Copyright 1990 Rowby Goren All Rights Reserved No portion of the following may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from Rowby Goren. Version June 2, 1990 HOW TO TOUCH TYPE ON YOUR ATARI PORTFOLIO (And Turn It Into a "WalkPort"!) INTRODUCTION First of all, you should know that I typed the first draft of this text file on my Portfolio while walking at a nice pace up a gentle hill in West Los Angeles. I am using the "ADVANCED TECHNIQUE" which allows me to hold the Portfolio in my hands and touch type without having to look at the keyboard. Impossible you say? Not at all. But before I go into my ADVANCED TECHNIQUE, let's start with the basics. OVERVIEW When I received my Portfolio I wondered how I was going to get my big fingers on all those little keys. On my regular computer, I'm a touch-typist and can type over 80 words per minute without looking at the keyboard. I was determined to be able to do the same on the Portfolio. And now I'm happy to say, I have almost mastered my goal. I am touch-typing on the Portfolio, without looking at the keyboard at speeds over 50 words per minute. Without even trying, my speed is increasing every day. The first thing I realized was I was going to have to use a different approach to the smaller keyboard. On a traditional keyboard typists use four fingers for hitting the letter keys and the thumb for the space bar. With the BASIC TECHNIQUE the way to go is to use your three middle fingers for hitting the letter keys, the pinkies for hitting the shift keys and the right forefinger for hitting the space bar. The thumbs aren't used at all. Even though you're using two less fingers, the very fact that the keyboard is so much smaller it allows you to hit the keys just as fast as if you were using all of your fingers. THE BASICS To be able to use the Rowby Basic touch typing technique you will need the following supplies: a. Devcon brand Super Glue in the reloadable applicator. Net. Weight 2 grams. Other brands will probably work, but Devon brand's glue applicator is far superior. b. Westrim Crafts clear rhinestones (with a reflective coating which should be removed from the flat backs). The package is labeled "Style: 12G. Pieces/Wgt 28. Description: RHINE USE SS12 SET" Each plastic baggy has about 28 rhinestones -- more than enough to handle the project. Cost: Under $2.00. If you use a different brand, the diameter of the rhinestones should be a quarter inch. The rhinestones should be small enough for two of them to fit on a key. c. A large piece of cardboard to cover your work area. You don't want drops of Super Glue to splatter on your table. It is extremely runny. Be careful to always use the glue with the cardboard underneath -- particularly when puncturing the glue tip the first time! The cardboard should not be colored, because some of the color may bleed onto the back of the rhinestones during the gluing process. I suggest white cardboard. But I suppose corrugated cardboard will do. d. A few round toothpicks e. UHU brand glue stick. Or any similar water-based tacky temporary glue. f. Zippo or similar brand lighter fluid. g. Devcon's Duco brand model cement. To do a test run on your Portfolio. h. Paper towels i. Fine grain sand paper or a few emery boards ATTACHING THE RHINESTONES TEST RUN a. Once you get the hang of attaching the rhinestones to your keys, you'll find that it is very easy to do. However, I strongly suggest that you do a few "test runs" by gluing some rhinestones on a piece of cardboard or an old plastic plate. Practice being precise, because once you position the rhinestone on the key it must be in the exact place you want it to be -- because Super Glue is permanent. I also suggest you do a trial run using Devcon's Duco Brand Model Cement. The model cement is NOT permanent and will allow the rhinestones to be removed if you decide you would prefer to use the rhinestones on different keys than those which I have suggested. Unlike Super Glue, it just takes a little bit of firm pressure to remove the rhinestones from the model cement -- in fact they will fall off on their own after a few days of touch typing. Just be sure to remove all traces of the model cement (using lighter fluid and scraping the key with a round toothpick) before attaching the rhinestones permanently with the Super Glue. As you will see, I do NOT recommend that you put the glue on the keys and then attach the rhinestone to the key. The glue is too runny, and you'll end up with a mess. Instead you will put just a VERY LITTLE glue on the rhinestone, and then attach it to the dry key. GETTING TO WORK a. First clean your Portfolio keys with the cigarette lighter fluid. Keep the fluid handy, because you will need to re-clean individual keys as you work. b. Sand off the reflective coating from the flat back of the rhinestones. The easiest way to do this is to put the sandpaper on the worktable and rub each rhinestone against it a few times. c. Take the toothpick and daub the tip in the glue stick. Then use the sticky toothpick tip to pick up the rhinestone by touching it to the top round part of the rhinestone. With the toothpick still "attached" to the toothpick, lay the toothpick and rhinestone down so that you can do the next step. d. This next step requires you to work fast. (But stay calm! It's no big deal!) Put a small drop of Super Glue on your cardboard working area. Pick up the toothpick with the rhinestone still attached, and lightly dip the flat bottom of the rhinestone in the Super Glue. You need very very little Super Glue. Too much will make a mess. So to get rid of the excess glue, daub the flat bottom of the rhinestone on a dry piece of the cardboard one or two times. e. Still holding the toothpick, carefully position the rhinestone on the desired key. Once the rhinestone touches the key you will not be able to reposition it. Do this carefully. Allow room for a second rhinestone to be added next to the first one later. Hold the toothpick in place for about a minute while the Super Glue does its initial curing. Then lift the toothpick off the rhinestone. The weaker water based glue will give way to the strong Super Glue. Let the rhinestone dry for at least an hour before you try typing on it. f. You don't have to wait for the first rhinestone to dry before you attach your next rhinestone. Just select a key which is not near the one which is currently drying. Before you attach each rhinestone, give the key a wipe with the cigarette lighter fluid to make sure that it is still clean. g. Note: Always position the rhinestones on the bottom of the keys, on the "downslope". If you position them on the upper part of the key, the rhinestones might touch the top of the case when the lid is closed -- so don't do that. WHICH KEYS TO PUT THE RHINESTONE ON Here are the keys I suggest you attach the rhinestones to. You may find after your "test" run with temporary model cement that you prefer to attach them to different keys. Or maybe not as many keys. But these keys work for me. Don't hurry. Allow at least a full afternoon to do the job. a. Row 1 (Top row) - two rhinestones on each of the following keys: 1) "1" key 2) "Delete" key b. Row 2 - one rhinestone on each of the following keys: 1) "E" key 2) "Y" key (required for ADVANCED TECHNIQUE) 3) "O" key c. Row 3 - two rhinestone on each of the following keys 1) "A" key 2) "F" key 3) "H" key (required for ADVANCED TECHNIQUE) 4) ";" key d. Row 4 - one rhinestone on each of the following keys: 1) "X" key 2) "B" key (required for ADVANCED TECHNIQUE) 3) "O" key 4) "," key 5) Shift left key 6) Shift right Key e. Spacebar - two rhinestones. Positioned approximately between the "M" and "," keys. WHICH FINGERS TO USE WITH WHICH KEY? a. When using the BASIC TECHNIQUE, I use my three middle fingers to hit all of the letter keys. I use my right forefinger to hit the spacebar. I use my pinkies to hit only the shift keys. I don't use my thumbs at all. b. With the BASIC TECHNIQUE, I won't make any suggestions on which specific keys to hit with your three middle fingers. Just find out which keys are the most comfortable for you. But once you decide, then be consistent. Always hit the same key with the same fingers. ************ ROWBY'S ADVANCED TECHNIQUE ADVANCED OVERVIEW How would you like to turn your Portfolio into a "WalkPort"? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to spend an hour or so every morning combining a healthy walk while doing some creative writing, or dashing off a letter -- or writing an article? Or even if you don't take walks, wouldn't it be nice to be able to take the Portfolio out of your purse, briefcase or pocket and not have to find a place to put it down on in order to type? When I first tried this technique I wasn't sure it would work at all. I didn't think I could get my fingers to reach the keys. I started agonizingly slowly at first but my progress was steady. Within a week of taking the Portfolio on my walks I was typing at at very very nice rate of speed. I'd practice by typing the street signs, for sale signs, etc. When you think about it, it's no different than a strolling minstrel, playing his guitar, or flute. I I am able to get a nice 5 to 8 mile walk in every morning and still get a lot of writing done. It would be a walk I would be "too busy" to take -- if it wasn't for my WalkPort. THE ADVANCED METHOD a. First of all, you'll have to add two more rhinestones to the Portfolio to use this technique. The rhinestones are added to the OUTSIDE of the closed portfolio case. Position them on the smooth ridge just above the row of decorative vertical groves. Once again, be careful to daub the excess glue off of the bottom of the rhinestones first. The glue is runny and you don't want it flowing into the groves. Position the left rhinestone 2-1/4 inches from the left edge. Position the right rhinestone 2-1/2 inches from the right. These are the positions that work for me, in order to have each rhinestone be approximately in the middle of my thumb pad. After an hour, when the glue is completely dry, you are ready to start practicing. b. I hope I can make the following visually clear to you. If it isn't, please let me know and I'll revise it. (I'm planning to turn this into a magazine article -- possibly for "NerdWeek" -- and will include photos of the technique.) c. Open the Portfolio. Grasp the Portfolio using your thumbs and pinkies. The thumbs are positioned on the front vertical ledge of the Portfolio (over the two rhinestone dots). The pinkies are grasping the rear vertical ledge of the Portfolio. This leaves your three remaining fingers on each hand to do the typing. That's right -- instead of typing from the front of the Portfolio like normal people do, you are hitting the keys from the right and left side of the Portfolio. d. Here are the fingers I use for sideways typing. Some of them may initially seem like odd selections, and initially hard to reach, but there is a method to my madness. However feel free to substitute your own fingering. But I think you'll find that my finger suggestions are quite workable -- once you get used to them. In the interest of simplicity, I have not included all of which keys to hit with which fingers. For example I have not included suggestions on which fingers to use to hit the "ESC" or the arrow keys. I'm sure you'll be able to figure out the rest of the keys for yourself. e. LEFT HAND: 1) Keys QWEAS - finger 2 (the one next to the pinky). 2) Keys RTDFG - finger 3 (your middle finger). 3) Keys ZXCVB and left SHIFT - Finger 4 (the one next to your thumb). f. RIGHT HAND: 1) Keys pol;' UPPER RIGHT DELETE - Finger 2 (the one next to the pinky. 2) Keys kjh - Finger 3 (your middle finger). 3) Keys .,mn and right SHIFT and SPACEBAR - Finger 4 (the one next to your thumb). g. THUMBS: 1) Right thumb is continually on right rhinestone on outside ledge of Portfolio. This is important for accuracy. 2) Left Thumb continually on left rhinestone on outside ledge of Portfolio. This is important for accuracy. TOUCH TYPING ON THE PORTFOLIO The learning process is no different than learning how to type on a regular typewriter. Don't rush it. Go slow. Never push for speed. At first you'll type agonizingly slow, especially when you're WalkPorting. Always push for accuracy -- and eventually without really trying you will be amazed at how fast you will be typing. But I promise you if you push for speed it will work against you. Don't look at the keyboard. Except when learning which keys are hit with which fingers, keep your eyes off the keyboard. Instead watch the birds fly, enjoy the scenery. Keeping your shifty eyes off the keyboard is the only way to learn how to touch type. I am able to touch type on my portfolio while keeping eye contact with associates at meetings. I am even able to touch type while walking in the early morning when the sun hasn't come up. And just for fun, I often practice typing on my Portfolio in bed with the lights off! (It's probably the safest thing you can do in bed these days.) One more note about the guidance rhinestones: a. The two guidance rhinestones on the outside front ledge of your Portfolio are the key for accuracy while WalkPorting. You must keep reminding yourself to keep your thumbs on those rhinestones. I find that whenever I start to hit the wrong keys, it's because my thumbs have strayed off the rhinestones. b. Even if your thumbs wander around a little on the guidance rhinestones, as long as your thumb pads keep touching the them your brain will subconsciously allow for the slight variation in movements. I must add this disclaimer to the above article. You are trying my suggestions, including the gluing of the rhinestones to the Portfolio keys entirely at your own risk! I'd really like to know your reactions and experience with my techniques. And I'd appreciate your suggestions for improvements. The best way to contact me at Compuserve is at the Atari Portfolio Forum (GO APORTFOL). My Compuserve ID is 74156,1167. Or you can contact me through MCI Mail simply by addressing it to ROWBY. Or through the U.S. Mail: Rowby Goren Box 491155, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. 90049-1155.