How is your handwriting these days? Do you have a need to do much, for work or leisure?

Mine is not good at all. Back in the day, it was a learned and essential skill.

I was taught, and always took pride in the quality of it, but now, I look at my writing sometimes and wonder if others, or I, can actually read it! What is more, I am sometimes holding the pen like it is some sort of ancient scribe, and can only write about three lines before I have to stop for a break.

Needless to say, my writing life mostly involves a signature here and there, and, maybe shopping or other lists, or a memo note.

I learnt two types of writing at school; cursive script, or ‘joined-up writing’ – which was the one you were supposed to take most pride in; - and print, which is just the plain text.

I know a lot of schools are equipped with iPads or computers now at an early education level as a learning tool.

How is it in schools these days, with amount of typing versus writing, and the quality and amount of time spent on each, teaching and doing?

I also remember being taught to type. Is that still a taught skill?

I read some time ago, that students sitting ‘traditional’ exams, are getting serious writer’s cramp, which was affecting their concentration and performance, because this ‘skill’ was put upon them, when it was not or no longer a large part of their daily lives.

How often are scribes used for iPads e.g. I bought one to keep the touch screen cleaner, but I don’t used it much because it slows me down. An aside, touch screen technology is the most popular and easy to use?


Thoughts and experiences?

I find that I write so little these days that I have to really concentrate on my penmanship when I do need to write. I got into the habit of printing everything very quickly and it does not help when I need to write something in longhand. I am also a leftie and that does not help it seems. My grandson is also a leftie and he tends to write very rapidly also. I do not think a hand writing expert could tell what I wrote. It has never looked the same ever. Some schools are not teaching cursive here now.

[Edited 2016-05-22 18:29:47]

[Edited 2016-05-22 18:31:17]

Mine has gotten to be quite terrible, like really bad. I think its more because I try to hurry to much. Trying to take my time, but that only seems to work for a minute or two LOL!

Quoting WarRI1 (Reply 1): I got into the habit of printing everything very quickly and it does not help when I need to write something in longhand. I am also a leftie and that does not help it seems.

I remember you saying that on the forum some time ago re leftie. Me too.  

Back in the day, people said my writing was very neat (for a left handed writer). LOL.

Speaking of technological changes, I am glad chequebooks are nearly a thing of the past, so discriminatory re lefties!   

Re the printing, I don't print things anywhere near as much as I used to, I am getting very environmentally friendly that way, as they say. When I do, I go a bit mad with a highlighter pen, saves all that writing LOL.   

I how have picked up the skill of highlighting on online documents!

Quoting ACDC8 (Reply 2): Mine has gotten to be quite terrible, like really bad. I think its more because I try to hurry to much. Trying to take my time, but that only seems to work for a minute or two LOL!

Yes, me too. I think that is where my quality has fallen down, particularly also that I don't really care anymore, or don't need to. IMHO that is partly where the writer's cramp kicks in.

Typing has become much quicker to get it said and done.

I don't know where SMS comes into all this. That is called one finger typing. Very frowned upon! Or at least it used to be, probably quite norm now and who cares, as long as the end product or sentence is right, right?  

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 3): I am glad chequebooks are nearly a thing of the past, so discriminatory re lefties!

Funny you should mention that about checkbooks. My wife forgot to write out a check for the milkman, so in the morning I wrote one out. Check one, I wrote information in the wrong place. Second check, I corrected it. I was proud of myself until my wife told me I skipped about five checks in the checkbook. She told me, "never touch the checkbook again"

Hand writing is such an effort, but if I try I can write neatly... For a few sentences. My son had very neat handwriting for his first two years of school but now I notice that it is declining as he writes more and more...

Word processors were made for people like me. Hated handwriting essays and having to rewrite them with corrections. Once I got hold of word processor software and a printer I couldn't stop writing. And now that you can post things online I write even more (ie my trip reports are always too long).

Quoting WarRI1 (Reply 1): I am also a leftie and that does not help it seems.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 3): I remember you saying that on the forum some time ago re leftie. Me too.

In my first year of high school I was complimented on my technical drawing skill, so selected it as a course for the following two years. Unfortunately, being a leftie meant my hand always smudged the pencil writing because we go from left to right.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 3): Re the printing, I don't print things anywhere near as much as I used to,

Using a old dot matrix printer (Epson LX-90 IIRC) for much of university taught me that printers are evil things that just cause pain. Now I find I don't print enough and ink dries on the heads.  

Quoting WarRI1 (Reply 5): She told me, "never touch the checkbook again"

   Oh, dear! I am the only left-handed writer in my family, so I have had comments like that over the years at some level! The only throwback is my Dad is right-handed, but a left-handed golf player! I am not. Life's rich tapestry and all that.

Quoting allrite (Reply 6): Hand writing is such an effort, but if I try I can write neatly...

  

Quoting allrite (Reply 6): Word processors were made for people like me. Hated handwriting essays and having to rewrite them with corrections. Once I got hold of word processor software and a printer I couldn't stop writing. And now that you can post things online I write even more (ie my trip reports are always too long).

Same! I think you have answered my thoughts on one reason why my writing (aka the online version) has picked up, particularly essay style, and why I favoured maths at school over paper writing and literature, not now!

Quoting allrite (Reply 6): In my first year of high school I was complimented on my technical drawing skill, so selected it as a course for the following two years. Unfortunately, being a leftie meant my hand always smudged the pencil writing because we go from left to right.

Yes, normally a leftie can turn the paper around, but not so on a board..

Despite having just gone through Uni, I haven't handwritten much recently. Just about every module involves electronically submitted essays/assignments, but not that many of them have exams. I did an exam on Friday, and I could feel the lack of practice.

That said, my handwriting is a lot better than it used to be. Through all my school years teachers regularly complained about illegible handwriting, and I don't have the left-handed excuse either. It was just terrible. The only changes I made were to stop joining all my letters and tilt the page a little. I think it helped, even if it's a smidgin slower.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): I know a lot of schools are equipped with iPads or computers now at an early education level as a learning tool.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): How is it in schools these days, with amount of typing versus writing, and the quality and amount of time spent on each, teaching and doing?

As above: lots of typing at Uni, but all of my schools emphasised handwriting.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): I also remember being taught to type. Is that still a taught skill?

I was never taught the proper way. Which annoys me a little.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): I read some time ago, that students sitting ‘traditional’ exams, are getting serious writer’s cramp, which was affecting their concentration and performance, because this ‘skill’ was put upon them, when it was not or no longer a large part of their daily lives.

*Puts hand up sheepishly*

Although the most recent one I don't think was affected so much by the handwriting, but rather that my composure had an empty 757-esque departure!  

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 7): The only throwback is my Dad is right-handed, but a left-handed golf player!

That is funny about your Father golfing left handed.. I do everything left handed, but my leftie grandson throws a baseball leftie, and hits right handed. I could never figure that out. He plays tennis left handed.

I don't do much handwriting outside of my signature (which is probably not as legible as it should be).

I gave up on cursive a long time ago (and I really don't see the point in teaching it in schools anymore - it's a dead art form), as I was never very good at it. I never really understood why it was ever popular - it's still hard to read even when someone does it right. Instead, I use all capital letters (with raised letters on words that are supposed to be capitalized) as my standard handwriting style.

The better I get at typing, the less guilty I feel about sloppy handwriting.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 7): The only throwback is my Dad is right-handed, but a left-handed golf player!

Phil Mickelson is a natural right hander who plays golf left handed. He learned to swing by watching himself in a mirror (which to him looked like a right handed swing).

On a side note, my father, who was a former tour player and club professional, took one summer and re-learned golf left handed instead of right handed just for fun. By the end of the summer, he got good enough to break 90.

Quoting MrHMSH (Reply 8): Despite having just gone through Uni, I haven't handwritten much recently. Just about every module involves electronically submitted essays/assignments, but not that many of them have exams. I did an exam on Friday, and I could feel the lack of practice.

Likewise, with formal education being online now. I have a theory that because typing is using both hands (usually) and it is engaging both sides of the brain simultanenously, this can only be a good thing with the learning processes!

I am ambidexterous, and I don't think that is all attributed the the right-handed world, so I think this much more equal manual dexterity in the way we learn is a really good thing nowadays!

Quoting MrHMSH (Reply 8): As above: lots of typing at Uni, but all of my schools emphasised handwriting.

I had some really old-fashioned teachers, which is indicative of my generation talking. They emphasised handwriting like there was no tomorrow. Particularly cursive script.   

Typing speed and accuracy also seemed to give precedence over print writing IIRC. At least that one is still useful!

Quoting WarRI1 (Reply 9): That is funny about your Father golfing left handed.. I do everything left handed, but my leftie grandson throws a baseball leftie, and hits right handed. I could never figure that out. He plays tennis left handed.

What about peeling oranges and bananas e.g. Right-handed me.

[Edited 2016-05-22 19:59:52]

Quoting LittleFokker (Reply 10): I never really understood why it was ever popular - it's still hard to read even when someone does it right. Instead, I use all capital letters (with raised letters on words that are supposed to be capitalized) as my standard handwriting style. The better I get at typing, the less guilty I feel about sloppy handwriting.

I never understood its popularity either. The thing about typing, is that we are all the same. It makes the spellling and writing style more prominent, which is what really matters.

People at school got reprimanded for their sloppy writing, when IMHO so many other aspects were more important. I guess it doesn't matter nowadays but if you were applying for a job back in the day it was seen as a reflection on abilities perhaps.

Quoting LittleFokker (Reply 11): Phil Mickelson is a natural right hander who plays golf left handed. He learned to swing by watching himself in a mirror (which to him looked like a right handed swing). On a side note, my father, who was a former tour player and club professional, took one summer and re-learned golf left handed instead of right handed just for fun. By the end of the summer, he got good enough to break 90.

Interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[Edited 2016-05-22 19:56:55]

My handwriting was always dreadful and probably has improved in recent years as long as I don't need to rush. If I rush it's usually for me only.

I fit into the throw left/write left, bat right/right footed camp too. If you lob a tennis ball at me and want me to catch it one handed, I'm going with my right hand.

Quoting MrHMSH (Reply 8): and I don't have the left-handed excuse either

My mother, who was a 3rd-grade teacher, had a child in one class who had appalling handwriting. The child was a leftie, and the mother came into my mom's class one day fuming because my mom had the temerity to criticise her child's handwriting. The child's mother was standing there telling my mom to cut the child some slack "because left-handed children can't write neatly."

My mom didn't say a word ... she merely picked up the chalk and started writing on the board in her beautiful handwriting (and my mom has beautiful handwriting).

The parent carried on ranting, and then suddenly got very quiet ... when she realized my mom was writing with her left hand!

EDIT: My handwriting, OTOH, looks like a drunk spider fell into a pot of ink, and then stumbled across the page.

[Edited 2016-05-22 20:12:02]

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 12): What about peeling oranges and bananas e.g. Right-handed me.

I have never given a thought about this.. I hold with my left and peel with my right if it is a banana. I then switch the banana to my right hand to slice it with my left. If I am going to eat it out of the skin, I hold it with my left hand and peel with my right. The orange I hold with my left and peel with my right. I continue to hold the orange in my left hand as I eat it. I had to think hard about this. This may haunt me from now on.   

Quoting BreninTW (Reply 15): (and my mom has beautiful handwriting).

Looking back my Mother had beautiful penmanship, and as she got older and into her later years, we saw her hand writing deteriorate. That seems to be another sign of age it seems.

I try to make my handwriting legible. I practice cursive when I get the chance. Both are awful.

Handwriting’s relevance in a digital world, The Conversation, July 4, 2014.
http://theconversation.com/handwriti...relevance-in-a-digital-world-25443

From the article:

"Contemporary education and psychology research suggests handwriting skills help children to read by “writing down” what they are learning in terms of spelling and sentence construction, similar to note-taking in other subject areas. It is “learning by doing” to an extent not possible with phones and tablets that auto-complete and auto-correct on behalf of the user. From a typographic perspective, handwriting provides us with the ability to see letters as shapes with form, weight, texture and space and this facilitates ease of reading by being able to form and identify letters that are clearly distinguishable from each other."

There goes my theory about typing being good for the brain.  

I know when I was studying, writing things down was effective for learning, but I don't study much anymore so I've got out of the need for the habit too. IMHO these things are more important in childhood schooling..

From the article:

"Rapid technological acceleration from desktop computers of the 1980s to mobile communication devices of this century has caused people to question the relevance of handwriting. It is important to remember, however, that the “global digital divide” means that only 40% of the world’s population has access to digital technology, making it premature to suggest an “either or” solution in which handwriting is totally endorsed or discarded."


This is interesting!

Pens are dead. Paper is dead. Handwriting is a relic, Joel Golby. the guardian, 30 October 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...-pens-dead-paper-handwriting-relic

A Bic UK study has shown that a third of teenagers have never written a letter. So what? They have Snapchat. They need pens as much as they need witch-dunking equipment.  

An inkless existence!

From the article:

"The thing is: when do I ever write? My entire existence is “tap letters into computer”. My shopping lists are hidden in the notes function of my phone. If I need to remember something I send an email to myself. And then I ignore that. A pen is something I chew when I’m struggling to think. Paper is something I pile beneath my laptop to make it a more comfortable height for me to type on. I lead an inkless existence."

----

Quoting WarRI1 (Reply 17): Looking back my Mother had beautiful penmanship, and as she got older and into her later years, we saw her hand writing deteriorate. That seems to be another sign of age it seems.

Yes, some people have beautiful flowing script. One of my late relatives (in this country) was one of those people that was forced (aka human rights violation) to write with their right hand instead of the left - this being back 80-90 years. Their whole life their writing was affected and so never had the chance to be beautiful.  

Quoting seb146 (Reply 18): I try to make my handwriting legible. I practice cursive when I get the chance. Both are awful.

I was not sure where cursive is at, but it seems it is still being taught in some countries, don't know about here, and is even being bought back into education?

If I want cursive script, I just change the font and then print out the page! I am not going back there, had too much of it.

----------

On this forum board there is about a 65 year age range, so I thought it would be interesting to get the broad perspective too on the digital native vs. digital immigrant thing, in this context..

I admit I do use a pen more as a stress reliever e.g. in my hand than actually using it to write with.  


=

[Edited 2016-05-22 23:32:08]

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 19): is even being bought back into education?

No. Sadly, as with diagramming sentences, cursive is dying. As much as I hated being taught both, I wish I had learned both more.

My handwriting and spelling sucks nowadays, as well as my maths (thank you technology)  

The only time I pick up a pen to write nowadays is when I sign and date something, fill out a checklist or survey, or... quickly scribble down an aircraft reg # on a boarding pass as a backup if my memory card fails  

A

Quoting 777Jet (Reply 21): My handwriting and spelling sucks nowadays, as well as my maths (thank you technology)

My handwriting always sucked, the school system in the state we lived in until the 3rd Grade(yes I went to school in Oz before schools were Year 1-12)was teaching a "Modern Cursive, kind of a cross between cursive script & printing. We then moved and the school I attended near our new home expected anyone in the 4th grade to be accomplished "copperplate" scribes... and the brass edge of the nun's rulers kept reminding me of the fact.
Needless to say at age 11 my hybrid scribble would have looked at home on any doctors prescription pad.
45 years + later and after an IT career that had me using a keyboard (badly) for much of the time I have rediscovered writing.
An impulse buy of an inexpensive fountain pen was the likely driver, my writing is improving and I am enjoying it more.
I kept an comprehensive journal of an extended European trip last year and enjoyed writing it much more than I enjoyed transcribing it onto a computer after returning home..

The Maths side, still not bad, Regularly surprise younger colleagues with mental calculations that have them reaching for electronic aids(if they actually understand the process)
Having said that I sometimes pop the calculator onto the screen, who has a physical calculator these days, to do what are truly simple calculations. I look at the results sometimes and wonder why I needed help!!

Quoting Stealthz (Reply 22): My handwriting always sucked, the school system in the state we lived in until the 3rd Grade(yes I went to school in Oz before schools were Year 1-12)was teaching a "Modern Cursive, kind of a cross between cursive script & printing.

Modern cursive sounds like what my siblings were taught - which was known as print script at the school, which was different to what I was taught, it was the cross-over in the curriculum during that time, I did feel left out! I could never grasp their print script either / anyway. Too much brainwashing of the cursive script.

Quoting Stealthz (Reply 22): An impulse buy of an inexpensive fountain pen was the likely driver, my writing is improving and I am enjoying it more. I kept an comprehensive journal of an extended European trip last year and enjoyed writing it much more than I enjoyed transcribing it onto a computer after returning home..

   It is never too late to enjoy things like this.

My mother had a fountain pen which she said was not to be used by other people as it ruins the nib, especially if you right with the other hand! I can't say I've ever used one successfully. I like the trusty biro.

Calculators, I have always relied on them as much as possible. I do like the sense of achievement in solving a problem without one, but who has the time and inclination to do that now. If I do it at all, I use multiple choice maths problems or guided tutorials online to test myself.

I do have a traditional calculator, but by the time I get it or remember where it is, I can use the one on the iPhone or iPad, more convenience.

[Edited 2016-05-23 03:50:17]

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 23): My mother had a fountain pen which she said was not to be used by other people as it ruins the nib

Colleagues pick up my fountain pen at work to leave a note etc. and stand there looking at it like.. how do you use this thing.

Quoting Stealthz (Reply 24): Colleagues pick up my fountain pen at work to leave a note etc. and stand there looking at it like.. how do you use this thing.

  I was shown how to use one. I think they are quite elegant, often decorative and etched.

The thing that put me off was the blotting..

I do think they look pretty smart, when they are viewed being used (by a right-hander).   

IIRC special paper is needed?

[Edited 2016-05-23 04:06:22]

Mine depends on the environment I'm in. If it's relaxed, it's pretty decent; if it's stressed, it's mostly scribbles that I know how to decode.

That said, it has come a long way from school handwriting. I started doing cursive writing regularly from the 4th grade until the 8th grade...everything looked like a doctor's note. From 9th grade on, I reverted to print and haven't used cursive ever since. Again, my print was bad but by the time college ended, it looked WAY better than it did.

Even my mom was surprised as she once asked me if the notes I had were written by someone else. I told her they were written by me and she was in disbelief (which I didn't know how to take it: a compliment or an insult?).

I'm actually trying to find books to train my left hand and become ambidextrous when writing. But the books I used way back then are no longer in print so any suggestions are welcome.

Quoting einsteinboricua (Reply 26): I'm actually trying to find books to train my left hand and become ambidextrous when writing.

Really! I have never heard of anyone actively wanting to be able to write left-handed!  

I had one person who was envious that I was a left-handed writer - only one mind. That was a one-off for sure..

I do the ambidextrous thing with the desktop mouse, for OHS reasons. I was originally left when I first started mousing way back in 1989 at home, but that annoyed the majority, so I went right, it is now natural, so I am unnaturally left sometimes with it now, talk about a full circle on that one.   

I have tried writing with my right hand, it is really difficult. At least you can see what you have written though.  

My handwriting is quite good - when I can sit properly and when I have a good underlay. I cannot remember being contacted because of any illegible word.

Practice, practice, practice... regard any text you write as a service to the reader.


David

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 27): Really! I have never heard of anyone actively wanting to be able to write left-handed!

According to my mom I was left-handed for everything as a toddler. Got into pre-school and teachers forced me to be right-handed.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): Mine is not good at all. Back in the day, it was a learned and essential skill.

I have no use for it anymore, unless I write a card or sign a check. Mine is horrendous.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): I know a lot of schools are equipped with iPads or computers now at an early education level as a learning tool.

My son uses an IPAD a lot, but he his intrigued by Cursive, so I expect him to take an interest in learning it.

Quoting einsteinboricua (Reply 26): I'm actually trying to find books to train my left hand and become ambidextrous when writing. But the books I used way back then are no longer in print so any suggestions are welcome.

There are many tutorials online. Here is one that is a useful guide, for admittedly, is more for coping left-handed and a guide for parents. There are also some special pens which is interesting, maybe these will be good for you to re-learn with: Writing Left Handed, LeftHandersClub, Uploaded on Mar 15, 2007, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i4CRw3DG-s

Quoting einsteinboricua (Reply 29): According to my mom I was left-handed for everything as a toddler. Got into pre-school and teachers forced me to be right-handed.

I am sorry to hear that.  

As I mentioned, with my relative, they were still naturally left-handed with other things like using a spoon, but the writing, they said, they could never revert back. I guess looking back on it now, a lot of it would have been psychological, as I think there was physical punishment involved like hitting or rapping.

Quoting casinterest (Reply 30): My son uses an IPAD a lot, but he his intrigued by Cursive, so I expect him to take an interest in learning it.

That is good for a younger generation person! That is where YouTube is very good. Here is a video where fountain pens and an leaning towards trying or getting back into cursive writing is happening: Improving Your Cursive Handwriting, CJ's Creative Studio, publihed April 7, 2014, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6rfoRiWa8A


Another thing which I really didn't want to attempt as a leftie, is calligraphy.  

Pencil (colour and grayscale) are good and enjoyable, as they don't smudge.   

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): How is your handwriting these days?

The same as it was when I left elementary school: sloppy and indistinguishable from random lines drawn on paper, except by me and select others; and, only then within a small amount of time. My understanding of some of my handwriting is perishable.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): Do you have a need to do much, for work or leisure?

On the rare occasion that I must write in a logbook, I have to slow myself down and concentrate on making writing legible...and that's my printing...my cursive is ridiculous. Always has been and forever will be.

Now, for some inexplicable reason, I've started to keep a journal. Hand-written.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 3): lefties

Both my children are lefties..poor bastards.

Quoting VapourTrails (Thread starter): I also remember being taught to type

I was taught to type..and promptly ignored the lessons.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 19): handwriting provides us with the ability to see letters as shapes with form, weight, texture and space and this facilitates ease of reading by being able to form and identify letters that are clearly distinguishable from each other."

I agree with this. It forces us to slow down and think about, not only what we are writing, but how we are writing it.

I "force" my kids to write the first draft of anything with pen and paper. My 13 year old is used to it and we have just recently come to an understanding as to why her mom and I NEED to edit her work.

My 9, soon to be 10 year old, is as obstinate as me and will take more work to get him to draft with pen(cil) and paper. At freaking 9!!!!

Handwriting, and the penmanship that goes with it, is a dying art, but one that I think we need to hold on to and keep in schools. I'm not sure I can elaborate on my sentiment...maybe I'm just getting to be a grumpy old man that's growing a little resistant to some of the technological changes, but something about handwriting is so personal, I can't see doing away with it.

[Edited 2016-05-23 19:14:13]

[Edited 2016-05-23 19:14:43]

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 31): naturally left-handed with other things

Basic tasks I do right handed. However, other things I can do left handed or with both hands equally.

I can brush my teeth both hands; I cut meat with my left hand (no switching of cutlery between hands) yet when cutting to prepare meals I'm right handed; I pour and grab with both hands...so yeah. Writing is one thing I feel I should be able to learn how to do.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 31): Another thing which I really didn't want to attempt as a leftie, is calligraphy.

My mom did, and taught, calligraphy for many years. She won many accolades for her work.

She had (has?) a set of pens that had angled nibs custom-designed for lefties.

She actually taught me calligraphy, and I was reasonably proficient at it, but it never "trickled down" to my everyday handwriting.

FWIW, I'm a rightie. I taught myself to type during my high school years (boys were not offered typing classes) and by the time I got into my military training -- where I worked in signalling -- I could touch type with excellent speed and accuracy. Now that I'm a writer I sit behind the keyboard all day whacking at keys and hardly ever have to look to see where my fingers need to be -- although I do not use the "correct" fingers for each key. My fingers just know where they need to be in order to hit the letter I'm looking for.

Mine hasn't changed since high school - it's still pretty sloppy and unreadable to most people. I enjoy writing; there's just nothing like the feeling of a pen in your hand while you're writing...it's not the same as typing on a computer.

Marc

Quoting BreninTW (Reply 34): My mom did, and taught, calligraphy for many years. She won many accolades for her work.

   It is beautiful I am sure.

Quoting BreninTW (Reply 34): She had (has?) a set of pens that had angled nibs custom-designed for lefties.

I did not know such things existed! I guess if I was into artistic creativeness and got away from the keyboard I would have discovered them though.  

Quoting BreninTW (Reply 34): FWIW, I'm a rightie. I taught myself to type during my high school years (boys were not offered typing classes) and by the time I got into my military training -- where I worked in signalling -- I could touch type with excellent speed and accuracy. Now that I'm a writer I sit behind the keyboard all day whacking at keys and hardly ever have to look to see where my fingers need to be -- although I do not use the "correct" fingers for each key. My fingers just know where they need to be in order to hit the letter I'm looking for.

  

I am grateful for that regimented typing class now. It was a sought after skill before and since I started working.

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 32): Handwriting, and the penmanship that goes with it, is a dying art, but one that I think we need to hold on to and keep in schools.

Hopefully it will never completely disappear from formal learning.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 7):   Oh, dear! I am the only left-handed writer in my family, so I have had comments like that over the years at some level

My mum and I are the only left handlers in my family, even in my extended family there aren't any.

It was thinking about my writing yesterday when I returned form customer meetings to type up my notes I found it very hard going reading what I wrote.

My handwriting has been awful since the 4th grade, apparently. I'm told I used to have very good handwriting, but my 4th grade teacher ruined me.

I still write a lot of things. All through college and grad school I wrote out my notes rather than type them on a computer. I'm just more comfortable doing that. In the work world, I still handwrite notes, even if I bring my laptop to a meeting or whatever. But, even with all the writing I do, my handwriting is still pretty bad.

I think my printing is worse than my cursive, actually.

My cursive was never that good. Today it is much worse than it used to be. I also find it tiring to write a paragraph in cursive. Not that there is ever a reason to write in cursive anymore. It's funny because in college I used to hate it when a paper had to be typed. This was right before the PC era.

Now I find I am much quicker typing than printing or cursive writing. I wonder if it is a matter of time before typing goes out of style as well. I think QWERTY's days might be numbered.

Quoting victrola (Reply 39): Now I find I am much quicker typing than printing or cursive writing. I wonder if it is a matter of time before typing goes out of style as well. I think QWERTY's days might be numbered.

Virtually every type of technology has its days numbered... it's just a matter of how many days.

Do you mean Qwerty style specifically or, more generally, traditional keyboards?

Quoting cjg225 (Reply 38): I wrote out my notes rather than type them on a computer. I'm just more comfortable doing that.

Yes, I did too.

Quoting victrola (Reply 39): Today it is much worse than it used to be. I also find it tiring to write a paragraph in cursive. Not that there is ever a reason to write in cursive anymore. It's funny because in college I used to hate it when a paper had to be typed.

I tried to write cursive just now and can't even remember how to form at least half of the letters. Yes, there is no reason to write cursive anymore, so that is why it is no longer with me.

I also didn't like typing back in the day. That meant that you had to operate the printer and the printout may not look as good! That is how I used to think. I was worried that because I didn't have total control over the finished product and relied on software and hardware that it was better to write diligently on a clean sheet of paper where I could own it, so to speak. This was then - not now! 

Quoting victrola (Reply 39): Now I find I am much quicker typing than printing or cursive writing. I wonder if it is a matter of time before typing goes out of style as well. I think QWERTY's days might be numbered.

Yes, typing is quick now. Online shopping saves shopping lists too, it is just all touch the screen and 'clicking'. 

Quoting cjg225 (Reply 40): Do you mean Qwerty style specifically or, more generally, traditional keyboards?

Voice recognition software? That is already about but it doesn't seem to be really popular? I use Siri (Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface), after a nine year old showed me how..

What else could replace the keyboard?

I am not sure how these Apples Watches work..

  

[Edited 2016-05-24 19:31:56]

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 41): Voice recognition software? That is already about but it doesn't seem to be really popular?

A couple of years ago we trialled either Intel or IBM voice-recognition software (could have been an early iteration of DragonSpeak if I remember correctly). It was horrible. We were looking at bundling it with some of our commercial products. It never made it past the trial ... the recognition was hit and miss (with far, far more misses than hits) and the menu controls were clunky as all hell.

Part of it may be that I do not have a CNN accent -- I have a South Africanised British-ish accent. The voice recognition on my car is streets ahead of where that software was -- although it's still limited. I can get it to do some basic commands (such as switch to the radio when I want to listen to the news and switch back to my phone when the news is done), but for things like entering navigation instructions -- forget it! Although, that could be because my car is set to English, but our addresses are all in Chinese 

Quoting BreninTW (Reply 42): A couple of years ago we trialled either Intel or IBM voice-recognition software (could have been an early iteration of DragonSpeak if I remember correctly). It was horrible.

I have a friend overseas who uses DragonSpeak and they've had issues with it over the years.   

Quoting BreninTW (Reply 42): Part of it may be that I do not have a CNN accent -- I have a South Africanised British-ish accent.

There is not much hope for me then!   

My Siri is Australian-ised I am sure. She never has problems understanding me. It is more the question is too complex so she just Googles and gives me some references.   

Quoting BreninTW (Reply 42): The voice recognition on my car is streets ahead of where that software was -- although it's still limited. I can get it to do some basic commands (such as switch to the radio when I want to listen to the news and switch back to my phone when the news is done), but for things like entering navigation instructions -- forget it! Although, that could be because my car is set to English, but our addresses are all in Chinese.

I find the GPS in the car (portable and retro-fitted mine, LOL I don't even have Bluetooth) is not as good. I can't speak to it, but when it reads out directions I enter into it, it can't pronounce the indigenous place names correctly. I don't have a need to use it that much. I would rather use GPS without the audio.

With the keyboard, I am wondering whether writing onto screens will replace it. By that I mean, when you have to sign for things like parcels, they give you a scribe pen and you sign on the screen of their mobile device. That kind of technology forward.

So maybe writing will come full circle, it will just be done from the hand, to electronic means..

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 41): Voice recognition software? That is already about but it doesn't seem to be really popular? I use Siri (Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface), after a nine year old showed me how..

Ah, okay. I wasn't thinking that way.

Maybe down the road a ways, but I can't see voice recognition software replacing Qwerty keyboards soon. Software still has such issues with punctuation and making things readable, not to mention actually understanding more complex words and the speed at which someone talks.

Quoting VapourTrails (Reply 43): I find the GPS in the car (portable and retro-fitted mine, LOL I don't even have Bluetooth) is not as good. I can't speak to it, but when it reads out directions I enter into it, it can't pronounce the indigenous place names correctly.

On various Mazda 6 forums I've read, the poor voice control of the car is a fairly common complaint. I find that as long as I stick to simple commands, my car understands me -- except for this morning when I tried to tell it to pause the music as I was parking, and it kept wanting to dial "06"! "Pause music" "06", even in my accent!

The computer-generated voice on my car's built-in GPS is pretty good with the Chinese street names, even if it's hopelessly inaccurate. I know that might sound strange, but Chinese street names do not Romanise very easily, so the GPS tries to read out the street names as if they're standard English. When it gets completely flummoxed, it simply spells out the name. Two years ago I had a rented car with a Garmin GPS -- we had to turn the GPS off, because it really just gave up trying to pronounce Chinese street names, and we were treated to something along the line of "who-bubbly-whatsit street". Reduced the four of us in the car (including one person who had never been exposed to Chinese) to helpless laughter. I couldn't drive I was laughing so hard!

Delving into memories, I had a pretty horrible handwriting in classes 7 to 10, more or less. Then it improved, maybe becasue I began to take school more serious, or because of my penfriendships. If I give care, I can still write curses both cursively and recursively, but most of my letters are a mishmash of cursive and "normal". For example, I write "tt" with two vertical lines, and one horizontal one.

Incidentally, stenography uses the same trick - in a first step, you condense prevalent letter combinations (th, sh, ation as in "industrialization" or "creation").

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 32): Handwriting, and the penmanship that goes with it, is a dying art, but one that I think we need to hold on to and keep in schools. I'm not sure I can elaborate on my sentiment...maybe I'm just getting to be a grumpy old man that's growing a little resistant to some of the technological changes, but something about handwriting is so personal, I can't see doing away with it.

I fully agree to this. And I'm sorry for the people whose signature is just three lines, with no trace of their name left. Good handwriting skills enables anybody to make small surprise gifts at almost any time of the day. Leave a friendly message, some kind words, everything.


David

Quoting fr8mech (Reply 32): Handwriting, and the penmanship that goes with it, is a dying art, but one that I think we need to hold on to and keep in schools. I'm not sure I can elaborate on my sentiment...maybe I'm just getting to be a grumpy old man that's growing a little resistant to some of the technological changes, but something about handwriting is so personal, I can't see doing away with it.

I completely agree: I couldn't imagine doing away with handwriting, especially cursive. I find it interesting that especially the latter is now regarded by many as an unnecessary skill not worth the time learning or practicing, instead preferring print. Perhaps this reflects a general trend towards simplifying or standardising things as much as possible.

In hindsight, I think one could say that it's not just about learning how to write neatly, but rather about the learning process and the time and effort required to acquire a new skill. It's sort of like Latin (standard subject in most Italian high schools, such as the one I went to): no one speaks it, but studying it at school teaches you the basic skill of logical thinking.

One grandmother's very good reason for learning cursive ...