Title: The Invisible Interface
Context: Keyboard shortcuts are the red headed stepchild of mouse-less interaction. Doesn’t mean they aren’t beloved by those who know them best.
Synopsis: Does anyone in their right mind actually use their mouse to select a block of text, then move their mouse over to the Edit menu, then select Copy, then move their mouse over to where they want to place the text, then click the point of insertion for the text, then move the mouse back to the Edit menu, before finally clicking Paste? Of course sane people do not engage in this type of madness. No, you hit your arrow keys a few times, throw in a shift key, a Cmd-C, some more arrow keys, then a Cmd-V and bada-bing bada-boom, you are done. And as any Photoshop jockey will tell you the quickest way to tell an amateur from a pro is by how many key combos they have memorized. Quite simply, keyboard combinations are a superior mode of interaction and one we ignore far too often. So come on my brothers and sisters! Get to typing!
Best Bit: “But in general, I’m not advocating keyboard shortcuts as a replacement, but as a supplement to an existing interface, especially for products that people may be using for several hours a day, every day.”
via spaceandtim.es
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