I believe that I type substantially faster when typing self-generated text – such as writing an email or an article, or a blog comment. I spend almost none of my time copying text onto my computer. I wonder of the validity of these automated tests to actually tell me what my typing speed is in a day-to-day typing context. Either way, it’s fast enough for me and I can touch type which is also very useful.

1. Thought-to-hands stuff, typing letters to family, IM conversations, emails, etc.

2. Oral dictation

3. Retyping printed hard copy

4. Typing hand-written copy

When you have to read what you’re typing for the first time, you can’t concentrate on speed as much as when you’re typing what’s already in your mind or a phrase or paragraph you already know. It makes it all the more difficult when you have to decipher someone else’s handwriting on top of all that.

All that said, I scored a 71 gross with 92% accuracy. I’d consider that a “not too shabby.”

Bonus: I was always told that QWERTY was developed to keep the oft typed letters on alternating hands, or at least far enough apart that they wouldn’t bind in the typewriter carriage. Not necessarily to slow typists down, but to make it easier on the machines.

I too used mavis beacon when I was young, but I’m pretty sure it was getting addicted to MUDding during my college years that honed my speed.

If it means anything, I’ve been playing string instruments since early childhood, and, playing straight-ahead jazz bass, I’ve got technical facility I rarely see in others on that instrument.

Meanwhile, I type with thumbs and index fingers only and have to look at the keyboard while I’m typing.

But that’s me.

I can touch type on both Qwerty (for about 20 years) and Dvorak (for about 6 years). I’m much faster on Dvorak; about 90wpm compared to about 60. However, I’m also a good deal more accurate on Dvorak. If the girl switches to Dvorak I’d put money on her speeding up, but as she already types at 120wpm it’s not going to make a huge difference.

As for whether she will find a school or business that uses Dvorak, well that’s totally irrelevant. I use a normal Qwerty keyboard layout and just switch the O/S keyboard layout to Dvorak – works fine on both Mac and Windows. In fact with a double-keypress I can switch between the two. Lack of availability of Dvorak is a total fallacy – you can use it on almost any machine going.

Thanks Lord British! ;-)

To be clear… Is this a skill Black Ops would recruit you for ?

What’s interesting is that I was QWERTY until about 7 years ago (well after my MUD days). Dropped from 90wpm to 6 learning Dvorak the hard way (touch typing and no keyboard layouts). Took me 18 months to work back up to 90, and ended up with a 10% gain. Nothing substantial, but by wrists have felt better. YMMV.

I’m pretty sure when I’m typing from my head (not dictating or reciting gibberish) I’m around 80-90wpm. Dvorak, on an IBM Model M. I’m fairly convinced that test is skewed

I hunt and peck, of course. As a coder, it’s all you need.

I mean good for her and all, but good for my 3 month old who made a really nice cohesive poop, too.

I can tell how fast someone can type by simply looking at their fingers. Put your hand, palm down, flat on the table. On people who touch type a lot, their index finger is rotated slightly. The more you type, the worse the rotation.

I don’t type using Dvorak for speed, but for comfort. My fingers move a lot less.

@deejayqueue
Making this up as I go along, try touch typing “watery pumpkin juice deserves junking” on a Qwerty keyboard. Now try coming up with something that obscene on a Dvorak layout and tell me which layout was optimised for, well, anything.
(FWIW, the Qwerty keys that produce “watery pumpkin juice deserves junking” when the layout is Dvorak are “,akdot rfmrvgl cfgid hd;do.d; cflvglu”, which is much nicer to type)