Fingering!!!

Dups. · Post by **Dups.** » December 9, 2004, 11:04 am

Now that I have your attention. Do you place your fingers the way they should be on the keyboard? eg: left hand on A S D F , right hand on J K L ;

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » December 9, 2004, 11:06 am

When I put em the normal way, I tend to start exhibiting Carpal Tunel symptoms and need to streatch em out more often than my normal, comfortable way.

I also despise the so-called ergonomic keyboards.

Fash · Post by **Fash** » December 9, 2004, 11:12 am

I've never typed that way... I've been keyboarding for 19 years, and I type rediculously fast with both hands...

home-row typers are asking for carpal tunnel because of the constrained repetitive movements..

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » December 9, 2004, 11:15 am

The fingers go where they want. I am a SQL monkey.

And yeah, fuck the ergonomic keyboards....and trackballs, they suck too.

Lynks · Post by **Lynks** » December 9, 2004, 11:27 am

No, i can type 50 words per minute using 4 fingers total and my thumb for the space bar. When I use all of them, i type about 10-20.

Spang · Post by **Spang** » December 9, 2004, 11:39 am

i can type 50+ words a minute while sniffing my underwear

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » December 9, 2004, 11:54 am

My home keys are one key out from the "traditional" keys.. I learnt to touch type while mudding =)

Drinsic Darkwood · Post by **Drinsic Darkwood** » December 9, 2004, 12:31 pm

I hate the home-row system. I type with only my index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and thumb ( for space bar ). The only time I use my little finger is for the shift key.

I can remember the way my keyboard teachers/computing class teachers as well as my parents used to tell me that it was hindering my typing speed, but whatever. My hands stay in a small little rotation on each side of the keyboard and I was always the fastest typer out of my class, usually about 100+ words a minute according to those little tests.

To be honest, I think EQ had a lot to do with it. Trying to play a character, send tells to multiple people at the same time, and give raid orders or something along that nature all at the same time really trains you type extremely fast; it's also what kind of stopped me from looking at the keyboard during the first year (99).

Mr Bacon · Post by **Mr Bacon** » December 9, 2004, 12:50 pm

The "home row" system was probably the most worthless thing anyone had ever tried to teach me. Not only is it 1) Uncomfortable, 2) Annoying, and 3) Poorly designed -- it's horribly slow too.

As you're reading this, hold your main hand in the air in front of you. Start to move your fingers from thumb to pinky, one by one. Try it fast, try it slow. Does it not feel like you have more control towards the thumb rather than the pinky side? I know I can definately feel it. Maybe it's just me because this is the way I've been typing all my life, but I definately cannot move the other fingers (Ring and pinky) with the same agility and control as my middle and index.

In all of the typing speed programs I've used in the past - just out of curiosity I would compare the two ways of typing, and my index / middle only style would always been four if not five times as fast.

noel · Post by **noel** » December 9, 2004, 1:46 pm

I type in excess of 50 words a minute using the proper 'home keys'. I took several typing classes that did absolutely nothing for me. It wasn't until I decided to force myself to use the home keys while looking, then I just started slowly looking away. Eventually I didn't have to look anymore.

Marbus · Post by **Marbus** » December 9, 2004, 1:51 pm

I use the "Home Keys" but modified a little because I don't always "stretch" the "correct" finger. Instead I just use another one. Kind of the Marb method for typing but I can type like 50-60+ WPM so I'm not complaining.

Thanks!
Marb

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » December 9, 2004, 2:18 pm

For the most part yes. My fingers are at rest at the home keys, but I don't go for the keys the proper way. Years of MUDing trained me well in the art of typing too fast for my own good.

Seebs · Post by **Seebs** » December 9, 2004, 2:25 pm

I type like I have hooves.

Toshira · Post by **Toshira** » December 9, 2004, 2:28 pm

FQ QWERTY

-9 Fingered Typist

Trias · Post by **Trias** » December 9, 2004, 2:30 pm

i stay on the home keys and generally type proper, but i use the numberpad exclusively for numbers when i can cause it's faster

also...i tend to cross over from left pointer and right pointer when hitting Y's and T's at times with the wrong finger to make for faster typing; think i do the same for other letters too on occassion

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » December 9, 2004, 2:57 pm

I can type pretty quick, but my home key positions alwayts change depending on the word I am about to type. Responding to [you]'s retarded trash has helped my typing speed a lot! =D

-=Lohrno

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » December 9, 2004, 3:02 pm

I use a standard keyboard at work and an ero one at home. I don't use the correct fingers for the keys as described in typing tutorials but I hope for the best and hit return. Anyone that's received a /tell from me in EQ has probably never seen a sentence without a typo.

Ero is more comfortable. My hands and wrists feel awkward, cramped and distorted out of their natural lines when using a standard keyboard. Using an ergo keyboard is the equivalent of switching to the metric system. It takes awhile to get used to but is better in the long run.

Also, for EQ, the ergo keyboard had the Funtion Keys split up in a way that made it easier to find the F keys without looking for them. Same with the normal keys as well with the keyboard split, I could assign common shortcuts to keys on the edges of the split to find them easier.

Mr Bacon · Post by **Mr Bacon** » December 9, 2004, 3:57 pm

I have to agree that the ergonomic keyboards are by far worth owning and getting used to. They are tremendously comfortable when compared to regular keyboards. This is mine:

Click to enlarge - ignore the green shading (friend's crappy camera)

Xatrei · Post by **Xatrei** » December 9, 2004, 4:12 pm

I touch type with my fingers resting on the standard home keys. I can accurately type around 65 wpm, and my accuracy drops off pretty quickly if I push much beyond that. I first learned to touch type about 25 years ago, so I have long established typing habits that serve me well. I made the switch to ergo keyboards about 2 years ago, and don't regret it at all. After a brief period to get used to the divided key layout, my typing speed actually went up a little, but my wrist comfort soared.

On a side note, I used to work with a guy that typed about the same speed as I do. He then switched to a Dvorak layout rather than the standard QWERTY (QWERTY was designed to intentionally slow down keying speed to prevent jamming of the type arms on early manual typewriters, while Dvorak was designed for maximum efficiency on modern typewriters and computer keyboards once type arm jamming was no longer an issue). Once he got used to it, his typing spead went through the roof. I toyed around with switching myself, but my habits are two ingrained, and I don't really "need" to type faster. Anyone else toyed with Dvorak?

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » December 9, 2004, 4:27 pm

I have horrible typing habits and despite years and years of typing, I am not a fast typist nor have I reduced the number of mistakes I make while typing. Anyone who's hung in IRC knows how clumsy I am with a keyboard

Rivera Bladestrike · Post by **Rivera Bladestrike** » December 9, 2004, 4:31 pm

I've modified the correct way to suit my needs... And I find that I can type really fast but its all using my pointer middle finger and ring finger... No thumbs or pinkeys... But I can still type 70 words per minute if I really know what I am writing about.

Tenuvil · Post by **Tenuvil** » December 9, 2004, 4:54 pm

I clicked on this thread because I thought it was something else entirely. Carry on!

Neziroth · Post by **Neziroth** » December 9, 2004, 6:04 pm

90+ words per minute (Thank2u eq) using exactly five fingers and one thumb!

Left Hand:
Index, Middle, Ring and Thumb (Pinky for shift)

Right Hand:
Index and Middle

My "home keys" are the entire homerow with all my fingers but I guess that's just to get my bearings or something.

Asheran Mojomaster · Post by **Asheran Mojomaster** » December 9, 2004, 6:32 pm

I chose yes because just thinking off the top of my head I thought I did, but now that I am watching myself, I dont really follow the home row key rules, I just always let my fingers rest on them so I know exactly where they are. I use all my fingers except for the thumb and ring finger on my right hand. I used to have to look at my keyboard to type, but EQ changed that...thanks to EQ I never need to look at the keyboard and I can type 90+ WPM if I really get into it. I think its mostly from VT, would get into the zone at like 3 AM and be talking to like 5 people in tells, in 2 or 3 channels and actively participating in every one, while also slowing trains of 12-20 mobs, some with really high MR.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » December 9, 2004, 6:46 pm

I saw a CD rom at the store the other day. It was "Mavis Beacon teaches Blowjobs".

I guess there wasn't any money in typing anymore...

Mplor · Post by **Mplor** » December 10, 2004, 2:25 am

I don't care what fingering you use, if you have to look at the keyboard to when you type then you wouldn't have survived long on a MUD. Regardless of your WPM, you have nothing to be proud of.

I use the home keys and touch type pretty clackety-clackety fast.

Ebumar · Post by **Ebumar** » December 10, 2004, 5:29 pm

I use homerow - and type an average of 120wpm.

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » December 10, 2004, 7:23 pm

I thought this thread was going to be about something else.

-=Lohrno

MooZilla · Post by **MooZilla** » December 10, 2004, 8:26 pm

I type at about 95-100 wpm steady.