Typewriter Talk / All-Thumbs

**Posted by TypewriterKing** 22-9-2016 21:17:40

This isn't really about typewriters, but it is about a kind of "typing," or should I say, "texting," although at one time text represented paper, or am I getting old? Anyhoo, I was waiting in line for my Subway Sangwich, and I saw this young college student texting on her phone. The funny part was that she was using just her thumbs! The right one and the left one--like they was fingers. I don't know about you, but I have a feeling she wouldn't have gotten away with that on an Underwood 150 or a Royal KMM. Even my pore ol' thumbs would git sore if I tried typing that way. But I do know I've always used my thumbs for the space bar! Oh well, takes all kinds to make a world. And it was an awfully small keyboard she was using.

**Posted by Fleetwing** 23-9-2016 15:16:56

I've actually tried to emulate the "young people" by using both thumbs with my iPhone -- it's actually pretty easy, though I have to consciously remember to do it. Usually I use my left hand only and hold the phone in my right.

No, thumbs only would definitely not work well for typing.

**Posted by TypewriterKing** 23-9-2016 17:48:05

Before I go on, I was not poking fun at this person who was using both her thumbs. In fact, I am not sure whether or not this is the most common way to use one of those small keyboards. All I know is that it was the first time I observed this, it looked a little strange to me, and that if I had tried this on one of my own old typers, I would have sore thumbz.

**Posted by ztyper** 23-9-2016 21:50:44

As one of those said "young people" I can speak from experience that this is a popular method when it comes to typing on a small keyboard. I personally don't use it when my phone is in the profile position; for that I use a combination of my right thumb and my left index finger (which is really awkward when you think about it). I also just use my right thumb for one-handed typing is I'm holding something or doing something else, but it's a bit slower. Most people I know just really use whatever.

**Posted by TypewriterKing** 24-9-2016 16:57:13

This gal was using both thumbs--the right one and the left one. I figured it must be the way most people use one of those small keyboards. And she was really going on that sucker. I wouldn't want to get into a thumb-wrestling match with her, I'll guarantee ya. She'd have me hollerin' uncle in about two seconds! Anyway, it was the first time I saw that. Or it could be the first time I paid attention to it. Who knows. But I was only making an older person's observation, and by no means did I poke fun or mean any offense, so if I did offend, I'm sorry.

**Posted by ztyper** 25-9-2016 11:25:04

Offence? None taken! Didn't mean to have that sort of tone at all, and I'm sorry that's what came across. The whole point is, there really is no way of properly texting, and I'm waiting for the day when phones get rid of the qwerty layout because that was meant to be use with all ten fingers. But then that might be the end of the lasting legacy of the typewriter...

**Posted by JoeV** 25-9-2016 13:43:17

The best single finger or stylus entry system I've used is Fitaly, originally made for Palm OS devices. I could type over 40 words per minute. I wish they had a version for iOS.

**Posted by typngon12a** 29-9-2016 12:55:36

Good idea for the younger set, I guess. It seems to increase their texting speed. I tried it and my fat thumbs try to cover about three keys at once. Have my time is spent deleting and re-typing what I was trying to say.
It goes against my personal preferences as, for me, it is about what I say, not how fast I say it. I have gradually dropped texting in favor of sending a, hopefully, though-out letter. People I do write letters to are continually pushing me to texting as they want the answer NOW!!!

**Posted by TypewriterKing** 29-9-2016 16:18:01

typngon12a wrote:
Good idea for the younger set, I guess. It seems to increase their texting speed. I tried it and my fat thumbs try to cover about three keys at once. Have my time is spent deleting and re-typing what I was trying to say.
It goes against my personal preferences as, for me, it is about what I say, not how fast I say it. I have gradually dropped texting in favor of sending a, hopefully, though-out letter. People I do write letters to are continually pushing me to texting as they want the answer NOW!!!

It's a sad commentary on the impatience which dominates nowadays (oh, how often have I heard older generations say this about when I was little--now I find myself saying it about the present time). Everything is instant now. Quality is dead. Long live quantity!! It may taste like cardboard, but look how much of it we got!! Put a little cheese on it and send it back to the microwave for about 20 seconds, it'll be all right.

**Posted by Repartee** 25-1-2017 06:08:48

TypewriterKing wrote:
It's a sad commentary on the impatience which dominates nowadays (oh, how often have I heard older generations say this about when I was little--now I find myself saying it about the present time). Everything is instant now. Quality is dead. Long live quantity!! It may taste like cardboard, but look how much of it we got!! Put a little cheese on it and send it back to the microwave for about 20 seconds, it'll be all right.

I had a college roommate with that cooking philosophy. He was actually a decent cook, but last step in any meal was a few slices of cheese and melt it under the broiler. At least is was a broiler, but that may be because microwaves ovens were only a dream in an engineer's eye then.... "Poor old Ted got fried by the radar set -- I wonder if we could use that to cook food?"

I have a device with a mini-keyboard and I actually had to go pick it up to decide how I typed on it -- thumbs and index fingers seemed equally plausible. The answer was both! Turns out I use my left thumb and my right index finger, because I am grasping it in my left hand but it's more natural to use the index finger of my free hand. Now that I am aware what I am doing I probably won't be able to do it anymore. The woman you saw possibly had small hands so it required both to grasp her massive phone shingle?