Our editors argue about efficiency, ease of use, gunky screens and 'gorilla arm'
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Do touch screens belong on PCs? A debate
(22 posts)
What whs said. I can move my cursor on my notebook from one side of the 15.5" screen to the other with a 2.25" mouse movement. Touch screens don't have the finesse of a mouse; that's why Win 8 had to come up with the clunky tiles. Reaching up to the 22" monitor on my desktop is mildly painful. Doing so repeatedly would have me screaming in pain within 30 minutes or less.
I also have a hard enough time keeping my screens clean without constantly touching them.
LOL, I am again victim of the 30 minute curfew. The sentence in my above posting:" A 12" tablet with a touchscreen ..." should read:" A 12" PC with a touchscreen ..." - It's like in school where the kids have to be on time.
LF is right, touch screens lack 'finesse'. When I do operate the touch screen, I do that 90% of the time with the stylus. Else I usually hit several things. Ergo the clunky tiles on the Win8.
Whs and LF,
while i agree with your point of views some touch screen devices can be very useful in the disability community. Some people have a hard time typing and a touch screen is call for to make it easier to use the said device. So touch screens do have some benefits for certain people.
John
Right now, most all Windows apps are easier with mouse/keyboard combination. But I think more and more Windows apps will be redesigned for touch. I see the eventual elimination of the mouse -- and we'll be left with a combination of keyboard for input and touch for screen navigating / maneuvering.
Because we are all different the more choice of input methods the better. The only problem is MS trying to steer us to another set of input methods. I use a touchpad exclusively and am on my computer for several hours a day. No RSI, neck or shoulder problems here but this is me. If I was made to use a touchscreen a lot that freedom from discomfort could change.
@ ReadandShare. Ask any gamer how well touch screens will work for gaming. Ask anyone who does intensive graphics editing how fine of detail can be achieved using touch screens. Ask anyone working retail and who has had to use touch screen registers for long periods how comfortable they are (I have, even before I developed the problems I have now, and can assure you the stupid things are exhausting). Try doing fine detailed graphics work (such as serious art or CAD, not the finger painting one sees in the Win 8 commercials) on a touch screen or with a keyboard. I used to do professional music "engraving" (creating sheet music) and, believe me, the level of detail often required, especially when page formatting, would be too clumsy and slow with touch screensSpeaking of keyboards, not everyone is able to remember more than a few keyboard shortcuts. Touch screens are fine for play and occasional use but are too slow and clumsy for serious computing, no matter how the software is designed. I'll give up my mouse when you pry it from my cold, dead hand.
Being a die hard linux enthusiast I believe in freedom of choice. I believe each user should be able to customize their software configuration as well as their hardware configuration. Each person should choose what suits them best because everyone is not using their machines for the same purpose or with the same software, and they should not have the decision made for them.
Rick as always has interesting topics/posts, keep them coming.
Reading the posts -- I have a feeling many old timers "bitched" just as vehemently when Windows and mouse first came upon the scene. Part of the difficulty had to do with adapting to a new device. Another part was simply that DOS apps back then were designed for keyboards -- not mouse. Methinks the same forces and counter forces are at work today. Subjective, of course, but when changes do come, most of us will just adapt...
I don't know, constantly reaching across a desk to touch a wide screen monitor is a bit much for even long armed orang-outangs.
On a Tablet touching is fine, but who's going to use a Tablet for Cad or Excel accounting sheets.
Voice control is one answer but how would that work in a room filled with others.
