Can you SAY where the letters are on the keyboard when you're not at the keyboard?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238406)
Walnut Creek, California
September 19, 2020 12:48pm CST
I was musing over my typos this morning. I typed a "d" when I meant to type an "s." In my mind I said, "D must be next to S." So I checked, and I was right.
In that moment, I realized that I can type fairly fast, but I have idea where the letters on a keyboard are when I'm not at the keyboard.
Actually I can remember the following: "o" and "p" are next to each other and to the upper right. "m" and "n" are next to each other and to the lower right. Darned if I can remember which is to the left of the other. "a" is to the far left, next to the "caps lock" key. I hate it when I accidentally hit caps lock and type several words that way (I watch my fingers more thN I WATCH THE SCREEN. (I did that on purpose. You've done it too, right?) Period and comma are next to each other and to the lower right.
That's about it.
how about you? Are you a typo king like me? Can you remember where the keys are when you're not at the keyboard?
20 people like this
20 responses
@Torunn (8606)
• Norway
19 Sep 20
Well, there's qwerty ;-)
I don't look at the keyboard when I type, so I should know where the keys are, but it seems like my fingers know more than my brain.
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzæøå
So, had to check the c, the x and the z. Which makes sense, 'cause I don't use them much and z and y are in different places on German keyboards. I think. At least I used to write piyya instead of pizza.
2 people like this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
19 Sep 20
I am good at typing and can type pretty fast without looking at keyboard. But except for few keys, I can't recall where are they actually positioned on keyboard. Guess! Muscle memory is the strongest memory. 
2 people like this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
26 Sep 20
@TheHorse Yes. And that's why what we learn by doing stays for long.
@wolfgirl569 (136117)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Sep 20
I am the same way. I can picture where some are but not most of them.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (136117)
• Marion, Ohio
20 Sep 20
@TheHorse Yep. I seem to know where to go when I am doing it.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238406)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 20
@wolfgirl569 It's funny how we can type the wrong word out of habit as well. I think and talk more about horses than houses. So I might intend to type "houses" and wind up typing "horses."
1 person likes this
@porwest (112928)
• United States
19 Sep 20
I rarely look at the keyboard when I type. I am also a VERY fast typer. Not sure what my words per minute are but I can type VERY fast. That is not to say I am devoid of errors. They happen all the time. I am as keen as to where the backspace key is as any other letter on the keyboard...or function for that matter.
It is all second nature.
It is actually quite helpful to be able to type as fast as I do since I am also a fast reader, and in a place like this I can get through MANY posts in an average hour.
BUT, to your point. I could not RECITE the keyboard to you. My brain just knows where the letters are.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238406)
• Walnut Creek, California
20 Sep 20
@porwest It really is. The psych teacher in me wants to use the word "cerebellum." A lot of our "habits" are stored there. Thing of a song you've been playing for years. You can play it and talk politics or cooking at the same time. Part of that song's chords, sequence, picking pattern, etc. are stored in the cerebellum. It's at the base of our brain.
1 person likes this
@nawala123 (20871)
• Indonesia
20 Sep 20
no, i am not able to do that, very hard for me
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (209267)
• United States
20 Sep 20
@TheHorse it is the home row, and the one everyone uses when they start to type.
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
19 Sep 20
A is by the caplocks and caps like is my most hated button, nothing worse than looking and see you have been yelling the whole time. 
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117286)
• El Paso, Texas
19 Sep 20
I don't think I've ever thought about it that way before. I've been typing for over 49 years and usually don't need to look at the keyboard to type .... as for typo's. ummmm, I ain't a king but I iz a princess, I don't get a huge bunch of em but I get my fair share, thank heavens for the backspace key.
1 person likes this
@SophiaMorros (5044)
• Belews Creek, North Carolina
19 Sep 20
Nope. At least not aside from QWERTY. However, if you gave me a diagram and a few minutes I could probably get most of them by doing some imaginary typing. Funny story. Back in the dark ages when I did data entry a coworker decided to play a trick on me and switch around the keycaps on my keyboard, rearranging the letters. I never noticed. The home keys (F & H have a little bump) usually can't be popped off like the other keys and I always approach my keyboard by feel. Looking at it is more likely to mix me up.
Just because I'm a bit weird. I just attempted to type the alphabet in order. I couldn't do it on the first attempt. I had to work really hard not to type a "u" after "q!"
1 person likes this
@florelway (23339)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
19 Sep 20
Am not good at typing. I hate it when companies I apply for a job when I was young would require I take typing test.and hello.keyboard keys are blank.
1 person likes this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
19 Sep 20
I am the worst at remembering which key is on the keyboard! However I can remember that in high school I had a subject where we were taught how to remember them by doing some exercises with the keyboard, the subject was called "Typing"
1 person likes this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
20 Sep 20
@TheHorse you are really taking it serious! Haha consistency will get you everywhere Mr. Horse!
@smileyDevil (271)
• India
19 Sep 20
well, the keyboards are different in different parts of the world, based on the design structure or the language structure. it is sometimes difficult and end up in typos.
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
21 Sep 20
I am not sure if I can recall or not. I sure can type though not a queen of it.
@LindaOHio (222978)
• United States
20 Sep 20
Actually I don't think about it. I've been typing for 55 years. It's all automatic to me now. Have a wonderful Sunday.
@Bensen32 (28658)
• United States
19 Sep 20
For the most part I can remember most of them, some times I get confused on all of them. I do type pretty fast but I get me share of typos from trying to type to fast. I think it is more that my fingers just know where the keys are more than I can name them from memory.
