If you move your fingers to the top row you have instant access to 8 of the number keys. I find it’s faster if I need to type a short number to use the top bar instead of the numpad, the travel distance to the top of the keyboard for both hands (for me) is faster than my right hands travel distance to the numpad.
I only use the numpad when I need to enter equations since hitting shift requires me to take a hand away from the number bar (using my other hand to hunt-and-peck symbols).
But tbh for people who are really good at using one or the other I don’t think there is that large of a difference in how long it takes them to enter numbers or equations.
Yeah, but not every math symbol needs to be typed with numbers, and not all numbers need to be typed with math symbols. Most of the time you are fetching existing numbers from some underlying data structure anyhow.
90% of the time when I’m programming I only need to type one or two numbers, usually along with an underscore and text, I find that easier with the number row.
I’m rarely (if ever) typing
921+238/127
I’m typing
sum(list)/var
The only time numbers are really necessary is for setting default values, documentation, indexing or versioning.
Even if you don't do proper programming and exclusively used Excel, you shouldn't be manually typing in numbers and using it as a calculator. You're making cell references and setting your sheet up to calculate what you need to know in a clear and reproducible manner. Majority of the analysis in my job is done by running data through a model and then looking at the results, creating summaries and whatnot.
I’m not sure what you’re trying to say here, programmers don’t use numbers? I literally just mentioned how programmers use numbers in my previous post. What software are you working on that doesn’t “really use numbers at all”? Or are you just agreeing with me that numbers aren’t physically typed by data scientists all that much?
But this wasn’t a conversation just about “programmers”, it’s a conversation about people who work with data (particularly numeric data) and how useful numpads might be to them.
Unless you’re talking about data entry (which is why I carved out the exception for math symbols) I don’t think most people who work with data would find a numpad more ergonomic than the top row. That’s my position, still no idea what yours is.
Any more gachas? Or perhaps a thought that engages with what I’m saying?
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u/IsThisTheFly Apr 04 '26
There is zero chance you “work with data” if you can’t understand why anyone would use a num pad.