What is the best learn to type program?

Answer 1

I have tried several touch typing programs, and I have to say that the best option is both free of charge and online. It is located at www.sense-lang.org/typing and supports several keyboard layouts from several countries. The only thing you need to use this is a flash player.

Even though the program has a set of several tutorials based on random text (ff, jj, fj, jf etc.), the main emphasis of the site is on pasting your own text and practicing with that. This is best, as most people remember much better when they are practicing with real text than when with random text.

When you are learning to touch type, you should consider the Dvorak Simplified Layout, which is a better alternative to the QWERTY-design, which is quite outdated. What the layout has to offer is:

# It is easier to learn (even when you have used a QWERTY-keyboard for several decades)

# Greater speed (research done in the navy shows that the amount of time used to learn to type on the keyboard is regained when you have used it for ten days) # Better ergonomy (people who use Dvorak are less likely to get sicknesses in their hands and arms as the keyboard layout has been better designed.)

Read all about it at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_simplified_keyboard, and several other computers. All major operating systems have a US-English Dvorak layout built-in, and you can easily install one for your language, or even make it yourself. A guide to switching is available at: http://doomtech.net/wiki/index.php/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard

When learning, try to do your best NOT to look at the keyboard, and try to touch type as often as you can, even when not practicing (chatting, writing etc.) I typed for two months, and my typing speed doubled!