🚀 go-pugleaf

Date:  2-May-84 11:01 PDT
From: uw-beaver!David.Potter@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA,
        Softmark/McDonnell Douglas  <uw-beaver!DAP.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA>
Subject: Mice for the Ambidextrous
To: info-mac@SUMEX-AIM.ARPA
Cc: MARKET.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA, DCE.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA
Cc: DEV.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA
Comment: An answer to Bill Coderre....

If Bill Coderre wants something for his left hand to do while his right hand is 
busy with the mouse (a most understandable wish), he might be interested in 
taking a look at AUGMENT, the Tymshare product which evolved from Doug 
Engelbart's NLS, which was developed at SRI.  That's where the mouse itself was 
invented.  Its developers recognized the need for a control device usable by the
hand not busy with the mouse, and developed a five-key "keyset."  Looks sort of 
like a little piano keyboard, sitting (usually) to the left of the keyboard, 
with the mouse on the right.

We've been using the keyset, together with a three-button mouse, since the late 
60's (Doug Engelbart -- Engelbart@Office-2.ARPA) could give you a more precise 
date -- works beautifully, and does just exactly what Bill is asking for.  As a 
matter of fact, I'm using one now -- mouse and keyset hooked to a PC/XT -- to 
send this message.

It's nice to see people thinking along these lines.  They used to laugh when I 
sat down at the mouse & keyset.... "What's THAT?" they said....

Regards -- David