[Don H]

If a laptop computer is "the toolbox of the future", then the corollary is -
"touch typing" in all schools is also necessary. That is, ability to
manually use the laptop.
Otherwise, with the QWERTY keyboard, a one- or two-fingered hunt for each
letter in a word will ensue.
Touch typing? It is easy enough, and makes all the difference between
typing being easy, or agony.
You place the four fingers of each hand over the middle set of keys - the
home keys - and go up or down from there. Practice makes perfect,
thereafter.
If you don't learn this technique then it's a bit like learning literacy
by the Whole Word Method, instead of Phonics - you are a cripple for life.
But latest news is that keyboards may soon be abolished, and all we need
do is talk to our computer. Take this, together with a phase-out of books
in favour of DVDs, and literacy (reading and writing) may soon be confined
to a privileged elite, while the Proletariat and Peasantry revert to
Medieval ignorance. Back then, it was only the Church and Nobles who had
literacy skills, down to the humble Cleric - whence our word, Clerk.
Street signs, bills, etc, need reading ability? No great problem, as GPS
can become an oral direction system, and bills are automatic deductions from
Internet banking accounts.
Literacy? Problem solved, by abolishing the need.
If you ever need text explained, just ask Big Brother, and he'll tell you.
And to all others, give the 2-F salute.

Archived from group: aus>politics

[OneHandClapping]

"Don H" wrote in message $CN4.13546@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> If a laptop computer is "the toolbox of the future", then the corollary is -
> "touch typing" in all schools is also necessary. That is, ability to
> manually use the laptop.
> Otherwise, with the QWERTY keyboard, a one- or two-fingered hunt for each
> letter in a word will ensue.
> Touch typing? It is easy enough, and makes all the difference between
> typing being easy, or agony.
> You place the four fingers of each hand over the middle set of keys - the
> home keys - and go up or down from there. Practice makes perfect,
> thereafter.

if you always use familiar keyboards in ergonomic workstation
positions and have all fingers on both hands properly functioning

most keyboards are just different enough that touch typing for a few
minutes still requires eyes on

would be better if they went for a dvorak keyboard
one hand with a qwerty is a pain, probably moreso since you keep remembering
it is designed deliberately to slow down typing

a better interface to enable portable and multiple personal keyboards, chordic or whatever,
would be more use