Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions • Hacker News Board

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#381

Post by pseingatl » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:13 AM UTC

If this works--and I have my doubts--it will revolutionize the stenographic industry and bring stenographic recording to the masses. Furthermore, the article barely mentions the role of AI, and its role here is significant. It is AI and word/phrase completion that allow Chinese writers to approach 200 wpm and regularly hit 125 wpm. Only expert English language typists regularly reach 100 wpm. It wasn't that long ago that the ability to type only 40 wpm qualified you as a clerk/typist in the military or the government.

If it works half as well as the claim it would be an extraordinary advance. The issue is the length of time it takes to become proficient.

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#382

Post by fortran77 » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:25 AM UTC

bee_rider wrote: post #74

tambourine_man wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

QWERTY has a steep learning curve as well, it’s just that it’s so ubiquitous that most people don’t question or remember the work that was put into.

I, and I think many other people, didn't really 'work' at learning to type. We just practiced as a side effect of using the computer rather than, say, taking typing lessons. For someone like me, QWERTY has a difficulty curve. I think seno technically wouldn't have a curve. The inability to hunt and peck means that without explicitly setting aside time to train in steno, there isn't any way to make real progress. Math…

We took typing in 7th grade (12-13 years old). We had a classroom set up with manual typewriters on every desk that had blank keytops.

Lesson one was learning A-S-D-F J-K-L-; and typing words and combinations on the home row, then we'd learn a few new letters each day. After that we had to learn how to use the tab function, address envelopes, and common forms for business letters. We were tested with "eyes on copy" typewriting where we didn't look at our hands.

(Other obsolete skills I learned in "Jr. High School" include how to set letterpress type, and Morse Code. I still use Morse Code today on amateur radio.)

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#383

Post by donw » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:31 AM UTC

gokdisjtrdcvv5 wrote: post #347

thanhhaimai wrote: post #280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Monkeytpe won’t let Keen run up the leaderboard, but he did win another typing competition using the CharaChorder to hit 267 WPM with 76% accuracy. IMHO, 76% accuracy is honestly low. If the person has to sacrifice so much accuracy to hit 267 I'm not sure it's worth it. For most typing, making a mistake actually interrupts your thought process. This speed is only achievable/useful when there are text on the screen…

I type for fun and 76% is awful. If I dip below 85% I instantly stop. 76% means I have super cold fingers while having butter slathered all over the keyboard!

That's why you should never watch Bear Grylls, Gordon Ramsay, and a Sandi Metz video at the same time.

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#384

Post by boublepop » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:32 AM UTC

albatrosstrophy wrote: post #364

TulliusCicero wrote: post #134

> Keen also claimed that he’d won several online gaming competitions using the CharaChorder, which he says brings up an interesting ethical dilemma. “I’m not sure if there’s any restrictions on what keyboards you’re allowed to use,” he said over a video of him playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on the Nintendo Switch, using his CharaChorder running through a XIM-style adapter. As someone who's somewhat familiar with…

Tetris. There's some discussion on HN a while back on different ways of tapping the controller to make quicker turns. It will be interesting to seenwhat CharaChorder can do.

All of that has to to exclusively with techniques for improving speed when playing with the traditional controller. As soon as you can use another input device there is no need for that.

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#385

Post by qwerty456127 » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:32 AM UTC

What about the mouse?

I use mouse a lot and don't feel like I really giving this habit up because the general ecosystem of apps you have to use if programming is not your primary job and terminal is not your primary environment is not particularly keyboard-friendly.

Does this device offer an efficient (perhaps something trackpoint-like) way to move your mouse pointer without moving your hand between it and the mouse?

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#386

Post by Zenst » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:33 AM UTC

Very interesting design and good logical extension of the whole chord keyboard approach which I recall the early https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwriter

One of those interfaces I've always wanted to give a go, but never really invested the effort in trying.

Though the prospect of breaking a finger and being locked out of your computer as your unable to enter your password; Is one aspect of chord keyboards that would compound a stressful day.

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#387

Post by dwg » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:37 AM UTC

makeitdouble wrote: post #357

dwg wrote: post #310

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is Kana input really that much faster than Romaji? I've almost never seen it used (presumably because you have to learn romaji input to type in English anyway, so why learn a second input method), so can't speak to its speed. However, is it possible that ten-key style input could actually be faster than Kana input? After all, direct Kana input in Japanese is kind of equivalent to Roman input in English in the sense o…

I've never seen it used IRL as well. People tout a 30% speed increase over romaji: https://persol-tech-s.co.jp/i-engineer/technology/key-kana > this keyboard claims to be faster than direct input due to not needing to move your fingers around That would perhaps work if you remapped the movement to not be linked to romaji, but direct kana mappings. Then it's not just 26 keys combination for the alphabet alone, but 46+…

thanks for the link!

> That would perhaps work if you remapped the movement to not be linked to romaji, but direct kana mappings.

Yes, I picture the same 12 key basic input mapping as on smart phones. The CharaCorder has enough joysticks, but looking again at their website it doesn't look like it would work—seems like each joystick only supports 4 directions?... too bad.

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#388

Post by erichmond » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:47 AM UTC

donw wrote: post #383

gokdisjtrdcvv5 wrote: post #347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I type for fun and 76% is awful. If I dip below 85% I instantly stop. 76% means I have super cold fingers while having butter slathered all over the keyboard!

That's why you should never watch Bear Grylls, Gordon Ramsay, and a Sandi Metz video at the same time.

Possibly best HN comment ever

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#389

Post by boublepop » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 4:48 AM UTC

qwerty456127 wrote: post #385

What about the mouse? I use mouse a lot and don't feel like I really giving this habit up because the general ecosystem of apps you have to use if programming is not your primary job and terminal is not your primary environment is not particularly keyboard-friendly. Does this device offer an efficient (perhaps something trackpoint-like) way to move your mouse pointer without moving your hand between it and the mouse?

Oddly enough no. I would have though that had been thought I to the design since it’s such a natural extension. But no, the CEO has TikTok’s playing Valorant, and he’s using a mouse and only the left side. Which also makes it slightly odd when he makes claims like “characorder helped me win” because when has the speed of keyboard entry ever been the limiting factor in an FPS?

Re: Keyboard lets people type so fast it’s banned from typing competitions

#390

Post by ok123456 » Fri, Jan 07, 2022, 5:04 AM UTC

aphit wrote: post #350

Retric wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“CharaChorder’s internal processor arranges the letters on-screen in real time faster than the human eye can perceive.” So, 76% may also be an artifact due to the way the keyboard interprets inputs rather than something a user would need to correct.

I own a CharaChorder and this is exactly right. Using the CC, you can't get 100% on monkeytype because when I type `helo` it then backspaces that and types `hello` using the CharaChorder's onboard firmware. The final text is 100% accurate--it's just what was typed by the keyboard wasn't 100% accurate.

What if you're debugging SMTP and you actually meant HELO?