Just a bent arm, worn key, dead ribbon or twisted corrector tape on a twenty pound “portable”? And why are the keyboards STILL QWERTY – the set up developed to slow down the typists on the first manual typewriters?
Well, my Mom typed fast, even on an old fashioned manual. Don’t recall the keys sticking. What might have slowed a typist down was the construction of the keys themselves, more than the arrangement of the letters. They weren’t as easy to press as on an electric- making electrics a little tricky to learn for those accustomed to the manual.
From wiki: “The most likely explanation is that the QWERTY arrangement was designed to reduce the likelihood of internal clashing by placing commonly used combinations of letters farther from each other inside the machine.2829 This allowed the user to type faster without jamming. In a mechanical typewriter, the arrangement of bars is tied to the arrangement of the keys, and the two adjacent bars are much more likely to clash if engaged together or in a rapid sequence.”
Your mom would have been much faster on a Dvorak keyboard. :)
All the world typing records are held by people on Dvorak keyboards. I guess once you get use to it you can add 10-20 words a minute. I tired one once and my brain and fingers did not like.
I no longer have a typewriter, but I have a sci fi nove I wrote in the late 70’s stored in two typewriter paper boxes. What a procedure it was in those days. I have several novels, including my one published one, all on a thumb drive now.
Dvorak might be ok for certain human languages in having most hits on home row, but for computer programming languages that use lots of symbols which are far from home row I’m having a hard time seeing any advantage.
Dwilesjr over 12 years ago
the go back to typewriters arguement is awfull close to me brothers “No one needs a computer if you have a word processor!”
revisages over 12 years ago
applead simplism
wwh85cp over 12 years ago
Awww, c’mon, it’s not just the digit heads who do THAT!
She’s been on the job HOW long?
Dragoncat over 12 years ago
At least I’ve never know a typewriter to have a virus.
HomewCats over 12 years ago
Just a bent arm, worn key, dead ribbon or twisted corrector tape on a twenty pound “portable”? And why are the keyboards STILL QWERTY – the set up developed to slow down the typists on the first manual typewriters?
scottartist creator over 12 years ago
Well, my Mom typed fast, even on an old fashioned manual. Don’t recall the keys sticking. What might have slowed a typist down was the construction of the keys themselves, more than the arrangement of the letters. They weren’t as easy to press as on an electric- making electrics a little tricky to learn for those accustomed to the manual.
johnzakour Premium Member over 12 years ago
From wiki: “The most likely explanation is that the QWERTY arrangement was designed to reduce the likelihood of internal clashing by placing commonly used combinations of letters farther from each other inside the machine.2829 This allowed the user to type faster without jamming. In a mechanical typewriter, the arrangement of bars is tied to the arrangement of the keys, and the two adjacent bars are much more likely to clash if engaged together or in a rapid sequence.”
Your mom would have been much faster on a Dvorak keyboard. :)
johnzakour Premium Member over 12 years ago
Okay since we are really getting our geek on: http://workawesome.com/productivity/dvorak-keyboard-layout/
johnzakour Premium Member over 12 years ago
All the world typing records are held by people on Dvorak keyboards. I guess once you get use to it you can add 10-20 words a minute. I tired one once and my brain and fingers did not like.
Jkiss over 12 years ago
I’ve never herd of a Dvorak keyboard. Geeze how old do I feel now? Ooooold!!
Koolfunkygrrl over 12 years ago
Still have an electric type writer…still works too :)
scottartist creator over 12 years ago
I no longer have a typewriter, but I have a sci fi nove I wrote in the late 70’s stored in two typewriter paper boxes. What a procedure it was in those days. I have several novels, including my one published one, all on a thumb drive now.
rgcviper over 12 years ago
I’ve always loved the word “brouhaha”. Well done here.
RalphZIggy over 12 years ago
Dvorak might be ok for certain human languages in having most hits on home row, but for computer programming languages that use lots of symbols which are far from home row I’m having a hard time seeing any advantage.
Hunter7 over 12 years ago
I learned on a QWERTY When tired and in the groove – I just close my eyes and type away.