Do You Use Two Fingers?

[cabinetman]

Back when I was in college and single, I learned many things on my own. Typing was one of them. I got very good at it and learned the keyboard and used both hands (8 fingers), and the thumbs for spacing. But now I'm down to the two finger method. Any other hunt-n-peckers?
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[Richard in Smithville]

I have developed one of the fastest hunt a peck methods around. Somtimes i get fancy and start using the middle finger on each hand too. That makes me a four finger guy( just how I like my scotch).

[Uncle Cracker]

Usually two fingers for me, although I have been known to shift into a single-digit mode if the thing acts up...

[SawDog]

I'm "self taught" I use about 4 fingers, and can hit 30-35 wpm on a good day, as long as I can use spell-check to clear up the damage!

[MikeMcCoy]

I use all the digits. When I was in high school many moons ago, it wasn't the macho thing to do for guys to take typing but I figured that since the class was all female .. I took 2 years of it.

[Stytooner]

Mike, I took typing for the very same reason. I was the only guy in typing class. Had loads of fun. Didn't learn squat about typing.
2 to 4 finger hunt and peck. I have a little nerve damage in my left hand and can't feel the keys well enough to use home row. My right hand just follows suit. I don't have to look at the keyboard all the time though. Just when starting off to make sure my fingers are where they think they are.

[Pappy]

I use most of my fingers, but I have to look at the keyboard. Not even close to the proper way to hit the keys.

Ginger spent many years as a secretary and is a touch typist. Back in Ye Olden Days, she could type 80+ wpm. I used to make bets that she could lock up an IBM Selectric. The ball would pop up away from the roller, spin back and forth a couple of times, then just sit there until she quit typing.

With some of the early word processors, she would type faster than they could respond and fill the limited 'memory' of the machines. She would have to stop typing and let the machine catch up with her.

[leehljp]

Mike, Lee, Same for me! On the first day of class when I was in the 9th grade, I walked by the typing room on the way to Study Hall and saw 28 high schoolgirls in there and two empty seats. I asked if teacher if it was too late to be added. She said I could! That was fun! A buddy joined the class the next day! We had a blast and learned typing too!




Slightly related story: In '89 I bought a Mac with Japanese language OS and English mini manual. In some computer clubs, several Japanese commented that I could write Japanese faster than they could on their $5000.00 Toshiba laptops. I took that as normal Japanese compliments (a form of flattery) - that is not really true . Over the next couple of years, I kept getting the same compliments, but I knew that I was not that fast, as my Japanese ability at that time still was still below par for someone who had been here 5 years or so.

Then one day a Japanese told me that most Japanese people did not study keyboarding because Japan did not have standardized keyboards for Japanese language (at that time). Because I had learned the US qwerty board, I automatically transliterated the qwerty into Japanese kana and kanji and was faster than most Japanese in those early years of keyboarding for Japanese language - thanks to the typing class in the fall of '61.

[dkerfoot]

Five total

Three fingers (right pointer, right index & left index) and both thumbs but they just handle the space bar...

I can actually type quite fast so long as I don't think about it. My brain has some idea where the keys are, but my fingers really know - don't ask me how. Just from doing it for 25 years I guess.

I did take a typing class in HS, but it felt so uncomfortable having my hands in the "proper" alignment that I dropped the class.

It completely screws me up to try to use one of the "ergonomic" split keyboards. It changes things just enough that I can't go into automatic typing mode on them.

It has also messed me up thinking about my typing while trying to do this!


Oh BTW - regarding the voice activated keyboard - Windows XP actually has a very capable "dictation" capability built in. Unfortunately, I'd feel like such a dork talking to my computer that I would never use it.

[Popeye]

I use all the digits. When I was in high school many moons ago, it wasn't the macho thing to do for guys to take typing but I figured that since the class was all female .. I took 2 years of it.

I see I wasn't the only one and we won't talk about how many moons ago High School was Pat

[Len]

8 fingers & thumbs. Learned in the Air Force on a teletype machine 'back when'. Only problem is a TTY machine only has upper case, so it took me a while to get used to the "Shift" key on the PC.

Len

[radhak]

I took typing classes for just a few months as a freshman, because the word had spread that one of the 'instructors' was a senior with a great selection of short skirts . But I got interested, and did really well in it, and am thankful for it in my day job (computers).

There was a time I won a challenge for the fastest typing in the department, and now it's a thrill to see my daughters' eyes grow large when they see 'how fast dad is typing - and he's not even looking at the keyboard!' - always nice to have at least one thing your kids can't do better than you !

[LinuxRandal]

I didn't see an option for me. I learned the Biblical method growing up, as I was an early computer user (seek and yee shall find). Then my freshman year, I took typing and learned about caps lock. (with the old dot matrix printer, more often then not everything was all caps)

Around 95, I was helping a friend do a fuel pump removal and reinstall, and he had a heat shield around the exhaust that pinched my little finger between it and the gas tank. It evidentaly slicked more then just the vein I though (muscle) as it healed crooked. I couldn't afford to be down as I had lost my prior job due to having to take off for surgery. SO I am a seven finger and two thumb typer, as it doesn't line up correctly.

[cabinetman]

Oh BTW - regarding the voice activated keyboard - Windows XP actually has a very capable "dictation" capability built in. Unfortunately, I'd feel like such a dork talking to my computer that I would never use it.

I not only talk to my computer, I yell obscenities at it!
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[Mrs. Wallnut]

Back in High School I took a typing class with electric typewriters and for the first few months didn't like the class because I was struggling with it. After the first semester I got the hang of it and from them on I took either a typing or computer class on because I enjoyed typing and things.

At one point I was in the top of the class for RPM, I think I was around 50-55 and after school I was in a temp job that I got faster at. I don't think I am up there now but I can still out type Mr. Black Wallnut.