Chorded keyboard - GIF

[Altair]

Chorded keyboard.




Previously:

Laser printing keyboards - GIF
Attaching rubber domes to keyboard membranes - GIF
Internet browsing keyboard for the blind - GIF
Butterfly keyboard on 1995 IBM ThinkPad 701c - GIF
Air traffic controller keyboard - photo

[Jon]

This is interesting, but I think its best use would be stenography or some similar application where you have to type at pace with spoken language.

You can easily get over 100 WPM by learning to type on the Dvorak keyboard layout (Colemak is popular now too), plus getting 10 keyboard shortcuts into muscle memory.

[Frank S]

As one of those guys who couldn't be bothered with taking a typing class in school. I was probably close to 40 years old before I ever even owned a typewriter until that time any typing i had to do had been the 2 finger stab and go. nearly 30 years later I still don't touch type 100% of the time closer top 65% if I had to make a guess.
but this has always been with QWERTY, Just looking at Dvorak and Colemak I can see right off I want no part of either of them and sure don't want any part of whatever that wiggle wobble thing is

[nova_robotics]

I learned on a Linkbelt excavator. The controls are different on my little Kubota. It's been about 5 years and I still haven't rewired my brain properly. I don't think I could handle this keyboard.

[JoeVanGeaux]

Some years ago, I researched why the QWERTY keyboard was laid out the way it is. Not because touch-typing was so bad on a typewriter, but because the QWERTY keyboard layout has caused me so much more anguish when used on a modern cell phone.

After making far too many embarrassing (if not merely unfortunate) miss-typed words, I discovered accounts of where the original QWERTY layout was purposefully designed to slow down the typical typists/keyboarder. This, apparently, was done because the mechanics of the old, original typewriters couldn't keep up (or withstand?) the pace of the user. One quick example that supports these claims is found in the crowding of the "U", "I" and "O" so close together. Many would argue that this often leads to numerous, unnecessary and gross spelling errors... unless the user slows down out of caution.

I am going to look into the "Colemak" keyboard layout that Jon referenced, since I looked at others some time back and I'm just not feeling it with those, either, though I can't put my finger on a reason (there is a pun in there, somewhere! LOL).

[mklotz]

No keyboard layout is going to keep you from making typos.

The real secret is to force yourself to proofread what you have written. Start by using a spellchecker; many typos fortunately lead to non-words, e.g. "teh" instead of "the". Then proofread for the typos that do produce real words - "bit" for "but". Then, if you really want to appear literate check for homophone errors.

Learning to touch type can really help to reduce typos because you can watch what is appearing on the screen rather than looking at the keyboard.

[JoeVanGeaux]

Right you are, Marv!

You touched on my all time greatest keyboarding error, "teh" for "the", but for me, that particular error almost always happens on a keyboard and is probably due to me being in a rush or, perhaps, muted "muscle memory" resulting from lack of practice. I don't recall ever making that particular typo on a cell phone, tho.

In any case, the answer lies in proofreading and practice, as you alluded to. All that said or unsaid, I'd like to see what kind of "novella" I could come up with using that device in the OP!

[mklotz]

Right you are, Marv!

You touched on my all time greatest keyboarding error, "teh" for "the", but for me, that particular error almost always happens on a keyboard and is probably due to me being in a rush or, perhaps, muted "muscle memory" resulting from lack of practice. I don't recall ever making that particular typo on a cell phone, tho.

In any case, the answer lies in proofreading and practice, as you alluded to. ...

Just as toilets aren't good drinking fountains, cell phones make lousy typewriters.

[Jon]

One trick is to use a text expansion program and setup "teh" to type "the".

Proofreading, and writing skills in general, may be in trouble with the rise of AI writers like ChatGPT. Even teachers aren't able to tell the difference between the AI-generated text and a student's work.

[JoeVanGeaux]

One trick is to use a text expansion program and setup "teh" to type "the".

Proofreading, and writing skills in general, may be in trouble with the rise of AI writers like ChatGPT. Even teachers aren't able to tell the difference between the AI-generated text and a student's work.

Yeah, I forgot about that feature. Wifey changes our phones often enough for me to forget what useful texting/editing widgets and apps are installed.

Thanks for the reminder!