Mavis just didn't have the touch

Can you learn to type by computer? Tom Loosemore took instruction from new- and old-style teachers

If you have ever gnashed your teeth over the illogical layout of the standard Qwerty typewriter keyboard, you have only one man to thank. When Christopher Sholes built the first successful typewriter back in 1867, his primary concern was the irkso me tendency of his wondrous new machine to jam if used at speed. Sholes thus redesigned a new keyboard layout to slow down the typist.

Technology has long since rendered his original motive obsolete. Today, as the number of mechanical keyboards dwindles towards zero, computer users are still hampered by the necessity to master this inherently inefficient device. Fortunately, technology itself can help. Software is now the biggest competitor to the old-fashioned typing school. Which is better?

Sight and Sound Education has spent the last 30 years helping people to come to terms with the Sholes legacy. At 13 centres around the country the company offers a programme of structured audio-visual learning that guarantees to bring even the least dextrous fingers up to a speed of 30 words per minute after a mere 30 hours' tuition. Jaci Spode, manager of the company's City branch, says the system can successfully teach almost anybody to touch type - and insists that age is no barrier.

Novices spend their first six hours face to face with a large mock-up of the keyboard, known as a Princess board. Shock number one is that all the characters on the keys of your typewriter have been blanked out - a neat ploy eliminating the temptation tocheat and look at your fingers. A voice straight out of a Seventies public service announcement then leads you through a series of exercises designed to teach which finger is supposed to hit which key, a process that can be troublesome even for pianists. Red diodes embedded in the Princess board illuminate the required key as an insistent voice through your headphones reiterates the importance of a constant rhythm, while urging you not to look at your hands.

The approach is unashamedly formulaic, with few attempts made to entertain. After an hour of intense concentration I was mentally exhausted. My fingers were tied in knots, and the flashing red lights of the Princess board were well on the way to inducingthe mother of all migraines. Discomfort apart, I was fairly happy with my progress - and was inclined to agree with Bassam, my instructor, when he assured me that future sessions would prove much less exacting.

According to Jaci Spode, motivation and discipline are the key to learning to touch type. Indeed, the most obvious advantage of learning to type with a company such as Sight and Sound is that after parting with around £200 for 30 hours' training, the incentive to complete the course is strong.

At one-fifth of the price, for unlimited hours, a piece of software appears to offer much better value for money. Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing represents a quantum leap up from the tediously repetitive typing tutors of yesteryear. But in common with all typing-tutor programs, it lacks an effective motivational stimulus. The problem lies not so much with the program itself, which is superb, but with the dearth of self-discipline experienced by many users.

Software Toolbox, the company responsible for the program, has liaised closely with educational psychologists to ensure that all aspects of the program are geared to keeping the user interested and motivated. "Mavis", described in the manual as "the world's most patient typing teacher", constantly proffers all manner of reassuring advice and encouragement in a fashion that is refreshingly free of condescension.

After setting an appropriate target in words per minute, Mavis leads you swiftly from learning the keyboard to typing complete sentences using all 10 fingers. The three "learning environments" include a fun arcade-style game whereby you race an imaginaryopponent, and your own car's speed matches your skill in reproducing text scrolling across the screen. The novice is aided in the initial stages by a pair of "shadow hands" demonstrating on-screen the correct finger to use for each character. The huge array of graphs available are an entertaining means of illustrating your progress. But the temptation is to delay the onset of the next lesson by examining each one in turn.

The program analyses every keystroke made and categorises them into 19 different kinds of error, ranging from obvious tendencies such as double-hitting the desired key to more subtle flaws, such as typing "the" as "hte". Once Mavis has identified a specific difficulty, she devises a series of lessons aimed at addressing the problem. This approach helps to alleviate much, if not all, of the tedium of repetitive practice. The program swiftly diagnosed a stunning lack of dexterity in my left ring finger and instigated a couple of intense practice sessions that soon had the rogue digit performing acceptably.

After a couple of days of confident progress I encountered a predictable crisis of commitment. Despite Mavis's strenuous efforts to persuade me of the error of my ways, I began to hit the escape key while in the middle of especially frustrating sessions - thus abandoning the lesson in favour of something more interesting. This, I'm ashamed to admit, was the beginning of the end. The program's icon currently lies brooding reproachfully on my desktop as I hunt and peck my way through this article. It is aconspicuous testament to my lack of will-power.

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Version 2.0 is distributed in the UK by Softline 0181-401 1234 and retails at £34.99.

Sight and Sound Education Ltd (0171-379 4753) offers an initial 30-hour course for £220 for companies and £165 for individuals.