Touch Typing for a Developer? 137
The Whinger asks: "I've been programming in various forms for about 20 years now, and I still can't type. I keep thinking, "I must learn to touch type". Unfortunately, two finger typing, 'touch typing tutorial' into your search engine of choice throws back a minefield of hits. Of course, picking something to try does not guarantee success. Does touch typing help with programming? Do you know of any tutorials that you would recommend or avoid? I can't spend the next forty years two finger typing ;)."
One thing you could try (Score:3, Informative)
Re:One thing you could try (Score:3, Informative)
And yes, Mavis is fictional [google.com]
Anyhow, I learned how to type through this program, and the help of an excellent teacher (the human variety)
Re:One thing you could try (Score:2)
I checked google for a typing speed test and found this: http://www.typingtest.com/
I'm getting about 70 words a minute. Pretty neat. I should become a secretary and ditch programming.
Re:One thing you could try (Score:3, Interesting)
Eight weeks was about all I could take of that business before I got transfered into a different class but I can type like a greased monkey now, and I still keep both feet flat on the floor and my back straight.
Re:One thing you could try (Score:2)
To the original poster -- I also code, and I have to say that it took a good long stint with Mavis and then forcing myself to touch type while programming through a coding class or two (it takes a while to learn to type "again", since the keys you hit when coding in most languages are rarely pressed when typing ordinary English). If you can simply force yourself to touch type, and damn the sho
Re:One thing you could try (Score:3, Informative)
That said, I think that learning to type will definatly help you.
I took typing to meet stupid/hot girls (Score:2)
Re:One thing you could try (Score:2, Informative)
Re:One thing you could try (Score:2)
Re:One thing you could try (Score:2)
I'm sure someone makes something similar to this, as it would be a little difficult to keep up with even the slower levels on modern hardware. Anyway
Re:One thing you could try (Score:2)
And Typing Derby (A [oasiscomm.net] B [oasiscomm.net]), a type-in (natch) program for the Commodore 64. Compute!'s Gazette, February 1984. Little pi symbols gallop across the screen like horses depending on how fast you can type ASDF ASDF ASDF, etc.
Mind numbingly repetitive, sure, but I was 12 and had patience for such things. :-)
does touch-typing help with programming?! (Score:2)
Touch typing will help with ANY typing.
The industry's 800lb gorilla for typing software seems to be Mavis Beacon, as another posted has already mentioned.
Not so fast (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes and no. For normal text, such as you find in comments, of course.
However, the usual "formal" approach to touch-typing, based on a home row and marked keys, isn't nearly so helpful in the context of a punctuation-heavy programming language. Being able to do 85wpm is little use if you're using Perl, where 98% of the characters you type are '/'. :-)
On top of that, developers spend almost no time typing code. The vast majority of their coding time is spent thin
Re:Not so fast (Score:2)
Touch typing is useful for development -- yeah, most of your time is spent thinking and conceptualizing the code, but at some point you do have to write the damn thing, and then touch typing helps reduce your time doing so. The other thing is that most of the good text editors (vi, emacs, etc) make use of the standard QWERTY layout to improve navigation without forcing you to r
irc (Score:2, Funny)
Re:irc (Score:2)
Thank you! (Score:2)
(But I've been awake for only 37 minutes so don't get too excited.)
Re:irc (Score:2)
Just try typing in the dark (Score:1)
Re:Just try typing in the dark (Score:2)
My dad taught himself how to touch type using our atari computer, some typing software and a cardboard box. Find a box big enough to fit over your keyboard, and your hands. Cut out the front and bottom of the box. Sit it over they keyboard so you can't see the keys.
It worked well for him.
Re:Just try typing in the dark (Score:2)
It ain't gonna happen (Score:5, Insightful)
It really sounds like there's some kind of spinal disconnect going on here. Your fingers should have learned where all the keys are by now, and you should be able to hit them without even thinking about it.
Re:It ain't gonna happen (Score:3, Insightful)
I Agree, but maybe he just hasn't realised that.
To the original poster: Try typing without looking some time. just see if you can do it. Your accuracy might be a bit off at first, but you'll get the hang of it. its all about knowing where the keys are, especially relative to the last one.
Re:It ain't gonna happen (Score:4, Funny)
This is of course keeping in mind that "I" is in fact a word.
So what's the time limit? (Score:2)
Re:So what's the time limit? (Score:3, Interesting)
Your fingers should naturally learn over time, through repetition. Many people can't play the p
Re:Hundreds? (Score:2)
Re:Hundreds? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Hundreds? (Score:2)
Errors: 1 word
Net speed: 106wpm
Accuracy: 99%
Re:Hundreds? (Score:2)
Re:Hundreds? (Score:2)
Re:Hundreds? (Score:2)
Re:Hundreds? (Score:2)
Test duration: 2 min
Test text: Fishing in Finland
Speed unit: WPM
Result: Accuracy: 99%
Net score: 96 WPM
Whaaaa? (Score:2)
When I took programming in high school (mid 80's), I had a teacher who was adamant that we should take a typing course.
My excuse for not doing so was that I was going to switch to a Dvorak layout for my keyboard, thus rendering my QWERTY touch-typing skills entirely useless.
Of course, that never happened, but she doesn't know that.
Seriously, man, I learned to type by entering programs from computer magazine printouts by hand. What other training could a programmer possibly need?
Re:Whaaaa? (Score:1)
A few years ago I switched to Dvorak by simply printing out the layout and transcribing text from a book. I had that same feeling, but kept with it (about an hour a day for 3 weeks, while continuing to type QWERTY the rest of the day) and eventually switched to Dvorak exclusively. It took me a month or so to get my Dvorak ty
20 years and you still can't type?!? (Score:2)
Re:20 years and you still can't type?!? (Score:1)
Quite easily. I type properly now, but I went for years using two 2 fingers and the thumb on each hand (it can be surprisingly quick), but then the first computer keyboards I worked with were the old Burroughs "teletype" machines. I challenge anybody to touch-type on one of those machines without letting themselves in for an industrial-class case of RSI within a week.
gtypist, tuxtype (Score:5, Informative)
I feel pretty good recommending gtypist [gnu.org] for the tty, and tuxtype [sourceforge.net] for the GUI.
I think the ability to have words come out as effortlessly via typing as via speaking is invaluable.
apt-get install tuxtype
apt-get install gtypist
Larry
I touch type, and I program... (Score:5, Insightful)
There are five benefits to touch typing that I personally reap as a programmer:
1. If I am copying code from a book, or a printout, or notes that I took by hand, I don't have to take my eyes off of the printed material. This is quite helpful, as it means I don't have to find my place on the page every time I look away, then back;
2. I can repeatedly bang out long, descriptive variable names in roughly the same amount of time it would take someone else to hunt-and-peck a short variable name;
3. My comments and error messages tend to be more descriptive and useful, as I don't feel the need to save time and effort by writing in short words and sentences;
4. I can easily write documentation on the fly as I code, since little effort is required to whip out a quick paragraph or two about the code I'm working on;
5. My posts to Slashdot can be made quickly enough to be read by most people, yet still be long enough to warrant an automatic "+1 Informative" from any moderator who doesn't read the whole way through.
-Dave
Speed is all that matters (Score:1)
As long as you're not doing "hunt and peck", you're fine. There also happen to be quite a few two-finger typists who are incredibly fast- faster than many "touch typists". Knowi
Just do it (Score:1)
I didn't learn to touch type until I was in my thirties, it
touch typing vs. knowing where the keys are (Score:3, Funny)
And for what it's worth, Dave Cutler pounded out most of the NT kernel using two fingers.
- adam
Re:touch typing vs. knowing where the keys are (Score:2)
And its using the exact same method as you use but using all 5 fingers.
Take a test and see how many words per minute you can get.
Re:touch typing vs. knowing where the keys are (Score:2)
> using two fingers.
Really? I thought he brought it with him from DEC.
Let me guess... (Score:4, Funny)
Learn Dvorak (Score:2)
dvorak7min [linalco.com]
and haven't looked back. I think gtypist has a dvorak module as well.
Re:Learn Dvorak (Score:2)
How I learned how to touch type (Score:5, Informative)
You have ten fingers at your disposal. I used no typing tutors or books or classes.
First, get your pointer fingers on the home keys. F, and J. You'll notice those keys have raised bumps, nubs, or generally feel different than every other key in some way. Line up the rest of your fingers on the keys next to them. Pinkys on A and ":". Rest of your fingers on the keys in between. You'll have a G and H staring back at you.
Next, get a piece of paper. Look at the keys around those "home position" keys. Figure out what keys out of the keys that are left are closest to each finger. Obviously, you'll hit G with your left pointer finger and H with your right pointer finger. Y and U with your right pointer finger and so on. There is an optimal finger for each key starting from that home position. Your pinkies end up hitting lots of keys.
Once you figure out what keys go with what finger,
Start out slow, cheating by looking and type out:
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy red dog.
Do it again and again and again and again. At some point you'll stop looking.
After that, concentrate on making a letter appear on the screen at random. Try to hit the A without having to look. If you can't, look. Then do it again without looking. Eventually you'll be able to type like you would on a typewriter without having to look for keys. Slowly work in the rest of the keys.
Pitfalls to avoid:
Get used to using the opposite hand to hit the SHIFT key for the other hand.
Learn to use the number keys above your letters instead of the crutch that is the number pad. You'll be much faster if you don't have to move your hands from the home position to hit numbers.
Take your time and don't get discouraged. Every little victory in the form of memorizing where a new letter is without having to look keeps you going.
I'm doing about 90wpm now. A lot of that has to do with spending 10 years on IRC before finally walking away for good. IRC is a great way to get really fast at touch typing.
This is how I did it.
Re:How I learned how to touch type (Score:1)
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
But perhaps include some symbols:
The (quick) [brown] fox jumped over the {lazy} dog.
quartz glyph job vex'd cwm finks (Score:2)
- adam
Re:How I learned how to touch type (Score:1)
The zombies acted quietly, but kept driving their oxen forward
Black sphinx of quatrz, judge my vow
Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs
Start from scratch (Score:2)
hmmm (Score:2, Funny)
You are probably better off as you are.
I have been able to touch type for 25 years.
Now I type much faster than I can think.
Get "Typing of the Dead." Seriously. (Score:5, Informative)
This program is effective because it's fun. It has a (somewhat pathetic) tutorial mode, and the first level or so in the game is easy. It gets hard very quickly, though. If you want to continue playing, you've got to learn how to touch type, and do it quickly - if you can't type quickly, you're toast. And there's something gratifying about watching the zombies explode into green piles of goo...
If you can find the game (should be less than $20), get it. You won't regret it.
Re:Get "Typing of the Dead." Seriously. (Score:2)
Re:Get "Typing of the Dead." Seriously. (Score:2)
Maybe I'll finally get the motivation to stick to touch typing. I'm an OK typist if I've got command line completion.
Thanks for the tip.
Re:Get "Typing of the Dead." Seriously. (Score:1)
Re:Get "Typing of the Dead." Seriously. (Score:2)
ROFL! "I'm pretty good at typing, as long as the computer can predict what I'm going to type and do it for me"
While you're at it, learn something better (Score:2, Interesting)
If you're seriously considering retraining your typing, I strongly recommend the Dvorak [ogi.edu] layout. I typed in QWERTY for a long time, but I never really noticed any of its problems until I took the time to learn Dvorak a couple summers ago. It took me about of constant Dvorak to get back to my old speeds, but it was well worth it.
If speed is your only goal, Dvorak will certainly be worthwhile, as you'll probably be able to type faster than you would with QWERTY, but in my experience the most noticable diffe
Re: (Score:2)
Focus on home keys. (Score:3, Informative)
Just type without looking at the keyboard (Score:1)
The trouble with learning to touch-type, any way, is that your typing *will* be slower than you were as a skilled two-fingered typist for a couple of months. After that, the raw speed, and the ability to look at the screen, or books, or anything else at the same time, will make you wonder why
What about (Score:2)
dvorak (Score:2, Interesting)
To this end, I didn't relabel the keys themselves, I just taped a keyboard diagram below my monitor. I never look at the keyboard now, I just rely on the bumps on
Hardware not Software (Score:3, Interesting)
The thinking was that having a separate device avoids distractions, like wanting to check email or the web or play games. It worked for me. Just thought I would bring it up. I have no idea where you would get something like that now (I haven't checked the font of all knowledge...er, Google).
HTH.
On the other hand... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:On the other hand... (Score:2)
Only if he types in a bad posture. Quick movements while in strange crimped positions causes carpel tunnel, not touch typing itself. Maybe the way he does his two-finger typing will cause carpel tunnel and taking a real typing class will save him...
Mavis Beacon works (Score:2, Interesting)
However, anyone can type paragraph after paragraph of key combinations, all lowercase, with no numbers or punctuation, and get 100 wpm consistently.
Being a programmer, though, means you need to learn not only where all of the letters are and how to type them in both upper and lower case, but you need to learn how to make extensive use of the number and symbol keys. These are the least emphasized in many typing programs, which are more geared towards the letter/number/symbol ratios you would see in taking
I recommend Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor (Score:1)
impressive... most impressive (Score:1)
It's damned impressive, but I can't guarantee that half the characters he's typing aren't backspaces. He claims 130wpm.
Apparently he taught himself to type without any specific software.
Re:impressive... most impressive (Score:3, Interesting)
To the original question-pos
Angband (Score:2)
It's a somewhat unorthodox, but highly addictive, method of learning to touchtype. My current favourite variant is T.O.M.E. [t-o-m-e.net], Tales of Middle-Earth, formerly PernAngband (un
Another thing to think about... (Score:2)
ALL CAPS (Score:2)
There's not much to it. Form the habit of using the right finger for the right key, and try not to look at the keyboard more often than necessary. Use the shift key opposite the hand typing the capit
Learn to touch type the easy way (Score:1)
typespeed (Score:1)
--Robert
The Best Way to Learn to Type (Score:2, Interesting)
www.medievia.com is the game I used to play...get mudmaster.
Re:The Best Way to Learn to Type (Score:1)
How I learned to Touch Type (Score:3, Interesting)
So I painted my keyboard black. The first week _sucked_, but by week 3, I was at 80% of where I had been before, and that 80% was touch, no looking at all.
Over the next month, I crept up to a bit faster than I had been, and that was good. But the real benifit to my speed was that, with my hands always in the correct location, all the control-Key and alt-Key keyboard shortcuts for my editor, my shell, and my web browser became available, and even second nature to me.
It is worth it.
There are a number of businesses which sell keyboards with blank keys, for use in typing classes; you can google for them. I reference this only as a means of showing that this has worked for others.
Try it, it _will_ work. Just take the plunge, accept the reduced short term productivity, and paint the keys black.
Re:How I learned to Touch Type (Score:2)
Of course the people that worked with me hated it. "Let me show you..." (grabs keyboard) "aggggghhhh, what have you done to your keyboard?" ;-)
Stopping Looking at the Keys! Now! Today! (Score:2)
One of the biggest failures of programmers (Score:2)
When you're getting paid the big bucks and you're still doing hunt-and-peck, you're not worth the money.
To answer the question, though, try 'TyperShark' from PopCap games. It's good fun.
Re:One of the biggest failures of programmers (Score:2)
In my opinion, anyone working in the IT industry and especially programmers should be able to reach a minimum standard of typing (say 70 wpm).
Why ? Being able to type faster than you can think is not a Good Thing when programming ;-) Seriously, my programming speed is more limited by the fact that except for trivial constructs (or when I'm really deep in my "flow") I am actually thinking about what I'm typing, how to write what I mean and if there is a more elegant way to do it.
Being able to type at mo
Re:One of the biggest failures of programmers (Score:2)
I disagree. I am typing this whilst looking directly at the screen. I can see and correct errors as I make them, so I don't need to read everything through when I've finished and correct the mistakes.
When I watch someone else typing and they are looking at the keyboard, it is painful to behold.
On the other hand, when copying text from notes or a listing, I can keep my eyes on the source material.
Not-touch-typing is not hun
Re:One of the biggest failures of programmers (Score:2)
Let me just say that I would strongly recommend touch typing to anyone. I'm sure you'll feel that you've become more efficient and you'll enjoy the whole typing thing a lot more.
I tried that several times but gave up on it for several reasons:
Re:One of the biggest failures of programmers (Score:2)
You can't possibly type faster than you can think. The human brain can think at 250+ words per minute. You can't even talk that fast.
Typing of the Dead!!!!!! (Score:1)
Kebinding... (Score:1)
Just be sure not to give up!!!
Home Row! (Score:1)
Split Keyboards (Score:2)
Re:Split Keyboards (Score:2)
Too bad the new versions of that keyboard have a different layout. In one version the left and right arrow keys are raised so the four keys form a + instead of an inverted T. In the other new version the block with Ins, Home, Pgup and such h
Touch-typing is for prose (Score:2)
What's more important, though, is that it's honed its algorithm to code. I'm up in @$%=->() all day typing perl code, so my left hand's home position is
shift-a-e-r-space and my right hand's home position is space-i---]-return.
I'm sure it would make many typing instructors gasp, but it's fast and I'm hacking out symbol-laden code, not form letters or medical transcription. I have big
What Touch Typing will actually do for you. (Score:3, Insightful)
I took a typing class in High School circa 1987 on IBM electric type writers. It was only a half semester class but I was able to get up to about 60 WPM and over the years, I have increased that amount to about 80 WPM and I am happy with that speed. I can type faster when I transcribe text from a printout, magazine, or handwriting then I do when I type from my head to my fingers.
Co-workers are constantly looking over my shoulder in complete disbelief when they see me really typing fast. The funny thing is, I've witnessed people who can type 130 WPM and they are more then twice my speed. Typing really should be a required class in schools because most jobs require computer work and the keyboard is still the most important interface on a computer.
Programmers on this thread have stated that they don't think that learning touch typing is important and that the syntax of programming languages is too cryptic to type easily. While the cryptic nature of code is more difficult you will get better at it if you have a touch typing foundation and you merely practice entering code from magazines, etc.
Good programming editors have extensive keyboard commands. EMACS, ViM, Visual Studio, etc. These allow for one to quickly select options while actually typing. This keeps your hands on the home row of the keyboard. ViM is a bit better at this then EMACS but I don't want to start a flamewar. Use whatever works for you. Just know that both EMACS and ViM both use keyboard commands extensively and both will improve your productivity if you can touch type without looking.
I really cannot understand why so many refused to learn to touch type without looking. It's really not that hard, anyone can do it.
Mavis Beacon teaches typing for Windows works quite nicely, but as others have mentioned there are several Open Source tutors as well.
It's a whole lot of:
hjk lfgd lkd las lkj etc, etc, etc, till you get the home row down and then start inserting letters off the home row, then changing case and using symbols.
It is boring to learn but once you get some speed you will see the advantages. It kills me to watch someone fumble about with a keyboard or two finger it (even rapidly). All the head bobbing and finger hunting is killing your productivity. It's so much smoother when you know how to touch type the right way.
How (Score:2)
Never mind. I don't want to know.
Typing Class (Score:1)
I took half a semester of typing in high school.
First thought? This class blows. I already know how to type. I'm a 15 year old 37337 hax0r!
It's a pain in the butt at first. With a typing program, you'll cheat. When you've got a instructur that's loony walking around the room, you stick to the program.
We used electric typewriters. Big solid CHUNK! CHUNK! CHUNK! when you type.
Don't look at the keys. Hit the right keys with the right fingers.
At first you work on 100% accuracy. The whole class says the let
Learning to type (Score:2)
The trick to learning typing is repetition. You don't need someone yelling at you, you just need an hour a day for about three months running through incredibly rote typing tasks. It will sink in. Don't
Who cares? (Score:2)
My tip? Join a MUD or some other text-only game. If you want to learn fast, join one that is PK (player killing) only... you'll learn to type very fast and accurate in an awful hurry.
take a class.. (Score:2)
If you take a class, there is incentive for you to learn it since you dont want to flunk and you do want to get your moneys worth out of it. Touch typing isn't hard.. after a couple of weeks of practice you should be able to be at least as fast as you are
Re:Just upgrade to Visual Studio (Score:2)
Discalimer: I am only a satisfie user, and to now work for them or sell it in any way.
Re:Become a chat or mud junkie (Score:2)
Agree there.
I already knew how to touch type, and in the early 90's got into IRC. I was attending summer programs at a local technical center. Since they were mainly interested in helping train youth and transitional adults into tech workers, they had DWS certified type tests available for free to students.
I was around 60 WPM with 1-2 errors when I started. After about 2 years of chatting and programmi