Deliberate Practice: Learn to Type

If you’re gonna be in the software industry. You have to communicate, not only through code but also through email, forums, IRC or IM. It’s not so important that you be a fast typing in order to bang out code really fast. Rather, you should be a fast typing so that it doesn’t hold you back. So that you don’t have to sacrifice anything. So that you can participate in the electronically held discussions. So that you can be digitally present.

Don’t let the lack of little things like typing skills hold you back from practicing the larger things.

see:
1. Steve Yegge
2. Sacha Chua

Now, go forth and practice!

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UPDATE: Actually, I found an even better alternative: Plover which essentially turns your existing keyboard into a steno machine (provided that it supports chording). The author has a fantastic series of articles, including one about how steno can drastically improve your coding. Perhaps, I shouldn’t worry too much that I’ll never find a keyboard with the my ideal layout.