Forced Touch Type Learning

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:49 pm

So I'm pretty good at typing, but don't really touch type. So I'm going to force myself to use all my fingers instead of just mostly my index fingers, like both hands on the home row.

To acomplish this without me looking I'm going to make my own DAS keyboard

Pics soon when im done!

Dan

Alathald · Post by **Alathald** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:59 pm

Wow dude, I thought all techys touchtyped...you'll notice a greatly improved speed in your typing after a couple weeks.

Try using a program, thats how I learned to do it...this one looks interesting

Good luck aquiring your newest skill

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Thu May 17, 2007 5:09 pm

Ok, 15 minutes later (I'm bored of sticking electrical insulation tape on my keyboard

) and i can type without looking at the keys but still am just using my two index fingers

Pics you say?

Before:

After:

The strange thing is that I find myself glancing down to check for keys, and even though I can't see them I know where they are.

Dan

Zelig · Post by **Zelig** » Thu May 17, 2007 5:58 pm

Hey, same keyboard as me! Discountinued now though, I'm going to be sad when it dies, will probably pick up a real Das keyboard.

When I switched to typing Dvorak a while ago, I left the physical keys in the qwerty layout, so was forced to go to touch-typing that way, as the keys read letters different from what they type. I'm around 100 wpm now.

dgood · Post by **dgood** » Thu May 17, 2007 6:33 pm

Thats kinda funny, we were forced to do it in grade school they made us cover our hands up with paper and memorize it. We used a program called "type to learn." that and I think theres a program called mavis beacon or something we used once or twice lol.

vicaphit · Post by **vicaphit** » Thu May 17, 2007 7:43 pm

I learned in High school, and practiced using instant messaging. it helps when you need speed during the conversation.

Alathald · Post by **Alathald** » Fri May 18, 2007 1:57 pm

Zelig wrote:When I switched to typing Dvorak a while ago, I left the physical keys in the qwerty layout, so was forced to go to touch-typing that way, as the keys read letters different from what they type. I'm around 100 wpm now.

You've peek my interest in this Dvorak layout, after a bit of research, I've decided to give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes...

Zelig · Post by **Zelig** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:33 pm

Alathald wrote:You've peek my interest in this Dvorak layout, after a bit of research, I've decided to give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes...

For the first month, using a computer for anything is a pain, so I wouldn't recommend it if you actually have time limits on accomplishing any work.

So I would know what keys actually were, I printed off a small dvorak layout, and taped it to the bottom of my monitor.

Alathald · Post by **Alathald** » Fri May 18, 2007 5:27 pm

Zelig wrote:For the first month, using a computer for anything is a pain, so I wouldn't recommend it if you actually have time limits on accomplishing any work.

So I would know what keys actually were, I printed off a small dvorak layout, and taped it to the bottom of my monitor.

I've got two computers so if I need to do any fast typing, I'll switch back far a time...as for knowing where the keys are, I just popped off the keys and rearranged them. I like the idea of all the vowels under the left hand home row with the most used constanants under the right...so far I'm up to about 10 wpm with Dvorak

skier · Post by **skier** » Fri May 18, 2007 6:10 pm

i have a serious problem with typing, i use all my fingers but i have to look at the board, should i try that "covering up the keys" thing?

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Sat May 19, 2007 4:59 am

If you think that it would help then go for it... So far my transition is slow and painfull, with every third key i press being the backspace

Dan

*edit* just make sure you can type your passwords without having to see the keys ^_^
I didn't check before I did it, but fortunately I can do it anyway.

odie2190 · Post by **odie2190** » Sat May 19, 2007 8:59 am

its all about texting now. guys cmon!

pcrobot · Post by **pcrobot** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:38 pm

I didn't realize I wasn't the only person who didn't touch type. I think I will try something drastic. Unfortunantly my keyboard isn't black, so I can't take a marker to it.... any suggestions for a white keyboard? (no it's not beige...)

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:41 pm

White electrical insulation tape? I used black on mine...

Its fustrating me beyond belief as every third key pressed is a backspace, although I do seem to be getting better if only very slowly. I got the demo of the typing of the dead and i love it! I am really going to have to find that game somewhere.

Its uncanny how I can type my password and get it right (Its 13 characters long!)

Dan

pcrobot · Post by **pcrobot** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:13 pm

DMB2000uk wrote:White electrical insulation tape? I used black on mine...

Its fustrating me beyond belief as every third key pressed is a backspace, although I do seem to be getting better if only very slowly. I got the demo of the typing of the dead and i love it! I am really going to have to find that game somewhere.

Its uncanny how I can type my password and get it right (Its 13 characters long!)

Dan

13 characters! I knew I was close...

JK LOL

I will check for white electrical tape next time I'm at the hardware store... maybe I'll try black until then, although it will look kinda funny.

DaIceMan · Post by **DaIceMan** » Wed May 23, 2007 7:17 pm

I type using the normal old method Ms Heathcott taught me in HS. I was able to do about 55wpm back then, and typing familiar text or conversations now, I would say I can run about 70wpm.

As for training programs, I found that Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing was, at least somewhat, enjoyable to use. Instead of the boring repetition, it actually presents you with games to learn. One that stands out was the grocery store checkout. You had to type the name of the product, example eggs, juice, etc, before it fell off the end of the conveyor.

Tech_Greek · Post by **Tech_Greek** » Thu May 24, 2007 8:58 pm

Meh, I slept in class, at an average of 105 WPM and fastest being 135 WPM with 2 errors in a 5 minute test they decided that they need not teach me...I got an A without ever even doing so much as a slick of work.

Sovereign · Post by **Sovereign** » Fri May 25, 2007 10:51 am

I had to take a class for the "Business" credit in high school, so while I don't break into the triple digits, I know where all the letters are, my brain just sometimes fires off the wrong letter

I do try to type "properly," i.e. home row, not mashing the keys (laptop palm rests are not to be taken literally, my hands killed after I spent a lecture typing like that)

pyrogenix19 · Post by **pyrogenix19** » Wed May 30, 2007 3:31 pm

I never really learned in typing classes...in high school we had some silly typing game program and it was pretty boring...I dont know how they expect to teach people to type with space ships shooting floating garbage with every properly spelled word rofl.

Anyway, great idea with the blanked out keys! After typing for like 8 years I've pretty much gotten to the point where I can type in the dark without missing a key :]

Oh and I never typed with ASDF JKL;...I guess I just kinda free form it.

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Wed May 30, 2007 3:53 pm

I think that's where I pretty much was, but i really wanted to learn how to do the whole home row thing properly. Though I think that my method of self teaching is just frustrating me, as even though I know where the keys are on the board, I can't seem to find them with different fingers!

Dan