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    My Colemak Experience

    • Started by Aceo
    • 4 Replies:
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 20-May-2011
    • Posts: 3

    Greetings!

    I am a student from Toronto, and I've been using QWERTY for about 7 years. My speed before the switch was 75 wpm (hi-games typing test).

    I was on Typeracer practicing my touchtyping (i've been typing improperly for years: using alternating fingers for same keys, etc) when i saw a quote about the Dvorak. After further investigation, i was led here, and decided to make the switch a couple days ago with the hope of reducing typing stress. My operating system is windows 7 and I'm using Autohotkey to easily switch between QWERTY and Colemak. I'm still using QWERTY for most of my typing tasks during the day, but hopefully i can switch full time Colemak after my computer science summative.

    I am using the lessons on TypeFaster, about 2 hrs / day for practice, and the database on Amphetype to keep track of my speed.

    Day 1 and 2:
    Did lessons 1 to 4 on Typefaster. Very hellish experience having to think about every letter.

    Day 3:
    Colemak Wpm: 13.4 (five ~100 word snippets on Amphetype)

    Day 4:
    Colemak Wpm: 18.5
    Acc: 94%

    Worst letters: j, y, g, f
    QWERTY wpm: 71

    Current speed: http://hi-games.net/profile/4877

    Last edited by Aceo (24-May-2011 17:25:11)
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    • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
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    Great start. Please keep on practising, the first two weeks are the hardest.

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    • Registered: 20-May-2011
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    Thanks Tony, your experience was one of the first to convince me to switch!

    It's been a week, and the key presses are coming much more naturally and fluently.
    My Wpm is 35, which is actually enough for most tasks, so I'll be using it full time.

    My qwerty speed took a hit and dropped to 55 wpm, and I often have to look at the keyboard.

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    • Registered: 08-Dec-2010
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    Wow, it's great to hear that my sharing experience can help you, Aceo. Your speed is improving really fast

    As usual, you can register a nick at hi-games.net, then post you profile link here. Most of us are there.

    Last edited by Tony_VN (24-May-2011 15:57:30)
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    • Registered: 20-May-2011
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    Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but as tony said, It got much easier after the first two weeks. The index finger keys in the top row are much easier to reach if your wrists are slightly elevated from the table (i have a keyboard rest pad to help me with this);  My speed has been fluctuated around the 70s, with a record of 96 wpm in 30 seconds on hi-games.

    Here are my stats for the past month:

    amph.jpg
    typeracer.jpg

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