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Silvanus · Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:05 PM

I'm a crappy typist. I've been "hunt-and-pick"-ing long enough to have a pretty good sense for where all of the keys are, but my speed is quite low. Do you think learning to touch type is worth the time? Do you have any recommendations as to a program to use?

Sane · Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:10 PM

I didn't use a program to actually learn how to touch-type. I just made myself learn by typing/programming a lot, and never moving my wrists or the degree at which my palms are facing the keyboard.

I only used a typing program when it came to testing my WPM. In which case it was like "Word Blaster" or something.

But yep, if you just make yourself touch-type, you will be able to do it very quickly, very quickly.

iignotus · Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:19 PM

The way I learned to type quickly without looking at the keyboard was by myself. It really is all about memorisation of where the keys are. I usually average about 80 WPM, but can max out around 130 if I really focus. I use a normal keyboard, not one of those pivoted ones, as I seem to be able to touch more keys with ease this way (and I'm used to it). I also prefer medium feedback on the keys.

What you need to do is find a keyboard that really feels good first, then just type lots of stuff (posting on a forum is not what I'm talking about -- I mean writing papers or chatting heavily online). It really is worth it.

thechristelegacy · Oct 23rd, 2005, 9:16 PM

The sad turth is, wanting to talk faster in my younger years on AOL, taught me to type.

Lich · Oct 23rd, 2005, 10:06 PM

hours of computing per day for many years did the trick for me

crazykid48x · Oct 23rd, 2005, 10:52 PM

Wow, I can touch type and I didnt even know it! glad I decided to try it, I really looked silly jabing at my keyboard with two fingers.

Narue · Oct 24th, 2005, 9:05 AM

I can touch type to a point, but my style doesn't promote it and I can go faster and with fewer mistakes by watching the keyboard. I tend to raise my hands too high to find the home keys easily and I jab the keys too hard (faking the satisfying click of older keyboards).

DaWei · Oct 24th, 2005, 9:47 AM

I touch type. As a matter of fact, I'm a Level IV "Kelly Girl." Regardless of one's effectiveness with poorer techniques, one can improve with better techniques. In a production atmosphere it is definitely worth it. While any keyboard can be used, with practice, I agree with Iignotus. Proper design is not trivial, but is effective. I doubt there will ever be a keyboard as all-around effective for professional typists as the old Selectric II typewriter. A company called Northgate came very close, though, with a PC keyboard. IBM also had others that were very nearly as good.

zorin · Oct 24th, 2005, 10:22 AM

Heres a free online learning touch typing exercise, Im no good at touch typing and have to look at every key as I type

zorin · Oct 24th, 2005, 10:23 AM

sorry I forgot to paste in the link here it is anyway http://www.senselang.com/

Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:05 PM	#1
Silvanus Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Hiding from... them... Posts: 110 Rep Power: 4	Touch Typing I'm a crappy typist. I've been "hunt-and-pick"-ing long enough to have a pretty good sense for where all of the keys are, but my speed is quite low. Do you think learning to touch type is worth the time? Do you have any recommendations as to a program to use?

Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:19 PM	#3
iignotus Professional Programmer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nowhere Special Posts: 466 Rep Power: 4	The way I learned to type quickly without looking at the keyboard was by myself. It really is all about memorisation of where the keys are. I usually average about 80 WPM, but can max out around 130 if I really focus. I use a normal keyboard, not one of those pivoted ones, as I seem to be able to touch more keys with ease this way (and I'm used to it). I also prefer medium feedback on the keys. What you need to do is find a keyboard that really feels good first, then just type lots of stuff (posting on a forum is not what I'm talking about -- I mean writing papers or chatting heavily online). It really is worth it. __________________ (Toggle Plain Text) % rc4 hexkey < input > output #define S ,t=s[i],s[i]=s[j],s[j]=t /* rc4 hexkey <file / unsigned char k[256],s[256],i,j,t;main(c,v,e)charv;{++v;while(++i)s[ i]=i;for(c=0;(v)++;k[c++]=e)sscanf((v)++-1,"%2x",&e);while(j+=s[i] +k[i%c]S,++i);for(j=0;c=~getchar();putchar(~c^s[t+=s[i]]))j+=s[++i]S;}

Oct 23rd, 2005, 10:06 PM	#5
Lich Professional Programmer Join Date: May 2005 Location: Detroit Posts: 254 Rep Power: 4	hours of computing per day for many years did the trick for me __________________ --John Cruz Web Developer www.cruzweb.net

Oct 23rd, 2005, 10:52 PM	#6
crazykid48x Programmer Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 96 Rep Power: 4	Wow, I can touch type and I didnt even know it! glad I decided to try it, I really looked silly jabing at my keyboard with two fingers. __________________ I had my portable CD player, and took it in the bathroom with me while I went to pee. And the second I whipped my penis out, the theme song to 'Rocky' started playing. I've never felt more manly than in that moment.

Oct 24th, 2005, 9:05 AM	#7
Narue Professional Programmer Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 419 Rep Power: 4	I can touch type to a point, but my style doesn't promote it and I can go faster and with fewer mistakes by watching the keyboard. I tend to raise my hands too high to find the home keys easily and I jab the keys too hard (faking the satisfying click of older keyboards). __________________ Even if the voices aren't real, they have some pretty good ideas.

Oct 23rd, 2005, 8:10 PM	#2
Sane Programming Guru Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Ontario Posts: 1,868 Rep Power: 5	I didn't use a program to actually learn how to touch-type. I just made myself learn by typing/programming a lot, and never moving my wrists or the degree at which my palms are facing the keyboard. I only used a typing program when it came to testing my WPM. In which case it was like "Word Blaster" or something. But yep, if you just make yourself touch-type, you will be able to do it very quickly, very quickly.

Oct 23rd, 2005, 9:16 PM	#4
thechristelegacy Expert Programmer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Somerset, Pa Posts: 707 Rep Power: 5	The sad turth is, wanting to talk faster in my younger years on AOL, taught me to type.

Oct 24th, 2005, 9:47 AM	#8
DaWei Resident Grouch Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,453 Rep Power: 10	I touch type. As a matter of fact, I'm a Level IV "Kelly Girl." Regardless of one's effectiveness with poorer techniques, one can improve with better techniques. In a production atmosphere it is definitely worth it. While any keyboard can be used, with practice, I agree with Iignotus. Proper design is not trivial, but is effective. I doubt there will ever be a keyboard as all-around effective for professional typists as the old Selectric II typewriter. A company called Northgate came very close, though, with a PC keyboard. IBM also had others that were very nearly as good. __________________ Abstraction doesn't make it impossible to write bad code; it makes it possible to write superior code. Contributor's Corner: Grumpy on C++ Exceptions DaWei on Pointers

Oct 24th, 2005, 10:22 AM	#9
zorin Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 218 Rep Power: 4	Heres a free online learning touch typing exercise, Im no good at touch typing and have to look at every key as I type

Oct 24th, 2005, 10:23 AM	#10
zorin Hobbyist Programmer Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 218 Rep Power: 4	sorry I forgot to paste in the link here it is anyway http://www.senselang.com/

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Touch Typing