4 ms·

I type ~80WPM with 90%+ accuracy, but I don't find that typing speed is my blocker, rather the speed of a coherent thought I’m on typeracer.com with an average

by 300bps 5y ago

I type ~80WPM with 90%+ accuracy, but I don't find that typing speed is my blocker, rather the speed of a coherent thought I’m on typeracer.com with an average typing speed of 154 WPM with 99% accuracy. I don’t find my thoughts to be limiting for typing purposes.

tombert 5y ago
You're making me feel a little inadequate about my current record of 97WPM with 99% accuracy.
- vehemenz 5y ago
  On the other hand, it's making me feel pretty good about my thinking speed. ;)
bradlys 5y ago
I don't really know how people get past 120-130wpm with sustained accuracy. I find that I trail off around 100-110wpm. It really depends on the text too. Some text with a lot of difficult double repeated letters, fancy punctuation, etc. in a row or hard to read words - not so great. I just did the practice twice. Once at 100wpm (keyboard twister kind of text). Once at 130wpm (easy sentences). So much variation just from the practice text alone. This is also on a macbook pro keyboard literally on my lap - which I fucking hate and find horrible to type on and mess up on all the time. (I think it is also dysfunctional/semi-broken) I don't think I could ever hit 150wpm. I just don't see how it's possible with a normal keyboard - at least for me. Never seen anyone do it sustained either. Must be some <1% skill - as I'm the fastest typer of just about anyone I've met and I don't feel fast. Speed of thought is mostly the issue for me too though even at 130wpm. If I am saying things faster than that - whatever I am saying is probably not worth reading outside of a chat conversation.
- 300bps 5y ago
  My ex-wife used to say that she could not randomly mash the keys on a keyboard as fast as I can accurately type. I've had people ask me if I'm human based on the speed of my typing. But honestly if you watch YouTube videos of typing competitions - there are lots of people that are 160+. I first learned to type in 1982 and that really accelerated when I got online in 1985. I did not touch type at that point - I just used 3 fingers on each hand. The first year I learned to touch type my typing instructor typed 60 WPM and I typed 75. Then it just went up from there after 4 years of formal typing instruction. For what it's worth, I use a Das Keyboard mechanical keyboard.
- userbinator 5y ago
  I don't really know how people get past 120-130wpm with sustained accuracy. Speaking as someone who can type in the 130-140 range and has gone over 200 in short bursts --- the keyboard makes a huge difference. Look for one with a low actuation force, short distance-to-actuation, and a "bouncy" feeling that helps your fingers return. I'm using a cheap no-name rubber-dome keyboard, but it's definitely on the softer side compared to most others I've used. Unfortunately, the only searches on Google for its model number (KM-2601P) are the posts here where I've mentioned it on other keyboarding articles: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24761580 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24761580 (Don't you find it disturbing that a keyboard which was probably manufactured in the millions of units has literally only one person on the whole Internet mentioning it!?) I also have a mechanical keyboard with clicky Blue Alps switches, which is impressively loud and satisfying to type on, but reaching 120 on that one is far more difficult; and I've also typed on a Thinkpad (pre-island style) keyboard, which has been praised as one of the best laptop keyboards, but maintaining even 100 on that one is very tiring --- it has far too much actuation pressure.

by 300bps 5y ago

tombert 5y ago

You're making me feel a little inadequate about my current record of 97WPM with 99% accuracy.

vehemenz 5y ago
On the other hand, it's making me feel pretty good about my thinking speed. ;)

bradlys 5y ago

I don't really know how people get past 120-130wpm with sustained accuracy. I find that I trail off around 100-110wpm. It really depends on the text too. Some text with a lot of difficult double repeated letters, fancy punctuation, etc. in a row or hard to read words - not so great. I just did the practice twice. Once at 100wpm (keyboard twister kind of text). Once at 130wpm (easy sentences). So much variation just from the practice text alone. This is also on a macbook pro keyboard literally on my lap - which I fucking hate and find horrible to type on and mess up on all the time. (I think it is also dysfunctional/semi-broken) I don't think I could ever hit 150wpm. I just don't see how it's possible with a normal keyboard - at least for me. Never seen anyone do it sustained either. Must be some <1% skill - as I'm the fastest typer of just about anyone I've met and I don't feel fast. Speed of thought is mostly the issue for me too though even at 130wpm. If I am saying things faster than that - whatever I am saying is probably not worth reading outside of a chat conversation.

300bps 5y ago
My ex-wife used to say that she could not randomly mash the keys on a keyboard as fast as I can accurately type. I've had people ask me if I'm human based on the speed of my typing. But honestly if you watch YouTube videos of typing competitions - there are lots of people that are 160+. I first learned to type in 1982 and that really accelerated when I got online in 1985. I did not touch type at that point - I just used 3 fingers on each hand. The first year I learned to touch type my typing instructor typed 60 WPM and I typed 75. Then it just went up from there after 4 years of formal typing instruction. For what it's worth, I use a Das Keyboard mechanical keyboard.
userbinator 5y ago
I don't really know how people get past 120-130wpm with sustained accuracy. Speaking as someone who can type in the 130-140 range and has gone over 200 in short bursts --- the keyboard makes a huge difference. Look for one with a low actuation force, short distance-to-actuation, and a "bouncy" feeling that helps your fingers return. I'm using a cheap no-name rubber-dome keyboard, but it's definitely on the softer side compared to most others I've used. Unfortunately, the only searches on Google for its model number (KM-2601P) are the posts here where I've mentioned it on other keyboarding articles: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24761580 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24761580 (Don't you find it disturbing that a keyboard which was probably manufactured in the millions of units has literally only one person on the whole Internet mentioning it!?) I also have a mechanical keyboard with clicky Blue Alps switches, which is impressively loud and satisfying to type on, but reaching 120 on that one is far more difficult; and I've also typed on a Thinkpad (pre-island style) keyboard, which has been praised as one of the best laptop keyboards, but maintaining even 100 on that one is very tiring --- it has far too much actuation pressure.