left handed or right handed?

[CHRIS]

Graham Nichols opened my eyes on the left hand versus right hand issue in move descriptions, and the potential for ebooks to solve this problem. I have already a crude system to make my HTML ebooks read as 'for left hander' or 'right hander'.

The purpose of this poll is to get an understanding of how many are left handers and would benefit from such a feature, as well as discuss potential technical solutions.

Any ideas or suggestions? The simplest solution I can think of is to offer a second version which has all relevant images mirrored and all 'left' and 'right' references exchanged. A hard coded change in the ebook.

However, a more desirable solution would be a feature in the reader itself that can turn a 'for right hander' ebook into a 'for left hander' ebook on the fly.

Chris Wasshuber
preserving magic one book at a time.

[Joe Pecore]

Hopefully you already read the topic I started at: http://geniimagazine.com/forum/cgi-bin/ ... 1;t=000962

:)

[CHRIS]

I am amazed that with 17 voters we have almost an even split between left-handed and right-handed. Does anybody know of statistics of how many people are left-handed? My guess would have been around a fourth to a third max.

Chris Wasshuber
preserving magic one book at a time.

[MaxNY]

In case anyone was wondering, I just happen to know where the term "south-paw" comes from. The way most Baseball stadiums were built, they wanted the sun in a certain place. This was before night games, and closed stadiums. The left-handed fellows would stand on the mound 180 degrees opposite from the righties, their pitching arm would then face South....I think.

[Guest]

If they were a 180 degrees the other way and using the opposite arm the righties pitching hand would be facing south also.

Ed

[DChung]

Chris, the result of your polls are likely to be skewed simply due to the fact that left-handers like myself are more likely to be interested in this topic and your poll.

Cheers,
dchung

[Adam Brooks]

About 10% of the world's population is left handed. And about 65% of those who think they are left handed are actually ambidextrous. :)

-Adam

[Guest]

The results are difficult to figure because eight out of six people don't understand fractions. :D

[Bill Mullins]

There are three types of people in the world:

- People who can count

- People who can't

[Guest]

I know I am not the only one who has this problem. I am right handed BUT I use my left hand to shuffle and perform most sleights. I can also get confused trying to convert instructions over. At times it just isn't as simple as swapping right for left, finger positioning is different also.

[Ray Haddad]

Originally posted by Bill Mullins:
There are three types of people in the world:

- People who can count

- People who can't

Greetings, Bill. Good to see your posts here.

My favorite quote of this type is this:
"There are 10 kinds of people in the world.
Those who know binary and those who don't"

Staying with the topic of left handed versus right handed, I looked for a spot that indicated ambidexterous or at least allows one to expand upon our choice in the poll.

I selected right handed because I write with my right hand. In performing magic, however, I am often more cleanly able to do my dirty work with my left hand. I find myself able to use my right hand for an open task while simultaneously doing a sleight with my left.

I do one handed cuts and other rather complex moves with my left hand and do some sneaky thing with my right. It varies but I do use both about equally.

The orientation of photos is easily translated in my head to suit my needs of the moment.

Best,
Ray

[Guest]

As a Neurologist, it is sometimes necessary to determine the "dominant hemisphere." That is, which part of the brain controls one's language abilities. Which hand preference is used is determined by this hemisphere.

The stats are:
-All right handed people are left hemisphere dominant.
-Left handed people are only 1/20 (ie 5%). However, of left handed people about half are still right hemisphere dominant.
-Some people are "forced sinistrals." This means that they were naturally lefties, but due to social stigma etc., were forced to learn to write and perform other activities with the right hand.

The term sinistral (ie lefty) has the same word derivation as sinister- with obvious implications.

Finally, remember if your left arm is cut off, your right arm will be left.

Steve

[Joe Gallant]

Originally posted by Steven Zuckerman:
-Left handed people are only 1/20 (ie 5%). However, of left handed people about half are still right hemisphere dominant.

Steve

So left handed people are the only people in their right mind. :)