I'm pretty fast with whatever it is I'm doing at the moment (using about 6 fingers), and I wonder if there is any performance or ergonomic benefit from touch-typing, especially since a lot of programming involves reaching for odd symbols and key combinations.
Would be interested in what others think!
I use Dvorak. Its just felt natural to use a keyboard which has frequently use keys on the home row. I never learned touch typing on QWERTY. Switched the layout on my system and the only way for me to type was to learn to touch type. I would say you should learn touch typing and see benefits for yourself. You can always change keyboard layout as per your needs. Besides you don't need lights at night while typing :)
If you know the general location of every key on the keyboard with near muscle memory and just have to look down to make sure you’re actually hitting the right one, there are still some gains from touch typing properly, but returns are diminishing.
As for ergonomics: with small hands, I personally find actual touch typing requires a lot of reaching and stretching and causes me more RSI than moving my hands more freely around the keyboard does. YMMV.
That said, using 6 fingers instead of 10 is probably slowing you down somewhat. You may find it useful to take a touch typing course, which will train you to use all fingers even if you don’t end up actually touch typing.
- I can have my eyes wherever (not on the keys I hunt)
- I don't spend any brain juice searching for the keys, their placement (after a while) is pure muscle memory.
A while ago I had an injury that made me use one hand (and hence not touch type), and I could feel the brain-effort hunting for the keys..
I prefer to watch the screen when typing and never have to look down on the keys. That alone ensures that I my fingers can keep up with my thinking speed. I would think that one would get a sore neck from having to look down at the keys and then up at the screen.
Personally I prefer desktop PC and a keyboard with Cherry mechanical key switches. The tactile and acoustic feedback makes me think that I am typing accurately.