KDE vs. the Mouseless.
I was asked today which OS I was using, and why.
I'm using Windows on both of my machines at the moment, and I just remmebered why.
Last time I tried linux I didn't have a mouse to hand.. I thought.. no problem, I've been coping fine in windows like this for ages.. I know all the hotkeys, etc. I accepted that these were unlikely to be the same on linux, but I did know that tab (switch highlighted object) and alt+tab (program switching) etc. were common.
So, I boot up linux for the first time (of that install, anyway), and get dumped at the desktop. No icons, of course, most people consider icons on a desktop to be a bad thing (heretics, more on that some other time). So, now.. running something.. let's just click the "start" button.. hmm.. no mouse.
So.. "start key". Nope, no luck.. interesting. At this point a normal user (well, one with a broken mouse) would be completely shafted.. but I think, no, I'm more experienced than that, I can work this out. Ctrl+escape? Nope. Start+pretty much anything? Nothing. Alt escape? Nope. Alt+tab, my trusty friend, is, of course, giving me nothing.
But, then I think.. aha.. still not completely screwed. I can merely highlight the taskbar! So I hit the tab key.. nothing. More tabbing? Nothing. Darn..
So, next attempt.. hard-reboot the machine into Windows.. back to happiness.
Just for those of you that don't know, Windows' desktop/taskbar is completely mouse-free friendly. Highlight the desktop (start+D being the quickest way to do that), and hit tab. You've got the start button. Both space and return will get you something you can navigate with arrow keys + return.
It doesn't even stop there. Quick-launch, the program buttons and even the systray (yeah, I was impressed too) are completely accessible using only the keyboard. I've only tried this on XP, but I'm willing to be it holds back to at least '95. Go go Microsoft.
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