[crazy4laptops]

College brings up memories from long ago... Tonight I realized that all the typing programs I was forced to use never really had any effect on me (Mavis Beacon for the '90s generation)

Ever since I got my first laptop back in 2006, I have since developed my own style of typing and it has only gotten faster because of the Mac. I hover on the home keys, but after that its like free game, my fingers share the responsibility of letter finding, depending on the word or sentence. I have no dedicated finger for each letter, besides the spacebar. This has been a bit of a problem on keyboards that aren't evenly spaced out (especially on netbooks)

What was the turning point in your life when you saw you could type efficiently?

[LiveBrianD]

Dang... I just type using the normal way they teach you. In my elementary school, we were forced to practice in Type To Learn 3. I've heard about the Dvorak layout, but haven't bothered to learn it. Qwerty works well enough for me.

Say, what kind of keyboard do you like the most? I generally like regular-depth desktop keyboards, though the one on my x120e is good enough (btw the netbook is 11.6", doesn't have a huge amount of screen bezel unlike the hp dm1z, and the keyboard goes to the edge and is very close to if not full size). I hate the one on the iMac - the keys don't depress enough, and push too easily, resulting in me making a bunch of tyops.

This post has been edited by LiveBrianD: 24 March 2012 - 08:19 PM

[Rommel]

crazy4laptops, on 24 March 2012 - 08:03 PM, said:

What was the turning point in your life when you saw you could type efficiently?

Still waiting for the day.


Hope your studies are exceeding your expectations.

[Szczecinianin]

SOME time ago I tried to learn typing with all ten fingers, each finger having its key, had an app even. But I found this method not natural for me and now I type with four fingers (two index and two middle) and it's not slowish at all. In Polish schools typing is not taught yet. In times of typewriters there were courses for typists, though.

And now you can see Szczecin in Google Street View, the pictures were taken about six months ago. But the situation is changing fast in Szczecin now, so it's best to come to us and be up-to-date.

[coastie65]

My fingers tend to trip over themselves when typing. They taught typing and Steno skills when i was in school, but it was mostly, if not all girls that took that. The guys usually took Industrial Arts and Drafting classes. I didn't have much use for typing until I got into computers and that was by necessity. I started using just my index finger on both hands ( hunt & Peck method ). Now if I could get away from the typos.

[compnovo]

I taught myself to touch type when I got my first computer in the late 80s (and I was in my late 30s). It was an Amstrad (C/PM) and it came with a program called Typing Tutor. My next computer was an Apple II and I bought Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for the kids, although I think I used it more than they did. I type about 50 wpm now.

Like coastie, when I was in school the guys didn't usually take typing classes. Now that computers are so prevalent and keyboarding so important I sure hope everyone is taking typing in school these days, it has become one of those essential skills.

This post has been edited by compnovo: 25 March 2012 - 07:20 AM

[mjd420nova]

I've had to spend so many hours at a keyboard, but it's much more different when programming. A dedicated number cluster(ten key) makes for lots of wandering and repositioning. Considering that the QWERTY keyboard was derived from a mechanical designed to keep most commonly used keys were on oposite sides of the rest stop to prevent jams at the impact area. This was also the limit of speed but a well oiled typewriter can achieve some astounding speeds in the right hands. Ergonomic designs may be better for hand positioning but often akward for other users. Programming has to be more exact and there is no spell checker.

[LiveBrianD]

compnovo, on 25 March 2012 - 07:20 AM, said:

I taught myself to touch type when I got my first computer in the late 80s (and I was in my late 30s). It was an Amstrad (C/PM) and it came with a program called Typing Tutor. My next computer was an Apple II and I bought Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for the kids, although I think I used it more than they did. I type about 50 wpm now.

Like coastie, when I was in school the guys didn't usually take typing classes. Now that computers are so prevalent and keyboarding so important I sure hope everyone is taking typing in school these days, it has become one of those essential skills.

Hmm... I type at about 75-80wpm. Nowadays, typing isn't an optional thing, they simply teach it to you as part of the computer lab stuff in elementary school.

[coastie65]

That doesn't mean you should abandon cursive writing though.

[LiveBrianD]

I don't really use cursive, because I find it's a bit harder than printing things (writing style that is).

This post has been edited by LiveBrianD: 25 March 2012 - 05:19 PM

[waldojim]

LiveBrianD, on 24 March 2012 - 08:17 PM, said:

Dang... I just type using the normal way they teach you. In my elementary school, we were forced to practice in Type To Learn 3. I've heard about the Dvorak layout, but haven't bothered to learn it. Qwerty works well enough for me.

Say, what kind of keyboard do you like the most? I generally like regular-depth desktop keyboards, though the one on my x120e is good enough (btw the netbook is 11.6", doesn't have a huge amount of screen bezel unlike the hp dm1z, and the keyboard goes to the edge and is very close to if not full size). I hate the one on the iMac - the keys don't depress enough, and push too easily, resulting in me making a bunch of tyops.

As I recall, the X120/X100 has a 95% of normal size. Close, but just far enough off to confuse some people.

[Szczecinianin]

Well, they taught me cursive writing when I was seven and in a primary school. My handwriting now is not cursive though. Still, I use it not to forget it. Yet, I don't write letters on paper, as everyone I'm in touch with uses e-mail. Besides, I think you take handwriting after your family, it's like genetics. And calligraphy is now on the decrease even in China and Japan... Oh, those computers!

This post has been edited by Szczecinianin: 26 March 2012 - 01:43 AM

[LiveBrianD]

waldojim, on 26 March 2012 - 12:14 AM, said:

LiveBrianD, on 24 March 2012 - 08:17 PM, said:

Dang... I just type using the normal way they teach you. In my elementary school, we were forced to practice in Type To Learn 3. I've heard about the Dvorak layout, but haven't bothered to learn it. Qwerty works well enough for me.

Say, what kind of keyboard do you like the most? I generally like regular-depth desktop keyboards, though the one on my x120e is good enough (btw the netbook is 11.6", doesn't have a huge amount of screen bezel unlike the hp dm1z, and the keyboard goes to the edge and is very close to if not full size). I hate the one on the iMac - the keys don't depress enough, and push too easily, resulting in me making a bunch of tyops.

As I recall, the X120/X100 has a 95% of normal size. Close, but just far enough off to confuse some people.

I've never actually noticed it. I just took a tape measure and found that the laptop one is a tiny bit smaller than the desktop one. Still, I never otherwise notice it.

[rubyrob]

I dont generally use cursive writing I find it pointless Im happy with querty.

This post has been edited by coastie65: 27 March 2012 - 07:08 AM
Reason for edit: Removed spam link

[rain18]

when i got addicted to the internet and chat. my typing skills leveled up! haha!

[smax013]

It has kind of come over time. We did have a "computer class" that had us do some typing lessons back in middle school. That kind of got me the basics, but I still did "advanced hunt and peck". I slowly graduated to "I have to look at the keys, but it was basically regular typing". And that has now progressed into essentially true touch typing. I have never gotten myself to be able to ignore mistakes until after I have completed a paragraph or page and THEN go back and correct them...when I make a mistake, I go back (usually with the backspace key) and correct it. I have not done any sort of the typing test recently to get an estimate of my typing speed, but I suspect it is respectable. I do know that I am better when typing "original" stuff rather than reading something that I then type (such as with a typing test).

Update: I did a test and got about 45 wpm. If I could get past my compulsion to correct stuff right away, then I likely could go faster.

This post has been edited by smax013: 25 April 2012 - 11:08 AM

[smax013]

LiveBrianD, on 24 March 2012 - 08:17 PM, said:

Say, what kind of keyboard do you like the most? I generally like regular-depth desktop keyboards, though the one on my x120e is good enough (btw the netbook is 11.6", doesn't have a huge amount of screen bezel unlike the hp dm1z, and the keyboard goes to the edge and is very close to if not full size). I hate the one on the iMac - the keys don't depress enough, and push too easily, resulting in me making a bunch of tyops.

I have found that it is largely a function of what you get used to in terms of the keyboard you use. Right now I primarily use Apple's "chicklet" syle keyboards most of the time, so I am rather used to them. As result, when I go use my more "traditional desktop keyboard" on my Windows desktop, it feel strange. There was a time where I did not like Apple's "chicklet" keyboards...I was used to the previous version of their laptop keyboards that I had on my original MBP. When I would use my mom's MB, I hated the keyboard. This actually caused me to debate how much I really wanted to upgrade to a newer MBP a few years ago. But, I have now gotten used to it.

What really entertained/annoyed me was way back in college I did some computer support as a summer job. This was back in the days of DOS being still the dominate OS (Windows 3.1 was just coming out). So, you needed to use the back slash key a lot for DOS commands. And it seemed like EVERY SINGLE different keyboard brand/model would move where the back slash key was located.

[techie4fun]

I learned to type using Jump Start Typing in 95. Over the years it's mainly been extended use of the keyboard that has helped. I used to type about 90 words a minute. I probably do around 60-80 average now.

[LiveBrianD]

smax013, on 25 April 2012 - 11:07 AM, said:

It has kind of come over time. We did have a "computer class" that had us do some typing lessons back in middle school. That kind of got me the basics, but I still did "advanced hunt and peck". I slowly graduated to "I have to look at the keys, but it was basically regular typing". And that has now progressed into essentially true touch typing. I have never gotten myself to be able to ignore mistakes until after I have completed a paragraph or page and THEN go back and correct them...when I make a mistake, I go back (usually with the backspace key) and correct it. I have not done any sort of the typing test recently to get an estimate of my typing speed, but I suspect it is respectable. I do know that I am better when typing "original" stuff rather than reading something that I then type (such as with a typing test).

Update: I did a test and got about 45 wpm. If I could get past my compulsion to correct stuff right away, then I likely could go faster.

If you don't correct things immediately, you'll probably forget adn nerve corrcet tehm.

[nonseq]

coastie65, on 25 March 2012 - 04:57 PM, said:

That doesn't mean you should abandon cursive writing though.

Down with the Palmer Method!