Day 23: 42wpm with the accuracy 97%.

I try Typing of the Dead and see that it is fun. I went to the third level but could not finish the boss.

http://hi-games.net/profile/4314

I try Amphetype (programmed by tristesse member of this forum) and it has an option that automatically detect your weaker words from your typing and let you practise them. The program gives you a lot of statistics that help you to improve from your mistakes, as well as a lot of options (the required accuracy to pass a text or a review, ability to type a whole novel and read them through typing is excellent).

Amphetype is definitely a tailor made software to learn touch typing efficiently. It does not have much graphics and fun stuff, but I highly recommend it to any typist that wants to improve their typing skills.

Here the Amphetype project homepage:
https://code.google.com/p/amphetype/

Download Amphetype (Windows, OSX):
https://code.google.com/p/amphetype/downloads/list

Backstory of the author tristesse
=====================

About 4 months ago I attempted the difficult switch from Qwerty to what is commonly referred to as the Dvorak layout. I didn't know touch typing, so I had to learn that at the same time. It was hell on Earth. It probably took me a full week just to be able to snail away at 20 WPM and after a full month I was still only at 40 WPM. Dvorak is impossibly hard to learn.

That's when I discovered Colemak, a layout that promised to be even more efficient that the Dvorak and much easier to learn. I was intrigued and found that it fixed most of the issues I had with Dvorak, which only added to my frustration over not having discovered it sooner after having put so much effort into learning Dvorak. But finally I made the decision to switch again. Since this time I decided I was going to do it right I even went ahead and made my own keyboard layout based on a mix between the Colemak and the Norwegian Qwerty, but moving a lot of the common punctuation to the home and upper rows using the AltGr key.

After a week I was already as fast as my best speeds with Dvorak, and after a month I was at a more comfortable 65 WPM. Today I am at around 75-80 WPM, which is almost as fast as I once was on the Qwerty (80-85 WPM).

Now, in my long quest for learning a new layout, I have grown fond of programs and sites that help you measure and improve your typing. However, there is a lot of things lacking from most that I'd like to see. The two main things are:

* Texts that make sense: I am a big fan of Typeracer where you type actual quotes from popular culture (books, movies, songs). This gives you some shallow entertainment as opposed to just typing nonsense language-agnostic syllables which I find very dull and unrewarding. I also played some with TyperA which gives you random sentences, but they are cut off at awkward points (can't separate "." in abbreviations from proper end-of-sentence punctuation) and sometimes they're part of a joke that you don't get to see the follow-up to -- very annoying! A better version in this respect is Hi Games' Typing Test which at least give you random fragments instead of just half-sentences.

* Automatic lessons based on problem words (not just keys): TypingMaster Pro Satellite is an ingenious (albeit commercial and Windows-only) program which monitors everything you type and tells you which words and keys you have problems with (probably inferred from speed and backspace usage). So far I haven't found any alternative to it, nor even a free program which tells you what words you have problems with.

So basically when I wrote the first version of Amphetype on a long and boring ride on the night train these two items is what I had in mind: the ability to type texts from favorite novels, moves, web sites, whatever, and detailed statistics about problematic words and keys which can be used to generate new lessons. And that's what I've done.

From feedback from friends I've also added the ability to type whole books fragment by fragment so you can read them while practicing typing.

How did you perform the logarithmic regression? I'm curious as to how I could apply that to my early speeds and see how close the prognosis would get to my current speed.

Oh, okay, so you didn't fit the curve as good as possible into all the existing measured speeds?

Day 27: 45wpm and 97% accuracy.

I have been practising with Amphetype and Typershark Deluxe.

I got a high score at High-games.net with 48wpm.

Day 33: 47wpm with 97% accuracy.
@dreymar: I try to find a IBM model M or Dell mechanical keyboard at my country, but it is rare. Most users threw them away years ago. Other options such as Cherry, Unicomp and Das keyboards have to be shipped overseas.

Thanks for your encouragement. The 47wpm speed I can maintain for only about 3-5mins during tests and drills, so that is a long road to go.

I suppose it will take a year to feel truly at home with the new keyboard layout, when you can think and type at will.

Using Amphetype I fluctuate between 40 to 50wpm. Right now I type 20k leagues under the sea by Jules Verne.

You could have cleaned those caps when you moved them...

Day 38: 49wpm and 98% (+1%) accuracy.

I definitely recommend Amphetype for typing lessons. Now I fluctuate between 45 to 56wpm.

With a real Colemak keyboard layout, it helps to boost the speed (you could afford to glance at it a bit :-)

Day 40: 50wpm and 97% accuracy.

I've reached that 50wpm which is more than sufficient for my work. Thanks for all your encouragements, and for Shai to make Colemak layout at the first place.

For anyone who wants to improve accuracy (which lead to faster speed) I recommend

Typeracer with Instant Death Mode (IDM) - where you are booted from a race as soon as you make a mistake.

http://play.typeracer.com/?universe=accuracy

Doing good Tony! It's nice to see your enthusiasm and progress.  :)

Day 49: 53wpm and 97% accuracy.

Alternating between speed and accuracy drills pay off. I am trying blind typing by not looking at the keyboard at all times, forcing my hands detect errors and fix mistakes accordingly.

Here are a few typing tips that may be useful.

Typing style

Observe your typing style and notice how you use your fingers and hands. Avoid keeping any unnecessary tension in your thumbs and fingers. Observe whether you have a heavy touch or a light touch while typing. Use the minimum amount of force needed to depress the keys.

Right
Relax all of your fingers while typing and pointing; notice and release excess tension. This sounds simple, but it may take repeated effort and attention to turn this into a good habit.

Wrong!
Do not hold unnecessary tension in any of your fingers  -  including those not touching keys or the pointing device, as well as those actively typing or pointing.

Reaching for keys and key combinations

To reach keys that are not near your keyboard's home row, move your whole arm; avoid overstretching your fingers. When pressing two keys simultaneously, such as Ctrl+C or Alt+F, use two hands instead of contorting your hand and fingers to reach both keys.