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Typr – TUI typing test with a word selection algorithm inspired by keybr

90 pointsby Sakura-sxlast Monday at 8:27 AM36 commentsview on HN

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seblonyesterday at 10:18 PM

Several years ago (around 2015), I also developed a typing learning web application. It was inspired by another application that had originally been developed for Windows 95 - with that app, I learned how to type. So in 2015, I decided to implement a web-based version of it.

http://touchtyper.net/en

However, I just checked out keybr.com and have to say - it's a much better system for learning to type! As of today, I now realize I have a huge problem with the letter "q" - I had never noticed that before! ^^

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procaryoteyesterday at 9:02 PM

One issue with tools like these is that it's pretty artificial. You rarely need to type nonsense series of lowercase only words without punctuation at a consistent character speed.

I did a similar little tool at some point where I just used some books from the gutenberg project and normalised it a bit so there were no weird typographic quotes etc.

It both forces me to become good at the punctuation, and it's more interesting as I will accidentally start reading that book.

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nmcatoday at 2:31 AM

This is great! I have daydreamed about how to do a more complex algo: instead of character speed and frequency you could do bi-character speed/frequency/error rate and probably improve over keybr further.

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Sakura-sxlast Monday at 8:27 AM

I have been a user of keybr.com for a long time, and I didn't really like things like for example only practicing one word at a time or the algorithm trying to force you to type each character at the same speed, that's why I made my own. It has an algorithm that selects words randomly with weights based on how long you take to type each letter, you accuracy with each letter and how common the letter is in English (you should type more-common letters faster!).

vanousyesterday at 8:18 PM

Nice effort!

All these tools teach typing and looking at the typed text. Only few programs make physical separation between the source and the typed text or do hide the text currently typed. Try it... yet another level... :)

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jerezzprimetoday at 12:33 AM

Does anyone have any suggestions for typing practice programs that involve coding symbols? I recently got a new mechanical keyboard and I want to practice the new layout when I'm not also trying to think and solve programming problems.

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akaijtoday at 12:20 AM

Looks nice! Reminds me of a similar program (a bbs door, really) named ‘yogurt’ by @sedatk — I remember using it to improve my fast-typing around 2002-2003. This brings back memories :)

“Time it needs time to win back your love again”

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Velorivoxyesterday at 10:03 PM

Shouldn’t this be a “Show HN”?

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Sakura-sxyesterday at 10:12 PM

Thank you for the stars, just went from 1 to 27 stars! :3

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