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Touch Typing for a Developer?

Posted by Cliff on from the beware-the-tunnel-of-carpal dept.

The Whinger asks: "I've been programming in various forms for about 20 years now, and I still can't type. I keep thinking, "I must learn to touch type". Unfortunately, two finger typing, 'touch typing tutorial' into your search engine of choice throws back a minefield of hits. Of course, picking something to try does not guarantee success. Does touch typing help with programming? Do you know of any tutorials that you would recommend or avoid? I can't spend the next forty years two finger typing ;)."

5 of 137 comments (clear)

  1. irc by m00by · · Score: 2, Funny

    dude, get on IRC, and get interested in some conversations, you'll start typing faster out of necessity :) that's how I learned to touch type, all those years ago...(ok, so it was like, yahoo chat, but irc is cooler, gimme a break =D, irc does the same thing anyway)

  2. touch typing vs. knowing where the keys are by AdamBa · · Score: 2, Funny
    I learned to touch type back in high school, but now I type with three fingers (two on right hand, one on left). Most people are still amazed how fast I can type. But one thing is, because I learned to touch type first, I know where all the keys are. If you are really "hunting and pecking" then you will be slow. But if you know where the keys are, just use fewer fingers, I doubt it will hurt. After all how often in programming are you thinking faster than you can type?

    And for what it's worth, Dave Cutler pounded out most of the NT kernel using two fingers.

    - adam

  3. Let me guess... by eyepeepackets · · Score: 3, Funny

    "I've been programming in various forms for about 20 years now, and I still can't type." You work for Microsoft? They've been selling product for over twenty years, still can't get it working right. Just wondering if there is a coorelation.

    --
    Everything in the Universe sucks: It's the law!
  4. Re:It ain't gonna happen by p4ul13 · · Score: 3, Funny

    "I have no trouble pounding out hundreds of words per minute without glancing at the keys"

    This is of course keeping in mind that "I" is in fact a word.

    --
    Paul Lenhart writes words!
  5. hmmm by karmavore · · Score: 2, Funny

    You are probably better off as you are.

    I have been able to touch type for 25 years.

    Now I type much faster than I can think.

    --
    Speech: Free
    Beer: $699.00