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From: flowers@lanai.cs.ucla.edu (Margot Flowers)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Real Time Handwriting Recognition
Keywords: Typing
Message-ID: <19460@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 11 Jan 89 06:09:11 GMT
References: <83242@sun.uucp> <7801@boring.cwi.nl> <1059@ns.UUCP> <3871@ece-csc.UUCP> <8801@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>
Sender: news@CS.UCLA.EDU
Reply-To: flowers@cs.ucla.edu (Margot Flowers)
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 22

>> I think it's inexcusable that elementary and
>>high schools allow students to take computer courses without first passing
>>SOME kind of rudimentary keyboard competence test--say, 25 wpm on a blank
>>keyboard.
>
>I took a full year of typing in high school.
>Besides, it's b-o-r-i-n-g.  Let's be realistic, here--learning to type
>does require a significant investment of time.  It may not be
>cost-effective for everyone.

I knew someone of the hunt&peck persuasion who decided they wanted to
improve, and did so by simply finding out where the fingers go on the
touch-type keyboard, and forcing themselves to use the correct finger
in the course of their daily computer work.  Initially it was slow and
required committment.  They essentially did the same kinds of
exercises that practice drills in touch typing classes have them
doing, but without the boredom and waste of time.  However, now they
can type quite fast, and don't need to look at a keyboard most of the
time.  I think that all that is necessary is to inform people (whose
hands are big enough, hard for little kids) how to use a keyboard
properly and then let them continue on with their regular computer
activity.