Confessions of a really, really bad typer

[dn]

I am dn, a new member of GH, and I am a really bad typist or typer or whatever you call it.

The following will be written unedited in my native tongue so to speak:

dear gh, ever since i can remember i couldn/t type for ****. i never gave touch typing anyt attention in schoo.l and i am forever regretting htis. io am the worst typoer i know and it is both embarrassing and frustrating.

yesterday i joined gh and i have been welcomesd with nothing but the nicest and most supportivre people an\d comments and it has been a really great experience as i have not been in a forum community before.

yes i can make pretty much anything and i can play quake like a pro (used to be hardcore) but my typuing make me look liek a complete retard when in fact i am studying my second degree at university and am generally a highly intelligent and detailed person.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

i will no lomnger look at the keyboard, i will no longer hunt and peck for special characters. i am ordering a completely blank set of keycaps to force me to become a wicked typist and i know it wont be easy but its LONG over due.


I AM SO SORRY YOU HAD TO READ THE ABOVE, but I need you to know the extent of my abysmal typing habits.


10 minutes ago I started my first module of a touch typing tutor and I hope this will change things forever!

any tips or advice will be greatly apprecited.

my name is dn, and i will be a ****ty typist no more!

thank you for your time and sorry i have had to subject you with this RAW unedited and unproofread post (i didnt use the backspace key to hide my spastic typing).

regards,

dn

[okooko]

Good luck on your journey.

It really depends on what you do for a living, I work in an office doing reading contracts and excel/data entry so being able to type reasonably well is definitely a plus.
My boss, who types with two fingers (I've never seen him type long passages/emails) but I'd imagine he wouldn't be a fan of such tasks. All he does it reply to emails all day and phone calls, so I think he could learn a thing or two (increase efficiency!).

AUS represent!

[dn]

Good luck on your journey.

It really depends on what you do for a living, I work in an office doing reading contracts and excel/data entry so being able to type reasonably well is definitely a plus.
My boss, who types with two fingers (I've never seen him type long passages/emails) but I'd imagine he wouldn't be a fan of such tasks. All he does it reply to emails all day and phone calls, so I think he could learn a thing or two (increase efficiency!).

AUS represent!

Thanks for your support! I am an Industrial Design student at Monash University and I have recently started a custom guitar fabrication business with a school mate. I love working with wood .

I can't let this embarrassing habit go on any longer though! I need to write essays and so on, so it will be worth my time to improve.

[Lastpilot]

I see... I would definitely start working by typing only as fast as you can type 100% accurately then patiently increasing your speed from there. Good luck!

[dn]

I see... I would definitely start working by typing only as fast as you can type 100% accurately then patiently increasing your speed from there. Good luck!

Ah! Good advice my friend, I will take that on board

[sherryton]

Welcome to GeekHack.  What is that picture in your profile?  It looks like wooden keycaps :O.

I remember we tried to get wooden keycaps here, but the price was far too much.

[mikelanding]

Purchase a Split Keyboard will force you to touch type properly.

[WhiteFireDragon]

You might think you're bad, but TheProfosist (a member here) is even worst. It's like all his punctuation keys are jammed, sometimes his shift key doesn't work, and words are randomly misspelled lol. No offense profosist, just trying to make the OP feel better 

Welcome to GH.
 

[JPG]

I was a very ****ty typist until recently. In fact, I still am not a good typist, but I improved A LOT recently.

When I was young, I learned how to touch type. But since I was using the computer more to play than to type, my position was never good to touch type. So instead I became a fast 2 finger typer.

I was like 50 wpm with 2 fingers.

But I am also a programmer. Being a 2 finger programmer, I felt like I was kinda n00b. I wanted to go back to touch type, but I was just awfull at it, like 20 wpm.

But then I got my first mechanical keyboard. And it changed the way I typed. The reason was simply that the feedback from the keyboard was so much more accurate, that I could finally know when the key registered. So I decided to focus on touch typing more. I tried to do some race to improve (type racer), and it helped a lot. I am still not that fast, but I can at least touch type correctly now.

If I can give you some advice, the most importants one are these:

1. Setup your desk so that you are in an optimal position to type. When typing with 2 fingers, it as less impact cause your hands are "hight". When touch typing, you need to stay close to the keyboard. The height of the chair and armrest, to have your keyboard centered, the position of your screen, many details, but once you found the right position for you, you enjoy the difference!

2. Take your time. If you want to type fast, you must type correctly. So better start slow but learn to do it right.

3. Only use touch type all the time. More practice = faster learning. Hard at the beginning, but once you get a decent speed, it's easier. I must admit that when I go back on a membrane keybord (someone else's), I just find it a pain.

4. With time, even numbers and special keys and accents will be easy to type. (I type in french 50% of the time and must say it can be a pain sometime to type so many accent)

5. Get a mechanical keyboard  . If not for the speed, do it for the feeling. Typing a lot will become a pleasure instead of a frustrating thing to do.

Well, that's based on my personnal experience. Must be different for all of us, but some things apply to most. Taking your time and training are key to succes in most discipline, not only touch typing. Same for having a good position.

[tp4tissue]

play this...

http://10fastfingers.com/typing-test/english

if you register you can play "advance" mode, which has harder words.

you should see results pretty fast in the first week.

[tp4tissue]

Also, if you buy blank keycaps, it might motivate you to touch type.. since 1 you spent money on this, 2 you can't look even if you want to.

so it will work kinda like the "swear jar" and " hard knock life" rolled into 1....

Oh, go for bright color blank caps, unless you find pbt blank black.. other wise, shine gets bad...

[dn]

I was a very ****ty typist until recently. In fact, I still am not a good typist, but I improved A LOT recently.

When I was young, I learned how to touch type. But since I was using the computer more to play than to type, my position was never good to touch type. So instead I became a fast 2 finger typer.

I was like 50 wpm with 2 fingers.

But I am also a programmer. Being a 2 finger programmer, I felt like I was kinda n00b. I wanted to go back to touch type, but I was just awfull at it, like 20 wpm.

But then I got my first mechanical keyboard. And it changed the way I typed. The reason was simply that the feedback from the keyboard was so much more accurate, that I could finally know when the key registered. So I decided to focus on touch typing more. I tried to do some race to improve (type racer), and it helped a lot. I am still not that fast, but I can at least touch type correctly now.

If I can give you some advice, the most importants one are these:

1. Setup your desk so that you are in an optimal position to type. When typing with 2 fingers, it as less impact cause your hands are "hight". When touch typing, you need to stay close to the keyboard. The height of the chair and armrest, to have your keyboard centered, the position of your screen, many details, but once you found the right position for you, you enjoy the difference!

2. Take your time. If you want to type fast, you must type correctly. So better start slow but learn to do it right.

3. Only use touch type all the time. More practice = faster learning. Hard at the beginning, but once you get a decent speed, it's easier. I must admit that when I go back on a membrane keybord (someone else's), I just find it a pain.

4. With time, even numbers and special keys and accents will be easy to type. (I type in french 50% of the time and must say it can be a pain sometime to type so many accent)

5. Get a mechanical keyboard  . If not for the speed, do it for the feeling. Typing a lot will become a pleasure instead of a frustrating thing to do.

Well, that's based on my personnal experience. Must be different for all of us, but some things apply to most. Taking your time and training are key to succes in most discipline, not only touch typing. Same for having a good position.

Thanks for the detailed response! I too have a mech kb and love it! I will follow your tips - thank you very much.

[dn]

Welcome to GeekHack.  What is that picture in your profile?  It looks like wooden keycaps :O.

I remember we tried to get wooden keycaps here, but the price was far too much.

I will be creating some wooden keycaps in the near future and they will be available on GH and through techkeys.us

I joined GH yesterday arvo, had the idea in the car on the way home, and posted about it - and as a result I have received a lot of encouragement.

My goal is to make them stunning in the simplest way possible. I will not be marking them up exorbitantly and I honestly believe that they wont cost that much to make - I have my own workshop I set-up last year with machinery in my backyard shed and I am a member of a major woodworking club, Monash Uni (free access to machinery, laser cutters, 3d printers and cnc machines).

This is what i had in mind in the car yesterday (when the idea was born) - i will probs make an esc key to start with (as recommended by a GH user).



or



or



+



in a cherry esc key form factor with an ultra high gloss polished clear goat (like a layer of glass)


I appreciate input from the community on this - what do people want?

[dn]

I have started a new thread regarding my WOODEN KEYCAP AMBITIONS - to keep this thread relevant

http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=39799.0

[rowdy]

Wood? See: http://geekhack.org/index.php?board=127.0

Suggest you maybe start with just otaku alphas, then graduate to numbers as well, then the rest.

[durainello]

I would say

http://hi-games.net/ is much better with all the punctuations, symbols etc which i could only get average 70-80wpm
10fastfingers easier hits 90-100wpm which i don't think is accurate.
Typeracer will makes you nervous and wants to go faster thus more mistakes instead.

By mixing 10fastfingers and higames by doing 10 rounds each daily gives the best results .
Just my 2cents worth of opinion.

play this...

http://10fastfingers.com/typing-test/english

if you register you can play "advance" mode, which has harder words.

you should see results pretty fast in the first week.

[dn]

Wood? See: http://geekhack.org/index.php?board=127.0

Suggest you maybe start with just otaku alphas, then graduate to numbers as well, then the rest.

Sorry what is otaku alphas?

[iri]

tl;dr
does the OP have dyslexia?

[rowdy]

Wood? See: http://geekhack.org/index.php?board=127.0

Suggest you maybe start with just otaku alphas, then graduate to numbers as well, then the rest.

Sorry what is otaku alphas?

"Otaku" just means completely blank.  Alphas are the A-Z keys.

Learn to touch-type the alphabet first, I imagine most typing courses would focus on that anyway.

Then learn the numbers and punctuation later.  I have found that they can vary from keyboard to keyboard.

[dn]

tl;dr
does the OP have dyslexia?

No I do not. I think it would have been difficult to successfully complete my first, let alone my second university degree if that was the case.

[iri]

learning touch typing in two languages took me three weeks of lazy exercises.

[MattBuzzy]

I am also a ****ty typist and am going to start working on learning to properly touch type. Currently 44wpm with the occasional look down... urgh.

[fohat.digs]

I, too, am an Industrial Designer, although that has nothing to do with this:

When my son was learning to type, in grade school, his teacher suggested getting a large black handkerchief to cover his hands and keyboard as he typed.

This costs very little, can go off or on whenever you want, and is the easiest possible stepping stone to touch typing.

And all that other stuff, like good chair, good desk, good keyboard, good lighting, that is all true too!

[dn]

I, too, am an Industrial Designer, although that has nothing to do with this:

When my son was learning to type, in grade school, his teacher suggested getting a large black handkerchief to cover his hands and keyboard as he typed.

This costs very little, can go off or on whenever you want, and is the easiest possible stepping stone to touch typing.

And all that other stuff, like good chair, good desk, good keyboard, good lighting, that is all true too!

Industrial Design representin' hehe.

I don't really have a problem looking at the keys, its just I need to do the exercises and stick to the home row etc instead of "freestyling"

Thanks for the tips though!

[Heliobb]

I was a very ****ty typist until recently. In fact, I still am not a good typist, but I improved A LOT recently.

When I was young, I learned how to touch type. But since I was using the computer more to play than to type, my position was never good to touch type. So instead I became a fast 2 finger typer.

I was like 50 wpm with 2 fingers.

But I am also a programmer. Being a 2 finger programmer, I felt like I was kinda n00b. I wanted to go back to touch type, but I was just awfull at it, like 20 wpm.

But then I got my first mechanical keyboard. And it changed the way I typed. The reason was simply that the feedback from the keyboard was so much more accurate, that I could finally know when the key registered. So I decided to focus on touch typing more. I tried to do some race to improve (type racer), and it helped a lot. I am still not that fast, but I can at least touch type correctly now.

If I can give you some advice, the most importants one are these:

1. Setup your desk so that you are in an optimal position to type. When typing with 2 fingers, it as less impact cause your hands are "hight". When touch typing, you need to stay close to the keyboard. The height of the chair and armrest, to have your keyboard centered, the position of your screen, many details, but once you found the right position for you, you enjoy the difference!

2. Take your time. If you want to type fast, you must type correctly. So better start slow but learn to do it right.

3. Only use touch type all the time. More practice = faster learning. Hard at the beginning, but once you get a decent speed, it's easier. I must admit that when I go back on a membrane keybord (someone else's), I just find it a pain.

4. With time, even numbers and special keys and accents will be easy to type. (I type in french 50% of the time and must say it can be a pain sometime to type so many accent)

5. Get a mechanical keyboard  . If not for the speed, do it for the feeling. Typing a lot will become a pleasure instead of a frustrating thing to do.

Well, that's based on my personnal experience. Must be different for all of us, but some things apply to most. Taking your time and training are key to succes in most discipline, not only touch typing. Same for having a good position.

Thats and old topic. But I enjoyed it ! Thanks

[baldgye]

woah m8
you went back two ****ing years
to thank someone
who last posted on February 19, 2013

m8 what the ****

[paicrai]

nool cecro