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    Touchtyping, same-finger, and <Return>

    • Started by lalop
    • 4 Replies:
    • Reputation: 0
    • Registered: 04-Apr-2013
    • Posts: 538

    This question concerns the measurement of same-finger in standard touchtyping.  Specifically, I'm unsure how <Return> is supposed to be typed.

    A naive understanding would suggest that, since both <Return> and, say, ' are typed by the pinkie, one ought to type '<Return>' using the pinkie three times, moving it twice in the process.  Is this actually the accepted practice?  It seems, frankly, ludicrous compared to, say, moving the pinkie to above the Return key, then typing the keys around it with the most appropriate fingers (so, in the previous example, typing ' with the ring finger).

    My questions are:

    1. How do you, personally, type such strings?

    2. Is there an accepted standard for how to do so?

    3. Most importantly, how should this be counted when measuring same-finger?

      1. Should ' and <Return> be counted as a same-finger?

      2. If not, what other combos with the Enter key shouldn't be counted?

      3. What about in alternate layouts where the ' position is occupied by a letter - should it be counted then?

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    • Registered: 04-Apr-2013
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    Yes, I think it goes without saying that these observations might not apply when the Enter key has been moved.  Right now, I'm concerned about how to usefully measure & convey same-finger, however.

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

    Interesting points, Lalop!

    Indeed, on a normal keyboard you should count this as same-finger for the poor pinky, to show how much trouble it's in. In the case of many layouts though, it might be an idea to measure efficiency both with and without symbols! In my head, you can use one letter-block layout and another symbol-block mapping if you want to – for instance, keeping the Swedish symbol key mappings and special letters while switching the main letter block to Colemak! Or a Wide mod, which affects the pinky a lot but should be assessed independently from the layout itself for the most part. That also makes comparisons between keyboard models easier.

    I remember getting in some pain with a book on Amphetype, as it had many quotes. That led to a steady stream of this kind of thing:

    "What were you thinking?"
    "I don't know!"

    Note the ugly dance the pinky has to do between those lines, typing four symbols in one string (and all but one of them shifted, to boot!).

    I tried to train myself to use Caps+Space more for those line breaks, but it didn't always come automatically when going for speed. Also, since the left pinky is needed for Shift immediately before and after the line break, using Extend isn't smooth in that particular situation.

    I have no really good solution for this problem, I think.

    Indeed, as Davkol points out it can be even worse on an ISO board. One solution is a Wide/Angle mod, so both shifts and Return are close to your home position and the pinky gets less overload.

    Last edited by DreymaR (20-May-2014 08:18:42)

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    • Registered: 04-Apr-2013
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    Hmm.  My original post was about the standard, unmodded layout (though it'll work with minor variation with wide layouts as well). 

    So, to type ?"<Return>" on an unmodded ANSI layout, I would start by hitting ? with the pinkie as usual.  The next move would be to place the pinkie on <Return>, which would put the ring finger on ' ".  Hold shift, then roll with ring-pinkie-ring. 

    That'll also work on a wide ISO layout.  On non-wide, the middle finger would instead land on ' ".  One might also reposition as the index and ring finger, if that's more comfortable.

    DreymaR said:

    In the case of many layouts though, it might be an idea to measure efficiency both with and without symbols!

    Maybe.  The thing is, some of those symbols are useful to include (especially ,. and " ' ; :).  It's hard to determine which ones, exactly, to keep.

    There may be something to leaving only the "inner layout" (everything adjacent to a home row key) especially since those positions are less likely to incur nonstandard touchtyping.

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    • Registered: 17-Jun-2014
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    I would suggest using ring-pinky-ring too. Especially if this is a combination that you have to face frequently, then you must get started with it without delay.

    I mean you will only get used to it with time. I started touch-typing on qwerty on normal mode but then have gone on to make slight variations in my "standard touch typing" regime to accommodate for certain difficult word combinations on qwerty. Now, I can juggle them up depending on the word, and I constantly work at such combinations too. Believe me, it doesn't take much time to get used to. The conscious mental effort in the first couple of months is all that matters.

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