My wife commented on the fact that fingernails don't work early on, but she quickly learned to type with the pads of her fingers, rather than the tips and it hasn't been an issue in the last 11 months or so...

How about they cut them? So the whole world doesn't have to revolve around stupid fingernails. My girlfriend has fingernails but they're about a quarter-inch long. They're long enough to be "girly" and "pretty" but short enough to still allow her to function like a normal human being a not a monkey or a wolverine or something.

If their "claws" are that much in the way and are effecting their ability to do things then maybe they should trim them down or figure out how to use the pads of their fingers or their knuckle.

This is like someone telling shoe manufacturers to change the sizing or design of their shoes just because they refuse to cut their toe nails.

What flybynight said. My fingernails often grow to 1/2" or more and I can type on my iPhone just fine with the pads of my fingers.

I've been growing my nails since the beginning of February, and I'm fining it increasingly difficult to type on my iPhone. Not to the point where it is impossible, or overly taxing. But it's taking more 'aim' to get my pads to hit the right spot. This is especially problematic in portrait mode, which iPhone, unfortunately, utilizes MUCH more than landscape. I'm not sure that the solution is a stylus, as that was the first thing to go when i had a palm pilot. I don't want to have to worry about whipping one out. To me the solution is more Landscape mode applications.

Long fingernails, particularly the artificial kind, have always interfered with things, throughout history. I'm talking about using manual and electric typewriters, computer keyboards, playing guitar or piano, or many other musical instruments. Long fingernails also interfere with using gardening and farming equipment, and wearing gloves. I even knew a schoolteacher with artificial nails so long that she couldn't properly grip and use a computer mouse.

So what?

Long fingernails are an affectatious way of saying that you are too good to perform work. That has always been their function, historically.

The only people I know of who actually have an occupational need for long fingernails are classical guitarists, and they only have long fingernails on four fingers of the picking hand (usually the right hand), needing to have their fingernails cut off short for the fretting hand (usually the left).

My point is that people who want to do work in the world always trim their fingernails.

So, women, be fashionable, or get work done. I'm sorry if this will put nail salons out of business, but there you go.

Let's see, a "39 year old consultant and lecturer who has fingernails between a quarter and an eighth of an inch long and says that she has difficulty typing on her iPhone." ?

I am a user interface junkie, and I do a lot of 'last mile' training, so I interact with a lot of users with a rather diverse set of skills, expectations, and handicaps.

From what I know of those who use a keyboard, play the piano, or depend on touch screens (iPhone or not), no one uses the tips of their fingers successfully -- no matter how short (or long) their fingernails are.

Touch-typing is correctly done mostly on the pads of the fingers; though there are some 80's throw-back types (a la 'Secret of My Success') that somehow manage to click away on the ends of their fingernails all day long (contributing to the insanity of their coworkers much more then to their own RCI (Repetitive Clicking Injuries).

These complainers are in the same league with the people who complain that their steering wheel is chafing their tongue (because they need to use their hands for texting while driving), or that they're suing because their thong (see the recent news) snapped up and nearly tore out their cornea.

What we need are leper colonies for Professional Victims. Institute a 3-strike system, and when they've exceeded their quota for stupid complaints, they get put in a 'home'.

Oh, darnit... I just tore my left thigh-high on the little tab at the end of my ethernet cable. Can't someone make that little wire a little less DANGEROUS?

http://MacIndy.net/SiliconPines/

I could, but i chose not to. Although now that you've pointed out what a fashion faux pas they are, i'll cut them immediately. God forbid i offend your delicate style sensibilities by exercising what i thought was my right to grow my nails. Shame on me!!!