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  • Switched to Colemak 2 months ago - like it, but so bad at QWERTY now=p

    Switched to Colemak 2 months ago - like it, but so bad at QWERTY now=p

    • Started by NowOnCole
    • 9 Replies:
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 18-Mar-2009
    • Posts: 3

    Hey there,

    I just wanted to add to the feedback about colemak.

    _Why I switched:_

    Switched out of principle, would like the world to endorse efficiency. ( lol, as part of this in displeased with English being the international language, would rather we have an artificial one, but hey,


    _WPM info and stats_

    I have been typing on qwerty for about 10 year now I guess. (most xp from instant messenger)
    I used this thing to work on colemak for a few weeks on and off:
    https://colemak.com/TypeFaster

    2 months ago
    on QWERTY: 65 (with blind typing)
    on Colemak: 10 (have to keep eyes on board)

    now
    on QWERTY: 18 (have to keep eyes on board)
    on Colemak: 28 (with blind typing)


    _Notes on "Blind" typing (I mean not needing to keep eyes on keyboard)_

    Only after I was able to type on the Colemak layout blind (without looking at a reference of the layout) did I lose my ability to type QWERTY blind ability.

    This might just be me though, maybe you wont be so crippled with QWERTY. But i went cold turkey, didnt practice QWERTY for 5 mins each day like I saw as a recommendation to prevent just this happening, lol.

    _Overall_
    All in all, i like it, I feel like I'm moving my hand around less. Or maybe its just a placebo effect. Either way, I'll stick with it, see if my WPM tops my old QWERTY 65.

    _RSI / Carpel tunnel -ishness_
    I also did have pain in my hand before (just felt real cold after a long session) and don't right now...but I think that was more from the mouse cuz its only in my right had that I had the pain.

    _Thanks, goodbye_
    Looks like thats all,hope this was in some form helpful to someone, thanks for reading!

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    • Registered: 20-Oct-2006
    • Posts: 111

    I found that QWERTY is easier after you are done learning the Colemak layout. Now, I use Colemak exclusively on the Mac and QWERTY on the PC, and don't make any more typos than the average MMO player trying to make plans and not die at the same time.

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    • Reputation: 2
    • From: Houston, Texas
    • Registered: 03-Jan-2007
    • Posts: 358

    "work on colemak for a few weeks on and off"

    30 min regular formal practice daily would likely speed you up a bit with focus on constant rhythm
    also practice of 100 most common words would help as well. 

    given your previous experience...28 wpm seems a bit low after two months

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    • Registered: 18-Mar-2009
    • Posts: 3

    Yeah maybe it is a bit slow, but I can't say the 2 months were filled with day-to-day sessions. When I was first starting out it was so fraking frustrating. I'd actually have to say it was actually more like 2.5 months ago that I started, but the first two weeks I was so on and off because it was so frustrating that I abandoned it every other day. Which is why I didn't mention it before.

    Yeah, I'll try QWERTY once every while to keep that up I guess now.

    In regards to the speed, I dono, haha, I'll post again if it gets better....or worse =X


    EDIT - I just tried again on that http://hi-games.net/ site in your name and got a 34 - still same area about.

    Here my profile:

    http://hi-games.net/profile/2178

    PS (about hi-games account) yeah, I know, my name rocks ~_~, haha

    Last edited by NowOnCole (18-Mar-2009 14:31:13)
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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,362

    Speed schmeed. Just do it any way you feel comfortable about. Speed will come, I can promise you that. For now, your main task is not to get too frustrated I think.  ;)

    Later on, your mission - should you accept it - will be to live up to your hi-games moniker. Best of luck! Dismissed.

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

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    • From: Rockland, Wyoming
    • Registered: 13-Jul-2008
    • Posts: 7

    Yep, I too am lost when using the QWERTY layout, I have keep my eyes on the board while hunting for the right key. Although inconvenient, I am definitely glad I made the switch.
    If I bought a small USB memory stick and installed Colemak on it to carry around with me to plug into any computer I must use that does not have Colemak already installed (i.e., any computer carrying Windows. Linux and Mac OS X have it pre-installed.) would solve my problems. I would rather do that than practice QWERTY 5 minutes a day as I am rather proud of the fact that I do not use QWERTY. :-)

    Last edited by Zouka (20-Mar-2009 04:39:44)
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    • Registered: 18-Mar-2009
    • Posts: 3
    Zouka said:

    I would rather do that than practice QWERTY 5 minutes a day as I am rather proud of the fact that I do not use QWERTY. :-)

    Lol, nice, 'too good for QWERTY'

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    • From: Viken, Norway
    • Registered: 13-Dec-2006
    • Posts: 5,362

    'Too cool for Sholes!'  ;)

    *** Learn Colemak in 2–5 steps with Tarmak! ***
    *** Check out my Big Bag of Keyboard Tricks for Win/Linux/TMK... ***

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    • Registered: 17-Dec-2008
    • Posts: 59

    When I learned a new layout that was very similar to Qwerty, it took me two or three days of Qwerty practice to get back to my old natural speed (90 WPM).  This was starting from having to look at the keyboard to type at all.  So, it's definitely possible, and not particularly time consuming (at least, compared to learning a whole new layout!).  The biggest obstacle is getting out of your own way (i.e., actually WANTING to regain your Qwerty skills, and not feeling like it's some kind of blow to your ego to type Qwerty.)

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    • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
    • Posts: 656

    My Qwerty experience is good, but now I am looking for a better one with Colemak. I suppose my Qwerty skills will be back again after 1hr training with 60% speed, but I think it is not necessary.

    To be fluent with two layouts at the same time is possible but requiring a lot of training, however. Only your brain has to work harder, and you cannot get to maximum speed in both layouts.

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