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    General Age of Colemak Users

    • Started by Kupari
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    • Registered: 13-Dec-2007
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    I was wondering what the general age of people converting to Colemak is. I am guessing that most people who are using it are in their 20s or 30s (as indicated by quotes such as "I was a QWERTY hunt-and-pecker for some thirty years" among others more direct quotes like "I am 30 years old").

    Myself, I was 16 when I converted, although it was 18 days before my 17th birthday.

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    • Registered: 29-Jul-2007
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    I was 28 when I converted to Colemak.  I have been typing on Colemak since the first day it came out in 2006.
    I learned to touch type at the age of 13 at my secondary school, when I took up an optional typing class.
    I was the only boy in my classroom. 

    I wonder there are any people that took up typing at the age of 5?!!!! If so, did you find it easy?

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
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    I'm 40. Started typing around the age of 15 or so, maybe? Computers weren't all that common back then.

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
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    • From: Houston, Texas
    • Registered: 03-Jan-2007
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    I'm 46.  When I was 13, the only computers that were available in school were slide rules.  Touch typing was seen as a secretarial skill and there was a class with typewriters in it for that purpose.  College computer courses had mainframes that you submitted your program as a stack of punch cards to the operator at the door.  Introduction to programming using PL/I Language. oh joy!

    So I was a Qwerty hunt and pecker for ~35 years till last year when I found Colemak.  It was pretty common to hire someone to type a very long paper or chapter.

    Last edited by keyboard samurai (01-Feb-2008 10:28:12)
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    jag50 said:

    I wonder there are any people that took up typing at the age of 5?!!!! If so, did you find it easy?

    Yeah, I did. I did plenty of keyboarding around then. I remember one of my birthday presents was a typing CD to which I was addicted. We also had mandatory typing classes in 4th grade.

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    • Registered: 05-Sep-2006
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    I'm 26.

    Decided to write my MSc thesis on Colemak. About 18 months ago.. Top mark! :)

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    • Registered: 08-Feb-2008
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    I'm 22, and Colemak is the 4th layout I've gotten over 60WPM, not counting Dvorak-left-hand-only and right-hand-only layouts at about 30WPM each. Yeah, it gets easier the third time around. :) I started messing with layouts by learning Dvorak two years ago. I'd say that, in general, the younger you are, the easier it is to learn a new layout. IMO, Colemak beats them all.

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    • Registered: 07-Feb-2008
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    I am 29 and just starting to learn touchtyping with Colemak.. Been a "hunt and pecker" on QWERTY until now

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    • From: Köln, Germany
    • Registered: 01-Apr-2007
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    I learnt Colemak (and touch-typing) with 14. Before, j'étais un hunt et pecker avec QWERTZ!

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    • Registered: 15-Feb-2008
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    25, learned Colemak about half a year ago.

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    • Registered: 08-Mar-2008
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    aaa

    jag50 said:

    I was 28 when I converted to Colemak.  I have been typing on Colemak since the first day it came out in 2006.
    I learned to touch type at the age of 13 at my secondary school, when I took up an optional typing class.
    I was the only boy in my classroom. 

    I wonder there are any people that took up typing at the age of 5?!!!! If so, did you find it easy?

    I was required to take typing class once a week in elementary school. It was crappy. I did not find typing easy, but I suppose it's always hard when you start.  I am now an excellent typist (I think 70+ WPM is considered "expert", so I guess I'm an expert.) In that class, there was one girl who typed on a different keyboard (probably Dvorak, though I don't remember). The typing teacher said "Her parents want her to learn typing a different way." I remember thinking, "What strange parents." Now, looking back, I think "What smart parents."

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    • From: NYC
    • Registered: 02-Feb-2007
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    I am 23 now. I used QWERTY touch typing since mid 90s. Switched to Colemak a year ago and type faster than I did in QWERTY. I am no longer eager to increase my typing speed, since for me...70wpm is good enough, but I won't mind if it does increase...lol

    Last edited by AGK (10-Mar-2008 05:31:16)
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    • Registered: 18-Mar-2008
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    I'm 17, and I have just achieved a speed of being to switch completely.  (around 40 wpm)

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    • Registered: 10-Mar-2008
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    I'm 20 now,,,
    I've been touch typing since i was 15 or so.....

    I've just converted.,..still practicing at it.,..
    wpms-1.jpg

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    • Registered: 01-Apr-2008
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    Learned in 25 @ 2007-05-17, a few days before my birthday, and immediately replaced all the symbols.  Now 26 and returned most symbols to their qwer locatons.

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    • Registered: 24-Mar-2008
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    I'm 19, and I only started typing colemak two weeks ago. I've already matched my qwerty speeds and I'm very chuffed about it.  I wonder if I can get anyone at my college to switch too....  I'll let you know.

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    • Registered: 18-Apr-2008
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    Woohoo! I'm the old guy of the crowd at 52!  Started typing at age 9, so lots of time to get my muscles synced with the qwerty keys.  I'd guess that the person who said it's easier to learn a new layout when you're younger is correct - though my brain can use the exercise of learning Colemak.

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    • From: Houston, Texas
    • Registered: 03-Jan-2007
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    Take heart,  views about older brains have been changing...  it might take longer but not necessarily and once learned, it sticks as well as when you were younger.

    just an example I found easily,
    http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_re … 08_07.html
    http://www.aarpmagazine.org/health/youre_wiser_now.html

    It is still possible for the old dragon to kick the young tiger's ass.  :-)

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
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    Sheepy said:

    returned most symbols to their qwer locatons.

    *resists urge to sidetrack*
    ...
    *fails*

    New totally unoffficial slogan:
    DON'T USE A QWER LAYOUT - TYPE IN COLEMAK!

    oops...  ;)

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
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    • Registered: 01-May-2008
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    I am 20 and have been typing since I was about 7 (I was homeschooled and my mom taught me at home). I currently type about 95-100WPM in qwerty (101 at hi-games, my highest 30 second burst is 114, thanks to a Facebook app).

    I'm not sure where to post this, so I'll ask it here. Is it worth switching to Colemak for me? I've been browsing the forums and I haven't seen a story of someone switching from a similar speed as myself. I don't have a problem switching, as I would actually like the challenge of trying to switch (Chesswhiz got me to switch to Dvorak a while back, and I stopped when I reached 45 WPM). I'm hesitant to give up such a nice speed.

    And incase Chesswhiz reads this: Hi.

    Last edited by bgcatfan (01-May-2008 17:15:22)
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    • From: Viken, Norway
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    Hello catfan. I'd say you were derailing this topic but then again you did post your age.  :)

    I believe this is what you're after:
    http://www.ryanheise.com/colemak/
    Not the only one (what about Chesswhiz himself?) I believe, but the best documented one ttbomk. You'll also be pleased to see how his QWERTY speed stayed almost at max while he surpassed it in Colemak. His is a real success story and I believe he focused a lot though, so don't expect to do what he did without effort. I've been more laidback about it myself, but I'm in no hurry right now.

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
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    DreymaR said:

    Hello catfan. I'd say you were derailing this topic but then again you did post your age.  :)

    I believe this is what you're after:
    http://www.ryanheise.com/colemak/
    Not the only one (what about Chesswhiz himself?) I believe, but the best documented one ttbomk. You'll also be pleased to see how his QWERTY speed stayed almost at max while he surpassed it in Colemak. His is a real success story and I believe he focused a lot though, so don't expect to do what he did without effort. I've been more laidback about it myself, but I'm in no hurry right now.

    I've been learning Colemak and my QWERTY speed hasn't dropped below what it already had dropped to when I learned Dvorak (around 30 WPM).

    I am 14. I began learning Colemak a week and a half ago. I also learned Dvorak 6 months ago, and got to 65 WPM.

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    • Registered: 11-May-2008
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    i'm 16, just started learning 2 days ago

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