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Mavis Beacon

A Typical keyboard.
  1. Why are the keys all mixed up? ... Give up? Click here for a clue.
  2. What letters are associated with the home row keys?... Give up? Click here for a clue.
  3. What is the keyboard's official name?... Give up? Click here for a clue.
  4. When was the first keyboard invented?... Give up? Click here for a clue.
  5. List 5 of the 7 tips for better posture/technique at the computer.  Give up? Click here.
  6. List 4 of the less intense postures/technique positions.  Give up? Click here.
  7. What is the magic behind good typing ability?... Give up? Click here for a clue.
  8. List 4 keyboarding Tips and Rules.... Give up? Click here for a clue.
See this Drill Sheet:  You will all get a copy in class this week!

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the science concerned with designing safe and comfortable machines for humans.  Following these rules will increase your speed and accuracy at the computer as well as helping your body cope with long sessions at the keyboard.  Check out these 7 tips for better posture! Click here-> 

If these tips seem just a little intense check out this set. Click here-> 
 

Article on ergonomics
ZDNet article on answers to questions about health and computing.Updated on Aug 22, 2001

The Magic behind keyboarding

There really is no "magic" or secret about good typing ability. It just takes time and lots and lots of practice. However there are some important things that will help you in the process: 


**NOTE It is also important to strike the keys with a short quick stroke. 

The HOME ROW!

Typically your biggest challenge is learning where all the keys are located and learning which fingers hit which keys. However some people find that keeping fingers on the Home Row is the hardest thing to learn. 
Home Row Keys.. (Click on the keyboard to return to the top) 
Another thing to keep in mind is that your goal at first should be to learn the keys and HOME ROW before you begin to build speed. Accuracy is much more important to a beginning typist. 

Below is a finger chart showing which fingers strike which keys: 

Why are the keys all mixed up?

The reason for all the keys are mixed up was to speed up typing while slowing down the typist.  True, history shows that Christopher Latham Shole in 1872 invented the machine called the "Type-Writer."  Strangely enough, the first typewriter finally was designed to slow down the typist. Sholes had developed his machine for convenience, but was faced with a huge problem: the keys jammed if the typist went too fast. Sholes tried for months to fix this problem.  Finally, in desperation, Sholes took a step that still remains today with our keyboard.  Sholes redesigned the layout of the letters on the keyboard to force the typist to slow down. We call his layout the "QWERTY" keyboard (after the first six letters of the typewriter's second row).

(See The Mavis Beacon web site for more on the history of typing)

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What is the keyboard's official name?

The official name of the keyboard is "Qwerty". The keyboard is named after the top row of letters on the keyboard. If you don't think so just look on your keyboard. 

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When was the first keyboard invented?

The first keyboard was first invented in 1864. 

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