Citation: Copyright 1995 Trendtech Corporation, All Rights Reserved


Index - Shareware
Index

The FasType index is available in the REGISTERED version only.

Due to disk space limitations on the Shareware Evaluation version of FasType, we are not able to include this comprehensive index.

If you are a registered user, but have not yet applied your registration code, or have not yet installed the auxilliary diskette that came with your registered package, we suggest you do this as soon as possible so you can make use of your registration benefits.

Please proceed to:  Contents


Glossary - Shareware
Glossary

The FasType glossary is available in the REGISTERED version only.

Due to disk space limitations on the Shareware Evaluation version of FasType, we are not able to include this comprehensive glossary.

If you are a registered user, but have not yet applied your registration code, or have not yet installed the auxilliary diskette that came with your registered package, we suggest you do this as soon as possible so you can make use of your registration benefits.

Please proceed to:  Contents


Contents
FasType Typing Tutorial -- On Line HELP -- CONTENTS

Welcome to FasType!
FasType for Windows is an easy-to-use interactive typing instruction program designed for all computer users who wish to improve their typing skills.  FasType is ideal for intermediate and advanced typists who want to increase their typing accuracy and speed while working with PC's.   FasType is also an excellent vehicle for computer neophytes and beginning typists who want to learn how to touch-type to become more productive with their computer.

FasType -- Copyright © 1995  by Trendtech Corporation

Select any of the following topics to learn more about FasType and how it can help you to improve your typing skills:

Introduction	For Advanced Typists	Technical Support
Getting Started	The Keyboard	Trouble Shooting
What to Do Next	Learning How to Type	Saving Settings
For the Neophyte	Evaluation License	Vendor Information
For Beginning Typists	What is Shareware?	Trade Associations
For Intermediate Typists	Licensing Provisions	Copyrights and Trademarks
Credit Card Orders	Registration Form
The MS-DOS versions of  FasType -- PC-FasType/VGA, PC-FasType/CGA, and PC-FasType/MONO, are in use worldwide and have been available since 1985 with the introduction of the original CGA version.  PC-FasType has been licensed by colleges, universities,  schools K-12, corporate training centers, and government facilities for use in their keyboarding and computer typing courses.  See Licensed Users for a partial list of Site and Right-to-copy licensees.

PC-FasType has the distinguished honor of being nominated to receive the Shareware Industry Award for Best Educational Software by the Shareware Industry Conference in 1993 and 1994.


Introduction

Welcome to FasType, the best and most popular computer-based typing tutorial marketed as Shareware.  FasType has thousands of satisfied registered users worldwide. Many schools, colleges, and universities all over the world license FasType for use in their classrooms.  Many local, state, and federal government organizations, as well as major corporations license FasType too.

For years, MS-DOS users have benefited from using PC-FasType/VGA, PC-FasType/CGA, and PC-FasType/MONO by sharpening their typing skills and becoming more productive with their computers.  FasType for Windows now removes the MS-DOS shackles from all levels of computer users who want to improve their typing skills.  FasType for Windows maintains the same high quality and feature-rich standards as the MS-DOS versions.  We hope you enjoy using it.

FasType is ideal for use in a private at-home environment or during spare time at the office, and it's ideal as a teaching tool in a classroom environment.   Feedback is constant; time durations, Words-Per-Minute (WPM), percent of accuracy, typing errors, and other statistics are displayed at the end of each drill or exercise.   Additionally, the highest WPM obtained, and a running average WPM is maintained, as well a typing history of your progress.

FasType has the capability to drill you on all shifted special characters and upper-case symbols plus all CAPITAL letters; you must use the CORRECT Shift key to successfully type any of these characters.  You will also be drilled on using the ENTER Key which is required in exercises selected from the Advanced Exercises Menu.

All drills, exercises, and options are selectable using the menu bar.  HELP is available from all of FasType's dialog boxes for quick reference while learning how to type.

FasType is very flexible for the beginning typist.  By using various options from the menus, the beginner can select many combinations of drill sequences.  You can adjust your drills to boost your typing skills in those areas that you may feel are weak (i.e. Numbers, CAPITALS, special symbols, etc.), and you can improve your speed and accuracy.

Advanced typists can improve their word-processing skills by using the OPEN TYPING feature.  OPEN TYPING gives you the opportunity to type any text of your choice in a full-screen window.  You can use the cursor keys to navigate about the screen, adding text and overtyping.  The program won't catch your misspellings, but you'll  be penalized if you use the BACKSPACE key.    The OPEN TYPING feature has an EDIT option too so you can use it to modify text files.  You can also use it to create and save files that you practiced typing.

If you're an intermediate or advanced typist you can use timed exercises to test your speed and accuracy.  You can time your exercises in fifteen second increments for up to one hour.

See Also:

Getting Started

What to do Next

The Keyboard


Popup-Capital Letters
CAPITAL Letters

The CAPITAL letters are all the letters of the alphabet -- A thru Z, that have to be typed using one of the two SHIFT keys.  CAPITAL letters are usually called "upper-case" letters, while the unshifted letters are called "lower-case".  For example: "A" is the upper-case letter "a", and "b" is lower-case letter "b".


Popup-ENTER Key
The ENTER Key

The ENTER key is normally used to end a line and start a new line while typing.  In the old days, before computers, mechanical devices called "typewriters" had a lever on the left of the carriage that held the paper; this lever was called the "Carriage Return".  Later, when typewriters became "electric typewriters", the "Carriage Return" lever was replaced by a key called the "Carriage Return" key, or just the "CR" key.  This label carried over to the computer world, and for years it was still called the "CR" or Carriage Return key even though it was labeled as "Enter".  Now, most everyone refers to it as the "Enter" key.


Popup-Backspace Key
The BACKSPACE key

The backspace moves the cursor to the left one character position. In wordprocessors or text editors, it is used to erase previously typed characters.


Getting Started

INSTALLATION
Prior to using FasType you must install it under Windows on your PC.   The installation process is very simple and will take just a few moments of your time.

FasType can only be installed on a hard disk or on a network file server. FasType cannot be run from floppy disks.

A successful installation will create a program group in the PROGRAM MANAGER with several program item icons indicating the program name, this Window's Help file, and various kinds of readme files.

After the installation process is complete, you can run FasType by double-clicking on its program icon.

Once the program has started, you can simply click on the Skill Level item on the menu bar, select Beginner Drills, then click on BEGIN TYPING to see quickly how FasType works.

If you have any problems installing FasType or using the program, please contact the author at Trendtech Corporation for support.

See also:

What To Do Next

Technical Support


What to Do Next

Operating FasType:
The first item you will see on your display when FasType starts is the graphics title screen.  The title screen will remain on the display until FasType's tables are loaded into memory.  If you're running the program on a Pentium PC, or a high-end 486, this will only take a moment.  If you're running from a 386 or a low-end 486, it may take several seconds or more, so please be patient.  When the tables have finished loading you must press the spacebar or Enter key to continue past the Shareware information screens.

At this point you can either browse through the menus, set program features from the helpers menu, and/or select drills or exercises.  To begin typing immediately, just select the Skill Level menu, Beginner's Drill and then click on the BEGIN TYPING menu item, or press the <Alt>+<s> keys to start typing.

During Operation:
For DRILLS:  Place the fingers of each hand on the home keys and type each letter as you are prompted for it. The home keys are located on the home row of the keyboard.  The program selects the letters randomly.  The number of characters you have to successfully type is displayed at the top of the screen and will count down to zero as you successfully type each character.  When the drill is finished your WPM and other statistics will be displayed on a typing statistics dialog box.

For EXERCISES:  Lines of text will be displayed in a text window above the screen keyboard; type each character pointed to by the cursor and when you reach the "word-wrap" symbol or end of the line, press the enter key, or the spacebar.  When you finish typing the exercise your WPM and other statistics will be displayed.

Using HELP:
ALL menus and dialog boxes have HELP available.  Use the mouse to point the cursor to the HELP item on the menu bar and click the left button. To use the keyboard, press and hold down the <Alt> key while simultaneously pressing the <H> key.  For dialog boxes, click the mouse pointer on the HELP button, or use the <TAB> key to give the HELP button focus, then press the spacebar or Enter key.

How to Stop Typing:
You can quit typing a drill or exercise anytime by just hitting the Escape Key, or by pressing <Alt>+<s>, or clicking on STOP TYPING menu item with the mouse.

See Next:

For the Neophyte

Beginning Typists

Intermediate Typists

Advanced Typists

Open Typing

See Also:

The Keyboard Window

The Text Window

Special Keys


ESCAPE key
The ESCAPE Key

The Escape key is effective anytime during typing.  If you're in the middle of typing a drill or exercise and you press the ESCAPE key, your drill or exercise will end and your current typing statistics up to the last character you typed will be calculated and shown in the typing statistics window.


Popup-Home Keys
The Home Keys

The home keys are where your finger tips rest while you are poised for typing.  The finger tips of your left hand rest on the A,S,D,F keys.  The little finger of the left hand rests on the A key, the ring-finger rests on the S key, the second finger rests on the D key and the index finger is on the F key.  The thumb of the left hand is NEVER used in typing (well, almost never).  The finger tips of the right hand rest on the J,K,L,; keys.  The index finger rests on the J key, the second finger on the K key, the ring finger of the right hand rests on the L key, and the pinky finger rests on the  ;  key (semi-colon).  This row of keys is called the HOME ROW.


Popup-Home Row
The Home Row

The home row is the row of keys on the keyboard where the fingers normally rest. This is the middle row containing the letters " A S D F G H J K L : ".  The four fingers of each hand rest on these keys, with the thumb of the right hand resting on the SPACEBAR.


Explanation of Drills

While learning how to type using the Beginner Drill selection, you'll be building a typing "vocabulary" as you choose new letters, numbers, symbols, and CAPITAL letters to type.  The screen text window will show the various characters that are used in each drill and which you will be learning how to type.  This information is displayed on several lines labeled "Letters", "Numbers", "Symbols", and "Caps".   If you're just starting out on the HOME keys, the "Letters" line will display "asdf jkl;", and the other three lines will be blank except for the label.  If you're learning how to type numbers then the "Letters" line will contain whatever letters where there before, and the "Numbers" line will contain any numbers you chose from the Build Typing Vocabulary dialog box.

If you choose the CAPITAL-letters-only option then the "Caps" line will show all of the 26 capitalized letters of the alphabet; the other lines will be blank.  This means that you'll be drilled only on CAPITAL Letters;  the other lines that normally show letters, numbers, and symbols will be blanked out.

See Also

Explanation of Exercises


Explanation of EXERCISES

If you choose any of the exercises from the Intermediate Exercises Menu or the Advanced Exercises Menu then the text window portion of the screen will display two,  three, or more lines of text that you are required to type.  Below each character of the text will appear a cursor  or a character pointer that will indicate the next letter or character you have to type.  As you type each character, the cursor will advance to the next character on the line.  If you make an error, the keycap on the screen keyboard of the wrong character that you typed will be X'd.  You will be penalized one keystroke, and the cursor will then advance to the next character to be typed.

If you want to practice using the backspace key, FasType will allow you to backspace the cursor to the letter where you made the error so you can re-type it.  If you do this, you must also retype all of the characters or letters following the error.  You can backspace to the previous line too, all the way back to the top line of text still displayed in the text window.  Text that you already typed and which has already "scrolled" off the top of the text window is "gone" - you cannot backspace into it.  If you correctly re-type the character with the X over it your keystroke error count will be reduced by one;  however, your overall speed may be affected by the delay incurred while you are backspacing and correcting your errors.  When you make a typing error you have to mentally weigh the advantages of backspacing and correcting the error against your calculated speed when the exercise is finished.   However, if you elect to ignore errors your accuracy will suffer.

The exercise ends when all displayed characters have been typed -or- the correct number of keystrokes have been made -or- you terminated the exercise early by pressing the ESCAPE key.  Remember, the cursor will advance to the next character regardless of whether you type the correct character or not.  Note too that the backspace feature is only available for exercises; during drills, you must successfully type the prompted character before FasType will advance and randomly give you the next character to type.

See Next:

Intermediate Exercises

Advanced Exercises

See Also:

Explanation of Drills


For the Neophyte

This section describes how FasType will be able to help you to learn how to touch type so that you can become more productive with your computer either at home or on the job.  It briefly describes the theory of how FasType can make you a better typist.

FasType's Teaching Technique
The drill technique used by FasType for teaching you how to touch-type using any of these drill selections is 'RANDOM PROMPTING'.  That is, FasType will randomly select a character from the list displayed in the text window above the screen keyboard display and prompt you to type the key where that character is located by animating the key and using a metronome-like sound to "click" it up and down.  After you press the matching key on the keyboard, the key be reset and another character is selected randomly.  This goes on until you have successfully typed the number of characters shown under Drill Count in the typing helpers dialog box.   The displayed time in the status bar will start ticking away with your first keystroke, and the number of characters you type is also displayed in the status bar.  Of course you can press the escape key anytime to end your drill early, but we suggest you go for the full count.

Keystroke errors are indicated by a beeping noise and a large NO symbol shown over the key you incorrectly pressed.  The keyboard prompting continues until you type the correct character.

A Neat Option: CHOOSE YOUR OWN:
This selection from the Beginner Skill menu deserves special mention because it is such a powerful tool for selective reinforcement of your typing skills.

Common selections include all of the keys in one row, or all of the keys in one or more "columns" of keys.   For example, you could practice typing numbers on the keypad area by selecting all the numbers on the number row ( 1 thru 0 ), then press the NUM LOCK key so it's ON.   When you BEGIN TYPING, you can type the numbers you're prompted for by using the keypad area of the keyboard; this will reinforce your "calculator" skills.

Another example is to choose all of the characters for particular fingers.  Suppose you wanted to practice typing all of the characters addressed by your two index fingers; you index fingers type more characters than any other pair; you could CHOOSE the following sequence of letters:

f g r t v b j h m n u y

and optionally, the numbers 5, 6, 7, 8.  Then BEGIN TYPING to exercise your two index fingers ONLY.  Can you think of other ways to use this option?

Using selections made from Beginners Drill assumes you know how to type more than just the basic alphabet.  The exercises selected will include CAPITAL letters, numbers, and special characters & symbols; - this is some really hard stuff.

Advanced Menu Selections:
The EASY Sentences selection will contain mostly CAPITAL and lower-case letters.  You don't have to worry too much about numbers until you get to HARD Sentences and Short Paragraphs.

The exercise format is identical to the exercises selected from the Intermediate Exercises Menu;  that is, you must type the character pointed to by the cursor.

When you select any of the exercises in either the Intermediate or Advanced Exercises Menus, the length of the text you have to type will vary considerably.    Text longer than what the text window will hold will scroll upward as you type succeeding lines.  Some text exercises are only one sentence long.  The count in characters of these exercises range anywhere from 60 to 350 characters depending on what FasType randomly chooses from its own text files.

You should be able to successfully type all of the characters displayed in the text window.  Keystroke errors will be flashed on the displayed keycap (with a large NO symbol) and the cursor will advance to the next character leaving a large X where the keystroke error was made.  You can backspace over the error and fix it if you want.

TIMED EXERCISES:
You can set a time limit for any exercise chosen from the Intermediate or Advanced typing selections, and Open Typing too. You can select a time duration anywhere from 15 seconds up to one hour.  The timer is displayed in the status bar and begins to count down to zero with your first keystroke.  When the timer reaches zero, the exercise ends and your typing statistics will be displayed.

You can END a timed exercise anytime by simply pressing the ESCAPE key.  If you type until the timer runs out, the current exercise will end as if you had pressed the Escape key, and your statistics will be compiled and displayed on the screen.

LONG PARAGRAPHS:
This is really for advanced typists who what to increase their speed; we suggest you eliminate the keyboard display as it could be a distraction. This gives you a chance to "look ahead" at the text you are typing.

OPEN TYPING:
This option is for advanced typists who what to brush up on their word-processing skills.

You can type anything you want into an empty window and you have limited use of the cursor and home/end keys to navigate about the window.  This simulates using a real word-processor or text editor.

You should have some text handy that you want to type from. Grab a book or a newspaper, pick a paragraph and start typing.  You can type as long as you want;  pressing the escape key will end the exercise and give you typing statistics.  The Timed Typing option is available too.

Since FasType can't check your spelling, it won't know when you've made a typing error.  FasType assumes you're striving for accuracy as well as speed so we'll count your use of the BACKSPACE key as a typing error.

See Also:

Building Your Typing Vocabulary

Beginner Drills

Choose Your Own

Special Keys


Popup-QWERTY Style
QWERTY Keyboard
A QWERTY keyboard is called this because it is identified by the top row of letter keys beginning with the letters q-w-e-r-t-y.  Alternative, and less known keyboard styles include the DVORAK keyboard and the Moltron keyboard. These have the letter keys located in different positions.


Popup-ESCAPE key
Escape Key
This is a popular key used by most software programs to cancel the current activity regardless of  its state.  The standard location for this key is the upper left-hand side of the keyboard.


Popup-Keypad area
Keypad Area
On full size keyboards, the keypad area is the cluster of keys to the far right of the keyboard; they're in the arrangement of an adding machine or digital telephone keypad.  They double as cursor direction keys; selection is controlled by the NUM Lock key.


What is Shareware?

The Shareware method of software distribution gives users like you a chance to try software before buying it.  If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you're expected to register with the author or copyright holder by purchasing a use license. Most Shareware programs have an evaluation period.  With registration, depending on the product you register, you will get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with a printed manual, and many extras.

Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial program authors, and the programs are of comparable, if not better, quality.  (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones too!)  The main difference is in the method of distribution.  The author of a Shareware program specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry computer users or to a specific group.  For example, most Shareware authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy and distribute their Shareware program.

So, Shareware is a software "distribution method", not a "type" or "kind" of software.  As a computer user, you should try to find software that suits your needs as well as your pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware.  The Shareware system accommodates your needs, because you can "try before you buy".  And because the overhead is low, prices - in the form of registration fees and use licenses are low also.  Shareware has the ULTIMATE money-back guarantee -- "if you don't use the product, you don't have to pay for it".

See Also:

Other Licensing Provisions


Vendor Information

Any person, group, or organization who wants to distribute FasType for any kind of remuneration must FIRST contact TRENDTECH CORPORATION by letter at the address below for distribution.  This authorization will always be granted to distributors and disk vendors recognized by the Association of Shareware Professionals as adhering to its guidelines for Shareware distributors.   Distribution to other vendors will be made at our discretion and on the basis of their understanding of Shareware principles.

"For-Profit" disk vendors must obtain permission from Trendtech Corporation to distribute FasType.  Vendors note -- please read the VENDINFO.DIZ file on the distribution disk for more information.

FasType must be distributed on a single disk, in its original, unmodified, complete form, including all documentation files, text files, files containing license agreements, registration fees and schedules, and Shareware information.

FasType may not be distributed in conjunction with any other product or service, without express written permission from Trendtech Corporation.

See Also:

Licensing Provisions


Copyrights and Trademarks

FasType™ and PC-FasType™ is  Copyright © 1985-1995 by Trendtech  Corporation, Inc., Wayne, New Jersey,  All rights reserved worldwide.

Licensed Material:
This software program, documentation, accompanying written and disk-based typing files, file notes, and specifications, and all referenced and related program files, screen display renditions of keyboards, and text files, are the property of Trendtech Corporation, Inc., Wayne, NJ,  U.S.A.

No portion of the contents of this help file may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means for remuneration without the express written permission of Trendtech Corporation. Registered users may print help topics as they need them.

This software may not be reverse-engineered or disassembled in any way, and includes certain trade secrets and confidential information of Trendtech Corporation.

Other Trademarks:
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines, Inc.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
The ASP logo is a registered trademark of the A.S.P.
Licensed Material - Program, Documentation, and Text Files are Property of Trendtech Corporation.

We have done our best to insure that the material found in this help file is both useful and accurate.  However, please be aware that errors may exist in this help file, and neither the author nor Trendtech Corporation makes any guarantee concerning the accuracy of the information found here or in the uses to which it may be put.

LIMITED WARRANTY
Trendtech Corporation warrants that for a period of  ninety (90) days from the date of delivery of this licensed program, the program, if unmodified by the Licensee, will perform in substantial conformity with the user documentation.  Trendtech Corporation does not warrant that the licensed program is free from coding errors.  Any program problems reported to Trendtech Corporation during the warranty period and determined by the Licensor to be actual coding errors will attempt to be corrected by Trendtech Corporation within a reasonable time.  Any modifications to the licensed program shall thereafter be licensed AS IS.

The above warranty does not apply to the extent that any failure of the licensed program to perform as warranted is caused by the licensed program being  (1) not used in accordance with the user documentation, or (2) modified by any person other than authorized Trendtech Corporation personnel.

TRENDTECH CORPORATION MAKES, AND FASTYPE LICENSEE RECEIVES, NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Limitation of Liability
The total liability of Trendtech Corporation or its suppliers for any claim or damage arising out of the use of the licensed program or otherwise related to this license shall be limited to direct damages which shall not exceed the license fee or fees which have been paid by the Licensee to Trendtech Corporation for the FasType program which is the subject of such claim or damage.

IN NO EVENT SHALL LICENSOR OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE LICENSED PROGRAM OR RELATED TO THIS LICENSE.

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS.
The Licensed Software and documentation are provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS.  Use, duplication or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subdivision (c)(1)(ii) of The Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraphs (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights at 48 CFR 52.227-19, as applicable.  Contractor/Manufacturer is Trendtech Corporation, Inc., P.O. Box 3687, Wayne, New Jersey 07474-3687.


Trade Associations

Trendtech Corporation, the author and publisher of FasType, is proud to be a member of the following Shareware trade organizations:

A.S.P. -- The Association of Shareware Professionals
The Association of Shareware Professionals, was formed in 1987 to strengthen the future of "Shareware" as an alternative to software distributed under normal commercial marketing methods.  The ASP has established stringent standards for both its members and any organization which has 'ASP Approved' status.  ASP members subscribe to a code of ethics and are committed to the concept of Shareware as a way of marketing their products.  The ASP itself does NOT rate members' software for functionality or usefulness.  That is for you "the user" to decide.  Shareware-distributed-software, especially software authorized to carry the ASP name, can be tested by you on a try-before-you-buy basis.  Trendtech Corporation has been a member of the ASP since 1987.

S.T.A.R. -- Shareware Trade Association & Resources
S.T.A.R. is a trade association established to provide the shareware community with a vehicle for networking, resource-sharing, publicity and marketing assistance.  S.T.A.R. promotes the free and open exchange of information about creative expression, quality, and ethics in shareware.  S.T.A.R. goal is to heighten the public's awareness of shareware and advance the state of the shareware industry.  S.T.A.R. has over 160 members developing and publishing personal computer software through the shareware channel.  By providing open information and resources on development and distribution, S.T.A.R. serves as an incubator for new software talent.

E.S.C. -- Educational Shareware Cooperative
The Educational Shareware Cooperative is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits and availability of educational software. The Cooperative provides a medium for sharing ideas, advertising, and distribution of educational software; future plans include the development of standards for educational software.  The E.S.C. has a section on the CompuServe information service (EDFORU, section 2) which is devoted to our software and customer support. The E.S.C, as a nonprofit organization is supported by membership fees. All E.S.C. officers are non-paid and elected by the membership.

----------------------

The main goals of all these organizations are to educate computer users about the Shareware marketing method and to promote the Shareware industry.  If you are interested in obtaining more information about these organizations, please contact Trendtech Corporation.

See Also:

ASP Ombudsman Statement


ASP Ombudsman Statement
The ASP Ombudsman Statement

This program  is produced  by a  member  of  the  Association  of Shareware Professionals  (ASP).   ASP wants  to  make  sure  that  the Shareware principle  works for  you.   If you  are unable to resolve a Shareware-related problem  with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP  may be  able to  help.   The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a  dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products.

Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at:

ASP Ombudsman
Association of Shareware Professionals
545 Grover Road
Muskegon,  MI  49442-9427
U.S.A.

See Also:

Trouble Shooting

Technical Support

Trade Associations

Limited Warranty


Technical Support

We support our software.  One of the great strengths of the Shareware concept is the direct interaction between the program author and the users.  Many of the current features in FasType are the result of user input.  If you have a problem evaluating this program or desire to make a suggestion or comment (or even a complaint), please don't hesitate to contact us.

Trendtech Corporation
P.O. Box 3687
Wayne, New Jersey 07474-3687
( United States of America )

VOICE:  Call  U.S.A. (201) 694-8622   (Anytime, 24 hours a day; please leave a message on the answering machine- unlimited time -- well, almost; be reasonable )

FAX:  U.S.A. (201) 694-2543 ( operates 24 hrs/day;  7 days/week )

We can also be contacted on the CompuServe network.  Send Electronic Mail to CompuServe ID: 76210,771.  For America On-Line -- send Electronic Mail to WJLFasType.  If you only have access to the Internet, you can e-mail us at WJLFasType@aol.com or 76210.771@compuserve.com

See also:

Limited Warranty


Limited Warranty

Trendtech Corporation warrants that for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of delivery of this licensed program, the program -- FasType, if unmodified by the Licensee, will perform in substantial conformity with the user documentation.  Trendtech Corporation does not warrant that the licensed program is free from coding errors.  Any program problems reported to Trendtech Corporation during the warranty period, and determined by the Licensor to be actual coding errors will attempt to be corrected by Trendtech Corporation within a reasonable time.  Any modifications to the licensed program shall thereafter be licensed AS IS.

The above warranty does not apply to the extent that any failure of the licensed program to perform as warranted is caused by the licensed program being: (1) not used in accordance with the user documentation, or (2) modified by any person other than authorized Trendtech Corporation personnel.

TRENDTECH CORPORATION MAKES, AND FASTYPE LICENSEE RECEIVES, NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Limitation of Liability
The total liability of Trendtech Corporation or its suppliers for any claim or damage arising out of the use of the licensed program or otherwise related to this license shall be limited to direct damages which shall not exceed the license fee which has been paid by Licensee to Trendtech Corporation for the specific product which is the subject of such claim or damage.

IN NO EVENT SHALL LICENSOR OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE LICENSED PROGRAM OR RELATED TO THIS LICENSE.


Licensed Users

The MS-DOS versions of  PC-FasType have been licensed worldwide by colleges, universities,  schools, corporate training centers, and government facilities for use in their keyboarding and computer training and typing courses.

Here's but a small list of many of our satisfied customers:

Duke University, NC	Berean Institute, Phila. PA
Middlesex NJ Board of Education	Brookwood Medical Ctr., AL
Veteran's Admin. Med. Ctr., Omaha, NE	Madison Middle School, IN
Falcon School District, CO	University of Southern Maine
Elmira Elementary School, OR	ATT Credit Corp., NJ
University of NC at Wilmington	State of Maryland Pers. Dept.
Davis County School District, UT	Townsville Port Authority, Australia
Gulliver Academy, FL	Central Texas College
Lawrence College, St. John's NF	USDA - Soil Conservation Svc., IL
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, MT	Bell Atlantic Tricon Leasing, NJ
Bowman Gray School of Medicine, NC	Petersham College of TAFE, Australia
Internal Revenue Service	British Telecom, UK
Salesian High School, NY	University of Ulster, N. Ireland
Computer Training Workshops, IN	University of Cincinnati, OH
Yanco Agricultural Inst., Australia	Ciba-Geigy, Inc. NC
King Edward VI Aston School, UK	Middlesex County College, NJ
Chesapeake Public Schools, VA	Merck & Co., NC
U.S. Probation Office, CO	Mercer County College, NJ
University of Wisconsin at River Falls	Fox Valley Tech. Inst., WI
University of Arizona at Tuscon	John Deere Company, OH


Trouble Shooting

If you have problems running FasType, the first thing you should try is to reset your saved settings file. You can do this by just deleting the file named SETTINGS.SAV from the path specified by the environment variable WFTSPEC.  If you're not using this environment variable, then the file exists in FasType's directory (where it was installed). Use the FILE MANAGER to delete this file.

If you suspect you've found a bug in FasType, then we'd like to hear about it. Try to reproduce the problem, recording the keystrokes and mouse selections leading up to the problem. Contact us for technical assistance and provide the details so we can fix the problem.

If Windows locks up, you may have a resource problem because of too many applications open at the same time, and/or poorly behaved applications. The best course of action is to reset your PC by either hitting the RESET button, or turning the POWER switch OFF then pausing for about 10 seconds, then turning the POWER switch back ON, letting the PC re-boot.

If every lower-case letter you type is flagged as an error, even though you were hitting the correct keys, then check the CAPS LOCK key.  It if is ON, i.e. "locked", then every letter you type will be entered as a capital letter; and since you were prompted to type a lower-case letter, then that letter will be flagged as an error.

See Also:

Environment Variables


Popup-Environment Variable
Environment Variable

A symbolic name that represents a value. Usually defined in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file at boot time. Use the SET command to set the value for an environment variable.


For Beginning Typists

The BEGINNER DRILLS menu selection is where you should start if you're not familiar with the standard "QWERTY" style keyboard and wish to learn the generally accepted methods of touch-typing using the HOME keys as a base for your finger placement.  The HOME keys on the QWERTY-style keyboard are the letters "asdf jkl;" located on the middle row of the keyboard.

The FasType Application Window:
The application window consists of two elements, an optional window containing an image of the keyboard, which occupies the lower half of the main FasType window, and a text window which occupies the upper half of the main FasType window.  The contents of the text window will vary depending on whether you are in  beginner mode and typing basic drills, or typing an exercise from the intermediate or advanced exercises.  More advanced typists can choose OPEN TYPING which does not allow the keyboard display.

The Text Window:
The "Text Window" is the area above the screen keyboard window (when displayed) and serves several purposes.   First, it indicates the letters, numbers, and symbols that you are learning how to type during beginner drills.  Secondly, it's used to display the word groups, sentences and paragraphs that you have to type during intermediate or advanced exercises.

The Keyboard Display:
The keyboard image on the screen is the heart of FasType and is always shown during a typing drill, and optionally, during an exercise session.  Only the main typing area of the keyboard is displayed even though most keyboards have other keys on them such as cursor movement keys, function keys, and for most full-size keyboards, an extra "keypad".  The theory of using a keyboard display is to let you look at a "simulated" keyboard -- an image of the actual keyboard on which you will be learning to type.   This method helps you keep your eyes off the real keyboard.  It is extremely helpful because it helps you form "spatial" relationships between your finger placements on the real keyboard and the image of the simulated keyboard in the on the screen.  This spatial relationship will enhance your "touching" familiarity with the keyboard thereby increasing your speed and accuracy.

The keyboard display consists of 26 letters of the alphabet and the numbers 1 through 0, and special symbols.  If you hold the shift key down while typing a letter, capital letters will appear.  If you hold the shift key down and strike a number, symbols and punctuation marks will appear.

Shift Keys:
There are two shift keys on the lower bank of the keyboard.  One shift key is located on the lower right and one on the lower left.  The proper method for typing upper-case letters and symbols is to hold down the shift key firmly with the little finger of one hand while striking a key with a finger from the other hand.  For example, if you want strike a key with any finger on your right hand, then use the little finger of your left hand to hold down the left shift key.   If you want to strike a key with any finger of your left hand, use the little finger of your right hand for the right shift key.

If you type a word, title, or line in all capitals, use the CAPS LOCK key.   This "locks" the shift keys in upper-case mode.  This means capital letters can by typed without using the shift keys.  But, if you want to type a lower-case letter while the CAPS LOCK key is still "on", you then have to press the appropriate shift key.  The CAPS LOCK key is located just above the left shift key on the 101-key Enhanced keyboard.  The use of the CAPS LOCK key allows you to type information without holding down the shift key for each stroke.

The Home Keys:
The HOME KEYS are where your finger tips rest while you are poised for typing.  The finger tips of your left hand rest on the A,S,D,F keys.  The little finger of the left hand rests on the A key, the ring-finger rests on the S key, the second finger rests on the D key and the index finger is on the F key.  The thumb of the left hand is NEVER used in typing (well, almost never -- experienced typists use both thumbs).  The finger tips of the right hand rest on the J,K,L; keys.  The index finger rests on the J key, the second finger on the K key, the ring finger of the right hand rests on the L key, and the pinky finger rests on the  ;  key (semi-colon).  This row of keys is called the HOME ROW.

Notice that your fingers do not cover all of the keys on the HOME ROW.  The G and H keys are typed with the index fingers of each hand.  The left index finger which normally rests on the F key is also used to type the G key; while the index finger of the right hand which rests on the J key is also used to type the H key.  The thumb of the RIGHT hand is always used to type the SPACEBAR.

See Also:

Using the Shift Keys

What To Do Next

Setting Your Skill Level

Beginner Drills

Intermediate Exercises

Advanced Exercises


Building Your Typing Vocabulary

While learning how to type you will be building a typing "vocabulary" as you learn new letters, numbers, symbols, and CAPITAL letters.   When you select More Letters from the Skill Level menu, a dialog box will appear with three lists plus checkboxes.  You can select the letters, numbers, and Capitals that you want to add to your vocabulary list for beginner drills from this dialog.

You can only add letters and number in the sequence shown from top to bottom. Place the cursor in the list, hold the left mouse button down and drag the cursor down the list. As you do this, the highlight will indicate the letters or numbers that will be included in your list. You can click on the Preview Drill button to see exactly what characters will be included in your typing vocabulary. If you click on Capital Letters Only, the list will be reset, and will then contain only capital letters.

The "Do It All!" selection is a short-cut way to add the complete character set to your list.  If you click on HOME Keys Only, your list will be reset to the basic home keys.

When you become proficient at typing all the Capital letters of the alphabet, plus all of the numbers in the number list, and - all of the letters of the alphabet chosen from the letters list, you may then want to proceed to the exercises listed in the Intermediate Exercises menu selection.

See also:

HOME Keys Only

Adding More Letters

Adding the Number Keys

Adding CAPITAL Letters

Adding Shifted Characters

CAPITAL Letters Only

Do It All! -- Full Keyboard

"KAPS for Kids"

Preview Drill


Home Keys Only

The Home Keys only option can be chosen from two areas: either from the Menu bar or from the More Letters dialog box.

The Home-Keys-only selection will RESET any previous drill or exercise selection and will cause just the HOME keys to be available for you to practice typing.  The count of the number of characters that you must successfully type for each drill remains set at the count you specified in the Helpers dialog box, or is set to the skill level chosen from the Set Skill Level dialog box.

The beginner drills text window will look like this for Home Keys Only:


Adding More Letters

When you feel competent typing the home keys, you'll want to add more letters to your typing vocabulary.  This menu choice will cause the subsequent "pop-up" of a letter selection dialog window.  The choices you make from this dialog will help increase your typing skills.  For example, the next set of letters that you have to learn after you have become proficient at typing the HOME keys are the letters "e" and "i".  You can select these letters from the dialog's pick list by using the mouse to move the selector bar down over the "e,i" set of letters and releasing the mouse button.  The highlighted letters in the list indicate they will be added to your practice list.  When you choose BEGIN TYPING , these letters will show up in the TEXT window.   So, in addition to being drilled on the HOME keys, the beginner drills will also include the letters e and i.  Click on the button labeled "Preview Drill" to see a list of your current typing vocabulary.

See Next:

Typing Patterns

Adding Numbers

Adding Capitals


Adding the Number Keys

Numbers are hard to learn.  Numbers you select from the selection list will be added to your drill and displayed in the text window.

In normal typing practice you would select the numbers in the sequence shown; that is, first the "6,7", then "4,5,8,9" and so on.  The purpose of the Add More Numbers menu selection is to let you build your typing "vocabulary" by including numbers as your typing skills get better.

As you become more proficient typing a specific set of numbers you should select the next set in sequence from the list.

When you feel you've gotten better at typing all the letters of the alphabet chosen from the Add More Letters listbox, and all of the numbers, you may then want to proceed to the exercises listed in the Intermediate and Advanced menu selection.

See Also:

Adding Capital Letters

Adding Shifted Characters


Adding CAPITAL Letters

When you select "Add Capitals" from the Beginner Drills menu item, a pop-up dialog box will appear on the screen.  This dialog will let you select any or all of the CAPITAL letters to learn to type.

In normal typing practice you would select the Capitals in the same manner as you would for add more letters;  FasType will let you choose any set of Capitals to add to your drill list for practice typing.

As you become more accomplished typing a sub-set of capital letters you should select the next set of capitals in sequence from the list.  All of the Capital letter sets you select will be highlighted in the listbox.

See Also:

CAPS Only


Adding Shifted Characters

This dialog selection is a check-box "toggle" that will cause all upper-case and lower case symbols and punctuation marks of the main typing area to be included in the list of characters for you to practice typing.  These characters will be added to selections made from any of the  list boxes.  If you do not like typing punctuation marks and special symbols, just click on the check box again to reset.

Here's an example of some of the shifted characters you can learn how to type:

!  @  #  $  %  ^  &  *  (  )  _  +  }  {  ]  [  ?

See Also:

Do It All


Capital Letters Only

All previously selected drills or exercises will be reset when this selection is made.  Your character set will be replaced by all of the CAPITAL Letters.  The count of the number of Capital Letters for each drill remains set at the count you specified in the Typing Helpers dialog.

KAPS FOR KIDS Override
If you checkmarked the KAPS FOR KIDS option, you don't have to use the keyboard SHIFT keys, their use will NOT be required.   The CAPITALS you select will be treated just like lower-case letters.

We suggest you make sure this feature is turned off so you can get the full effect of learning how to type CAPITAL LETTERS by properly using the keyboard SHIFT keys.

See Also:

Do It All


Do It All! -- Full Keyboard
Do It All! -- Typing the Full Keyboard

This check box selection will add all of the letters, symbols and punctuation marks, numbers, and Capital Letters in FasType's vocabulary to your drill list for you to practice typing with.  The count of the number of characters for each drill will remain set at the count specified in Typing Helpers.   We suggest that you change the drill count to 80 or more to make this typing practice substantial.

See Also:

Building Your Typing Vocabulary


"KAPS for Kids"
"KAPS" for Kids

Little children are BIG users of FasType.  Very young children sometimes have a hard time telling the difference between capital and lower-case letters.   This option will display all lower case letters as upper-case CAPITAL letters in all selections from the Beginner's Menu.  Any choice from the Intermediate and Advanced menus will reset this feature to OFF.   The capital letters only selection will turn this feature off too.  With clever selections from the ADD MORE... dialog, some drill combinations will show both LETTERS and CAPS as all capitals in the text window;  even so, use of the shift keys will not be required or needed.


Preview Drill
Preview Selected Drill Characters

After you've made your selection from the Add More Letters dialog box, you can preview your selection by clicking on the Preview Drill button.  This will show you what your drill will look like before you select it.


Typing Pattern Characters

As a beginning typist with FasType you have the opportunity to type repetitive letter patterns that let you exercise your finger placement on various letter keys. If you've seen other typing courses or typing books, these are the familiar aaa sss ddd fff patterns.

Select Beginner Drills, Typing Patterns, on the main menu to use this feature.  As you Add More Letters, the patterns will automatically include the new letters.  Where possible, simple words will be part of the patterns too.

Typing letter patterns will help you exercise your hands and fingers and build manual dexterity, increase your accuracy, and become more familiar with the keyboard.

See Also:

Add More Letters


Choose Your Own

If you're having difficulty typing certain letters, this feature of FasType may help to improve your accuracy.  When you choose this item from the Beginner Drill menu item, a dialog box will appear that lets you select your own set of characters to type.  You must choose at least ten DIFFERENT characters from the list in the box.  The list looks like the text window above the keyboard display during drills, but is shown with ALL letters and characters appropriate to the keyboard you are using.

This option has intriguing possibilities.  For example, let's say that you'd like to practice typing ONLY the letters on the "qwerty" row of keys, this is the row of keys above the "home" row.  All you have to do is select the Choose Your Own option from the Beginner Drills menu then type in the letters that make up the "qwerty" row which would be:  q, w, e, r, t, y, u, i, o, p.  You could do the same with numbers.

A variation on this scheme would be to choose letter columns instead of rows.  Suppose you'd like to practice typing all of the letters that the index finger of each hand types.  You would choose the following letters:  f, r, v, b, g, t  for the left hand; and the letters:  j, m, u, y, n, h  for the right hand.  Then go to the Typing Helpers menu selection and increase the drill count to make the test worth while.   While you're there you can add the "Align Finger Positions" feature which draws vertical lines on the screen keyboard separating the columns of keys.

Some other interesting things that you can do with this feature would be to choose letters for the left hand only, or the right hand only.   You could include some CAPITAL letters that are giving you a problem.

Practicing Numbers with the KEYPAD:
Another interesting typing practice technique is to select all of the NUMBERS on the number row - 1 thru 0 (zero), and then use the KEYPAD to practice your "calculator" key movements - make sure your NUM LOCK key is set to ON so the keypad produces numbers instead of cursor movements.  A variation on the NUMBER row theme: how about selecting all of the UPPER CASE symbols on the "number" row, these are the characters NO ONE knows how to type!   These custom selections can be used to help you build up your typing rhythm and manual dexterity in your hands and fingers.

See Also:

Typing Patterns

Intermediate Exercises

Advanced Exercises


Popup-Upper Lower Case
Upper-case; Lower-case
These are old print-shop terms meaning "shifted" characters, and "unshifted" characters, respectively.  In print-shop terminology this means the relative location of letters and characters in the type drawer.  When print-shop "type compositors" would hand-assemble lines of type, the most commonly used letters were located in compartments in the type drawer, or "case", towards the front, in order to minimize the compositors' reach and increase his speed compositing lines of type.  Capital letters, less commonly used, were located further away in the upper portion of the type drawer.  Thus the phrases "upper-case" -- generally meaning CAPITAL letters, and "lower-case" -- generally meaning regular letters, is the terminology used today to refer to "shifted" and "unshifted" characters.


Popup-Caps Lock
Caps Lock
The CAPS LOCK key does just what it says; it "locks" the keyboard into "upper-case", or shifted-character mode.  With the caps lock key set to ON, all letters typed from the main typing area will be in capital letters, while all numbers, will remain numbers.  To type a lower-case letter while the caps lock key is ON, hold the shift key down and type the desired letter. The caps lock key is a carryover from the days of mechanical typewriters when it was known as "Shift Lock".  The shift lock key locked the shift key in a down position so that typed letters appeared as capital letters.


Popup-Touch Type
Touch Typing
The ability to TOUCH-TYPE means that you can type text from a sheet of paper or book without looking at the keyboard.  If you are creating text as you type, you should be able to watch the screen as you type letters and characters while using your favorite wordprocessor or editor.  You should not have to look at the keyboard except for using keys to navigate the screen or perform some other Windows function.


Beginner Drills

The Beginner Drills menu item has selections that you can choose to help you increase your typing speed and accuracy,  or,  if you are a typing novice, to learn the basics of touch typing.  You can start with the HOME keys and progress through additional letters, numbers, symbols, and Capital letters.

You can use the Add More Letters menu selection that will build your typing vocabulary of letters, numbers, and symbols.  If you're an intermediate typist, these drills will help increase your accuracy on the keyboard.

See Next:

Building Your Typing Vocabulary

Typing Letter Patterns

Choose Your Own

Intermediate Exercises

Advanced Exercises

See also:

Adding More Letters and Numbers

Special Keys


Intermediate Exercises

The Intermediate Exercises menu selection lists exercise selections that you can make after you've learned how to type all of the letters on the keyboard.  Instead of randomly selected letters flashing on the screen keyboard as in the basic drills, exercises are selected from disk files and displayed in the text window.  Your task is to type the character pointed to by the cursor.  These exercises vary in length from 60 to 250 or more characters.

See Next:

Advanced Exercises

Open Typing


Advanced Exercises

The Advanced Exercises menu selection lists tougher exercises that you can practice typing after you've learned how to type all of the letters, numbers, Capital letters, and some punctuation symbols such as the period, comma, bracket, etc.  These exercises consist of short sentences and paragraphs that are displayed in the text window .  You have to type the characters pointed to by the  cursor.  These drills are typically 120 characters in length, and some are up to 1000 or more characters.

See Next:

Open Typing


For The Intermediate Typist

If you're a beginning typist and have become familiar with the keyboard through the drills from the Beginner's Menu, you'll want to try typing exercises chosen with the Intermediate Exercises menu item.  The exercise options consist of three, four, or five letter word groups, variable length words, or common, everyday phrases of speech or writing.

If you wait too long to type the character above the cursor, you'll be prompted by the key flashing on the screen keyboard.  It will continue to flash until any key is pressed.  Try to stay ahead of the prompt so you can build up your speed.   If you backspace to fix errors, you'll sacrifice some speed but you'll improve your accuracy.  FasType will also let you backspace to previous lines to fix errors.  You can even backspace all the way back to the top line currently displayed in the text window.  You cannot however,  backspace into text that's already scrolled off the screen.

This will count against you in terms of lost time and additional keystrokes.  Weigh this against being penalized five keystrokes (one five-letter-word) for every SINGLE keystroke error you let pass uncorrected.

When you make typing errors, a large X will cross out the letter you were supposed to type and instead typed something different.   If you want to go back and fix the error then press the backspace key until the cursor is under the letter where you made the error.  Now begin typing the correct letters, you won't be penalized for the error in your typing score -- but, you will lose time; sort of a penalty anyway, so be judicious in choosing which typing errors to fix.

These exercises may contain a few numbers, capital letters, or some of the shifted special characters; so you should be able to breeze through these lessons with ease.  Note the double character spacing between sentences too.  This is standard word-processing technique.

See Next:

3 Letter Word Groups

4 Letter Word Groups

5 Letter Word Groups

Variable Words

Common Phrases


3 Letter Word Groups

Each exercise will display lines of 3 letter words in the text window.  What you have to do in these exercises is type the letter pointed to by the cursor as it moves along under the line of text and the tip of the cursor points to the next letter you have to type.  However, be careful because the cursor advances to the next character when ANY key is pressed, not necessarily the one you were SUPPOSED to type.

If you make an error,  the letter you mistyped is X'd out and the cursor advances to the next letter. The exercise ends when the cursor has passed through all displayed letters in the text window.  If there are more words to type than will fit in the text window, the text will scroll upwards. You can press the Escape key any time to end the exercise early.

See Also:

4 Letter Word Groups

5 Letter Word Groups


4 Letter Word Groups

When you choose this exercise, FasType will access exercise files on disk containing lines of 4-letter word groups.  You have to type the letter pointed to by the cursor as it moves along under the line of text.  Be careful though, because the cursor advances to the next character when ANY key is typed, not necessarily the one you were SUPPOSED to type.

If you make an error,  the letter you mistyped is X'd out and the cursor advances to the next letter. The exercise ends when the cursor has passed through all displayed letters in the text window.  If there are more words to type than will fit in the text window, the text will scroll upwards.  You can press the Escape key any time to end the exercise early.

See Also:

3 Letter Word Groups

5 Letter Word Groups


5 Letter Word Groups

When you choose this exercise, FasType will access exercise files on disk containing lines of 5-letter word groups.  Each exercise will display lines of 5 letter word groups in the text window.  You have to type the letter pointed to by the cursor as it moves along under the line of text.

If you make an error,  the letter you mistyped is X'd out and the cursor advances to the next letter. The exercise ends when the cursor has passed through all displayed letters in the text window.  If there are more words to type than will fit in the text window, the text will scroll upwards. You can press the Escape key any time to end the exercise early.

See Also:

Variable Words

Common Phrases


Variable Words
Variable Word Groups

These typing exercises are the same the 3, 4, and 5 letter word groups except that the word sizes will vary from 6 to 12 characters in length.  Some of the words are hard to type and even more difficult to understand; you may want to check a dictionary to determine their meaning.

See Also:

Common Phrases


Common Phrases

This selection will cause FasType to access disk files of typing exercises that contain lines of common everyday phrases (not full sentences) that you may find in everyday speech or print.

The exercise ends when the cursor has passed through all displayed letters in the text window.  If there are more words to type than will fit in the text window, the text will scroll upwards. You can press the Escape key any time to end the exercise early.

See Also

Advanced Exercises


For The Advanced Typist

You can select more advanced typing exercises from items on the Advanced Exercises menu.  These exercises consist of sentences, quotations, and short paragraphs for you to type.  The OPEN TYPING option lets you type anything you want, and LONG PARAGRAPHS let you type lengthy text for an extended period.

With FasType, your typing task for exercises chosen from the Advanced Exercises Menu is the same as the Intermediate Exercises Menu; type the letters in the text window pointed to by the cursor, and try to stay ahead of the delayed keyboard prompting if the screen keyboard is displayed.

See Next:

Easy Sentences

Hard Sentences

Short Paragraphs

Long Paragraphs

Type Your Own Text

Open Typing


Easy Sentences

This selection will make available short rather simple sentences with some simple punctuation, a few capital letters, and possibly a few numbers for you to type.  Your task is to correctly type the letter or character pointed to by the cursor.  The cursor advances to the next character on the line as each letter or character is typed successfully.  If you're using the keyboard display, don't forget to try to stay ahead of the keyboard delayed prompting.

See Next:

Hard Sentences


Hard Sentences

These exercises consist of longer, more complex sentences for you to type.  The words are more complex too, there is heavier use of capital letters and numbers, and more difficult combinations of special characters and symbols.  More intense concentration is required to do well, and it's more difficult to stay ahead of the delayed keyboard prompt.

See Next:

Short Paragraphs


Short Paragraphs

The exercise text for you to type when this option is chosen is similar to the Hard Sentences.   The text is much longer and the words and phrases are more difficult to type.  As you type, the text will scroll off the top of the screen and new lines will enter from the bottom of the text window.  The moving cursor and the line you are typing will stay approximately in the middle of the window.   These exercises are hard to type.  They include extensive use of capital letters, punctuation, numbers, and special characters and symbols.

See Next:

Long Paragraphs


Long Paragraphs

More advanced typists who don't need the keyboard display can select this exercise.  It offers very lengthy paragraphs for you to type. Note that you can use the Timed Exercises option too.  Text is displayed in the text  window.   As with all advanced exercises, you have to type the character pointed to by the cursor.  You can end the exercise and display statistics anytime by pressing the escape key, or clicking on STOP TYPING ( also <Alt>+<s>).

See Next:

Type Your Own Text

Open Typing


Type Your Own Text

If you have text files that you're familiar with and you'd like to practice typing them, then this option will do it.  When chosen, a standard windows File Open dialog box will pop-up asking you for the name of a text file that you'd like to practice typing.

Text files contain characters of the standard ASCII character set and are readable when displayed on the screen or printed on your printer.  To check if a file is an ordinary text file, use the Windows File Manager to view the contents of the file.  The contents will be displayed  and if it's readable then it's an ordinary text file.  If you tried to view a program file (a file ending with .COM or .EXE, the screen would display junk because a program file is made up of computer instructions that are unreadable.

If you select text files that were created with your favorite editor or word processor, be sure you use the plain text version for typing practice.  Some text files produced with word processors such as Microsoft WORD contain embedded formatting characters.  FasType is rather forgiving and will filter your text file and discard characters that cannot be typed on the keyboard.

If you don't have any text files to practice with, there is a file called FORTUNE1.TYP that came with FasType.  Type this file name in the File Open dialog box so you can practice typing its text.  You could also try text files from other computer software products you bought.  The most common text files distributed with software products are README files.   Most ordinary text files can be identified by the file name and extension.  The file-extension is the one-to-three characters that follow the dot (.) in a file name, as in README.TXT, UPDATE.DOC, etc.  Try to select small files of less than 1000 characters.  See  Creating Type-Your-Own Exercise Files for details on how to assemble your own typing practice material.

See Also:

Open Typing


Popup-README
README files

Most computer software products are distributed with README files.  These are files of readable text that usually provide up-to-date information about the product you bought, or last minute information that's not included in the regular program documentation or HELP file.


Open Typing

This feature is designed to help you practice your text editing and word-processing skills.  An empty window is displayed and you can type any text you want.  You also have full use of the arrow keys for navigating around the window.

Open Typing is useful for testing too. With the Timed Typing option set, you can test job applicants, students, and anyone whose job description calls for typing proficiency.

See Also:

Typing Mode

Edit Mode

Timed Typing


Typing Mode
Open Typing - Typing Mode

Text is displayed in the Open Typing window as you type it at the blinking cursor location, wherever it may be.  You can set the cursor location to any position in the window by pressing the ARROW keys - up, down, left, and right, or by using the Mouse.  However, these are counted as keystrokes, so be careful, plus, we discourage your use of the mouse since it requires the removal of a hand from the keyboard thus affecting your performance. Your typing area is limited to the window boundaries.   When you reach the bottom of the window and continue to type, the typed text will scroll off the top of the window one line at a time.

Since FasType is a typing tutor and not a spell-checker, it's not feasible for FasType to check your spelling, therefore FasType can only detect a potential typing error when you press the BACKSPACE key.   Here's an important point to remember while working in Open Typing mode: each press of the BACKSPACE key is noted by FasType as an attempt to correct a typing error and will be counted as one keystroke error.  This corrective action may affect your speed but will improve your accuracy.

Elapsed or remaining time is displayed in the status bar.   The only way to end the OPEN TYPING exercise if you're not in a timed exercise is to press the ESCAPE key or click on STOP TYPING.  You can select TIMED exercises while in this mode too.  We suggest that your time selection be in the range of seven to ten minutes to make the exercise worthwhile.

See Next:

Edit Mode

Timed Typing


Edit Mode
Open Typing -- Edit Mode

This neat option gives you an effective text editor.  You can type anything you want, then save it to a file.  You can edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files if you like too.  In fact you can edit just about any ASCII text file you want. Just select FILE, OPEN and use the standard Windows features of the Open File dialog box to select the file you want to edit.

Any typing you do while in EDIT mode will NOT be timed, nor will typing statistics be kept.  However, you can switch back and forth between typing and edit mode.  You can use the EDIT mode feature to load the file you began typing yesterday,  then go into TYPING mode and continue adding to the file while your typing statistics are being monitored.

See Also:

Building Your Typing Vocabulary


Popup-Autoexec.bat
AUTOEXEC.BAT

The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is a text file that contains a list of MS-DOS commands that are run every time you power-on, or re-boot your PC.  Most of the commands in this file will set ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES to specific values, and will set your PATH statement.

Please read your MS-DOS User's Guide for more detailed information about environment variables, path statements, and set commands.


Popup-CONFIG.SYS
CONFIG.SYS

This is a text file of commands that are loaded into your PC when you power-up or re-boot. The commands in this file usually set internal drivers such as SCSI hard disk drivers, video drivers, memory management drivers, etc.  This file can be edited just as your AUTOEXEC.BAT file can.


Setting Your Skill Level

This selection will set a delay mode that sets the prompting rhythm and speed that makes FasType unique.  The Beginner Skill Level -- 10-15WPM is the skill level that is automatically selected when you start FasType, unless you saved your previous settings.  This slow prompting rhythm will stay in effect throughout your typing session until you reset it by selecting an Intermediate or Advanced skill level speed choice.  The Beginner skill level is for the beginning typist whose speed ranges from 0 to 25 WPM.  The other two typing skill levels are automatically toggled "OFF" when this is selected.

Intermediate Skill Level
This selection will set a skill level that initializes a prompting rhythm and speed to a degree that is appropriate for intermediate typists.  If you're an intermediate typist you'll want to select this skill level prompting speed.  The prompting rhythm you select will stay in effect throughout your typing session unless you change it again.  The Intermediate Typist skill level is for experienced typists whose speed ranges from 25 to 60 WPM.

Advanced Skill Level
Making this selection will set a skill level that speeds up the prompting rhythm that is appropriate for advanced typists.  If you are an experienced typist who only needs to become familiar with PC keyboards then you might like to try this skill level.  It is really challenging to try to stay ahead of the delayed prompting when the keyboard is displayed while typing exercises chosen from the Intermediate or Advanced menus.  This skill level is clearly designed to increase your speed.  If you try typing drills, then the metronome-like quality of the prompting rhythm will excite you into typing faster.    The advanced skill level is for highly experienced typists whose goal is to increase their speed.  You should have the ability to type at least 60 WPM and above to be successful at this skill level.


The Keyboard

The keyboard display provided by FasType is similar to the keyboard you are actually typing on. Only the main typing area is used since that is the area you're learning to touch-type on.  The other areas of the keyboard -- the function keys, keypad area, and cursor control section are not part of the touch-typing experience.  Correctly using these keys is usually included in "keyboarding" courses, or keyboard training and not thought of as part of touch-typing.

FasType provides keyboard images of two of the most popular keyboard styles.  The Shareware version comes with a layout of the 101-key Enhanced keyboard.  This keyboard is easily identified by the horizontally-shaped ENTER key.

The other keyboard is the AT-Style keyboard, and is identified by the large reverse L-shaped ENTER key.  This keyboard display is provided only with the REGISTERED version of FasType.

See Also:

The HOME Keys

Keyboard Selections

Special Keys

The Text Window


Using The Shift Keys

The shift keys on all PC keyboards are located at each end of the row of keys above the space bar.  Notice where they are.  The shift keys are pressed down and held with either pinky finger while the letter to be capitalized, or the shifted-character to be typed, is typed with a finger of the opposite hand.

The right hand shift key is used to capitalize any letter struck with the left hand, and the left hand shift key is used to capitalize any letter struck with the right hand.

See Also:

Typing the Capital Letters


The HOME Keys
Where Are The HOME KEYS?

The HOME KEYS are the keys on the keyboard where your finger tips rest while you are poised for typing.  The finger tips of your left hand rest on the  A S D F  keys.  The little finger of the left hand rests on the A key, the ring-finger rests on the S key, the second finger rests on the D key and the index finger is on the F key.  The thumb of the left hand is NEVER used in typing (well, almost never).  The finger tips of the right hand rest on the J K L ;  keys.  The index finger of the right hand rests on the J key, the second finger on the K key, the ring finger rests on the L key, and the pinkie finger rests on the  ;  key (semi-colon).  This row of keys is called the HOME ROW.

Notice that your fingers do not cover all of the keys on the HOME ROW.  The G and H keys are typed with the index fingers of each hand.  The left index finger which normally rests on the F key is  used to type the G key; while the index finger of the right hand which rests on the J key is used to type the H key.  The thumb of the RIGHT hand is always used to type the SPACEBAR.

Learning Letters and Punctuation
The basic premise of touch typing is that each key is to be typed by a specific finger and not by some different finger each time.  The keys for each finger are allocated in a fairly logical way, so that each key can be reached comfortably without having to stretch too much.  The ultimate quest with touch typing is to make the striking of each letter so automatic that no conscious thought is required to perform the operation.  The keys must first be learned though,  and this can be done by using FasType's Beginner Drill selections.

Note that the right thumb is used for nothing more than striking the space bar.  In the old days before PC's, strict typewriter teaching demanded that the left thumb never be used in touch typing;  but you can use the left thumb to hit the spacebar just as easily as the right.  The main point is that this leaves only the four fingers of each hand for the main task of striking the other keys.

See Also:

Beginner Drills

How to Type


Special Keys
Special Keyboard Keys

FasType will try to emulate the actions of a real keyboard where possible.  FasType will respond if the following keys are pressed during a drill or exercise:

CAPS LOCK
You can "toggle" the caps lock key on or off.  If you toggle it on, the screen keyboard display will show the caps lock key in a depressed position.  With caps lock ON, lower case letters will need the shift keys to be typed properly.  Capital letters will NOT need the shift key to be pressed.  If the caps lock key is ON and you type a lower case letter without using the proper shift key, the letter keycap on the screen will flash as an error, and you will be penalized with one keystroke error.

ALT & CTRL
These are Windows control keys and are ignored by FasType.

TAB
The TAB key is not used in FasType.  Pressing it will cause a keystroke error.

BACKSPACE
The backspace key can be used while you are typing exercises selected in Intermediate or Advanced Exercises.  You can backspace the cursor to correct any typing errors.  In fact, you can backspace all the way back to the beginning of the top line displayed in the text window.  You cannot backspace to lines which have scrolled off the top of the screen.  Each use of the backspace key during OPEN TYPING counts as an error.

NUM LOCK
This key controls the setting of the keypad keys.  If you're using the keypad to practice typing numerics, then the NUM LOCK key needs to be set ON.

PRT SCREEN
Pressing this key anytime will cause Windows to save an image of the screen to the Windows Clip Board.  See Windows Help for an explanation of the Clip Board and what it does.


Learning How To Type

For most computer owners, a word processor and/or a good text editor is one of their most treasured programs.  It imparts the freedom to originate and generate documents away from the confines of the office.  Often though, a severe flaw in this new freedom to create is the inability to type quickly.  Typing accuracy is of less significance, since documents can always be cleaned up magnetically before printing them.  However, the lack of skill in putting thoughts down on paper at a reasonable speed is always frustrating.  If your heart's desire is to write The Great American Novel, or merely effective business letters, then it is imperative to learn the art of touch typing.

The following list will give you some idea of the various authoring speeds  available with different writing techniques:

Hunt 'n Peck Typing	15-25 WPM
Ordinary Handwriting	20-30 WPM
Touch Typing (average)	40-60 WPM
Very Good Touch Typing	70-90 WPM
High Speed Touch Typing	100+  WPM

 See Next:

How to Type

The Art of Touch Typing

Preparing to Type

Starting to Learn

Posture Tips


The Art of Touch Typing

"Hunt 'n Peck" typing is obviously a flawed form of typing in that one or two fingers of each hand are used to type the letters one by one.  It is a very mundane form of typing for the beginner to lapse into but has serious restrictions on the higher typing speed which can be achieved by correct touch typing.  It is better to bite the bullet and go through a period of veritable awkwardness, learn the vagaries of correct touch typing, and arise at the end a genuine touch typist.

It is a known fact that most typists who type a lot of plain text  do not absorb the meaning of what they are typing.  The text flows from the paper to the eyes and out again at the fingers.  Your brain, conscientiously or unconscientiously controlling the process, can be occupied at least partly, with more entertaining thoughts.   In other words, touch typing is not an intellectual exercise; it is essentially a reflexive motor skill.

It appears at first, that touch typing is a slow process as the following steps are consciously followed:

1. Your eye reads a letter from the copy, or your mind conceives of one while creating text;

2. Your brain recognizes the letter from its database of knowledge;

3. Your brain then locates the placement of the letter on the keyboard;

4. Your brain now selects the finger that will be used to type the letter on the keyboard;

5. Your brain orders the finger to move to the selected key;

6. Finally, the letter is typed (or mistyped as the case may be).

The main objective of touch typing is to combine the four middle steps that take place in the brain, so they become one instinctive and unconscious action, as natural as handwriting.  This can be developed only with lots of practice; learning to touch type correctly is akin to learning to play a keyboard instrument.

See Next:

Preparing to Type

Starting to Learn


Preparing to Type

There is more to typing than just memorizing the keyboard and learning finger placement.  Other factors need to be taken into consideration too, such as posture and seating arrangement.

First of all, don't slouch in your seat, try to observe proper posture while sitting at your PC.  Find a position that is comfortable for you and that will help reduce fatigue.  This will insure proper keyboarding and will help increase your accuracy.

Secondly, to impose specific chair sizes and desk heights is impossible, since everything depends on the shape and size of the individual.  In general, the following rules should be followed in finding a comfortable typing position:

Sit upright in your seat with your back erect and your body leaning slightly forward.  Be sure your feet are flat on the floor directly in front of you.

Hold your elbows to your side in a relaxed position and raise your wrists so your hands "drape" down toward the keyboard.  It is important that you DO NOT rest the palms of your hands on the edge of the desktop or on the edge of the keyboard.  The palms must be raised so the back of your hands are slightly above the knuckles of your fingers.

Rest the fingertips of both hands on the HOME keys  asdf and jkl; and the thumb of your RIGHT hand just lightly touching the spacebar.

Your PC screen should be directly in front of you, clearly visible without having to lean forward or down.  If necessary place something between the monitor and the computer to gain some elevation for the screen.

The pages of material or text to be typed should be propped up to the left or the right.  One of the many kinds of copy  holders sold in computer stores is a big help.

Once you begin to develop a typing "style" you can modify your posture slightly to be more comfortable.  When you begin to type, your fingers should strike the keys with as little movement of your hands as possible.  Your fingers should reach up and down from their HOME position and return to their HOME position after each stroke.  If you keep your fingers slightly curved and the fingernail portion of your fingers perpendicular to the keys (straight up-and-down) you will be able to reach all of the keys on the main typing area of the keyboard with little effort.  Try to keep your hands stationary and let your fingers do all the work.  If you can keep the typing motions mainly in your fingers you will gradually build up speed and accuracy.

The furniture and equipment needed to achieve this ideal setting will depend upon availability and expense.  Office style furniture is suitable, with chairs of adjustable height and a variety of computer tables and desks designed to hold PC's.  Strict conformity to this ideal, however, is not necessary and adjustments to existing furniture can often be made using cushions, telephone books, and other objects.  If you're not able to obtain a satisfactory setting, the subsequent aches and pains will soon let you know.

See Next:

Starting To Learn


Starting To Learn

Learning to type on a PC is much easier than learning to type on a conventional typewriter. There are no problems with paper insertion and alignment, "correct-o-type" cartridges, and paper margin settings. After the initial setup of your PC, a good word processor or text editor eliminates all worries about page layout-margins, indents, line spacing, etc.  These are handled easily by your software.

Typing mistakes are easier and less messy to correct; a quick flick of the backspace key eliminates the wrong letter.  Above all, even a beginner can prepare a handsome looking document.  However badly it was initially typed, it can be cleaned up electronically and printed without any trace of the original errors showing up.  Thus, a beginner can be productive almost immediately.  With a conventional typewriter, document production in the early phases of learning is either very slow or the final document is dripping with whiteout liquid.

A more systematic approach to learning is highly desirable.  Of course it's possible to use ordinary self-teaching typing books that can be found in many libraries and book stores.   But an interactive computer typing tutorial like FasType to help you learn touch-typing is more desirable.

It's a lot better to practice touch typing for fifteen to twenty minutes each day rather than have a two-hour onslaught every Saturday morning.  Of course a longer typing period each day is more beneficial.   Whatever your schedule is,  if it's possible, try to set aside a regular period for typing practice, preferably when you're reasonably fresh and alert.

See Also:

What to do Next


Developing Speed and Accuracy

Early on, during your typing drills or exercises, you'll discover that you've typed a set of letters without consciously thinking about it.  You will have thought of the word "there", and suddenly "there" is displayed on the screen just as you typed it.  Wow!   You've passed through the first bottleneck to good touch typing, and although there is plenty of hard work ahead, the knowledge that you can do it will encourage you to continue.

There are two objectives for you to pursue; speed and accuracy.  Historically, it's been shown that it's impossible to concentrate on both of these at the same time.

Improved typing speed is your main goal for now; accuracy will follow naturally.  To increase typing speed, it is necessary to drive yourself hard, giving your mind and fingers every chance to exhibit their knowledge of the keyboard, and ignoring any evidence to the contrary.  It is like exercising; if it doesn't hurt, it's not doing you much good.  On the other hand, if you don't make mistakes while going for speed, then you probably are not trying hard enough.

When you're ready to work on accuracy, then it will be necessary to slow down a bit.  One technique would be to deliberately think, or even say under your breath, each letter before typing it, and concentrate on making each keystroke quick and exact.  Try to develop a regular typing "beat".  Type in unison with the metronome-like 'clicks' of the prompting sound from the program.  You could lightly tap your foot and type to that rhythm too.  When starting a typing session targeted to improving your accuracy, start slowly and maintain control, and then when you feel ready, try to build up to a comfortable speed.

You should decide before starting a session whether to practice for accuracy or speed.  One possible plan for a session might be to start with accuracy as the goal, build up to your  maximum comfortable speed, practice for a while, and then spend some time on developing your speed.  You could then wind down and return to typing for accuracy, so that you don't get discouraged.  As a rule-of-thumb, if your typing accuracy is above 95%, then you should try for more speed.  Then again, if your accuracy rate is below 85%, more time should be spent on improving accuracy.

You can intermix the FasType typing exercises with some real typing using your word processor or text editor.  If you're learning to type for a specific purpose, then finding applicable typing material will not be a problem.  If you're stuck for something to type, simply open any book and begin typing what you see.

When you have learned to navigate the keyboard thoroughly, and begin to practice typing in earnest, your speed will probably be between 5 and 10 words per minute.  With regular practice, an increase in speed of about five words per minute each week can be realized.  If this seems slow, don't worry -within a few weeks or so you should be typing as fast as you can write.  Within two months you could be considered an average typist.  Even if you're slower than this, and many will be, you'll be encouraged to continue by your steady progress.  And remember that once a reflex skill like touch typing is learned, it's hard to lose.


Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Like other learned skills, computer typing is not without its problems.   Repetitive wrist motions, in activities such as typing, can cause a painful condition in the wrists and hands known as "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome".  At one time a little known phenomenon, it's become more widespread with the explosion of personal computer usage in the last decade or so.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by damage to the median nerve, resulting in tingling, numbness or pain beginning at the tips of the thumb, index or middle finger.  The median nerve passes through the wrist into the hand, on the palm side, from the arm.   That nerve supplies the thumb, index finger, middle finger and part of the ring finger with sensation and muscle control.  It then passes through a narrow space in the underside of the wrist called the carpal tunnel.  Damage can also be caused by a sudden blow to the wrist such as breaking a fall or repetitive wrist motions as in typing.  This can cause severe swelling or compression of the nerve.  Treatment may range from holding your wrists straight while typing for mild cases to surgical removal of tissue for more severe cases.

Proper posture, correct typing techniques, good lighting, and a suitable work environment can help you avoid this debilitating condition.  Learn to relax and pace yourself, there is no need to tense up.   Good typing, speed, and accuracy all come with time.

See Also:

Fatigue


Fatigue

Like other learned skills, computer typing is not without its problems.   Repetitive wrist motions, in activities such as this, can cause a painful condition in the wrists and hands known as "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome".  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by damage to the median nerve, resulting in tingling, numbness or pain beginning at the tips of the thumb, index or middle finger.

Fatigue can set in when you're sitting for long periods of time and typing.   There are several things you can do to reduce fatigue.  If you can, get up and walk around for a few minutes, or just stand up and stretch a bit.

Your eyes can get tired too, staring at the monitor all day.  Make sure your face is at least two feet or more away from the monitor. Look up frequently and change your focus to distant objects.  If you're near a window, look out frequently.

Don't slouch in your seat and try to observe proper posture while sitting at your PC.  Find a position that is comfortable for you and that will help reduce fatigue.  This will insure proper keyboarding and will help increase your accuracy.

Sit upright in your seat with your back erect and your body leaning slightly forward.  Be sure your feet are flat on the floor directly in front of you.

Proper posture, correct typing techniques, good lighting, and a suitable work environment can help you avoid fatigue.  Learn to relax, don't tense up, and pace yourself.   Good typing, speed, and accuracy all come with time.


Typing Letter Patterns

As a beginning typist with FasType you have the opportunity to type repetitive letter patterns that exercise your finger placement on various letter keys.   If you've seen other typing courses or typing books, these are the familiar aaa sss ddd fff patterns.

Select Beginner Drills, Typing Patterns on the main menu to use this feature.  As you Add More Letters, the patterns will automatically include the new letters.  Where possible, simple words will be part of the patterns too.

Typing letter patterns will help you exercise your manual dexterity, increase your accuracy, and become more familiar with the keyboard.

See Also:

Add More Letters


Timed Typing

You can set a timer to limit the amount of time you have to type an exercise.  When you select Timed Typing, a dialog box appears that lets you set the time limit in five (5) second increments.  You can set the time limit as long as one hour (59:55). This feature is ideal in a professional environment where potential employees can be tested for their typing proficiency. Just select Open Typing, set the Timed Typing option for the length of time you want to test the candidate, and let them begin typing when they're ready.

See Also:

Timed Exercises

Timed OPEN Typing


Timed Exercises

All sections of the Intermediate and Advanced Exercises menu allow Timed Typing whereby you can type the exercises for a fixed time duration. You can choose timings from 15 seconds up to one hour.  We suggest you stay within the five to ten minute range though; unless you're being tested, timed typing longer than this can get boring.

See Also:

Timed OPEN Typing


Timed OPEN Typing

Open typing lets you type anything you want in an empty window. You would normally just type away to your hearts content until you got tired, then just hit the Escape key or pressed <Alt>+<s> to stop.

If you want to measure typing performance, then Timed Typing while in Open Typing mode is the best way to do it.  Just set the timer and begin typing.  When the timer expires, your typing statistics are displayed.

This feature is ideal for formally testing students or job candidates for their typing skills. It would be a good idea to ensure that the Save History menu item is checked so that a paper copy of their typing statistics can be printed.

See Also:

Timed Typing


Typing HELPERS

You can select typing helpers and options such as outlining of HOME keys to aid you in finger placement on the keyboard.  Or, you can select the "hidden keys" option.  With hidden keys, the letters on the screen keyboard keys are erased.  You can also turn all sound ON or OFF, etc.  Any "typing helper" selected will remain in effect during any of the drills or exercises until you reset them.  More than one helper can be selected, the check mark will indicate the active helpers.   All typing helper settings are saved for the next time you run FasType if you selected SAVE SETTINGS.

See Next:

Audio Assistance

Visual Assistance

Typing Assistance

Other Options


Audio Assistance
HELPERS - Audio Assistance

These typing helpers produce sounds that can help you increase your speed and accuracy while typing.  There is also a Quiet Mode that turns off all sounds and is useful in an office environment.

To help you gain a typing "rhythm" and acquire a "pacing" style, the Metronome sound is available for use when the keyboard is displayed during drills.

A speaker "beep" sound is made to draw your attention to your typing errors.

See Audio Assistance Helpers:

Quiet Mode

Beep Keystroke Errors

Keyboard Metronome

Keyboard Prompting


Keyboard Metronome

A metronome is defined as an instrument that makes repeated clicks at an adjustable pace for marking rhythm.

The Keyboard Metronome provided by FasType makes a sound similar to a metronome so it can pace you through the drills or exercises. FasType's keyboard metronome only works when the keyboard is displayed in the keyboard window.  If you hide the keyboard during exercises, the metronome is disabled.

The speed of the metronome is tied into your skill level.  Your skill level can be set with a menu selection.  The higher you set your skill level, the faster the keyboard metronome will click.

See Also:

Set Skill Level


Visual Assistance
HELPERS - Visual Assistance

Visual Assistance typing helpers are designed to help improve your typing accuracy by modifying the visual keyboard display.

You can select typing helpers and options such as outlining of HOME keys to aid you in finger placement on the keyboard.  Or, you can select the "hidden keys" option.  With hidden keys, the letters on the screen keyboard keys are erased.  Any "typing helper" selected from the dialog will remain in effect during any of the drills or exercises until you reset them.

If you're a beginner, you can use the Outline Home Keys feature to help you locate the position of the home keys on the home row.  As you progress to more letters, you might want to use the Align Finger Positions to help you locate keys on other rows.  If you feel real confident, you can try the Hidden Keys option that simply erases the letters from the keytops on the screen keyboard display.

See Visual Assistance Helpers:

Hidden Keys

Outline Home Keys

Align Finger Positions

Keycap Spotter


Keycap Spotter

This feature is especially useful if you're using FasType on a high resolution monitor -- 1024 x 768  pixels or higher.

The Keycap Spotter will place a blue dot on the animated key so you can easily see the next key that has to be typed.

This feature requires the keyboard display on the screen.


Show Status Bar

The Status Bar is useful for monitoring your on-going WPM and the number of characters you typed up right up to your most recent keystroke.  It also shows the current drill or exercise you selected.

If you need more room on your screen to show both the keyboard and the text window you can check this item OFF and the status bar will be hidden.

If you're in Timed Typing, the time duration will show how much time you have left to finish your exercise.


Helpers - Typing Assistance
HELPERS -- Typing Assistance

These helpers will assist your typing skill, speed, and accuracy. Select each typing helper listed below to see it can help you with  your typing.   All typing helper settings are saved for the next time if you selected SAVE SETTINGS from the menu bar.

See Typing Assistance Helpers:

Quiet Mode	Keyboard Metronome
Hidden Keys	Align Finger Positions
'Beep' Errors	Keyboard Prompting
Outline HOME Keys	Keycap Spotter
Word Wrap	Show Status Bar
Use CAPS Lock	Drill Count


Other Options

FasType has some extra options that will give you some variety over your typing environment.  You can change the fonts and the font color that displays in the text window.  And you also choose among several character pointer ( cursor ) styles that point to the next character to type during intermediate and advanced exercises.

See Next:

Change Text Fonts

Character Pointers

SyncChek


Character Pointers

FasType provides a number of various character pointers or "cursors" that follow along underneath the letters as you type exercises. These can be chosen from a popup dialog box under Options on the menu bar.

Here's some examples of character pointers available with FasType:


Change Fonts
Change Text Fonts

FasType will let you change the font settings for the characters displayed in the text window.  When you click on the Change Font menu item, the standard Windows dialog for changing fonts is displayed.  From this dialog you can choose any font displayed in the font selection list, you can change the size of the font, and you can change the color too.  The font you choose is set for the remainder of your typing session.  If you checked Save Settings, the font, font size, and font color will be used for your next typing session.

The ability to change fonts is a useful tool for the sight impaired, for small children who may have difficulty distinguishing between upper case and lower case letters, and for those working with a high-resolution monitor.

You can change fonts while text is displayed in the text window.  The adjustments are made dynamically.  Choose a font size and color that is pleasing to look at to avoid eye fatigue.


Keyboard Selections

There are two popular style keyboards manufactured for desktop computers.  These styles are usually called the 101-Key Enhanced Keyboard and the PC-AT Style Keyboard.

The PC-AT Style Keyboard was introduced in the mid-80's when IBM announced the availability of the IBM PC-AT with an Intel 286 chip.  This keyboard is easily identified by the shape and size of the ENTER key.  It has a marked resemblance to a backwards-shaped letter L.

In the late 1980's IBM introduced the PS/2 line of computers with an Intel 386 chip.  They also changed the style of the keyboard from the PC-AT Style, to the 101-Key Enhanced Keyboard.  This keyboard can be identified by the shape of the Enter key.  It is on the HOME row of keys and is horizontal in shape, a little shorter than the right shift key just beneath it.  This keyboard also standardized the placement of the CTRL and ALT control keys.  There is a pair of them on either side of the space bar.  The Escape key placement was also standardized at the upper left corner of the keyboard.

THE PC-AT Style Keyboard
The 101-Key Enhanced Keyboard

The keyboard distributed with the Shareware version of FasType is the 101-Key Enhanced Keyboard.  The PC-AT Style Keyboard image is distributed with the registered version of FasType.

See Also:

The Keyboard


The Text Window

The "Text Window" is the area above the screen keyboard window (when displayed) and serves several purposes.   First, it indicates the letters, numbers, and symbols that you are learning how to type during beginner drills.  Secondly, it's used to display the word groups, sentences and paragraphs that you have to type during intermediate or advanced exercises.

For Exercises chosen from the Intermediate or Advanced menu,  the text window displays several lines of text for you to type.   If there is more text than is shown in the window,  it will scroll up a line at a time when you're several lines from the bottom of the window.

See Also:

The Keyboard Window


Typing Statistics

Timings and WPM scoring are hard to compare to each other.  When timings are graded properly, a combination of your keystroke accuracy and speed is taken into consideration.  Taking  timings on 15 or 20 seconds worth of typing practice does not tell you the rate you can type in one minute, but it does tell you the rate at which you are capable of attaining in a matter of time.  Your typing speed is also relative to the number of typing errors.

Most typing courses use the standard that every five keystrokes equals one word.  A keystroke can be a letter, a number, a punctuation mark, or even a space.  This allows you to easily figure your speed no matter what material you are typing.

A general rule is to subtract one word -- or five keystrokes for each error.  If you type 20 words per minute with one keystroke error, then your net rate is 19 WPM.  Timings can be taken for any duration, but usually they begin at one minute, two minutes, three minutes, and usually end at five minutes.

The timings that FasType takes during your practice sessions are calculated according to this formula.  The program does all the calculating automatically for you and displays various scores.

After learning to navigate the keyboard it's common practice to type the same sentence a number of times and to even take timings on a repeated sentence.  It is especially helpful to use alphabetic sentences because all the letters of the alphabet are used in them.

Generally speaking, if you can type accurately at 40 words per minute after a full typing course, you're doing well.  After the second course, 50 or 60 words a minute on a five minute timing with five errors or less is very acceptable.  Although speeds above this are obtainable, don't judge yourself harshly, especially during the learning process.  As we've said before, typing speed is achieved naturally, and accuracy falls into place with practice.

One thing to consider when working on your timings is the "word difficulty" factor, which is based on the number of keystrokes in the word and the number of syllables it contains.  Beginning typists should avoid material of a highly technical nature; using children's story books to practice your typing would solve this problem initially.

Don't attempt to emphasize speed over accuracy, even though you're trying for speed first. Just keep trying.  Continued practice will improve both your speed and accuracy;  remember this: you cannot learn to play a musical instrument in a few hours.  But, you'll be able to play the scales after a few practice sessions.

See Next:

Typing Statistics Window


Typing Statistics Window

Typing Statistics Definitions

Typing Selection	---	A reminder to you of the drill or exercise you selected from the menus
BEST WPM so far	---	The highest attained WPM (Words Per Minute) attained during this typing session using FasType
Average WPM this session	---	This is a calculation of your average WPM during this session for drills or exercises lasting a minute or more.  Anything lasting less than 60 seconds will NOT be included in this average
ACCURACY SECTION:

Typing Errors	---	The total number of errors made during the current drill or exercise.  If you used the backspace key during exercises to correct errors, the errors will not be counted.  However, each use of the backspace key during OPEN TYPING will count as an error.
Accuracy	---	A percentage of correct keystrokes made against the total number of keystrokes required to complete the drill or exercise.
You Typed	---	The number of characters you typed before this drill or exercise finished.  If you typed all of the characters that made up the drill length, then this count will NOT exceed the drill length.  If you terminated by pressing the ESCAPE key, it's the count you typed so far.
Total Keystrokes	---	The total number of keystrokes you typed to complete the current drill or exercise; or up until you pressed the ESCAPE Key.
Number of Words	---	Computed from Drill Length divided by five, which is the average word size.

SPEED SECTION:

Computed Speed	---	Your true WPM rate with errors computed for the drill or exercise just completed.  Standard typing practice calls for a penalty of 5 keystrokes for every typing error you make.
Raw speed	---	This is simply your keystroke rate including error keystrokes and backspace keystrokes divided by elapsed time.  Penalties are not included.
Elapsed Time	---	The total minutes and seconds it took you to complete the drill or exercise.  Its the same time that was ticking away in the upper right hand corner of the screen during typing.

You Practiced Section:

The number of drills and exercises that you selected to practice typing during this session.

BUTTONS

The large button on the left labeled "ANOTHER" will actually say "Another Drill" or "Another Exercise" depending on your Skill Menu selection.  This is the default button, so just type the Space Bar or Enter Key to type your next drill or exercise.  The other buttons are self explanatory.

See Next

Typing Statistics

Typing History


Typing History

Your typing statistics for each drill or exercise can be saved to disk in a statistics history file named HISTORY.HST.  You have to type a minimum number of characters each time for the statistics record to be saved.

The statistics history is cumulative across typing sessions too.  FasType will keep adding history records to the existing file until you delete it or archive it.

Normally we don't recommend saving typing statistics to floppy disks.  However, in a training environment where individual students want to keep their own typing statistics, and multiple directories are not practical, this can be accomplished through the use of a DOS environment variable.  You can assign a drive and path name through the WFTSPEC environment variable if you want settings and history records saved in a location other than the default drive/directory.

See Also

Typing Statistics

Environment Variables


Saving Settings

This feature lets you save your FasType settings to a disk file.  The next time you start FasType, all of your option settings and file selections that were made during your last typing session will be restored.

See Next:

Save Program Settings

Save Typing Statistics


Save Program Settings

FasType will create two disk files in your current directory when you exit FasType with this option selected.  The first is an initialization file named FASTYPE.INI and contains program initialization data.   The second file is named SETTINGS.SAV and contains detailed information about the program's current settings.  These are small files and take up very little disk space.   However, if you're working with floppies, and this is where you want to save your settings files, you should insure there's enough space on the diskette and the notch on the floppy is NOT covered by a write-protect tab.

See Also:

Save Typing Statistics

Special Files - Maintenance


Save Typing Statistics

Your typing statistics for each drill or exercise where you've typed a minimum number of characters can be saved to disk in a statistics history file named HISTORY.HST.

The statistics history is cumulative across typing sessions too.  FasType will keep adding history records to the existing file until you delete it or archive it.

You can also save your typing statistics to a floppy disk.   You can assign a drive and path name through the WFTSPEC environment variable if you want settings and history records saved in a location other than the default drive/directory.

See Also:

Special Files - Maintenance

Environment Variables


Sync-Chek
SyncChek

FasType has "SyncChek".  As you follow the cursor while typing exercise lines, sometimes you can be "off-by-one".  That is, the letters you are typing don't match the letter over the cursor - you're "off-by-one", - either ahead or behind.  SyncChek will solve that problem.  SyncChek will detect that you're typing "off-by-one" and adjust the cursor's position accordingly, either one letter ahead or one behind, thus putting you back on track.  Your keystroke penalty for being "off-by-one" is at most two keystrokes instead of the usual six or seven.

Here's an example: suppose you're typing the word improvement and the cursor pointing to the next letter for you to type is resting under the letter m and you type the letter p.  What will happen is that the m will be X'd as an error and the cursor will advance to the letter p.  Now you type the letter r, so the letter p that you were supposed to type will be X'd as an error and the cursor will advance to the next letter which is o.  Now you type the letter v instead and this time SyncChek will kick in; it will detect that you've been typing "off-by-one" and advance the cursor past the letter v to the letter e.  If you continue typing as normal, you'll be back on track, successfully typing the rest of the letters e m e n t, and so on to the next word.  Without SyncChek, all of the letters that you type while in an "off-by-one" situation will be X'd as errors.  SyncChek is designed "adjust" your accuracy while helping to improve your speed.


Quiet Mode

This feature will turn all sound OFF during your FasType typing session. This option remains set until you change it.  The QUIET mode selection overrides the "BEEP" Keystroke Errors selection.

When QUIET mode is turned ON (check-marked), all PC speaker sounds will be suppressed; when it is turned OFF (no checkmark), all speaker sounds will be available.

This option is ideal for an office environment where others may be disturbed by the various sounds produced by FasType

See Also

Audio Assistance


Hidden Keys

This typing helper will erase all of the typing letters from the screen keyboard keycaps.  You may wish to use this feature after you have memorized the key letter placements.  You'll still be prompted to press the indicated key during a drill or exercise but will have to rely on your memory to remember where the adjacent keys are located.

When this feature is checked ON, all of the typeable letters and characters on the keyboard keycaps of the screen keyboard display will disappear.  During drills, the character you have to type will appear on its displayed keycap.  During exercises, the delayed prompt will cause the key to appear after a short period of time has elapsed.


Beep Keystroke Errors

Making this selection will enable a 'beeping' sound whenever you make a keystroke error.  A large X or the international "NO" symbol will flash over the key that you pressed incorrectly and at the same time the speaker will sound indicating that you made an error.  This feature is "ON" when you start FasType.

Note: if all SOUND has been turned OFF via the QUIET Mode selection then the keystroke error 'beep' will also be turned off even though the checkmark in the dialog box may indicate it's turned on.

See Also:

Keyboard Metronome

Keyboard Prompting


Outline Home Keys

Selecting this typing helper will cause boxes to be drawn around the HOME keys of the screen keyboard.  The first box is drawn around the A,S,D,F keys and the second box is drawn around the J,K,L,; keys.    This is a keyboard helper designed for beginners and assists you in the correct positioning of your fingers on the keyboard during typing.  This option remains in effect until you turn it OFF.  You might like to use the outline when you try typing with the HIDDEN KEYS helper active.


Word Wrap

The Word Wrap feature is for typists familiar with word processors.  Word wrap means that as you type and reach the end of the line on the screen, the word that cannot fit will automatically "wrap" to the beginning of the NEXT line; you don't have to press the ENTER key to cause the cursor to go to the next line.

This feature is only important when typing exercises chosen from the Intermediate or Advanced Menu.  When the advancing cursor reaches the end of the line it will rest under a SPACE or a CARRIAGE RETURN symbol.  With the Word Wrap feature turned ON, you can type either a space or press the enter key and the cursor will move to the first character of the next line; either one is correct and will be counted as a valid keystroke.

If you want more practice using the ENTER key during exercises, turn the Word Wrap feature OFF.


Change Drill Count

This is a count of the number of characters you have to successfully type in any drill selected from the Beginner Drills menu.  You can enter a count of 10 to 999.  If you don't enter a number, FasType will use a the count from the Skill level set from the menu.  The number of characters for any exercise selected from the Intermediate or Advanced Menu is already determined from the length of the text exercises on disk.  The number shown in the dialog box is the current setting.

The number that you type in is used as the drill count for all subsequent beginner drill selections for the duration of this typing session.  The drill count is reset to its default value for your next typing session unless you checked Save Settings.


Using Caps Lock

You can "toggle" the caps lock key on or off during typing of intermediate or advanced exercises.  If you toggle it on while the screen keyboard is displayed, it will show the caps lock key in a depressed state.

With caps lock turned ON, lower case letters will need the shift keys to be typed properly.  Capital letters will NOT need the shift key to be pressed.  If the caps lock key is ON and you type a lower case letter without using the proper shift key, the letter keycap on the screen will flash as an error, and you will be penalized with one keystroke error.  ONE EXCEPTION: if you select the CAPITAL LETTERS ONLY option from the Beginner Drills menu selection, you will NOT be able to toggle the CAPS LOCK key to it's ON state!


Keyboard Prompting

This feature is mainly for Intermediate and Advanced typing exercises.  If you pause a little while typing text displayed in the text window, the keycap of the key you are supposed to hit will begin animating to give you a visual clue for the correct location on the keyboard of the key you are supposed to type.

If you turn this feature off, then you won't be prompted for the key location if you pause while typing exercises.  This could hurt your performance.

This option is a visual assistant, but coupled with the Keyboard Metronome can be considered an audio/visual typing assistant.


Align Finger Positions

This selection is similar to the Outline Home Keys visual helper.  This feature will cause lines to be drawn on the screen keyboard that will separate the keys vertically.  It will indicate all the keys on different rows that could be pressed with the same finger for each hand.  This is a keyboard helper designed to assist you in typing the letters with the correct fingers.  You can use this typing helper together with the Outline Home Keys helper.


Creating Exercise Files
Creating Type-Your-Own Exercise Files

FasType will let you use any text file you specify in the File Open dialog box when you choose TYPE YOUR OWN TEXT from the Advanced Exercises menu.  Don't worry about line length, special characters or formatting considerations.  FasType will reformat your text to fit the text window size and filter out any characters it can't identify with the keyboard you are using.

You'll want to create a file that contains MULTIPLE different typing exercises that FasType will choose randomly during your typing session of "Type Your Own".  It's easy to to do this, just insert the phrase

@TEXT@

on a line BY ITSELF in between the lines you type to separate the text into many exercises.  Insert this phrase between lines as many times as you want.   FasType will randomly select text from any file whose lines are separated by this phrase.

You may want to include special words or phrases that are unique to your business, profession, or student activities that you would frequently type such as scientific terminology, or "legalese".

FasType normally condenses sentences and paragraphs together by filtering out line breaks.  You can prevent FasType from condensing paragraphs together by using a special symbol.  Paragraphs can be terminated by a special character that FasType will recognize but won't show in the exercise.  It signals FasType to begin the next line of text on a NEW line of the text window.  This special character is the PARAGRAPH MARKER ( ¶  - ASCII value 20).  If your text editor or word processor doesn't attach special meaning to this character, you can enter it by holding down the ALT key and pressing the numbers two and zero on the KEYPAD section of your keyboard.  If your keyboard does not have a KEYPAD area, you'll have to consult your PC User Guide to find how to enter non-typable ASCII characters.

You could create a sample letter with your word processor specifying explicit line breaks using this PARAGRAPH MARKER.   When you run FasType, just specify the path and filename that contains the letter you composed in the TYPE YOUR OWN option.

EXAMPLE:  The following text illustrates the contents of a typical ASCII text file prepared by you for use by FasType:

@TEXT@
Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.
@TEXT@
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back, 123456789 times.
@TEXT@
aaa sss ddd fff ggg hhh jjj kkk lll ;;; fff jjj fff jjj fff jjj ddd kkk ddd kkk sss lll sss lll aaa ;;; aaa ;;; asdf jkl; asdf jkl;
@TEXT@
TESTING CAPITAL LETTERS; I CAN TYPE CAPITAL LETTERS REAL FAST!
@TEXT@
ads jad dad kad dak jak kaj laj saj saddl dassl those these them they though that this then

FasType is not very indulgent with anyone who writes a bad lesson.  If any characters in the text that you've created cannot be interpreted by FasType as being allowed for the particular keyboard, FasType will replace it with a "caret" ( ^ ), sometimes known as the "hat" character.


Environment Variables

FasType uses one environment variable if it is present in your environment list.  The Environment variable is WFTSPEC.

Use of this Environment name is optional and its use is designed to control the behavior of FasType. The variable is described as follows.

WFTSPEC is useful if your PC is connected to a Local Area Network (LAN).  WFTSPEC has the full path name including the drive letter, and indicates where FasType's special output files are to be written.  These files are your individual typing options "save" file and your typing statistics "history" file.

If FasType resides on the File Server of a LAN and is shared by many PC's you'd want to save your special FasType files on your PC in your own directory so you won't interfere with anyone else's files.  If this variable is not set, FasType will write these files to the default directory where FasType was started from.

For example, if FasType was installed on the network's file server whose drive was G: and the directory was \fastype, then you'd want to make sure your own settings file and history file were written to your own pc's disk drive.  Therefore you could place the following set command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

set WFTSPEC=c:\ftsave

where c: is the hard drive on your PC and \ftsave is the sub-directory where FasType will place your settings and history files.  If you wanted to save the files on a floppy, substitute  c:  with  a: or  b:.


Special Files - Maintenance

FasType will write up to three output files to either the default directory or to the directory specified by the WFTSPEC environment variable.  These files are necessary if you selected the save settings and/or save history options from the Options menu selection.

If you selected Save Settings, two files will be written to disk when you end your FasType session.  The first is an initialization file called FASTYPE.INI and contains information about the status of the settings and history files.

The Save Settings option  will cause the program to save all of your FasType selections and options settings in a file called SETTINGS.SAV.  This file is written to disk at the end of your typing session.

The Save History option will cause the program to write a record to HISTORY.HST every time you finish a drill or exercise and you've typed a minimum number of characters.  With frequent use of FasType, the file can grow substantially, even though each history record is small.  You'll want to make sure there is enough space on your disk to accommodate it, especially if you're using floppies.  We recommend you periodically archive the history file (save it) to a floppy or to an archive directory, then delete it from your FasType path to start a fresh file.


FasType for Beginners

All computer keyboards are different.  Sure, they all have the usual QWERTY layout, but some of the keys you depend on all the time are not in the place where you'd like them to be.  The original PC-XT keyboard that accompanied the original IBM-PC had the shift keys one key further away then where you expected them to be.  An the ENTER key was too far to the right.  The PC-AT Style keyboard corrected some of these problems, most notably, giving you that huge L-shaped return key; now the IBM 101-key Enhanced Keyboard changed all the rules and set the current standard.

Wouldn't it be nice if you had a typing tutorial program that took these keyboard differences into account, and wouldn't it be nice to have an image of the keyboard displayed on the screen for the exact keyboard you are learning to type on?   Sure it would - and FasType, the BEST Shareware typing tutorial, is the answer.

FasType is a Microsoft Windows typing instruction program designed specifically for two of the most popular keyboard styles.  FasType displays an image on the screen of the main typing area of the keyboard on which you are learning to type. See Keyboard Selections for details.

FasType can help teach you the basic skills of touch-typing.  Whether you are a beginner, a "hunt 'n peck'r" or a typewriter typist who needs to refresh your skills for computer typing, you can use FasType to improve your typing speed and accuracy by following the self-paced drills and exercises.

FasType can help you to:

- Touch type without looking at the keyboard
- Increase your typing speed
- Improve your accuracy

You can begin by selecting drills that acquaint you with the basics of the keyboard.  Then, using text exercises, you can learn to increase your speed and accuracy with two-handed touch-typing by typing words and sentences.   With an image likeness of the keyboard displayed on the screen, you'll learn to type quickly without looking at the real keyboard.

After learning to touch-type letters, numbers, and special characters, you can go on to advanced speed and accuracy exercises.  Famous quotes, technical expressions, and excerpts from popular and funny tongue twisters make these interesting and challenging exercises.

Even if you already know how to touch-type, you can improve your speed and accuracy with these unique exercises.  Words-Per-Minute, keystrokes, error rates, and other typing statistics are tracked and displayed by FasType to show your progress.

See Next:

For the Neophyte if you're just starting out learning to touch-type

For Beginning Typists if you want an overview of the program.

Beginner Drills if you want to see how to start learning


FasType for Advanced Typists

If you're a professional, business person, or a student, you need the skill of touch typing to successfully use your computer in a productive manner.  With FasType it's easy to learn the necessary skills of touch-typing on computers running Microsoft Windows.

If you already know how to touch-type, you can improve your speed and accuracy with typing exercises provided by FasType.   Words-Per-Minute, keystrokes, error rates, and other typing statistics are tracked and displayed by FasType to show your progress.

If you consider yourself an advanced typist, that is -- if your words-per-minute typing rate is above 60 W.P.M., then the Open Typing and Timed Exercises will challenge your word-processing skills.   Long Paragraphs give you lengthy text to type and you can eliminate the screen keyboard display.

You can optionally save your program settings for each typing session, and you can save your typing statistics to a history file.  These features make FasType an ideal training tool in a Local Area Network (LAN) setting such as a typing class, or training organization.  PC-FasType for MS-DOS is licensed by many schools and universities worldwide.  See Licensed Users for a partial list of customers.

See Next:

For the Intermediate Typist if you already know how to type but need to warm up

For the Advanced Typist if you already know how to touch type

Advanced Exercises to get started


Type Your Own HELP
Type Your Own -- File Open - HELP

Select the name of an ordinary text file that you would like to practice typing.  Text files contain characters of the standard ASCII character set and are readable when displayed on the screen or printed on your printer.  To check if a file is an ordinary text file, use the Windows File Manager to view the contents of the file.  The contents will be displayed  and if it's readable then it's an ordinary text file.  If you tried to view a program file (a file ending with .COM or .EXE, the screen would display junk because a program file is made up of computer instructions that are unreadable.


Change Text Fonts -- HELP

FasType will let you use any of your TrueType fonts to display text in the FasType text window or the Open Typing window.  You can also choose a font for beginner drills too, though the font size selection is somewhat limited.

Simply select the font of your choice from the listbox, set the size and color, then observe the sample in the sample box.  If you're running on a high-resolution monitor where the FasType application appears small, you can enlarge the fonts and change the color to make viewing easier.

The ability to change fonts is a useful tool for the sight impaired, for small children who may have difficulty distinguishing between upper case and lower case letters, and for those working with a high-resolution monitor.

You can change fonts while text is displayed in the text window.  The adjustments are made dynamically.  Choose a font size and color that is pleasing to look at and to avoid eye fatigue.


How to Type

Having the right environment and correct posture is as important to learning how to type as typing itself.

You should observe proper posture while sitting at your PC.  Find a position comfortable for you and it will help reduce fatigue.  This insures proper keyboarding that will increase your accuracy.

In general, the following rules should be followed in finding a comfortable typing position:

•  Sit upright in your seat with your back erect and you body leaning slightly forward.  Be sure your feet are flat on the floor with one foot positioned slightly ahead of the other to provide good balance.

•  Hold your elbows to your side in a relaxed position and raise your wrists so your hands "drape" down toward the keyboard.  It is important you DO NOT rest the palms of your hands on the edge of the desktop or on the edge of the keyboard.  The palms must be raised so the back of your hands are slightly above the knuckles of your fingers.

•  Rest the fingertips of both hands on the HOME keys and the thumb of your RIGHT hand just lightly touching the spacebar.

•  Your PC screen should be directly in front of you, clearly visible without having to lean forward or down.  If necessary place something between the monitor and the computer to gain some elevation for the screen.

•  The pages of material or text to be typed should be propped up to the left or the right.  One of the many kinds of copy  holders sold in computer stores is a big help.

TYPING STYLE:
Once you begin to develop a typing "style" you can modify your posture slightly to be more comfortable.  When you begin to type, your fingers should strike the keys with as little movement of your hands as possible.  Your fingers should reach up and down from their HOME position and return to their HOME position after each stroke.  If you keep your fingers slightly curved and the fingernail portion of your fingers perpendicular to the keys (straight up-and-down) you will be able to reach all of the keys on the main typing area of the keyboard with little effort.  Try to keep your hands stationary and let your fingers do all the work.  If you can keep the typing motions mainly in your fingers you will gradually build up speed and accuracy.

See Next:

How to Strike the Keys

Developing Speed and Accuracy


How to Strike the Keys

This topic gives you specific instructions on how to use your hands and fingers to strike the keys in the main typing area. This will help you gain finger dexterity and learn the placement of keys on the keyboard.

Here's how to type on the keyboard:  Strike each key firmly and quickly with the appropriate finger, return it to its HOME position.  Keep the other fingers close to the HOME keys.  Strike the space bar sharply with the side of the right thumb.  The left thumb is NEVER used during typing.

Examine each of the following HELP sections that briefly describe how to type the letters, numbers and capitals while using FasType.

See Next:

Typing Lower-case Letters

Typing the ENTER Key

Typing the Numbers

Typing the Capital Letters

See Also:

Beginner Drills


Typing Lower-case Letters

This topic illustrates the basic technique for typing letters on the qwerty-style keyboard.

asdf jkl;  --  Place left-hand fingertips on the asdf keys and the right hand fingertips on the  jkl;  keys.  Close all fingers slightly and rest them lightly on the keys.  Slant the hands upward parallel to each other at the wrists and keep them low, just clearing the keyboard.  For the space bar,  curve the right thumb and hold it slightly above the bar and pointing to the letter b.

e,i  --  Reach up to these keys with the middle finger of each hand, strike sharply and return to the HOME position. Keep wrists parallel and elbows to your sides.

     e - D-finger (middle-left hand) up to the E-key.
     i - K-finger (middle-right hand) up to the I-key.

r,u  --  Reach up with the index fingers, strike the key sharply and return to the HOME position. Keep the other fingers on the HOME keys.

     r - F-finger (index-left hand) up to the R-key.
     u - J-finger (index-right hand) up to the U-key.

g,h  --  These are easy. Reach over with the index finger keeping the wrists parallel and raised slightly above the keyboard. Keep the other fingers on their HOME positions.

     g - F-finger (index-left hand) over to the G-key.
     h - J-finger (index-right hand) over to the H-key.

t,y  --  These keys are kind of easy also. Reach up with the index fingers press sharply and return to the HOME position.

     t - F-finger (index-left hand) up to the T-key.
     y - J-finger (index-right hand) up to the Y-key.

q,w,o,p --  These keys are a little more difficult. Reach up with the ring or pinky fingers, strike the key sharply and return to the home position.  For w and o try to keep the pinky on or very close to its HOME position.

     q - A-finger (pinky-left hand) up to the Q-key.
     w - S-finger (ring-left hand) up to the W-key.
     o - L-finger (ring-right hand) up to the O-key.
     p - ;-finger (pinky-right hand) up to the P-key.

c,v,n -- Reach down and strike the keys sharply then quickly return to the HOME position.  Keep the other fingers on or close to the HOME position; wrists parallel slightly raised above the keyboard; elbows down to your sides and back straight.

     c - D-finger (middle-left hand) down to the C-key.
     v - F-finger (index-left hand) down to the V-key.
     n - J-finger (index-right hand) down to the N-key.

z,x,b,m --  These keys are hard (that's why they're last). For z and x keep the F and D-fingers on their HOME positions. When you reach for the b-key keep the asdf-fingers on their HOME positions.

     z - A-finger (pinky-left hand) down to the Z-key.
     x - S-finger (ring-left hand) down to the X-key.
     b - F-finger (index-left hand) down towards the right to the B-key.
     m - J-finger (index-right hand) down towards the right to the M-key.

See Also:

Typing the Enter Key

Typing the Numbers


Typing the ENTER Key

With the standard 101-Key Enhanced Keyboard this key is easy to type; simply reach over with your right pinky finger and press it.  On the AT-Style keyboard, the ENTER key is shaped like a large backwards L and is also easy to reach.  On the old-style PC keyboard the ENTER key is difficult to reach because of its unique and odd placement;  you have to stretch over quite a bit to reach it with your pinky finger. The old-style PC keyboard is no longer manufactured.

See Also:

Typing Lower-case Letters

Typing the Numbers

Typing the Capital Letters


Typing the Numbers

Typing numbers is difficult because you have to reach up over the top row of letters keys to get to the number keys. Your typing dexterity for this is weak and must be built up. Follow these simple instructions for typing numbers on the number row of keys.

4,5,6,7  -- These are the first numbers you should learn how to type.  Reach up to the top row of keys with the index finger of each hand. Press the key quickly and return to the HOME position. Bend the other fingers to compensate for the extended reach and keep them on or very close to their HOME positions.  Keep the wrists parallel.

     4 - F-finger (index-left hand) up and towards the left to the 4-key.
     5 - F-finger (index-left hand) up to the 5-key.
     6 - J-finger (index-right hand) up and towards the left to the 6-key.
     7 - J-finger (index-right hand) up to the 7-key.

3,8  --  These are the next number keys you should learn. Reach up with the middle finger of each hand to the top row of keys.  Remember to keep your elbows to your side, back straight, and wrists parallel. Keep the index finger of each hand on their HOME positions.

     3 - D-finger (middle-left hand) up and towards the left to the 3-key.
     8 - K-finger (middle-right hand) up to the 8-key.

2,9  --  These keys may be a little difficult because of the tendency to move the pinky along with the ring finger. Try to keep the index fingers on their respective HOME positions - f and j.

     2 - S-finger (ring-left hand) up and towards the left to the 2-key.
     9 - L-finger (ring-right hand) up to the 9-key.

1,0  --  These are the last number keys to learn. Reach up with the pinky finger to the number row key, press the key sharply then return to the HOME position. Keep the other fingers on their HOME positions. Distinguish between the zero key and the dash key (-) on the number row.

     1 - A-finger (pinky-left hand) up to the 1-key.
     0 - ;-finger (pinky-right hand) up to the 0-key.

See Also:

Typing Lower-case Letters

Typing the ENTER Key

Typing the Capital Letters


Typing the Capital Letters

The shift keys on all PC keyboards are located at the ends of the row of keys above the space bar.  Notice where they are.  The shift keys are pressed down and held with either pinky finger while the letter to be capitalized or the character to be shifted is typed with a finger of the opposite hand.

The right hand shift key is used to capitalize any letter struck with the left hand, and the left hand shift key is used to capitalize any letter struck with the right hand.

Typing capitalized letters will seem to be slow at first, but when you have gained enough skill with your typing, you will find the time required to type a capital letter will gradually decrease and the operation will be performed without conscious effort on your part.  As a beginner, your primary aim is to develop a smooth, even operation and to avoid any break in your typing rhythm.

To capitalize a letter struck with the right hand -

     1. Reach over with the pinky (a-finger) of your left hand and depress the left-hand shift key.
     2. While holding down the shift key, press the letter to be capitalized with the right hand finger.
     3. Release the shift and return the a-finger to its HOME position.

To capitalize a letter struck with the left hand, follow the same procedure outlined above, using the semi-colon (;) finger on the right hand to press the right shift key.

See Also:

Typing Lower-case Letters

Typing the ENTER Key

Typing the Numbers


Posture Tips
While sitting in front of the keyboard, remember to keep your typing fingers at the HOME key positions on the Home row of keys.   Position your wrists properly by moving them up and down until they feel most comfortable.   Adjust your posture too until you feel comfortable; the keyboard may be at different heights depending on where your PC is located. Relax and try not to tense up; we believe that tight muscles and tension in the arms, wrists, and hands contribute to a debilitating condition known as "Carple Tunnel Syndrome".

Sit up straight in you chair and hold your elbows to your side in a relaxed position and raise your wrists so your hands "drape" down toward the keyboard.  It is important that you DO NOT rest the palms of your hands on the edge of the desktop or on the edge of the keyboard.  The palms must be raised so the back of your hands are slightly above the knuckles of your fingers.

Rest the fingertips of both hands on the HOME keys  asdf and jkl; and the thumb of your RIGHT hand just lightly touching the spacebar.

Your PC screen should be directly in front of you, clearly visible without having to lean forward or down.  If necessary place something between the monitor and the computer to gain some elevation for the screen.

The pages of material or text to be typed should be propped up to the left or the right.  One of the many kinds of copy  holders sold in computer stores is a big help.


Licensing Provisions

All users are granted a limited license to copy FasType and give it to others without charge for their evaluation and trial use, with the following additional conditions:

FasType must be distributed in its original, unmodified, complete form, including all documentation files, text files, files containing license agreements, registration fees and schedules, and shareware information.  FasType may not be distributed in conjunction with any other product or service, without express written permission from Trendtech Corporation.

REGISTRATION BENEFITS
Registration of FasType gives you many benefits: all registered users will receive a copy of the latest version of FasType, instructions on how to use a special registration code to eliminate the Shareware Information screens; a disk with expanded exercise files and an additional keyboard display, plus a handsomely printed and bound User Guide, - and, free support from Trendtech Corporation by telephone or letter for a period of 90 days from the date you receive the registered package.  Finally, the author's letter of sincere thanks for supporting Shareware will include an unconditional 30-day money-back-guarantee if you are not fully satisfied.

Upgrade Policy
Please be advised that we will NOT notify registered users directly of new versions of FasType as we are constantly changing and improving the program.  Notification, when necessary, may be made through press releases, disk vendor catalogs, A.S.P. catalogs, vendor advertisements, etc.  If registered users would like to keep current, they may send us their original registered distribution disk (the one with our label on it) along with $5.00 to receive a disk with the most current version of FasType.  We suggest you do this at least annually to benefit from significant program changes and enhancements. Single-user registration fees and requests for other kinds of licenses should be mailed to:

TRENDTECH CORPORATION
Windows FasType Registration
P.O. Box 3687
Wayne, New Jersey  07474-3687
U.S.A.

Please take a moment to complete and mail the FasType registration form along with your payment.  Be sure to specify the disk size needed.  This action will register you as a bona fide user of FasType and help us provide you with better service.

Single User Registration:

Single-User License Price:
One registered package -   $25.00 US$ + Shipping & Handling
please see REGISTER.FRM for details

See Also:

Other Licensing Provisions for Right-to-Copy and Site License information.

Technical Support


Evaluation License

FasType is a Shareware product.  As such, it is made available to the general personal-computing public for evaluation.  You are licensed to operate FasType on your personal computer for the purpose of testing and evaluation as to its usefulness to you on a trial basis .

If you decide FasType is not of sufficient merit to warrant purchase of a user-license through registration with Trendtech, you should remove FasType from your personal computer.  Otherwise, if the program is deemed useful to you and is in fact in regular use on your computer system, then you must register with, and purchase a License from Trendtech Corporation.  The essence of Shareware is to provide personal computer users with high quality software at a reasonable price, and to provide an incentive for Shareware authors to continue to develop new products.

EVALUATION PERIOD:
You are licensed to operate FasType on your PC for testing and evaluation as to its usefulness to you, on a trial basis for 30 days.  We believe this to be a fair and equitable time period for evaluation and we trust your good judgement and sense of fair play in making a decision regarding registration.

Registered users of FasType are those users who elect to register their use of it by paying the indicated license fee to Trendtech Corporation.  By virtue of registration and payment for FasType, registrants are granted a license to continue to utilize the program on their personal computer for as long as they choose.  This "SINGLE-USER" license authorizes the registrant to use FasType on any personal computer system he or she may own or use on a regular basis so long as FasType is operated on only one computer system at a time.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES
If you like FasType tell your friends!  If you don't like FasType tell us!  In order to keep prices for Shareware products like FasType as low as they are, Shareware authors try to avoid  advertising their products in commercial publications.   You, the Shareware user,  are our best form of advertising!  Tell your friends, relatives, and associates.

If you have the opportunity to write an article in a newsletter or a trade magazine and like FasType, then  spread the word!  We need all the help we can get to put quality software into users' hands without charging high prices!

If you want to write an article about FasType, or are considering a product review, we would appreciate hearing from you first to make sure you are evaluating the most current version.

See also:

Single-User Registration

Registration Form

Other Licensing Provisions


Single-User Registration

Registration of FasType gives you many benefits; in addition to a license to use the software for an unlimited period of time on your PC, you will also receive the following:

1. A new disk with the very latest version of FasType; includes Typing History printing module.

2. A handsomely printed and bound User's Guide manual.

3. An extra diskette containing an expanded variety of exercises to add to the basic set that came with your shareware evaluation version, plus an image of the PC-AT Style keyboard.

4. A registration key that eliminates the start-up and shutdown shareware information screens and time delays.

5. Free technical support for a period of 90 days from the date you receive your fully licensed package.

6. And finally, an unconditional money-back guarantee for a period of 30 days from the date you receive your package.  If you're not satisfied with FasType for any reason, just return the package for a full refund -- no questions asked!

The Single-User Registration fee for FasType is as follows:

U.S.A.	-- $29.00,  plus  $3.00 for shipping/handling
Canada	-- $29.00,  plus  $5.00 for shipping/handling
Overseas	-- $29.00,  plus $10.00 for shipping/handling

Click mouse here to view the FasType Registration Form.

Please take a moment to complete and mail the FasType registration form along with your payment.  Be sure to specify the disk size needed.  This action will register you as a bona fide user of FasType and help us provide you with better service.

For Credit Card Orders Only
You can order FasType with MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover from Public (software) Library by calling toll-free 1-800-2424-PsL (1-800-242-4775) or 713-524-6394, or by FAX to 713-524-6398 or by CompuServe e-mail to PsL 71355,470. You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O. Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.

THE ABOVE PHONE NUMBERS ARE FOR CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY.  THE AUTHOR OF FASTYPE CANNOT BE REACHED AT THESE PHONE NUMBERS.

Please ask for "FasType for Windows" -- Product ID# 14379

If you have any questions about the status of the shipment of your order, refunds, registration options, product details, technical support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, non-credit card orders, etc, you must call or contact the publisher/author at Trendtech Corporation, P.O. Box 3687, Wayne, NJ 07474-3687, or by phoning 1-201-694-8622, or FAX 1-201-694-2543.

To insure that you get the very latest version of FasType, PsL will notify us the day they receive your credit card order and we will ship a fully licensed copy of the program directly to you

Single-User Licenses purchased by New Jersey residents in the state of New Jersey are subject to the current New Jersey State Sales Tax rate.  We do NOT collect State Sales Taxes for other states. You must pay NJ sales tax even if you order via credit card from PsL.

See Also:

Registration Form

Canadian and Overseas Registrants

Upgrade Policy

Reference:

Single-User License

Site License

Right-to-Copy License


Upgrade Policy

We don't usually contact registered users directly of new versions of  FasType as we are constantly changing and improving the program.  Notification of new versions, when necessary, may be made through press releases, disk vendor catalogs, ASP catalogs, vendor advertisements, etc.  If registered users would like to keep current, they may send us their original registered distribution disk (the one with our label on it) along with $5.00 to receive a new disk with the most current version of FasType.  We suggest registered users do this at least annually to benefit from significant program changes and enhancements.

See also:

Technical Support


Canadian and Overseas Registrants

Here's an important for tip for Canadian and foreign registrants:  our U.S.A. Post Office handles monetary exchange internationally!  If you're registering from outside of the United States, you can go to your own national post office and get a "POSTAL MONEY ORDER" for the registration fee and shipping charges made out in U.S. Dollars.  The current currency exchange rate will prevail.  Our U.S.A. Post Office will redeem your postal money order for the full face value in U.S. Dollars.

See Also

Registration Form


Popup-money-back guarantee
Money Back Guarantee

We believe in keeping our customers happy. If you're truely not satisfied with the program, or are unable to use FasType for any reason, then just return all of your registration materials along with a request for your money back.  You don't even have to give us a reason; we'll refund your registration fee upon return of the package.  Another PLUS for Shareware.


Other Licensing Provisions

What are right-to-copy and site licenses?  These licenses are an easy and inexpensive way for more than one person to legally use one copy of a program on more than one computer at a time.   Site and right-to-copy licenses are designed for educational and governmental institutions, corporations, corporate training departments, offices, or workgroups where more than one person in the organization needs to use a software product but does not need additional manuals or disks.   Site and right-to-copy licensing gives these organizations the ability to equip their personnel with the software tools they need at a minimal cost.

Basically, here's how site and right-to-copy licensing works: the purchasing organization (the licensee) provides a single point of contact (a person) for shipping, technical support, upgrades, etc., and we (the licensor) provide a "master" of the disks, manual, and any other parts of the package needed to make it operate properly.

KeyMoves™ Software
This wonderful tutorial that teaches ergonomic keyboarding techniques can only be ordered with the Single-User Registration. KeyMoves cannot be ordered with Multi-User Licenses; KeyMoves requires Windows with 256 colors.

Licensing details:

Right-to-Copy License

Site License

Volume Purchase


Single-User License
Single User License

SHAREWARE EVALUATION PERIOD:
You're licensed to operate FasType on your PC for testing and evaluation as to its usefulness to you, on a trial basis for 30 days.  We believe this to be a fair and equitable time period for full evaluation and we trust your good judgement and sense of fair play in making a decision regarding your decision to purchase a fully registered Single User License.

SINGLE USER LICENSE
A Single User License lets you use FasType on a single PC forever, or until you really learn how to type whichever comes first.  You're also allowed to make copies of the registered disk you receive and give them to your friends.  However, you're not permitted to give them your registration code; that would be a violation of our good trust -- and, the U.S. Copyright laws.  Recipients of your copies can run the program in its Shareware mode for their own 30-day evaluation period. Please encourage them to register too if they find the program useful.

MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE
If you're not completely satisfied with your purchase, or are unable to use FASTYPE because of hardware compatibility differences, or you plain just don't like the program,  then just return all your registration materials with a request for your money back. Trendtech Corporation will refund your entire registration fee upon return of the package to us.  Another PLUS for Shareware.

KeyMoves™ Software
This wonderful tutorial that teaches ergonomic keyboarding techniques can only be ordered with the Single-User Registration. KeyMoves requires Windows with 256 colors.

See Also:

Single-User Registration

Multiple-User Registration

Upgrade Policy


Right-to-Copy License

A Right-to-Copy License is available whereby a registered version of FasType can be copied and distributed  by the licensee.  Your purchase of a Right-to-Copy license includes the delivery of a master disk, auxiliary disk, and a printed User's Guide, plus a license agreement with the right-to-copy the disks and manual for the quantity ordered.  The price per copy of FasType under a Right-to-Copy license can be very low, especially for educational institutions like schools and universities, and corporate/government training centers.

When determining the quantity needed,  please note that usage of FasType on a network constitutes usage of it for each keyboard connected to the network, whether FasType is used on each of the workstations or not, and even if it's installed only on the network server. A fully registered and paid-for copy of FasType is required for each PC.  Our Right-to-Copy license satisfies this requirement.

Right-to-Copy License Prices:

Number	License Fee	MIN. Fee	MAX. Fee
of Users	Per User	This Range	This Range
---------------	--------------	-------------	--------------
2 - 5	$18.00	$ 36.00	$  90.00
6- 10	$15.00	$ 90.00	$ 150.00
11- 20	$13.00	$143.00	$ 260.00
21- 50	$10.00	$210.00	$ 500.00
51-100	$8.00	$408.00	$ 800.00
101-300	$6.00	$606.00	$1800.00
> 300	Please call!
The above prices include one registered disk, one auxiliary disk, one printed User's Guide,  and the right to copy both the disk and User's Guide up to the quantity ordered.

If the date of this software, either the Shareware version or the Registered version, is more than two years (2) old, please contact Trendtech for an updated price list.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If your desired number of copies falls in the 25 to 40 range, you should consider a Site License purchase as an alternative to a Right-to-Copy license to save money.

There is a $10.00 license shipping/handling charge for Site and Right-To-Copy licenses.

KeyMoves™ Software
This wonderful tutorial that teaches ergonomic keyboarding techniques can only be ordered with the Single-User Registration. KeyMoves requires Windows with 256 colors.

See REGISTER.FRM for Single-User shipping charges.

There is a full License contract agreement in a file named SITELICE.DOC.  Simply print it out, fill it in, and sign under LICENSEE, we will co-sign and return it with your order.  Also enclose your purchase order, or a check or money order for the correct amount, and mail it to:

Trendtech Corporation
FasType Right-to-Copy License
P.O. Box 3687
Wayne, New Jersey 07474-3687
U.S.A.

Telephone:	201-694-8622
FAX:	201-694-2543
CompuServe:	76210-771
America On-Line:	WJLFasType
Internet:	WJLFasType@aol.com

Upon receipt of a completed and signed purchase order, and/or check or money order for the correct amount, we will send you the required master disks and manuals, and a copy of the license agreement with an authorized signature under LICENSOR.

If you have any questions, or if you need right-to-copy license information for more than 300 users, please call our office at 201-694-8622.

See also:

Site License

Single-User License

Single-User Registration


Site License

A Site License is an easy way for an organization to use multiple copies of  FasType without the need to purchase multiple copies of the User Guide and auxilliary diskette.  For a one-time fee, you will be granted a right to make unlimited copies of the software and documentation at a single location identified by a single mailing address.  This kind of license is ideal for a location that has more than thirty (30) PC's, and where a Right-to-copy license would be too restrictive.

Site License Prices:

Corporate, Government	--  $600.00 US$
Educational	--  $400.00 US$
This price includes one program disk, one auxilliary disk, and one printed User Guide.  The opening title screen of  FasType will contain the name and address of  the licensee's organization.  Your right to copy both the disk and the manual is unlimited at your location as identified in Exhibit 1 of the Site License contract.

If the date of this software, either the Shareware version or the Registered version, is more than two years (2) old, please contact Trendtech for an updated price list.

Trendtech Corporation
FasType License
P.O. Box 3687
Wayne, New Jersey 07474-3687
U.S.A.

Telephone:	201-694-8622
FAX:	201-694-2543
CompuServe:	76210-771
Internet:	WJLFasType@aol.com
-- or --	76210.771@compuserve.com
Upon receipt of a completed and signed purchase order,  and/or check or money order for the correct amount, we will send you the required master disks and manuals, including a copy of the license agreement with our authorized signature under LICENSOR.

KeyMoves™ Software
This wonderful tutorial that teaches ergonomic keyboarding techniques can only be ordered with the Single-User Registration. KeyMoves requires Windows with 256 colors.

See Also:

Right-to-Copy License

Volume Purchase

Registration Form

Single-User Registration


Volume Purchase

Fully registered copies of  FasType are available on a volume purchase basis.  Volume discounts start at two (2) copies.  Pricing is bracketed -- the first bracket is 2 to 5 copies, then 6 to 10, etc. The more you buy the more you save.

A fully registered package consists of a registered disk with the latest version of FasType, a printed manual, an extra diskette containing expanded exercise files, and a screen display of the PC-AT Style keyboard.

VOLUME PURCHASE PRICES:

# Units	Price Each
2--5	$25.00
6--10	$23.00
11--15	$21.00
16--20	$20.00
21--30	$19.00
31--50	$18.00
51--100	$17.00
101--125	$16.00
126--150	$15.00
151--200	$14.00
201--300	$13.00
>  300	Call us!
There is a $10.00 license shipping/handling charge for Site and Right-To-Copy licenses.

If the date of this software -- either the Shareware version or the Registered version, is more than two (2) years old, please contact Trendtech for an updated price list.

Trendtech Corporation
FasType Volume Purchase License
P.O. Box 3687
Wayne, New Jersey 07474-3687
U.S.A.

Telephone:	201-694-8622
FAX:	201-694-2543
CompuServe:	76210,771
Internet:	WJLFasType@aol.com
-- or --	76210.771@compuserve.com
Upon receipt of a completed purchase order, and/or check,  or money order, for the correct amount, we will send you the requested registered packages.

If you have any questions, or if you need site license or right-to-copy license information, or for pricing for more than 300 users, please call our office at (USA) 201-694-8622.

See Also:

Site License

Right-to-Copy License


Registration Form
FasType  --  Order Form

Select "File - Print Topic" from the menu bar above to print this form

Name:	_____________________________________________________________
Company:	_____________________________________________________________
Addr. 1:	_____________________________________________________________
Addr. 2:	_____________________________________________________________
City:	_______________________________	Country:	___________________
State:	_______________________________	Telephone:	___________________
Zip Code:	_______________________________	Today's Date:	___________________
My PC is a: (model):______________________________________________________

My Operating System is:  Windows 3.1 [   ]    Windows-95 [   ]    Windows-NT [   ]

I obtained my evaluation copy of FasType from:(vendor):________________________

Quantity	Registered Packages -- Description	Unit Price	Total Cost
---------------	----------------------------------------------------	------------------	---------------------
__________	FasType for Windows	$29.00	__________
__________	PC-FasType/VGA for MS-DOS	$25.00	__________
__________	Educational Site License	$400.00	__________
__________	Corporate/Government Site License	$600.00	__________
__________	Right-To-Copy License - see price list	$_____.___	__________
__________	Software - KeyMoves™ Ergonomic keyboarding techniques	$29.95	__________
__________	A.S.P. CD-ROM Shareware Disk	$17.95	_________
Sub-Total Mdse:	_____________
New Jersey residents please add Sales Tax:	6%:	__________
	Shipping/Handling--	Domestic --> add $3.00
	( choose one )	CANADA --> add $5.00
	Site License and Right-to-Copy License and	Overseas    -->  add $10.00	__________
ORDER TOTAL:	______________

Method of payment:   Please complete the payment portion below:

ALL CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS MUST BE DRAWN ON U.S. BANK ACCOUNTS

Payment:    [  ] Check       [  ] Money Order       [  ] Purchase Order

Call/Mail credit card orders to Public(software)Library; they process ALL credit card orders for FasType.  Call P(s)L at:  800-2424-PSL or FAX this form to: 713-524-6398.

          [   ] MasterCard         [   ] VISA         [   ] American Express        [   ] Discover

Credit Card #:_________--_________--_________--_________    Exp. Date: _____/_____

Name on Card:__________________________________________________________

Cardholder's Signature:___________________________________________________

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trendtech	Corporation:	Mail checks, money orders, and P.O.'s to:
Voice:	(201) 694-8622	Trendtech Corporation
FAX:	(201) 694-2543	FasType/WIN  Registration
CompuServe:	76210,771	P.O. Box 3687
America On-Line:	WJLFasType	Wayne, N J  07474-3687( U.S.A. )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Federal ID # 22-2361270	Source: Shareware Evaluation Version 5.0


KeyMoves Software
KeyMoves™ -- Ergonomic Keyboarding Techniques

by Ergonome Incorporated -- is a software tutorial that provides a quick, powerful and effective safety lesson for everyone who uses a computer keyboard.

KeyMoves demonstrates a systematic and simplified method for the prevention of Repetitive Stress Injuries such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrone (CTS) caused by incorrect keyboard usage.  The software can be used equally successfully as preventive maintenance for the uninjured, and as a retraining tool for those injured who are still able to type.

Who Needs KeyMoves:
A 3 year study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that more than 20 percent of people whose work is primarily at a computer keyboard are affected by a Repetitive Stress Injury. NIOSH predicts that, by the year 2000, fifty percent of all such computer users are at risk for acquiring these injuries. Incorrect use of a computer keyboard can cause injury.

Every computer user who spends more than two hours a day at the keyboard should have instruction in safe computer use such as that provided by KeyMoves.

Order your copy today! -- a perfect complement to FasType.   Single-User Registration of FasType is required.  KeyMoves software is not a part of Site Licenses or Right-To-Copy Licenses.  Volume copies must be ordered from the publisher -- Ergonome Inc. 212-222-9600.

KeyMoves consists of two disks and requires installation under Windows with 256-color capability.

KeyMoves is a Trademark of Ergonome Incorporated.


A.S.P. CD-ROM Shareware Disk

The A.S.P. CD-ROM Shareware Disk is a collection of some the best Shareware produced by members of the Association of  Shareware Professionals.  There are hundreds of programs --  everything from basic learning programs for kids, all the way to programs to help run your business. This collection is the finest available today because it's produced by the premier organization for Shareware authors, the A.S.P.  You'll have an opportunity to evaluate educational programs, business programs, kids programs, games, puzzles, and more.  No other collection of Shareware programs can match the completeness and quality of the A.S.P. CD-ROM Shareware Disk.  Order yours today!


Credit Cards-PSL
For Credit Card Orders Only

All FasType licenses can be paid by credit card.  You can order FasType  (ID#14379)  with MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover from

Public (software) Library

by calling them toll-free at 1-800-2424-PSL (1-800-242-4775) -or- 713-524-6394, or by FAX to 713-524-6398, or by CompuServe e-mail to PsL 71355,470. You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at the following mailing address:

Public (software) Library
P.O. Box 35705
Houston, Texas 77235-5705.
(U.S.A.)

THE ABOVE TELEPHONE NUMBERS ARE FOR CREDIT CARD ORDERS ONLY.    THE AUTHOR OF FASTYPE AND TRENDTECH CANNOT BE REACHED AT THESE TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

Please ask for "FasType for Windows" -- Product ID# 14379

If you have any questions about the status of the shipment of your order, credit card refunds, registration options, product details, technical support, volume discounts, dealer pricing, site licenses, non-credit card orders, etc, you must call or contact the publisher/author at Trendtech Corporation, P.O. Box 3687, Wayne, NJ 07474-3687, or by phoning 201-694-8622, or FAX 201-694-2543.

To insure that you get the very latest version of FasType, PsL will notify us the day they receive your credit card order and we will ship a fully licensed copy of  FasType directly to you.