Learning to type

[MR.T]

Alas I admit it... I can't type worth a damn, well I can type, just very very slowly with lots of errors, unless I look at the keyboard, and even then I am slow.

So my question is, what is the best way to become a good typist? what did you do in order to learn?

[Lqv2015]

You can either take a course in high school. That's if you're in HS & your HS provides such a class like mine did.

Or software. Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing

http://www.broderbund.com/jump.jsp?itemID=...41go182pi10ai50

[RaisinCain]

Hell... I type with my 2 index fingers but I can get 70+ WPM.

[DanManIt]

There's programs that you can download, but I think the best way is to just type as much as possible, IM especially helps. And over time your speed will just increase the more you type. Your spelling errors will also go down too.

[MR.T]

  DanManIt said:

IM especially helps.

Funny you should say that, I dont IM because I type slowly with lots of errors.

I think one of my main problems is that I use my right hand for some of the letters my left hand should be typeing.

[Hooya]

I took a 9 week class in high school, it met for 84 minutes every day. I didn't know how to type at all, I didn't even know what "home row" meant.

By the end of the class I was doing 60+ wpm with no errors.

Oh, and I learned on an electric typewriter. Had the little pad off to the right that showed me what to type and afterwards I had to go back and check for typos and count the words manually.

Best class I ever took in high school.

It's really dull and seemingly dumb when you start at the beginning doing a typing course:

asdfjkl; ;lkjfdsa as;l dfjk

That sort of thing. But once you get all the characters in there you'll be happy you're typing as efficiently as you are. Download a free typing tutor (there are plenty and all will probably do the job). Do all the lessons in order and don't take shortcuts. You'll be glad for your patience to learn the skill properly later.

[MasterC]

  Lqv2015 said:

You can either take a course in high school. That's if you're in HS & your HS provides such a class like mine did.

Or software. Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing

http://www.broderbund.com/jump.jsp?itemID=...41go182pi10ai50

Even though I hated Mavis Beacon, it taught me how to type really well. (Y)

[Nicholas-c Veteran]

pratice and use your fingers, over the years ive not really thought myself but just got used to a keyboard (i hate using my keyboard and then going college because the keyboard is different lol how i wish my G15 would fit in my college bag :(

[MasterC]

  nicholas-c said:

pratice and use your fingers

Oh good, I thought you typed with your head :laugh:

[Echilon]

I used TypingMaster. Great software (Y)

[Nicholas-c Veteran]

  MasterC said:

Oh good, I thought you typed with your head :laugh:

well i can type (slowly) with my feet :p

[Malisk]

http://www.free-typingtest.com/ :)

But some software is likely better with more options...

That site also has some links though.

[Phixion]

Practice makes perfect, I've been using PCs for years now and I'm pretty damn good at typing, I'm fast and don't have to look at the keyboard - but thats what comes with 15+ years of using PCs :D

[addc182]

Practice makes perfect

i can type fairly fast because i IM a lot, but the downside of that is it turns you to using shorthand slang to get your point over faster rather than using real english