Story of becoming a thumb user

Zloth

Community Contributor
On the keyboard, I use my thumb all the time for the space key.

Now the mouse, that's another story - I should be using it more there, but often forget about the two thumb buttons the mouse has so I don't map anything to them. Does anyone else regularly map thumb buttons? Maybe to some particular function, like opening inventories or map views?
 
On the keyboard, I use my thumb all the time for the space key.

Now the mouse, that's another story - I should be using it more there, but often forget about the two thumb buttons the mouse has so I don't map anything to them. Does anyone else regularly map thumb buttons? Maybe to some particular function, like opening inventories or map views?
I just have a cheap wireless mouse that doesn't even have thumb buttons.
 
On the keyboard, I use my thumb all the time for the space key.

Now the mouse, that's another story - I should be using it more there, but often forget about the two thumb buttons the mouse has so I don't map anything to them. Does anyone else regularly map thumb buttons? Maybe to some particular function, like opening inventories or map views?
I map thumb buttons, but only if the mouse has 3 or more thumb buttons. Forward/back while browsing. If I have a third one I map Escape to it, which I find useful for a lot of things. In Terraria, it opens inventory, and I use it to go out of full screen if I watch videos on Youtube etc.
 
Besides using the space bar key, i rarely use it on the keyboard. if i was a touch typist i'll probably be more active with it.

On joypads and handhelds, my thumbs take a more actively role unsurprisingly. Dpad and the button pads.
I am a touch typist, and the only time you ever use your thumb is for the spacebar. I guess if you're using a number pad, you use your thumb for the 0 button. But that's it on a keyboard.

And as I type this and think about things, I realized that I only ever use my right thumb for the spacebar. It makes me wonder if it's just because I'm right-handed. Are there any left handed people here? If so, do you use your left thumb for the spacebar?
 
And as I type this and think about things, I realized that I only ever use my right thumb for the spacebar. It makes me wonder if it's just because I'm right-handed. Are there any left handed people here? If so, do you use your left thumb for the spacebar?
I'm right handed also, but my left hand is always my keyboard hand, and so I use my left thumb for the space bar (which in a lot of the games I've played, it's the "jump" key). My right hand is always my mouse hand, and I have kind of a "light claw grip" I guess I would call it. With my Rat 8, it has 2 right angle side bars that flare out on the sides; my thumb rests on one, and my pinky on the other. My 3 other fingers are always on the left & right mouse buttons, with my middle finger on the scroll wheel.

Does anyone else regularly map thumb buttons? Maybe to some particular function, like opening inventories or map views?
I never have programed any of the optional mouse buttons. There are 3 programable buttons for the thumb on the Rat 8, I've just never bothered to use them.
 
I'm right handed also, but my left hand is always my keyboard hand, and so I use my left thumb for the space bar (which in a lot of the games I've played, it's the "jump" key). My right hand is always my mouse hand, and I have kind of a "light claw grip" I guess I would call it. With my Rat 8, it has 2 right angle side bars that flare out on the sides; my thumb rests on one, and my pinky on the other. My 3 other fingers are always on the left & right mouse buttons, with my middle finger on the scroll wheel.
Yeah, I agree with you about gaming. I'm the same way when I game with keyboard and mouse. But I was talking about for typing. When you're typing, do you ever use your left thumb for the space bar?
 
Yeah, I agree with you about gaming. I'm the same way when I game with keyboard and mouse. But I was talking about for typing. When you're typing, do you ever use your left thumb for the space bar?
My misunderstanding. I was just typing a longish post and was watching my thumbs. They're both resting on the space bar (I'm a touch typist also, but not very fast). It's weird, because mostly I use my right thumb, but occasionally my left thumb will jump in and hit the space bar. I wonder if that's a side affect from using it when I'm gaming all the time.
 
This was supposed to be a joke, but you're right. :D We operate controllers using mostly thumbs (not counting triggers and bumpers of course).
To be honest, other than web games, I pretty much only use controllers for all of my gaming. I don't ever play multiplayer games, so I don't really have times when there is a disadvantage against K&M gamers.

My misunderstanding. I was just typing a longish post and was watching my thumbs. They're both resting on the space bar (I'm a touch typist also, but not very fast). It's weird, because mostly I use my right thumb, but occasionally my left thumb will jump in and hit the space bar. I wonder if that's a side affect from using it when I'm gaming all the time.
I rest both thumbs on the spacebar, too. But I just noticed when I was typing that first post about it that even though I do rest both thumbs on it, I only ever use my right thumb.

I really do want to know if lefties use their left thumb or not.
 

Sarafan

Community Contributor
It's weird, because mostly I use my right thumb, but occasionally my left thumb will jump in and hit the space bar.

Hey, I always use my left thumb to press the spacebar! And I'm a right handed person! :) Now I tried to use the spacebar using my right thumb and it all ended in pressing it twice: once by right thumb and the second by left thumb... :LOL:
 

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