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  www.customsolutions.us Issue #8: March 2005
March 2005 Newsletter #2 Reminder: Do not reply to this message.  See below for links and email addresses.
  Frustrated with your slow typing speed?  Here are some tips to help!
Our Custom Typing Training web site provides everything you need to speed up your typing.  There is no software to download, and you can try it for free!  For details, go to www.customtyping.com

Are you wanting to improve your typing speed, and get more done in less time?  Here are some quick tips to help you get started:

  • Take the time to learn how to position your fingers and reach each key on the keyboard.  Your fingers should rest comfortably on the home row (A S D F, etc) with your left index finger on the F and your right index finger on the J.
  • Don't look at the keyboard as you type.  This is challenging at first, but once you've learned how to find the keys without looking you will never go back.  Being able to look at your screen, instead of your keyboard, allows you to focus more on what you're typing, rather than how to type it.  You will find that your thoughts flow more smoothly and your productivity will improve dramatically.
  • Even wander what those small bumps on the F and J keys are for?  These are to help you keep your fingers in the right place as you type.  As your fingers leave the home row and return, you should be able to feel these bumps on your index fingers.  If you don't, that's a sign that your hands have moved out of place.
  • Don't move your hand and other fingers any more than necessary to reach each key. This speeds up your typing by keeping your hands and fingers close to the home row, and also reduces strain.
  • Practice, practice, practice!  While the rules of touch typing are simple, developing the technique and building speed take time.  In the beginning you may have to force yourself to type using the correct technique, but over time you will adjust and start to see your speed and productivity improve.

To learn more and sign up for a free trial of our online typing tutor, visit us at www.customtyping.com.

  Tip of the Week: Typing Special Characters and Symbols

Have you ever wondered how to type special characters such as a copyright symbol (©) or trademark (™)? If you're using Microsoft Word, some of these special symbols can be automatically created by typing certain sequences of keys. For instance, if you type (c), Word will automatically convert this into a © character. You can see a complete list of the special characters by going to the Autocorrect options under Word's "Tools" menu.

For other programs, you can use the Character Map utility. To access this, go to the Start menu, choose all Programs, then Accessories, then Character Map. Next, choose the font you're currently using to bring up a list of all characters and symbols available in that font. Double click on the character and then click the "copy" button to copy it to the clipboard. You can then paste the character into the program you are currently using.

 

Looking for a new job?

Prove your typing speed to potential employers by taking our online typing test, and receive an official certificate with your results.  For details, go to: www.ProveMySpeed.com

 

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