Can you touch type?

[unixman]

After using computer keyboards for 34 years, I just took the plunge and learned to touch type. Can you touch type ? How did you learn and how is it going ?

This was meant to contain a yes/no poll not sure if it worked.

[TheFaQQer]

Yes I can. But it's very rare that I do - I'm quicker not touch typing.

[mudskipper]

Not properly, but I do use all my fingers and type pretty fast and usually pretty accurately. I didn't look at keyboard/fingers when typing this post, for example.

It does sometimes come unstuck - usually displaced by one character. Like when I was entering data on the test system, and my comment, which was supposed to be 'test' ended up as 'twat'...

[barrydidit]

I did a few lessons during 6th form. This was on the old style carriage return typewriters with a former secretary tutting at us. It was a bit of a laugh, taught in a room full of birds and it's something (other than spelling, grammar and arithmetic) that I use day to day although not entirely as taught, but certainly good enough.

[No2politics]

Yep learned using mavis beacon when i was 15 or so with a view to getting a data entry part time job. Served me very well in my professional life

[Scruff]

I csn tough tyke too. Somtines made mistajes but not ofen

[BrilloPad]

After using computer keyboards for 34 years, I just took the plunge and learned to touch type. Can you touch type ? How did you learn and how is it going ?

This was meant to contain a yes/no poll not sure if it worked.

I hope you get on better than you did when trying to add the poll...

[unixman]

I bit the bullet because constantly looking at the keyboard is mentally tiring. TT seems to make your work flow better. Definitely a boon for emails. I am trying to use it on the unix command line too.

Yep learned using mavis beacon when i was 15 or so with a view to getting a data entry part time job. Served me very well in my professional life

Ah. I was wondering when someone would mention Mavis. For the record I used Touch Typing Online Lessons . I wonder how women used to do it, with long finger nails and heavy manual typewriters

[NotAllThere]

Poll added. No AndyW option as this isn't General.

I can touch type on both UK and German keyboards. I just kind of picked it up - no formal lessons or anything.

[Ticktock]

I'm an OK typist - fairly fast and accurate (no means perfect). I use a lot of fingers, glance at the keyboard from time to time (although thinking about it while typing this post has meant I haven't actually looked down).

I was thinking of getting The Typing of the Dead game to help improve further.