Typing History
The early typewriters used keyboard layouts with letters arranged in alphabetic sequence so that the user could locate the keys easily. Click for History of the Typewriter.

However, when the operator struck keys whose type bars were next to one another, the bars had a tendency to jam and become unworkable.

Sholes developed a key layout in the 1870's which is the standard for the modern day keyboard.

This is often called the "QWERTY" keyboard because the letters Q, W, E, R, T and Y are in the upper left hand corner. This deliberate poor key location reduced the problem of keys "jamming" because of the lengthy key reaches in using the keyboard.

That is, the layout of the keys was developed not to help the operator, but to hinder the operator's speed by forcing them to make cumbersome reaches. This forced the operator to go slower so that they would not "jam" the keys.

In 1930, August Dvorak and William Dealy designed a more efficient key arrangment. Letters commonly found in the English language were placed on the "home row" (the middle row) position so that they can be keyed quickly. Unfortunately, by then, the old QWERTY layout had become a standard is the dominant keyboard in use today.

With the advent of the electric typewriter, the concept of "touch typing" emerged. Manual typewriters required a relative high degree of force behind the keystroke in order to activate the mechanical leverage. With the electric typewriter you just "touched" the key to activate the key (letter, symbol or number) desired.

With the emergence of the modern day computer, the term "touch typing" was no longer descriptive of the activities undertaken. "Keyboarding" came into being to denote a host of data entry activities, including typing. Although the terms might have changed, and the newer computer keyboards contain function keys, numeric keypads and a host of specialized keys, the original (and older) design has remained as the dominate layout.

Typing Tips

Set up a schedule. Set aside some time to learn touch typing. Just fifteen minutes a day will do. Keep at it until you master the basic keystrokes.

Develop a routine. Set the work environment like you want it to optimize your learning sessions. Don’t let the chair height; tilt of the monitor, location of the keyboard or posture vary from session to session.

Finger placement. Gently place the fingers of your left hand on the a s d f keys and the fingers of your right hand on the j k l ; keys. Your fingers should be slightly curved. Your wrists should be low but not resting on the keyboard. Your elbows should be close in, next to your side.

Thumbs. While your fingers are gently touching the home-row keys, the thumbs should be slightly above the space bar (the long bar at the bottom of the keyboard). To press the space bar on the keyboard, make a quick downward motion with your right thumb.

Keep your eyes on the screen. If you have to look at your fingers, you will never be able to "train your brain." Your brain has to tell your fingers to strike a key, without conscious thought.

It takes practice! Once the correct finger-keystroke patterns are used, speed and accuracy occur naturally.

Don’t worry about speed and accuracy. Relax! However, always use the correct finger/keystroke pattern. Speed and accuracy will develop naturally through practice once your fingers have been “correctly trained.”

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F.A.Q.

Which exercise would you select?
With Nimble Fingers You select the drill of interest.
Note that all the letters of the alphabetic are included in an
exercise. This helps you build speed and accuracy by practicing
difficult as well as simple keystrokes.

How about an exercise on fishing?
Southern bass fishing is exciting, particularly if you have a small boat.
I use a canoe which does not have much zip, and it isn't much good
in the wind. But with a fly rod and the right luck, watching a large mouth
bass zoom (actually slam) into bait is very exciting. Landing the fish
is even more interesting. Ironically, watching a young kid experience
the thrill of hooking a violent, quick-fighting fish just "makes my day."

Or an exercise on bicyclists?
Bicyclists, runners and walkers who exercise in the dark need to be seen
to reduce the risk of accidents with vehicles. An adjustable reflective
vest is available that can be quickly placed over exercise clothes. A
light shining on the vest can be seen by drivers up to 739 feet away. The
fabric is Teflon-coated polyester with millions of microscopic mirrors
that reflect light. Safety caps of all sizes are also available.

An exercise on playing cards?
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a king from history.
Spades--King David; Clubs--Alexander the Great; Hearts--Charlemagne; and
Diamonds--Julius Caesar. Another amazing fact: Kaiser Wilhelm of
Germany, King George V of England, and Czar Nicholas of Russia who led
these nations in World War I, were all first cousins. All were grand-
sons of Queen Victoria, making this quite an unusual little club.

An exercise on the earth's crust?
Over long periods of time, tectonic movements in the earth's crust
quietly lift rocks, including fossilized fragments, to the surface. Tiny
plankton that are millions of years old can be found high in the
Himalayan mountains. In terms of geological times, human beings are new-
comers to this world. We are the only creatures capable of exterminating
ourselves. Wouldn't you hate to be judged as an old, crusty fossil?