Re: Summary: typing speed and voice recognition

["Bergen, Jane" <janeb -at- ANSWERSOFT -dot- COM>]

Dave,

Is there a physical reason that you cannot learn to touch type? If not,
there are lots of software packages that promise to increase your speed
(such as "Mavis Beacon's Typing..." etc.). It would seem that it would
be faster and cheaper and more productive in the long run to go this
route than to invest in the equipment, training, and time for VR setup.
Another consideration: if you work in an office, it might be extremely
annoying to your coworkers for you to be constantly "voicing" your
writing.

On the other hand, although I do touch type, many programmers I know do
the two-finger jig and seem to be pretty darned quick about it. For
myself, speed does not matter. I might type a few sentences, then read
on-screen to proof or reorganize or whatever. If my job depended on
typing, I'd have been out the door long, long ago.

On Friday, February 06, 1998 5:08 PM, Dave Whelan
[SMTP:dwhelan -at- PANGEA -dot- CA] wrote:
> Earlier this week I asked the list:
>
> How important is it for a TW to be a fast typist? and
> Has anyone had any success using technology such as voice recognition
> systems to overcome slow typing speed?
>
> The reason for the first question is that although I am a successful
> freelance technical writer, I m a very slow typist. I can get by with
> fairly rapid hunting and pecking, but, try as I might, I have never
been
> able to teach myself to touch-type well. I constantly try to improve
my
> professional skills as a matter of business survival and I am rather
> ashamed of this incapacity, so I was interested in knowing what my
peers
> thought about the importance of fast typing.
>
> (snipped)

> I have now ordered a low-cost trial system and expect delivery next
week.
> If there is sufficient interest, I will report my findings to the list
in
> due course.
>
> Thanks to all who responded to my questions.
>
> Regards,
> Dave.
>
> ***************************************************