I first learned to type is a high school class, too. Also on those new IBM Selectrics. I was one of about five guys in a class of about thirty. Other than learning to type, what I really remember was that I got to sit next to Roxy – I don’t even remember her last name – but she had an obstacle to work around, or should I say two. Two very big obstacles on a very hot body. It didn’t stop her, though. She was the fasted typist in the class hitting something like 95 wpm. I have no idea what ever happened to her. I’ve only attended a couple of reunions and she wasn’t there. I left that class able to type at about 50 wpm, mostly because I try to spell correctly and that slows me down. For my graduation from HS, my grandmother gave me an electric Royal that went everywhere I did. I still have it.

The very first computer I ever got to use was a Cray at the National Security Agency. I wrote reports and translated documents, a very big and very, very, very expensive typewriter (at the time, there were only three operational in the world and the NSA had two).

I bought an Apple IIc as a lieutenant in the Army and had it until about ten years ago. Since then, I’ve had various desktop PCs and a couple of laptops.

As far as phones, I bought my first Palm in 1994. My last one died about a month ago and I replaced it with an iPhone. I haven’t regretted it once, despite my fat finger used for typing. A light touch is better and more accurate. I’m hoping someone comes out with some script formatting software, in the meantime I’m using Docs To Go – they’re still catching up to the Apple platform, but it won’t be long before there’s no difference from using a desktop (except for fat fingers).

I do recommend a free app The Movie Idea Generator. It’s basically a slot machine with three customizable columns – adjective, noun and adverbial phrase. At the very least, it’s great for passing time in staff meetings.

I took a typing class in high school. I took it from at teacher who was a woman, but the kind of husky type, that made thin she may be a faker, secretly packing a piece beneath the belt -- if ya know what I'm sayin'.

My brother also took Miss Hanson (had to a miss no one would marry that thing, right?) Anyway, he got kicked out of her class for insisting his password was "SYSOP" which was miss dumb bitch's system password that gave my brother full access to her grades.

Just because someone works with computers NEVER assume they type worth a shit. My father was programmer for Boeing. Did it for like 20 years -- hunting and pecking the whole time.

Now I'm a pretty fast typer, but I make a lot of typos, as you can probably tell from past post responces.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

I was very fortunate to actually learn how to type in school, in 7-8th grade. It was non-electric old things and it was not very popular.

As I knew that typing could become handy I put effort in learning it although I never reached any speed with those old typewriters.

At home my parents bought me a computer to encourage my writer's dreams. It was before the PC-boom and the computer brand was not compatible with anything and had 3" discs that you actually had to take out and flip over to use both sides. The screen was monochrome with green text, no graphics, but that counted for all computers at the time.

It was a long time ago I sat by a real typewriter, but last time I did I understand that there is a great gap between a typewriter and a word processor although the keyboard is the same.

When I wrote I wrote first and did the thinking after. What I mean is, it was when I saw the written line that I decided if it was good enough or not. On a typewriter that meant Tipex or that chalk-paper. I am also a little too careless on the keys to get the right key all the time. It's no problem with a word processor.