Do you type "properly"?

[MechEdge]

I was playing some type racer and realised that my typing speed sucks balls. I only type 50 wpm. So I decided to improve my typing technique and found this video.

 

 

According to this my technique is really inefficient, I only use my index and middle finger when typing. If I try to type "properly" I can't touch type anymore and get really slow, I obviously require a lot of practice.

 

How do you guys type?

[AlwaysFSX]

Technically yes, kinda no. I more roll my fingers over keys. Can get about 70wpm being lazy, 100+ if I wanted to go fast on this POS membrane keyboard.

[Kamina]

I'm like 90wpm with little errors and 120+ with some errors.

 

It also depends on the size of the keyboard.

[Guest]

Nope. 

 

I move my hands rather than my fingers, and only use my index fingers and the occasional middle finger. 

 

EDIT: We were never shown how to type properly when i was younger... So i guess i adopted my own technique and never really tried to change it, although it has moved more towards the 'proper' technique now.

[QueenDemetria]

I type like a f***ing idiot, but it somehow works.... pretty good even.

 

Edit: and if you want to know how I type: My hand always rests on the WASD cluster(gaming has ruined me), and I just press keys as I need them, mostly with my index finders but I sometimes get fancy and use other fingers. Also, I have to look at the keyboard, but if I'm in the dark and cant see the keyboard(non backlit pleb), I can still type not by feel, but I have the placement of keys memorized. I used to type pretty fast, but I've been through some unfortunate events that has messed up my typing ability, so I sometimes just mash the keyboard and hope for the best.

[Godlygamer23]

I kind of use the proper method I guess, but I never rest all of my fingers on the home row. In regards to my left hand, I have my pinky on A, ring finger on W, middle finger on E, and index finger on F. My right hand though has the index on J, middle finger on O, ring finger on P, and pinky on the "quotations" key. 

[failblox]

I said no, but I kinda use a mix between the two. My hands are in the 'proper' resting positions but sometimes I cross my hands over from side to side (I also play piano so idk if that has to do with anything).

[Lolzious]

I do sort of a mix of proper typing and my own weird way ;P

[Deletive]

I type usually like everyone else but I don't send that right keys to the right place, The problem is I have big fingers so I don't use my ring finger and pinky which really hinder my typing speed. 

[Camul]

For the most part yes. I use the wrong fingers sometimes for numbers and some of the keys to the right. I still suuuck at typing, but I'm not as bad as I used to be when I only used my middle and index fingers. It only took me a few days to get used to it, using an image I found showing you which finger you should use for which key.

[MechEdge]

For the most part yes. I use the wrong fingers sometimes for numbers and some of the keys to the right. I still suuuck at typing, but I'm not as bad as I used to be when I only used my middle and index fingers. It only took me a few days to get used to it, using an image I found showing you which finger you should use for which key.

The guy that made the video put this in the description

 

[Virtual01]

I type kind of normally. I only use my pinky to hit the A key or the right shift key, nothing else. For most keys that should use the pinky I use my ring finger instead.

[samcool55]

i do sort of but i don't let my fingers rest on the keyboard because it's uncomfortable, i'm a quite slow typer but i don't care, i get the job done

Also my fingers are usually more spread because that does feel more comfortable, my left pink is on the shift and my right pink is on the enter button, or somewhere in that area.

[Knaj]

I still type with my index fingers, but I do sometimes use my middle finger for shift and thumb for space. So I type the exact same way a kindergartner would type when he first starts typing. 

 

My school did this typing practice thing once, and my teacher was very upset the way I typed, but I said I worked well with it. She said I wouldn't be able to type fast with it and I will do worse in life with keyboard.

 

And well f*** her because I scored highest in my class with 73 WPM and only one or two errors. The average typing speed is 40 WPM, so I type almost 2x as fast as the average person. 

[Philosobyte]

I don't type 100% to the book, but I follow most good practices and can get 130 WPM on a Macbook Air with 99% accuracy (I don't really have a speed with errors because I type so much everyday). Classical piano training helps with that. My speed drops to about 115 WPM without errors on a mechanical keyboard because of the longer travel and the increased difficulty of sliding a finger across keys when a single finger has to type twice in a row ("ol" and "um" in "column")

[Charger]

Nope I learned to type from video games so mostly use all my left hand and like 2 fingers in my right hand. But I can touch type like that but changing keyboards tends to mess that up since my reference is the edge of the keyboard not the home row.

[Knaj]

Nope I learned to type from video games so mostly use all my left hand and like 2 fingers in my right hand. But I can touch type like that but changing keyboards tends to mess that up since my reference is the edge of the keyboard not the home row.

 

Same here, I learned to type by playing minecraft a lot as a kid. And serves my teacher right, because she said I was typing wrong but when the test came I scored top in class with 73 WPM.

[Philosobyte]

Same here, I learned to type by playing minecraft a lot as a kid. And serves my teacher right, because she said I was typing wrong but when the test came I scored top in class with 73 WPM.

You can type with a sub-optimal technique but still get a higher speed than others due to your raw intelligence/motor skills/practice Typing with a good technique will help you break even faster speeds. 

 

Oh and we learned almost nothing in typing class. The kids who typed well continued to type well, and the kids who didn't type well continued as they were. 

[Knaj]

Ok I just retook an online typing test. 78 WPM, no errors.

[Trik'Stari]

I do a combination of hunt and peck, and keyboarding. My ring and pinky finger on my right hand aren't very flexible, so using them is a little difficult. My left hand is far more flexible (despite that being my offhand), so it doesn't move as much as my right hand does.

[Knaj]

You can type with a sub-optimal technique but still get a higher speed than others due to your raw intelligence/motor skills/practice Typing with a good technique will help you break even faster speeds. 

 

Oh and we learned almost nothing in typing class. The kids who typed well continued to type well, and the kids who didn't type well continued as they were. 

 

Both my pinkies are double jointed, and my right hand one is especially weird. I have tried typing the normal way and it keeps switching joints and feels really weird. (It also sometimes jolts my hand to make my other fingers push down keys.)

[TopWargamer]

I type using only my 2 index fingers and my 2 middle fingers. I average 70 words per minute. 

[Mug]

I use my finger for space rather than my thumb because my hands are too big for the keyboard.

[TheMastr13]

Nope.

I move my hands rather than my fingers, and only use my index fingers and the occasional middle finger.

EDIT: We were never shown how to type properly when i was younger... So i guess i adopted my own technique and never really tried to change it, although it has moved more towards the 'proper' technique now.

Same thing for me

[Philosobyte]

Both my pinkies are double jointed, and my right hand one is especially weird. I have tried typing the normal way and it keeps switching joints and feels really weird. (It also sometimes jolts my hand to make my other fingers push down keys.)

In piano playing, at least, it is considered good technique to keep your fingers close to the keyboard most of the time. After you press down a key and you're pulling your finger back up, try to bring your finger up just enough to be flat with the keyboard - don't let your fingertips meet the air. That will keep your knuckles rounded and make it look as if your fingers are barely moving when you type. This is pretty efficient, but also hard to pull off for people who don't play piano. 

 

This also works alot better on flat chiclet keyboards.