The Case of the Word "Bigger" & The Closeness of the Letter B to Another Letter...

[Chief Rum]

Okay, I just had this happen to me, and I have gotten to thinking about why we don't see it happen more often...

I was in the middle of writing a long post which included the word "bigger". Well, like I suppose most anyone, I am not a great typist, and often having to correct the mistakes I catch, and try to review what I type before I post to make sure I didn't miss any other typos.

Well, in this post, I didn't hit the "b" when I typed out "bigger". Instead, my finger hit the letter to the right. Look down if you don't know what I am talking about.

Yeah, that completely changed the meaning of that sentence.

Fortunately, I had checked back and caught it before posting.

But that got me to thinking why we don't see this happen more often? Bigger isn't an uncommon word, especially in stream of consciousness posting that goes on on Internet forums, and there are plenty of typos that get posted and careless people who don't backcheck their posts.

Now, I am plenty happy that it doesn't happen, but just thought it odd that I have never seen that particular mistake actually get posted. Anyone else ever see this?

[st.cronin]

the letters are next to each other but are not in the range of one hand. It would actually be a pretty weird typo. "Vigger" or "Gigger" are much more likely variants.

[DaddyTorgo]

cue somebody posting the south park clip

[Front Office Midget]

the letters are next to each other but are not in the range of one hand. It would actually be a pretty weird typo. "Vigger" or "Gigger" are much more likely variants.

Interesting. I definitely type "B" with my right index finger. And that's the firstl etter of my name!

[Pumpy Tudors]

I combat that possibility by just typing the correct letters every time.

[stevew]

It wouldn't be hard to do on a suretype phone where n and b are on the same button.

[Chief Rum]

the letters are next to each other but are not in the range of one hand. It would actually be a pretty weird typo. "Vigger" or "Gigger" are much more likely variants.

Ah, I could see that. This might be a more isolated case for me, then, because I "taught" myself to type long before I attempted any formal training, and afterwards, I could never get myself to type the way most do. I don't keep my hands level and adjust my fingers, I actually move my hands all over the keyboard and type every letter with my forefingers. It definitely increases the possibility of hitting the wrong key, although I am very fast with it now.

[Karlifornia]

Also, this is a complete guess, but I don't think most single-letter typos happen at the beginning of a word.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

You are a bigger man than I for admitting this. :D

(What was the sentence?)

[Alan T]

Ah, I could see that. This might be a more isolated case for me, then, because I "taught" myself to type long before I attempted any formal training, and afterwards, I could never get myself to type the way most do. I don't keep my hands level and adjust my fingers, I actually move my hands all over the keyboard and type every letter with my forefingers. It definitely increases the possibility of hitting the wrong key, although I am very fast with it now.


I am the same way as you. I type 90+ wpm using 2-3 fingers. Since I have had computers since 1980, I pretty much have memorized spacial relationships of what keys are where on the keyboard and can type without looking using just two-three fingers. So although I never have had this happen to me before, this is very easily something that -could- easily happen to me with my typing style.

[Barkeep49]

Alan: I want video. I've never seen anyone type that fast without using the full 10 fingers, or at least darn close.

[Toddzilla]

I combat that possibility by just typing the correct letters every time.I combat that possibility by being a wanton racist.

Bigger.

[jeff061]

Alan: I want video. I've never seen anyone type that fast without using the full 10 fingers, or at least darn close.

I do it as well. I get a lot of comments when people are looking over my shoulder, after listening to me type they are not expecting the crappy form. My accuracy does suffer some though.

Edit: I'm 2-3 fingers on each hand though. Yeah, two to three fingers total, i don't see it :)

[Critch]

I used to work with a secretary who found out the closeness of the C and the D letter when sending a letter to a Mr Dunt.

[Alan T]

Alan: I want video. I've never seen anyone type that fast without using the full 10 fingers, or at least darn close.


I can try to figure out how to do a video of it with my web camera if you all are really that interested :) When FOFC was big on that wordracer game though, I was constantly in the 100-130 range, but that game was pretty easy and in normal typing I am much closer to 90wpm.

To be specific of my typing style, I am right handed, I use only the pointer on my left hand to type and I use my pointer and middle fingers on my right hand.

I guess technically I do use a fourth finger, as I also use my right hand thumb as well, but it only ever hits the space bar, so I never really count it but probably should.

[Alan T]

Ok, This is kind of crappy quality. I didn't really have a very good angle for everyone to see easily, but I had to take a web camera and hook it Clamp it onto an ipod sitting on my desk to angle it just right to even be able to see the keyboard. :)

You can see I actually hold the 5 fingers and thumb that I do not even use up in the air as I type and they don't ever even hit the keypad. I'm actually surprised that more people don't type this way. I am sure that I am not the only mid-30 year old who learned to type as a kid on old Commadore or Texas Instrument or Tandy computers long before typing lessons.

Anyhows, attached for your enjoyment is the small 45 second clip (5-10 seconds of it was actually starting and stopping of the video capture) , and the attached text file that I typed. Looking at it, I saw at least two typos in it, but oh well I usually make several typos, but thanks to spell checker in Firefox, no one ever has to know it :)

[Barkeep49]

Color me impressed.

[DanGarion]

I type a sort of hybrid style, where I don't use my pinkies except for the return and shift keys.

[Buccaneer]

I never counted how many fingers I type with but looking now, it looks like it is all 10, I think, even though I use 4 on my left and 2 on my right predominantly (plus spacebar thumbs).

[Pumpy Tudors]

You can see I actually hold the 5 fingers and thumb that I do not even use up in the air as I type and they don't ever even hit the keypad. I'm actually surprised that more people don't type this way. I am sure that I am not the only mid-30 year old who learned to type as a kid on old Commadore or Texas Instrument or Tandy computers long before typing lessons.
That's insane. I'm impressed. I'm 32 years old, learned to type on a Commodore 64 back in 1982, and I never typed like that. Over time, I sort of "evolved" into typing the "correct" way, but even at my most unorthodox, I was never like that. Good show.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I combat that possibility by being a wanton racist.

Bigger.
Before this gets lost, it made me laugh.

[Chief Rum]

You are a bigger man than I for admitting this. :D

(What was the sentence?)

lol...here it is, from a post in the FOOL forum:

Perhaps if we get things going again and see renewed interest we can consider trying to go back to a bigger league.

Feel free to substitute words at your leisure.

[Daimyo]

You can see I actually hold the 5 fingers and thumb that I do not even use up in the air as I type and they don't ever even hit the keypad. I'm actually surprised that more people don't type this way. I am sure that I am not the only mid-30 year old who learned to type as a kid on old Commadore or Texas Instrument or Tandy computers long before typing lessons.
I'm 30 and I type exactly like you. Probably not 90 wpm, but fast enough to catch people by surprise when they see me type! I out started with a Commodore 64 when I was 5 years old and by the time I had to take typing class in high school there was no chance of "correcting" my typing.

[CU Tiger]

The real question...can one be boxed for mis typing the word bigger...

[DanGarion]

The real question...can one be boxed for mis typing the word bigger...

On this board, I'm sure he can...

[M GO BLUE!!!]

lol...here it is, from a post in the FOOL forum:

Perhaps if we get things going again and see renewed interest we can consider trying to go back to a bigger league.

Feel free to substitute words at your leisure.

in the context, that would have been quite the typo! :lol:

[Maple Leafs]

You can see I actually hold the 5 fingers and thumb that I do not even use up in the air as I type and they don't ever even hit the keypad.
Please, like all of us aren't used to typing with one hand.