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    Sticking With It

    • Started by kayliana
    • 2 Replies:
    • Reputation: 0
    • From: Colorado
    • Registered: 15-Jun-2007
    • Posts: 3

    I first tried out Colemak about a year ago because my hands were starting to hurt from typing so much with QWERTY and because Colemak seems more efficient and logical to use over QWERTY. I'd been touch-typing with QWERTY for over 8 years (40 wpm average speed). I didn't stick with Colemak the first time I tried it, or the second time a few months later. I was using the TypeFaster program to learn with but honestly I kept getting bored with it and wasn't learning fast enough. I was also switching back and forth between QWERTY and Colemak for when I needed to type more quickly. I learned the hard way that that's a really bad idea! No wonder I wasn't learning fast enough. This time around, I got a program from a friend called TypingMaster Pro. I started using that, turned off QWERTY completely, and I'm learning Colemak much faster and sticking with it this time. Typingmaster Pro doesn't have a Colemak layout/course, and their on-screen QWERTY keyboard can be distracting, but I've found it to be much more fun and I'm learning quickly and faster than before. I just wish it had an actual Colemak layout and course.  After using it for about 30-40 minutes a day for the past week, I know all the keys and consistently type between 18-25 wpm. I have no desire to switch back to QWERTY this time. Yay!

    The "S" and "I" keys have been giving me the most trouble so far, probably because they are so close to where they are in QWERTY. I'm also noticing that my right index and middle fingers have been sore.

    I'm excited to get my typing speed back up and hopefully exceed my old speed :)

    Thank you for Colemak :)

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    • From: Houston, Texas
    • Registered: 03-Jan-2007
    • Posts: 358

    Congratulations on your success!!!!!

    Soreness may come from not resting hands?   posture?   pushing speed too much? 

    remember speed comes from accuracy.   Keep placing a premium on accuracy over speed. 
    Slow down slightly to speed up later.

    keep at it! yeah!

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    • Registered: 08-Mar-2008
    • Posts: 303
    kayliana said:

    The "S" and "I" keys have been giving me the most trouble so far, probably because they are so close to where they are in QWERTY.

    Yeah, I've noticed things like that. People say it's easier when things only move a little, but actually it's harder because it's so close to the original position.

    Probably the hand hurting comes from QWERTY under utilizing certain fingers, so those fingers are weak from lack of use. Oh look at that, sure enough, J and K are under your right index and middle fingers on QWERTY. The most common things your index and middle fingers were hitting are N and I, respectively. Other than that, they weren't getting much use. I had similar problems when I switched to Dvorak (yes I admit, I am on the Colemak forum and not using Colemak). The soreness passes in time as your fingers get stronger.

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