my biggest regret as a computer enthusiast

[thepreacher]

I have always known I am bad at typing. I had already learned to type the bad way before deciding to get a bit serious with computers and it has hunted me ever since. I just got this job working for my local council setting up databases and scanning some data into them. Quite often though we need to type a few things to get the job done.

Today i was a bit sad as I looked at the other guys typing away like a dream ( I mean the proper way - touch typing). I wish i could type like that,  It would certainly change my life. I have tried several times the learn touch typing but I always end up reverting to old habits. The main reason i is that When i try to touch type, I become exstreamly  slow hence I bump it and revert my old way since I am much faster that way.

I really wish there was something I could do. You guys who can touch type I really envy you.

[coral1]

Don't feel bad. I took a semester of Typing in Junior High (a longgggggg time ago, admittedly), and still use only 4 fingers (2 from each hand) and have to look a the keyboard.  : )

Hunt-n-Peck forever!!

[CrYpTiC_MauleR]

I don't type the correct way either I use 3 fingers from each hand. I actually type faster than people who type the correct way and I don't need to look at the keyboard. I've basically memorized where each key is and know exactly how far I need to move my hand or finger to be over the key I want. We all have our ways =o)

[GrandSchtroumpf]

I'm glad i can touch type.  I just wish I had learned on a Dvorak keyboard.  Switching to Dvorak layout is supposed to be easy but it still requires some practice, and i don't like to practice typing, especially since I tend to suffer from the carpal tunnel syndrome.

[Esopo]

You can learn, it's harder now but just as achievable.

I type much like C_M, three fingers on each hand and by heart out of so many years of practice. I can type pretty fast but I'm sure an analysis would reveal a thing or two about my improper technique.

I also play the piano, so I think my brain works a bit different. Every now and then I see my hand throwing in a pinky or shifting the hand positioning depending on the word and where the previous word left me.

I throw in the piano bit because when I was learning the instrument I was told that learning a set of finger movements takes about 7 successful consecutive tries. But if you learnt it wrong then you must override the previous data in your brain by repeating about 35 times the new set.

A couple of months ago I sprained my right-hand middle finger playing football. As a result I could no longer use my normal hand setup to control the arrows on the keyboard while playing video games. Very frustrating at first, but after a few days my hand-brain got used to a new arrangement not using this finger. Same thing happened with the piano playing, it was annoying at first but after a while I just magically got used to switching that finger with something else (although it is obviously not the same to play with only 4 fingers).

Now that my finger healed I'm having trouble using my middle finger since my brain got used to leaving it out of everything. I try to play games using it but if feels awkward. The piano is doing better though, it wasn't the same without one of my strongest fingers.

Point is, you can override any hand-brain coordination set, no matter how long you've been using it. For me the motivation was to continue engaging in enjoyable activities. Maybe you are just lacking the right motivation.