keyboard.

But the main problem with a touch screen is that you want the screen
vertical to avoid reflections from overhead lights etc but horizontal on
a desk for ease of moving your hand over the touching surface. Ideally
desktop PCs with a touch screen would have a conventional screen for
looking at and a duplicate horizontal touch screen for "mousework".

I feel this is one of the failings of touch screens.
Namely, the "sensitivity" is 1:1. Meaning, if my
screen is two feet high and two feet wide, I have
to move my arm that distance to "touch" stuff.

The advantage of a mouse, is a movement of one inch,
causes the cursor to move a foot. And can be adjusted
by adjusting the sensitivity.

I can keep my arm resting on the arm rest of my
computer chair, and steer the cursor with a minimum
of muscular strain.

Touch for smart phones is about the right size,
because you don't have to move too far. But if you
need a big screen (poor eyesight like mine),
an input method that requires excessive movement
is a non-starter.

Paul

On 3/6/2015 9:15 AM, Paul wrote:
NY wrote:
"Ron" wrote in message
...
Maybe not "lean" over it, but perhaps the positioning of the computer
and his seating position make would make his arms and back ache if he
were to use the touch screen. Perhaps his back and arms ache all of
the time and "reaching" for the screen makes it worse?

The problem with using a touch screen is that your fingers obscure the
screen in the area that you are touching. Also icons have to be made
larger than if you were using a mouse because a finger is larger and
therefore is less precise as a touching device.

If I was going to use a touch screen, I'd get a stylus to give me more
precise control over where I touch. I'd also get a keyboard for text
entry - *much* faster than one-finger typing on an on-screen keyboard.

But the main problem with a touch screen is that you want the screen
vertical to avoid reflections from overhead lights etc but horizontal
on a desk for ease of moving your hand over the touching surface.
Ideally desktop PCs with a touch screen would have a conventional
screen for looking at and a duplicate horizontal touch screen for
"mousework".

I feel this is one of the failings of touch screens.
Namely, the "sensitivity" is 1:1. Meaning, if my
screen is two feet high and two feet wide, I have
to move my arm that distance to "touch" stuff.

The advantage of a mouse, is a movement of one inch,
causes the cursor to move a foot. And can be adjusted
by adjusting the sensitivity.

I can keep my arm resting on the arm rest of my
computer chair, and steer the cursor with a minimum
of muscular strain.

Touch for smart phones is about the right size,
because you don't have to move too far. But if you
need a big screen (poor eyesight like mine),
an input method that requires excessive movement
is a non-starter.

Paul
I completely agree with the above.

It seems like the genius at MS failed to take this into consideration.

On the other hand it may be a fitness thing. If you got a large screen
you get to do your exercise as you move around the screen touching
different places to do different things.

We all need additional exercise.

On Fri, 06 Mar 2015 00:26:17 -0500, Ron wrote:

On 3/5/2015 11:26 PM, Gene E. Bloch wrote:
On Thu, 5 Mar 2015 16:12:03 -0500, R.H. Breener wrote:

"Gene E. Bloch" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 3 Mar 2015 08:37:38 -0500, R.H. Breener wrote:

I don't use
touch-screen. This is a laptop, not a Tablet.

Windows 8.x uses touchscreens on laptops and desktop as well as on
tablets.

Perhaps your laptop lacks a touch screen, but plenty of others have one.

Mine has touchscreen which I see no point in using. I use a mouse and
prefer it to leaning over a desk until my arms and back ache.


He

http://tinyurl.com/l8p9cet (BestBuy.com)

It was about the third entry on the Best Buy page after I navigated to
Windows laptops. The first two might have had touchscreens, but the ads
didn't say so explicitly.

That's not what I wanted and needed. I bought one with 12 GB RAM and a 1 TB
HD. I have too many personal and business associated files so need a large
HD and plenty of RAM. I didn't want touch screen but none of the stores had
this config without it.

You *seem* to understand that you don't need to use the touch screen,
but you don't seem to understand that if you do use it you don't have to
lean over it until your arms and back ache.

Maybe not "lean" over it, but perhaps the positioning of the computer
and his seating position make would make his arms and back ache if he
were to use the touch screen. Perhaps his back and arms ache all of the
time and "reaching" for the screen makes it worse?

RHB referred to "leaning over", so I used his term. But yes, your idea
makes much sense, that he has ended up reaching too far or at a funny
angle because of his setup.

Maybe he could hire an ergonomics consultant to help him arrange his
desk so that he can use a touchscreen comfortably :-)

As for the touchscreen exacerbating preexisting aches & pains, that
works for me :-) It might very well be part of RHB's problem.

Ultimately, though, ISTM that if I had a touchscreen computer I'd be
reaching to the screen only a small percentage of the time.

I also agree with Paul's remark about the size of a phone screen being
OK for touch (also tablets) compared to (say) a 23" monitor, especially
the way they would likely be positioned.

Anyway, each user needs to find the way that works for him. RHB should
stick to the mouse & KB, I should use the touchscreen (if I ever get
one) only occasionally, and so on and so forth.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)