The history of typing

Before there were computers, most printed documents were created using a typewriter. That’s actually
where the keyboard layout we use today comes from.

In the late 1800s, an American inventor named Christopher Latham Sholes helped to patent an early
typewriter design and then sold it to one of the largest manufacturers of the time.

There is a bit of controversy regarding the reasoning for Sholes’ placement of the keys along the grid.
Originally, the keyboard was laid out alphabetically, but the final patent was changed to resemble the
QWERTY configuration English speakers now rely on.

Method 1

Navigating the Keyboard

1. Sit up straight with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Touch typing involves a lot of muscle
memorization, but it also involves good posture, too. Find a comfortable chair that supports
your back, where you can sit upright for long periods of time. Keep your elbows bent at right
angles, and curl your fingers over the keyboard so it’s easier to type. Additionally, try to keep
your head about an arm’s length away from the screen, while keeping your wrists straight and
your fingers curled.
 If you have poor posture, you may have more difficulty typing.
 It may help to use a wrist pad to support your hands. Many typists also prefer to keep
their feet propped up on a footrest.
2. Curl your fingers on the "home" keys, or "ASDF" and "JKL;." Meet the home keys, which are
the most important keys used during touch typing. These will help you find your way around the
keyboard. Keep in mind that there are different home keys for different fingers.

 You can identify the home row by finding the lifted ridges on the "F" and "J" keys.
 On your left hand, place your pinky finger on the "A" key; your ring finger onto the "S"
key; your middle finger onto the "D" key; and your pointer finger onto the "F" key.
 On your right hand, place your pinky finger onto the semicolon key; your ring finger
onto the "L" key; your middle finger onto the "K" key; and your pointer finger onto the
"J" key.

3. Find the different keys that your left hand will touch. Divide your keyboard into different
"zones," which will help you fine-tune your touch typing. Use your left pointer finger to touch
the "V," "B," "R," "T," "5," and "6" keys and your left middle finger to touch the "E," "C," and "4"
keys. Try to touch the "W," "X," and "3" keys with your left ring finger, while using your left pinky
to touch the "Q," "Z," "1," and "2" keys.
4. Search for the keys that your right hand will press. Use your right pointer finger to touch the
"H," "N," "M," "U," "Y, and "7" keys, then use your right middle finger to touch the "comma," "I,"
and "8" keys. Aim to use your right ring finger to touch the "O," "9," and "period" keys, while
using your right pinky finger to touch the "0," "P," "backslash," "apostrophe," "minus sign,"
"equal sign," and both bracket keys.
 Don’t worry—it can be difficult to memorize all of the finger placements at first. As you
practice, you’ll be able to memorize the different placements more accurately!

5. Reach your fingers up to type numbers or letters from the QWERTY row. Bring your fingers up
a row to tap and press on the "Q," "W," "E," "R," "T," "Y," "U," "I," "O," and "P" keys, as well as
the bracket and numerical keys. After pressing on these upper keys, bring your fingers back to
the home row.

 Practice slowly moving your fingers up a row, and then moving them back to the home
row.
  Your left pinky will touch "Q" and "1," your left ring finger will touch "W" and "2," your
middle finger will touch "E" and "3," and your left pointer finger will touch "R," "T," "4,"
and "5."
 Your right pointer finger will touch "Y," "U," "6," and "7," your middle finger will touch
"I" and "8," your ring finger will touch "O" and "9," and your right pinky will touch "P"
and "0."

6. Move your fingers down to type letters on the bottom row. Dip your fingers below the home
row of keys so you can hit the "Z," "X," "C," "V," "B," "N," "M," "comma," "period," and
"backslash" buttons. Get the hang of moving your fingers down and then returning them to the
home row, which will help your typing habits become more efficient.

 For reference, your left pinky will tap the "Z" key, your left ring finger will tap the "X"
key, your left middle finger will touch the "C" key, and your left pointer finger will
touch the "V" and "B" keys.
 On your right hand, our right pointer finger will touch the "N" and "M" keys, your
middle finger will touch the "comma" key, your ring finger will touch the "period" key,
and your pinky will touch the backslash button.
7. Hit the spacebar with either thumb. Keep both of your thumbs perched on top of the spacebar to make
your typing patterns more convenient. As you type, you can use either finger to add spaces within your
sentences.
 You may prefer using a certain thumb to press the spacebar, which is totally normal!

8. Press any utility keys with your pinkies. Stretch your pinkies to the sides in case you need to enter,
backspace, tab, or shift. Try to get in the habit of pressing the shift key while you press another letter key,
as this will help your typing become more productive.
Asdfg ;lkjh asdfg ;lkjh
Asdfg ;lkjh asdfg ;lkjh

Had flask had flask had flask had flask had flask
Had flask had flask had flask had flask had flask

Qwert poiuy qwert poiuy qwert poiuy

Qwert poiuy qwert poiuy qwert poiuy
Quire potty quire potty quire potty quire potty
Quire potty quire potty quire potty quire potty

Zxcvb /.,mn zxcvb /.,mn zxcvb /.,mn zxcvb /.,mn

Zxcvb /.,mn zxcvb /.,mn zxcvb /.,mn zxcvb /.,mn
Cbn/zmx. Cbn/zmx. Cbn/zmx. Cbn/zmx.
Cbn/zmx. Cbn/zmx. Cbn/zmx. Cbn/zmx.

12345 09876 12345 09876 12345 09876

12345 09876 12345 09876 12345 09876
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
Sonnet XVI
By: William Shakespeare

But wherefore do not you a mightier way

Make war upon this bloody tyrant, Time?
And fortify yourself in your decay
With means more blessed than my barren rhyme?
Now stand you on the top of happy hours,
And many maiden gardens, yet unset,
With virtuous wish would bear you living flowers,
Much liker than your painted counterfeit:
So should the lines of life that life repair,
Which this, Time's pencil, or my pupil pen,
Neither in inward worth nor outward fair,
Can make you live yourself in eyes of men.
To give away yourself, keeps yourself still,
And you must live, drawn by your own sweet skill.