Useless? Did you never learn how to touch type the numbers? Unless you do data entry the top row numbers are vastly quicker to get to than the number pad. You just reach a finger out and tap instead of moving your whole hand to the number pad.
I am not in a full time development role anymore, but even when I was I never felt the need to drive my WPM numbers to the extreme.. So the fractions of a second it may save was not a consideration.
I find the 10-key to be more accurate and faster for me. My muscle memory is numbers are entered with my right hand...
