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You read this too fast. > My main issue is that I view the physical keyboard as a crutch (emphasis mine) Later: > I’m sure I could get used to the software

by lloeki 14y ago

You read this too fast. > My main issue is that I view the physical keyboard as a crutch (emphasis mine) Later: > I’m sure I could get used to the software keyboard — in fact, I see people from time to time who seem faster typing on it than a real one I have witnessed it myself. Everyone witnessed the same argument a few years ago "oh but you can't possibly type faster on the iPhone soft keyboard than on a real hardware Android/BlackBerry keyboard!". And it turned out, oh yes you can (some people reach in the 80+ WPM). Now I can hear someone over there who says 'but you can't touch type! you can't possibly be faster!', to which I anwser: 1. how many people really know how to touch type? 2. how many people have a proper keyboard for touch-typing? The answer is already scarce even among the developer/hacker crowd, when you extend to the myriad of computer users around the world, the answer is hardly any. For a point of reference, the average user types at 33 WPM. I was typing faster than that (~45 WPM) on the iPad on day one. There are a number of studies comparatively evaluating typing efficiency. This study[0] shows 43 WPM for touchscreen vs 61 WPM for netbook. Excerpt from the conclusion: These results were not surprising given the familiarity of the participants with physical keyboards. [...] Performance on both iPad keyboards was impressive for first-time users. Some participants said that they thought they would enjoy using the keyboard on the iPad more if they had additional time to practice. Please note, I'm not telling laptops are going anywhere (the same way desktops did not go anywhere when laptops came around). They are undoubtedly power houses by all metrics compared to tablets. I'm not telling the current touchscreen keyboards are perfect either: I wish more symbol keys were readily available, and some form of haptic feedback would be nice (via EM fields or whatever). Remember this has only been a few years since (real) tablets have been around. The first laptops were similarly craptastic compared to their desktop siblings. [0] Keyboard Performance: iPad versus Netbook: http://www.surl.org/usabilitynews/122/ipadtyping.asp http://www.surl.org/usabilitynews/122/ipadtyping.asp

ansible 14y ago
You read this too fast. No, I assure you that I believe that the physical kyboard is not a crutch, nor is it going away for many users such as myself for a good long time. And it turned out, oh yes you can (some people reach in the 80+ WPM). I suppose if you are typing regular text this might be possible with a lot of practice. My main gripe is that a smooth flat rectangle doesn't provide enough positioning feedback for me. Others feel the same way, though I won't try to speak for the majority. This study[0] shows 43 WPM for touchscreen vs 61 WPM for netbook. I must first point out that unless you have tiny hands, a netbook has a poor physical keyboard. You seem to be arguing two different things. Most people don't know how to touch type, and they'd do just about as well with an iPad. My response to that is "maybe". When you make blanket statements like: My main issue is that I view the physical keyboard as a crutch Then you are saying on-screen keyboards are fine for everybody. I disagree with that, vehemently. When typing with a physical keyboard, I'll sometimes feel that I've made a mistake, and I'll start correcting it right away. Without looking and the part of the screen where I'm entering text. With an on-screen keyboard, my attention must stay focused on where my hands are in relation to it, and on the text entry itself. I can't feel if I've made a mistake (or typed correctly) I can only see if I've made a mistake. As a long-time touch typist, this lack of feedback bothers me greatly, and slows down my overall process, not just the text entry itself.

by lloeki 14y ago

ansible 14y ago

You read this too fast. No, I assure you that I believe that the physical kyboard is not a crutch, nor is it going away for many users such as myself for a good long time. And it turned out, oh yes you can (some people reach in the 80+ WPM). I suppose if you are typing regular text this might be possible with a lot of practice. My main gripe is that a smooth flat rectangle doesn't provide enough positioning feedback for me. Others feel the same way, though I won't try to speak for the majority. This study[0] shows 43 WPM for touchscreen vs 61 WPM for netbook. I must first point out that unless you have tiny hands, a netbook has a poor physical keyboard. You seem to be arguing two different things. Most people don't know how to touch type, and they'd do just about as well with an iPad. My response to that is "maybe". When you make blanket statements like: My main issue is that I view the physical keyboard as a crutch Then you are saying on-screen keyboards are fine for everybody. I disagree with that, vehemently. When typing with a physical keyboard, I'll sometimes feel that I've made a mistake, and I'll start correcting it right away. Without looking and the part of the screen where I'm entering text. With an on-screen keyboard, my attention must stay focused on where my hands are in relation to it, and on the text entry itself. I can't feel if I've made a mistake (or typed correctly) I can only see if I've made a mistake. As a long-time touch typist, this lack of feedback bothers me greatly, and slows down my overall process, not just the text entry itself.