What shift button do you use when typing?

[minibois]

Why I made this post, which kind of shows my bias:

Spoiler

I had a discussion with someone after seeing them type a colon using the right-hand shift, that seemed really odd to me, but this person kept on screaming "there are dozens of us!" saying it wasn't that uncommon.

So I thought I would make a poll to see how people, here, type their capitals, special characters, etc.

This is assuming a 'normal' keyboard, so of course this doesn't apply to how you type on your phone.

 

If you do anything that doesn't fall into the poll, please do comment.

[PlayStation 2]

Standard US layout, I use left shift as I use my thumb for it.

[seon123]

The only time I use the right shift, is when I feel lazy and type just with my right hand. Other than that, I always just use the left shift. My split 60% probably won't even have a right shift.

Edited April 21, 2019 by seon123
Something something

[Bananasplit_00]

The right shift key is probably the least used key across all my keyboards, I don't ever use it for anything ever

[FloRolf]

5 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

Standard US layout, I use left shift as I use my thumb for it.

Wait Wat? 

[PlayStation 2]

1 minute ago, FloRolf said:

Wait Wat? 

I use my thumb to press shift... and caps lock, as a matter of fact.

[Findiculous]

17 minutes ago, Minibois said:

Why I made this post, which kind of shows my bias:

  Reveal hidden contents

I had a discussion with someone after seeing them type a colon using the right-hand shift, that seemed really odd to me, but this person kept on screaming "there are dozens of us!" saying it wasn't that uncommon.

This is assuming a 'normal' keyboard, so of course this doesn't apply to how you type on your phone.

ISO layout (i.e European Layout) the @ symbol is located just short of the "Return" key. It is therefore very common for people with ISO layout to use right shift

 

I actually use both. I'm Ambishiftrous

[jiyeon]

My right shift key probably gets less used than my Scroll Lock key, everything that requires a shift I always use the left shift with my pinkie.

[DrMacintosh]

I've never used the right shift key for actual typing in my life. Its easier for me to press L Shift+Z than it is R shift + Z because it's muscle memory. 

 

My L thumb does only one thing when I type: press command

my R thumb does only one thing when I type: press space

my R pinky pressed return

my L pinky presses L shift/fn/control/option/caps lock/tab/esc

my R ring finger presses Delete and also  types normally

 

The rest of my fingers type normally. Though I do prefer to use my index fingers for keys like < > / 

 

[minibois]

2 minutes ago, Findiculous said:

 ISO layout (i.e European Layout) the @ symbol is located just short of the "Return" key. It is therefore very common for people with ISO layout to use right shift

 

If memory serves the ISO layout is the original layout.

As someone who has used the ISO layout for the greater part of my life (only switching to ANSI about 3 years ago), I had previously never used the right shift (maybe once for something random maybe..)

4 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

I use my thumb to press shift... and caps lock, as a matter of fact.

Do you type like this, or do you shift your entire left hand to the left, so have you thumb pressed shift?

 That hand question is not serious.. The way you press shift is.

[Findiculous]

2 minutes ago, Minibois said:

As someone who has used the ISO layout for the greater part of my life (only switching to ANSI about 3 years ago), I had previously never used the right shift (maybe once for something random maybe..)

 

I said very common. Not every ISO user uses right shift only. ISO layout also has a smaller left shift with the space used for backslash.

 

Point was to mention to the OP that saying a "normal" keyboard is very subjective since there are 3 common layouts. ISO, ANSI and JIS 

[PlayStation 2]

3 minutes ago, Minibois said:

Do you type like this, or do you shift your entire left hand to the left, so have you thumb pressed shift?

 That hand question is not serious.. The way you press shift is.

This is basically how I press Shift and Caps Lock. It's a habit I picked up from Team Fortress 2 as I used my pinky to press Tab for the scoreboard and the other three fingers to control WASD.

Also yes, I use my thumb to press Ctrl.

[dDave64]

I grew up on the modern standard of QWERTY keyboards (first one was an IBM M model with an IBM Aptiva desktop)

 

I use Left shift all the way. It’s an extremely rare occasion for me to use the right shift. Same story with the space bar, always use left thumb for that.

 

I’m sort of a right hand dominant ambidextrous (my parents encouraged me to be right handed) but my typing has always been led by my left hand. Convenient for me because I can type left handed and use the mouse with my right hand.

[.Apex.]

1 hour ago, Minibois said:

I had a discussion with someone after seeing them type a colon using the right-hand shift, that seemed really odd to me, but this person kept on screaming "there are dozens of us!" saying it wasn't that uncommon. 

I only use Left shift when gaming or if i'm one handed (which I am in gaming), otherwise I always prefer to use right shift

 

now that I thought about it, I think they're both used about equally I guess, when you consider all the different scenarios, but for typing sentences and stuff, Right shift is 100% used.

[Tristerin]

*looks down at keyboard and notices there is a right shift*

 

huh

[Lady Fitzgerald]

And we have another bad, biased survey. At least "other" was an option, which I used because I use both shift keys (whichever one is most convenient at the time) and, occasionally, the caps lock key (and no, I'm not a deviant; just practical).

[rheyL]

well i use my pinky every time i press left shift... i feel they are really destined for each other

[geo3]

Opposite hand from the one typing the shifted letter. 

[minibois]

6 hours ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

And we have another bad, biased survey. At least "other" was an option, which I used because I use both shift keys (whichever one is most convenient at the time) and, occasionally, the caps lock key (and no, I'm not a deviant; just practical).

Sorry my simple 'just for fun' survey (which holds no scientific value or significance) wasn't to your liking 

I added 'other' as an option, since I knew most people would just have either or key used and all people with a different preference would choose 'other' (seeing as 'only' 10% chose 'other', I think I covered most options).

 

In a survey like this, you woud suggest having more options, other than the 2/3 provided (and other)? I felt like that wasn't a great idea, because it would inflate the amount of time you had to spend on this survey and I just wanted some simple answers to gauge the community's opinion.

[Gegger]

I use 2 keyboards to type at home, so I use whichever shift key is on the keyboard that I type the special character/capital letter/shortcut. Or caps-lock if I'm ranting on Discord or anything involving excessive use of caps.