RapidTyping
Editors’ Review
Rapid Typing Tutor may be a good program to help novice typists improve, but experienced typists looking to increase their speed may be frustrated by the program’s interface.
The program contains a series of lessons that scroll across the screen as the user types. Users can choose from lessons consisting of letters, syllables, capital letters, digits and symbols, or text. As each lesson scrolls across, a keyboard diagram shows an outline of hands moving to the appropriate key. Users type through each lesson and are then shown their scores on speed, accuracy, and arrhythmic input. The main problem with the interface is that experienced typists tend to scan ahead in the text they’re typing from, focusing on words or phrases rather than individual letters. Rapid Typing Tutor allows users to see no more than a few characters ahead. And since the speed of the scroll depends on the speed of the typist, those who are already fairly quick may find that the blur of text flying across the screen is hard to process visually. Users who are just getting familiar with the keyboard layout likely won’t be bothered by this, but they may grow increasingly frustrated as their speed increases.
In general the interface could be more intuitive, but most users should be able to figure it out. Users can create lessons, but it doesn’t seem possible to cut and paste text from elsewhere into a new lesson, which is disappointing. Installation and uninstallation are trouble-free. For free software without limitations, this program is a boon to aspiring typists. More advanced keyboardists may wish to look elsewhere.
WHAT’S NEW IN VERSION 5.4
Fixed updating of the virtual keyboard when changing the language.Also:
Added Vietnamese program language.
Fixed uninstallation using the «Apps and features» command in Windows 10.
Current lesson:
Added color coding on the Tips bar.
Fixed wrong assignment of next course.
Fixed resetting custom background and text color after starting a new course.
Fixed the incorrect message «Change system keyboard language» when changing the language course.
Statistics:
Fixed export of statistics of one group or student in HTML and XML formats.
Result window.
Fixed missing key labels in keystroke diagram.
Fixed transparent space under lesson grades.
Courses:
Added courses for Arabic keyboards.
Intermediate and advanced English courses are available for Indian keyboard.
Developer’s Description
Improve your typing skills with a new-generation typing tutor! RapidTyping will help you learn how to use your keyboard more efficiently in a few easy sessions for absolutely free. Children will learn by playing a fun game, while students and adults can choose pre-configured lessons or create their own training courses. RapidTyping teaches adults and kids, students and teachers, and offers advanced reporting and progress tracking for every student.
Advanced statistics includes 15 different parameters, such as words-per-minute, characters-per-minute and accuracy reports. RapidTyping features a simple and intuitive user interface painted with colors to make learning to type fun. The typing tutor offers many visual aids to help adults and kids learn the computer keyboard, and includes full course statistics in both tables and diagrams.
Multiple user support makes RapidTyping a perfect tool for educational facilities such as schools and universities. Professional typists, teachers and writers will find the ability of RapidTyping to create their own courses tailored to each student truly invaluable. Custom lessons and courses allow designing your very own typing tutor tailored specifically to your needs.
Whether it’s a certain key, set of keys or a keyboard layout that you need to learn, a custom-made typing tutor is your best bet. RapidTyping provides a complete virtual keyboard with both hands moving over it to show the right typing position for each hand and finger. Highlighted zones for each finger help you learn placing your fingers properly a second nature in no time. For non-standard layout users, RapidTyping will automatically create a new virtual keyboard based on your chosen layout. You can learn typing on multiple keyboard layouts by quickly switching between them.