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Are the designers left handed or what?

sparkie7

sparkie7

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 17, 2008
2,546
287
Whats with all the ports on the left hand-side on all the uMBP's.. Looking at the cable length on my wired mouse it would not go all the way around from the left handed USB ports to the right hand side as I'm right handed like the majority of the entire worlds population.

So whats that mean? I either have to buy an USB extension cable or get a wireless mouse?!?

Also, I prefer to have my MBP on the left with my Larger display on the right. This makes it more limiting cable wise in order to achieve this.

I feel much better venting this. I think I've been in Britain too long. The whinging pom syndrome has finally rubbed off :D:D
 
I use a usb extender. It is odd though... 17" powerbooks used to come with at least one usb on either side. Not sure if the new 17" pros do, i've been out of the loop for a while!

Hey, we don't complain all that much:p
 
On the old MacBook Pro, you had USB ports on either side and the DVD drive at the front. But since you lent your wrist on the DVD drive, it could warp. So they moved the DVD drive to the side, meaning they had to move all the ports to the other side. And I guess they had to chose between having the DVD drive on the right or left, and they chose right.
 
You're not supposed to buy the wired mouse for your laptop. You're supposed to buy the more expensive wireless one.

Or buy the keyboard and plug it into that. Either way you're not spending enough money on accessories.
 
As a leftie Im not arguing with :apple: That said I always use the mouse right handed coz its just the way its set up at home for some reason!
 
Are you saying the cable on your mouse is less than a foot long? My logitech is at least one metre long.

While my 17" MBP does have a USB port on the right, I never use it...gets in the way.
 
You poms are A-OK. when you're not whining or asking for a cup of tea! lol :p

People say its to shift layout to be more cost effective (ie all I/O ports on ones side). But why not put them on the right hand side so the majority of users benefit? Or design the circuitry so at least one USB port and display port is on the right.

I use the ports much more than the optical drive so it makes sense to give priority to the port layout and access
 
You know, having the port on the opposite site to the side where you use it is probably better. Why? Because then the cable doesn't get in your way, you can hide the clutter behind the screen.
 
Chundles said:
You're not supposed to buy the wired mouse for your laptop. You're supposed to buy the more expensive wireless one.

Or buy the keyboard and plug it into that. Either way you're not spending enough money on accessories.
Click to expand...

ah yes, the  way it seems to make users spend more $$$ on their wireless rodents. And their Mini Display port to DVI dual link abortive products that dont work

But I prefer the wired mice. Less battery replacements and all that jazz

sammich said:
Are you saying the cable on your mouse is less than a foot long? My logitech is at least one metre long.

While my 17" MBP does have a USB port on the right, I never use it...gets in the way.
Click to expand...

My wired  mouse is about 50cm long. Way to short to run around a 17 MBP, and a 15" or 13" for that matter with any leah way for movement
 
I find that the USB and DVI outputs on the right side of my 17" MBP at work gets in the way of putting my mouse pad and mouse on the right side of the computer. The plugs stick out and my mouse runs into the cables, I prefer the ports on the left side because I am right handed. I just got a 13" MBP yesterday for home and saw that they are now on the left, but I haven't put a mouse on it yet.
 
Just a little taster for you righties into how badly designed lefties find the world :)
 
nick9191 said:
On the old MacBook Pro, you had USB ports on either side and the DVD drive at the front. But since you lent your wrist on the DVD drive, it could warp. So they moved the DVD drive to the side, meaning they had to move all the ports to the other side. And I guess they had to chose between having the DVD drive on the right or left, and they chose right.
Click to expand...

I once had a small argument with someone other this, saying it was impossible to bend that metal, they seemed to think MBPs were made of some kind of miracle metal that never bent...

PS. Mine warped so badly discs wouldn't eject, they just got stuck.

Chundles said:
You're not supposed to buy the wired mouse for your laptop. You're supposed to buy the more expensive wireless one.

Or buy the keyboard and plug it into that. Either way you're not spending enough money on accessories.
Click to expand...

Haha, love it :p
 
The macbook is indeed designed for right-handers.

You want the right side to be free of plug-in clutter. No need to be dodging cables and protruding flash drives while the rodent scurries across the table.

Just don't set your beverage cup too close when ejecting that disk. :D
 
People will always find problems with anything. I like having the ports on the left side, and I'm a righty. :D
 
MedHead said:
As a leftie Im not arguing with :apple: That said I always use the mouse right handed coz its just the way its set up at home for some reason!
Click to expand...

I'm left handed too... these righties need to walk a mile in our shoes... let them use left handed sissors for 50 years like I've had to use the right handed ones.

That said I go way back in the computer industry. There was a time when we didn't have mice. Those up and down arrows and the tab keys got a lot of use in some programs.

My first date with a mouse. I had the chance to configure it lefty or righty... I sat there confused for several moments... I write left handed, but I bat right handed... tennis, golf, ping-pong... left handed. I shift the car right handed... bingo... the car did it. In 1986 I configured the mouse right handed and have never tried it the other way.

I think the real reason the ports are on the left side has nothing to do with favoring lefties or righties. It has more to do with the internal layout of the parts on the motherboard.
 
Jaffa Cake said:
Come on, it's not like we go burning you lot at the stake.

Well, not any more anyway. ;)
Click to expand...

My first day of first grade, September 1959. The teacher took me out of class and put me in a little room with one other lefty in there and 4 teachers. They tried to convince us to switch. On of the teachers bent over me and looked me right in the eye and said, "You'll always be a failure in life until you learn to use your right hand."

Early in 2nd grade, September 1960. The teacher said to me. "What if you worked in a factory and a big machine came down on your left arm and crushed it. What would you do?" I just looked at her and said, "I would learn to write with my right hand." She replied (all happy now, what a genius she was), "Why don't you go home and have you mom put your left arm in a sling. Pretend it's broken and I'll go easy on you until you learn to write with your right hand."

Six, seven years old, and I knew my teachers were insane. I never really trusted teachers, how could you. They never did switch me, after 2nd grade they gave up. This was public school btw.
 
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