Alissa, I beg to differ about "smart" computers when it comes to proper writing and layout. I find that the folks who designed programs didn't really know how to do it. Ask anyone who began using word processing (over a typewriter) whether they preferred "Microsoft Word" or "WordPerfect." 9 out of 10 "secretaries" would probably have said "WordPerfect." I still layout all my work as if it were done on a typewriter because I feel it looks, and reads, better. I didn't indent on this comment because that's what it is. It's not a letter or the beginning of a paragraph which would have required a "5 space" indent. I still, also, use 2 spaces after a period. I'm annoyed, too, that the default font (typeface) which has also been recently changed, is sans serif. I do EVERYTHING in New York Times... I need my serifs!
I took typing in 1960 hoping to meet some new girls. Bad idea. After couple of classes the keys were covered. To pass I had to reach 40 words a minute. Really didn't use it until in college where all papers were typed. Fortunately, by 1968 computers had arrived (IBM maintained them on campus). So keyboards were the rule. In graduate school I reverted to the old method. Then it was another ten years before computers up graded secretaries who were renamed as excutive assistants and I was back to typing on a keyboard. Time flies and I am considering using Dragon Speak so typing may be a thing of the past. Rich
I still use my typing skills, as well! Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people I've met who DID learn how to type in high school, but somehow soon forgot the skill and now just plunk away with two fingers (or some other funky non traditional typing style!) Shout out to Mrs. Frank...pretty sure it was 4th period. 😄
I taught myself to type, using my mother's Gregg typing book. It showed you the finger positions and gave simple exercises. I tapped away on our old manual typewriter ... and I do appreciate the ease of current keyboards, compared with the force required to push down those old manual keys! I'm also glad we no longer have to change ribbons or dig ink out from the "a" and "e" and "o" keys.
I can type fast enough that I far prefer to use my desktop computer, with its full keyboard, than to use my thumbs to poke at the texting keyboard on a phone. Texting is so freaking slow I don't know how people can stand it. (I guess some use voice-to-text, but correcting the errors would drive me batty.)
Word wrap (the automatic creation of a new line when you run out of room at the end of a line) is also miraculous--remember the dinging bell and the carriage return on typewriters? But one bizarre thing I found in the early computer days: a co-worker had used a hard line break, or "enter," at the end of every line, not realizing the word processing program would break the lines automatically! And since I had to edit that file, boy was it a pain deleting all those hard line breaks.
And my heavy use of the keyboard rubs off letters too--the E, R and S are usually the first to go, and my space bar has a shiny polished spot where my right thumb always hits it--but I don't think I've ever worn the black coating completely off! *tips hat to you*
I also took keyboarding, but was too uncoordinated to succeed. I've completed three college degrees, written a ton of short stories and 13 novels all using one finger. I also use a regular keyboard attached via USB port to my laptop, again because I'm too clumsy to write much on the laptop one.
Alissa, I beg to differ about "smart" computers when it comes to proper writing and layout. I find that the folks who designed programs didn't really know how to do it. Ask anyone who began using word processing (over a typewriter) whether they preferred "Microsoft Word" or "WordPerfect." 9 out of 10 "secretaries" would probably have said "WordPerfect." I still layout all my work as if it were done on a typewriter because I feel it looks, and reads, better. I didn't indent on this comment because that's what it is. It's not a letter or the beginning of a paragraph which would have required a "5 space" indent. I still, also, use 2 spaces after a period. I'm annoyed, too, that the default font (typeface) which has also been recently changed, is sans serif. I do EVERYTHING in New York Times... I need my serifs!
I took typing in 1960 hoping to meet some new girls. Bad idea. After couple of classes the keys were covered. To pass I had to reach 40 words a minute. Really didn't use it until in college where all papers were typed. Fortunately, by 1968 computers had arrived (IBM maintained them on campus). So keyboards were the rule. In graduate school I reverted to the old method. Then it was another ten years before computers up graded secretaries who were renamed as excutive assistants and I was back to typing on a keyboard. Time flies and I am considering using Dragon Speak so typing may be a thing of the past. Rich
I took a similar class! And I too have worn the letters off several of my keys. Glad I am not alone in this!
I still use my typing skills, as well! Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people I've met who DID learn how to type in high school, but somehow soon forgot the skill and now just plunk away with two fingers (or some other funky non traditional typing style!) Shout out to Mrs. Frank...pretty sure it was 4th period. 😄
I taught myself to type, using my mother's Gregg typing book. It showed you the finger positions and gave simple exercises. I tapped away on our old manual typewriter ... and I do appreciate the ease of current keyboards, compared with the force required to push down those old manual keys! I'm also glad we no longer have to change ribbons or dig ink out from the "a" and "e" and "o" keys.
I can type fast enough that I far prefer to use my desktop computer, with its full keyboard, than to use my thumbs to poke at the texting keyboard on a phone. Texting is so freaking slow I don't know how people can stand it. (I guess some use voice-to-text, but correcting the errors would drive me batty.)
Word wrap (the automatic creation of a new line when you run out of room at the end of a line) is also miraculous--remember the dinging bell and the carriage return on typewriters? But one bizarre thing I found in the early computer days: a co-worker had used a hard line break, or "enter," at the end of every line, not realizing the word processing program would break the lines automatically! And since I had to edit that file, boy was it a pain deleting all those hard line breaks.
And my heavy use of the keyboard rubs off letters too--the E, R and S are usually the first to go, and my space bar has a shiny polished spot where my right thumb always hits it--but I don't think I've ever worn the black coating completely off! *tips hat to you*
I also took keyboarding, but was too uncoordinated to succeed. I've completed three college degrees, written a ton of short stories and 13 novels all using one finger. I also use a regular keyboard attached via USB port to my laptop, again because I'm too clumsy to write much on the laptop one.