Poll: Do you touch-type? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#11

Post by hitonagashi » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:47 AM UTC

The right way is relative. I was never taught to touchtype, but I end up spending hours every day typing, so it just developed naturally.

Looking at the natural resting place of my fingers, I do use the F and J keys for resting my index fingers, but I'm pretty sure that there are faster ways of touchtyping than the methods I use.

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#12

Post by alimbada » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:47 AM UTC

I touch type, but I always look at the keyboard when typing passwords (because I don't like backtracking when I make mistakes; I'd rather get it right the first time)

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#13

Post by metaskills » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:48 AM UTC

I learned touch typing in high school '90 not knowing what career I would be in. I can type very fast now and love the fact that I took the time to learn. Know your instrument!

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#14

Post by fxn » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:49 AM UTC

I had to learn to use my Kinesis (you just can't see the keys), also followed the lessons in http://www.typingweb.com which is I think an awesome service.

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#15

Post by mikaelj » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:50 AM UTC

Yes. Swedish Dvorak variation. Das Keyboard III. Lots of programming and time on IRC.

Did not touch type when using QWERTY. Switched and learn it correctly. On the flip side, I have no idea where the keys are located if I try to do hunt-and-peck typing now.

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#16

Post by ElliotH » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:50 AM UTC

Mavis Beacon was the only game on my home computer when I was a child. I'm a little 'freestyle' at times, but in general I use the correct fingers.

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#17

Post by wwwhizz » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:50 AM UTC

Well, I do tend to go back to the home keys, however, when programming it's using shortcuts all the way anyway. With the flash-game finger frenzy (http://www.gimme5games.com/play-game/finger-frenzy-world) I can type the alphabet in under 3 seconds, without using the "right way"

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#18

Post by miahi » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:50 AM UTC

I can touch-type "the right way" when I write text, but I cannot do it while programming. The link is broken when I have to use a lot of punctuation, parentheses and other strange signs the language of choice needs, as most of them should be pressed by the small finger of the right hand. I can press them without looking using other fingers, but it's not that fast.

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#19

Post by wunki » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:50 AM UTC

I switched two Dvorak two years ago and forced myself to touch type by buying a blank keyboard (HHKB2). The beginning was very frustrating, but it has payed of!

Re: Poll: Do you touch-type?

#20

Post by spqr » Wed, Feb 08, 2012, 11:51 AM UTC

First computer when 10 years old in 1982. First year of typing in school, typed 70 WPM with three fingers in each hand. Second year of typing in school, typed 95 WPM with touch typing properly. Third year of typing in school, typed 130 WPM with typing properly.

I'm still 130+ WPM today. On strictly word typing tests I can hit over 160 but I don't think that counts for much.