Re: Bad habits?
Nut width relates to the string spacing (or more specifically the spacing between the pairs [or courses] of strings) the same way as on a guitar. A wider nut means more space between the courses. I think the space between the individual strings in the course remain constant, and relatively standard, but I'll let a luthier chime in on that. I have read several posts from former guitar players who felt like a wide nut made it easier to transition, but when I tried one after playing just a few months, it felt really awkward. I have one now with 1 1/8" and one with 1 3/16" and don't really notice that much difference in playing them. Others would notice this difference in nut width like a gluten free cookie vs a regular one. YMMV
Fretboard radius (or lack thereof) seems to be a personal preference, based on the shape of your hands and what feels comfortable. Again, like guitars, some folks prefer a flat fretboard, some like a smaller radius (more curve) or bigger (less curve, but not flat). Personally, I didn't notice that much difference going from a radiused mandolin (Eastman 315) to a flat (Weber Bitterroot) then back to radiused (F5S). Your hands will let you know which is more comfortable for you.
If you are talking about the two-fingered versions of the G C D Em chords, I don't think it's a big deal which fingers you use for those. I sometimes play them with index and middle, sometimes with middle and ring; depends on what else I'm doing (fills, etc.) in the tune. As long as you have the proper left hand position (and it's not the same as proper left hand position on a guitar), I think you can use whichever fingering works best for your hands.
"Keep your hat on, we may end up miles from here..." - Kurt Vonnegut
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