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>but if you're learning to type, why would you do that Sometimes people don't try hard if there is no fear of failure. Removing the key labels makes it harder

>but if you're learning to type, why would you do that Sometimes people don't try hard if there is no fear of failure. Removing the key labels makes it harder to cheat and forces you to do it the right way. Some people will rationalize in their head ("oh it's just this one email I am typing, I am so far behind I can't afford to be slowed down"). I can see this method being effective by "forcing" people to learn to touch type.

emodendroket 6y ago
I had one job where they made us go through a typing course (which was kind of silly because I already knew how to type but anyways) and they had you put stickers over the letters. So there is an option if you want to save money.
- XMPPwocky 6y ago
  On cheap keyboards, some fine sandpaper will usually do a wonderful job.
  - wernercd 6y ago
    Or you can always remove the keys... and a can of flat black spray paint. Same effect - but with less sanding.
    - jandrese 6y ago
      Hard to find spray paint that will stick to plastic keys and not be rubbed off by your fingers.
      - wernercd 6y ago
        Looking deeper, it looks like you're right. It would take the right spray paint and wouldn't be a zero effort as I remembered reading about it. With that said... there are a few good resources out there that probably weren't there (or I didn't find) the last time I looked. I ended up just spending extra for a DASKeyboard sans writing... but may still "convert" some of my other keyboards at some point (going to build a new house and I'll have a work room when it's up)
  - dllthomas 6y ago
    Or just rearrange the key caps. IME, that retrained me much faster than blank keys.
  - wrycoder 6y ago
    On cheaper keyboards (I have one) the lettering wears off. And it’s IBM branded with M-style switches!
m463 6y ago
> ... cheat ... rationalize ... uh, I think you are putting the wrong slant on things, like people are cheating losers. I have been touch typing for years, but I probably look at my keyboard from time to time and do not know I do it. If you asked me where the B key is, I would have to look. If you asked me to type banana I would do it without looking. I have caught myself looking, like a passenger in my own body, maybe to orient myself when crooked, I'm not sure. But typing is so automatic that my conscious brain is not even involved in the process.
- bitslayer 6y ago
  I am not a touch typist, far from it, but I have been typing for so long that I too couldn't tell you how much I look at the keyboard. For awhile I almost convinced myself that I had somehow stopped looking down because I never seemed to notice it. But I definitely still look at every key I type.
sershe 6y ago
I use an English-only-letters keyboard to type in English and Russian (finding a good keyboard with Russian letters is a hassle and stickers are ugly), and it doesn't force me to touch type. I still index-finger-peck by memory (and I semi-touch type English :)). I think it has nothing to do with touch typing...

emodendroket 6y ago

I had one job where they made us go through a typing course (which was kind of silly because I already knew how to type but anyways) and they had you put stickers over the letters. So there is an option if you want to save money.

XMPPwocky 6y ago
On cheap keyboards, some fine sandpaper will usually do a wonderful job.
- wernercd 6y ago
  Or you can always remove the keys... and a can of flat black spray paint. Same effect - but with less sanding.
  - jandrese 6y ago
    Hard to find spray paint that will stick to plastic keys and not be rubbed off by your fingers.
    - wernercd 6y ago
      Looking deeper, it looks like you're right. It would take the right spray paint and wouldn't be a zero effort as I remembered reading about it. With that said... there are a few good resources out there that probably weren't there (or I didn't find) the last time I looked. I ended up just spending extra for a DASKeyboard sans writing... but may still "convert" some of my other keyboards at some point (going to build a new house and I'll have a work room when it's up)
- dllthomas 6y ago
  Or just rearrange the key caps. IME, that retrained me much faster than blank keys.
- wrycoder 6y ago
  On cheaper keyboards (I have one) the lettering wears off. And it’s IBM branded with M-style switches!

m463 6y ago

> ... cheat ... rationalize ... uh, I think you are putting the wrong slant on things, like people are cheating losers. I have been touch typing for years, but I probably look at my keyboard from time to time and do not know I do it. If you asked me where the B key is, I would have to look. If you asked me to type banana I would do it without looking. I have caught myself looking, like a passenger in my own body, maybe to orient myself when crooked, I'm not sure. But typing is so automatic that my conscious brain is not even involved in the process.

bitslayer 6y ago
I am not a touch typist, far from it, but I have been typing for so long that I too couldn't tell you how much I look at the keyboard. For awhile I almost convinced myself that I had somehow stopped looking down because I never seemed to notice it. But I definitely still look at every key I type.

sershe 6y ago

I use an English-only-letters keyboard to type in English and Russian (finding a good keyboard with Russian letters is a hassle and stickers are ugly), and it doesn't force me to touch type. I still index-finger-peck by memory (and I semi-touch type English :)). I think it has nothing to do with touch typing...