10.5 Question regarding lefties

[thejadedmonkey]

Stacks. They're a cute little way to organize files, and akin to a start menu. Apple has even taken the time to make the stacks expand on a curve, so that when you move your hand, the arc it makes is in line with the stack.

Now, I don't have a Leopard beta, so I'm just going off of the photos I've seen, but it seems to be that this is only good if you're a righty. If you're a lefty, the arc is facing the wrong direction, and trying to use it would seem rather un-ergonimical, to say the least.

Could someone with the beta be able to tell me if, as a lefty, stacks are a pain to use or if you can change the direction they arc out? Since stacks are public, I don't think it would be breaking any NDA's (but obviously I wouldn't know as I didn't sign one).

And if they are a pain to use, I'm thinking that I'll file a bug report/enhancement request on the ADC bug reporter.

 

[eji]

No kidding. I had this exact same thought. It just looks odd to me when they spread out to the right.

I'm so left-oriented that I even use the mouse with my left. And for the Stacks to fan out to the right ruins my natural "arc."

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I just filed a bug report with Apple, so we'll see what happens. I sure hope this gets worked on before Leopard goes G.M.

 

[mkrishnan]

I'm so left-oriented that I even use the mouse with my left. And for the Stacks to fan out to the right ruins my natural "arc."

So would it be good for you, do you think, to have the "right-hand side" elements of the dock (spaces, folders, trashcan, minimized apps) on the RHS, with the arc of spaces fanning left, or would it really be best to have the whole dock mirrored?

 

[TheAnswer]

I'm a lefty and use the mouse with my left hand...and making that slight arc with my hand towards the right (i.e. towards the center of my body) feels more natural than a slight arc going outwards. Seems to me, from looking at the preview pics, that the stack arc would put more strain on those that used the mouse with their right hand than those who used their left. That said, it would be a nice option if those stacks could swing both ways.

 

[eji]

So would it be good for you, do you think, to have the "right-hand side" elements of the dock (spaces, folders, trashcan, minimized apps) on the RHS, with the arc of spaces fanning left, or would it really be best to have the whole dock mirrored?

I would prefer it all to be on the left, yes, but that's a bit too reminiscent of Windows, isn't it?

On the whole, I don't think it matters too much where the icons fall in the dock. It hasn't been really impeded my productivity or anything; I've just gotten used to it, like everything else (scissors, can openers, record player tone arms). But with something like Stacks, I know I'd find it more natural if it fanned out to the left.