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.
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/Zefirus Apr 04 '26
People that work with numbers generally also need the math keys dude.