Typing Speed
- Thread starter UncleRogi
- Start date
I have not bothered to time myself since taking keyboarding in high school. I know we had to meet a minimum WPM requirement to pass, but I forget what it was.
Because I did learn how to type, I do use the proper touch typing method. It does kinda surprise me, though, how many people in the computer profession type using hunt and peck. (Although to be fair, most have actually learned where all the keys are, so they are probably mostly pecking rather than hunting.)
Because I did learn how to type, I do use the proper touch typing method. It does kinda surprise me, though, how many people in the computer profession type using hunt and peck. (Although to be fair, most have actually learned where all the keys are, so they are probably mostly pecking rather than hunting.)
I also had typing class, but could never quite make it work. I have to watch my hands to type fast. And that was back before computers! (Yes, I an old fart)
Around 80 wpm last time I tested it. When I started my current job they made everyone do about an hour of a typing program each day for the first few weeks. One of the things they did was put little stickers over the letters on the keyboard.
Wasn’t a problem for me as I already knew how to touch type. Other people had a lot of trouble with that though.
Wasn’t a problem for me as I already knew how to touch type. Other people had a lot of trouble with that though.
In a personal typing class in HS 1984-ish, I managed 35wpm as a proper touch typist.
That went out the window almost immediately. Now I'm like a 4 fingers and 2 thumbs typist and do OK for speed, but I can get pretty sloppy.
Thank goodness for word processors instead of typewriters.
That went out the window almost immediately. Now I'm like a 4 fingers and 2 thumbs typist and do OK for speed, but I can get pretty sloppy.
Thank goodness for word processors instead of typewriters.
I took a touch-typing class in seventh grade. My typing speed is maybe 40-50 wpm on a good day, but fortunately my printing prepress job requires more accuracy than speed.
They call it "keyboarding" now? When I was in school, we called it "typing."
God, I hated typewriters. Clunky, clumsy machines. Inserting and straightening the paper, setting the mechanical margins and tabs, changing the messy ink ribbons, using messy carbon paper to make copies. Even 50 years ago, I knew there had to be something better.
Typewriters were...interesting. They were an experience. Keyboards are not.
Typing was the most useful skill I learned in high school (how to build a water pipe has not been as enduringly useful). I was never fast, but I'm reasonably accurate. In my thirties I was tested for a temp job and managed something like 55 words a minute.
Typing was the most useful skill I learned in high school (how to build a water pipe has not been as enduringly useful). I was never fast, but I'm reasonably accurate. In my thirties I was tested for a temp job and managed something like 55 words a minute.
We had a really old manual typewriter when I was young. I wish I still had that 20 pound monstrosity, even though I dropped it on my foot once.
I learned to touch-type on a latter day IBM Selectric with the ball.
I also had a really early "word processor" from Brother. It was basically a typewriter, but with an LCD screen that allowed you to see some of what you were typing before it went to the paper. I wanna say it had a roll of paper, maybe even early thermal paper.
I learned to touch-type on a latter day IBM Selectric with the ball.
I also had a really early "word processor" from Brother. It was basically a typewriter, but with an LCD screen that allowed you to see some of what you were typing before it went to the paper. I wanna say it had a roll of paper, maybe even early thermal paper.
No idea - been years since I tested my typing speed but know it would be better if I was more accurate 
I do find that the keyboard I'm using can make a big difference. Have a mechanical keyboard at home wtih cherry mx switches and can pound out quicker with it than the keyboard I'm using the moment.
I do find that the keyboard I'm using can make a big difference. Have a mechanical keyboard at home wtih cherry mx switches and can pound out quicker with it than the keyboard I'm using the moment.
I don't know about "now"... high school was a while ago!
But yes, the course was called keyboarding.It's not actually that old, but for some reason the letter labels on my keyboard at work are mostly worn off. Some of the less-frequently used keys, like Q and Z, are still readable, and the number row is fine, but most of the letters are just blank keys. When one of my co-workers actually noticed this, they asked me, "How do you even *use* that thing?". They didn't seem to quite believe me when I told them that the labels didn't matter to me, because I don't need them.
(By contrast, on my keyboard at home, which is much older, most of the labels are fine. The E, C and M are partially worn off, and the D and K have just the slightest bit of the letter worn off. The only one that is worn off completely is the N. I'm not exactly sure what I was typing that used the letter N so frequently...
)
For the completely visual typist I used to work with, I'd occasionally switch the E and R keys to mess with his logging in. Couldn't do that with a typewriter.
Personally, I prefer the slightly older keyboard with the tall keys over the laptop style ones they seem hellbent on forcing upon us.
Personally, I prefer the slightly older keyboard with the tall keys over the laptop style ones they seem hellbent on forcing upon us.
I'm also a two-finger typist and make a lot of mistakes, but just as a test I write this all in one long go to see how many words I could poop out in one minute and due to that this is incredibly rambling and may contain a few spelling mistakes that I would normally go back and fix, I'll edit this and count the words when
Okay, so that was one minute. And I can't be bothered counting but seems like a reasonable amount for hunt-and-pecking. It'd be more if my stupid fingers didn't hit the wrong key from time to time.
Okay, so that was one minute. And I can't be bothered counting but seems like a reasonable amount for hunt-and-pecking. It'd be more if my stupid fingers didn't hit the wrong key from time to time.
I haven't officially clocked myself in ages but just based on how quickly I usually type on a keyboard I'd estimate 60-70 wpm or thereabouts?
It's been a while since I've tested it, but I used to do in the 60 WPM range.
To type properly, I find that I need the tactile feedback from a full-sized desktop PC keyboard with slightly concave keys. I can't use those completely flat compact keyboards. My fingers keep reaching for where the keys aren't.
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