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Universal Access for everyone System
I often do work on a PowerBook, where I can only use one hand on the keyboard, and I've found Sticky Keys (in System Prefs -> Universal Access) useful in those situations. Last time I turned everything on and never turned it off, and found it's great to have on all the time.

For example: using the down arrows as page down. Without sticky keys you have to keep holding the fn key. With it on, you hit fn twice, it stays on and you just keep doing the down arrow. Or selecting text; normally you have to hold down the shift-command keys as you press the left or right arrow. With Sticky Keys on, you just hit shift-command twice, then they stay on while you hit the arrow, then hit them again to turn it off.

I even think my repetetive stress problems are less now because instead of having to hold the modifier key down with my thumb while I hit the delete or function, I just tap it with my index finger, then the delete.

The important thing is (with just a few exceptions which I've quickly learned to watch for) it doesn't really affect how you normally work. There's really no reason to turn it off.
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Universal Access for everyone | 6 comments | Create New Account
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Universal Access for everyone
Authored by: osxpounder on Apr 02, '04 01:22:18PM

Well, that depends on the kind of work you do, and, of course, whether you are using a PowerBook or not. I think the title of this hint should be changed to "Universal Access for every PowerBook User".

On my gorgeous G5, I occasionally turned on StickyKeys accidentally [by pressing Shift 5 times in a row, I guess], and then got some nasty surprises in Photoshop, Animation:Master, and Final Cut ... because I didn't realize at first that the Shift key was held down.

So, for me, it's best not to leave it on, but rather to go to System Preferences and enable it during such times that I think I'll need it. But I'm glad you brought this up, because some parts of my job require vast amounts of typing -- StickyKeys could help me save wear and tear on my wrists, too. Our hands are our livelihood! Thanks!

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osxpounder



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Universal Access for everyone
Authored by: dcottle on Apr 03, '04 08:17:28AM

You mean, there are actually people who don't own PBs? ;-) (I actually manage a lot of desktops and haven't used this trick on them.)

I've often gotten bizzare results too because I accidentally left an fn or shift on, but as I said, I've learned pretty quickly what it is and to avoid it, so the trade off is minor.



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Universal Access for everyone
Authored by: gdsimms on Apr 02, '04 01:29:10PM

For those of us with mild obsessive-compulsive disorder, the need to hit modifier keys an even number of times means that sticky keys is not an option. ;-)

(I'm only partly kidding)



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Universal Access for everyone
Authored by: abriening on Apr 03, '04 12:20:11PM

I like to use the "Flash screen whenever an alert sound occurs" feature because sometimes I turn my speakers off. Otherwise, I would never know that I am making the same mistake over and over and over again.

Hey look! My computer is beeping at me.



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F1-7 conflict
Authored by: yang on Apr 03, '04 01:15:16PM
"There's really no reason to turn it off."
Actually, there is. It doesn't play nice with the F1-7 custom function feature (PowerBook 10.3.3). Operating the fn modifier with sticky on sets them back to their brightness/volume/etc functions. Prior to 10.3.3, fnSwitch suffered from the same drawback. A pity really.

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F1-7 conflict: Dang it
Authored by: terceiro on Apr 03, '04 07:12:36PM

Crud. I'm kinda despressed now. I want it all! I want my real F-keys and I want sticky keys.

Right now I'm having it show me whenever a modifier key is pressed, which is kinda handy for figuring out what's going on (it's going to get old quickly, I predict), but it seems that the caps lock key should show itself as well. Oh well.



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