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Help Finding Typing Program from early 80s

T

Tincanalley

Experienced Member
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Aug 25, 2019
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Los Angeles, CA
Okay, I've done all the searches I can think of, but can't see to find the typing program I learned to type on back in '85 on an IBM XT. I know it wasn't the simple one that used to come with the 5150. I am trying my best to remember exactly what it looked like. It had a keyboard layout on the bottom of the screen and a typing window above that. It would first teach you were the keys were and drill you on those. Then it would test you speed and accuracy and come up with drill based on your weaknesses. It wasn't anything fancy, but I always wanted a copy of it for my 5150.

Going by the year, I don't think it could have been a Mavis one. Typing Tutor doesn't look as I remember the program I used.
 
Hopefully that TESS listing will help, since it was most likely educationalware... Hard part will be tracking them down. Archive.org has most stuff I look for, XT to AT wise.
 
Typing Tutor III by Simon and Schuster fit the bill timeframe wise (1984) as well as one called Personal Touch Typing by CPT in 1985.
The CPT one had a "fun" space invaders/missle command kind of theme where letters had to be blasted out of the sky.
 
hargle said:
Typing Tutor III by Simon and Schuster fit the bill timeframe wise (1984) as well as one called Personal Touch Typing by CPT in 1985.
The CPT one had a "fun" space invaders/missle command kind of theme where letters had to be blasted out of the sky.
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I'll check those out. Thanks!
 
ibmapc said:
I remember a program called MastertypeView attachment 1238169

View attachment 1238170
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That looks interesting. I'm going to check it out. It isn't what I learned on as I would remember the fingers. The one I used would show the keys and highlight the key being pressed. I guess it's a bit of nostalgia for me as it is what I learned with. I'd like to get it and install it so I can brush up on my use of the original IBM keyboard as the layout is different enough from newer keyboards that I mess up quite a bit using shift and such.
 
Tincanalley said:
That looks interesting. I'm going to check it out. It isn't what I learned on as I would remember the fingers. The one I used would show the keys and highlight the key being pressed. I guess it's a bit of nostalgia for me as it is what I learned with. I'd like to get it and install it so I can brush up on my use of the original IBM keyboard as the layout is different enough from newer keyboards that I mess up quite a bit using shift and such.
Click to expand...
I don't remember if the fingers show up in all the modes. I think they are only displayed during the "training ground". I found it very helpful to see where my hands "should" be.
 
I think it's more of a gag than anything, but I had to take a twin peek.
 
ibmapc said:
I remember a program called MastertypeView attachment 1238169

View attachment 1238170I remember using a typing program in the early '80s called Typing Tutor, but finding the exact software from that era can be tricky. If you're looking to recreate that experience or need quality typing resources, you might find this site useful: https://www.typingservice.org/ They focus on modern typing services but could also guide you to tools or programs that suit your needs. Sometimes, older typing programs pop up in retro software archives or vintage computing groups, so it’s worth asking around there too!
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Wow, I used this program a long time ago.
 
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