You'll Soon Be Typing... Users'
Benefits
- Reference Manual Independence... No need to even
open a manual. Installation is a breeze. User instructions and all
typing lessons are presented on screen ... where they belong ... instead
of being buried in a manual.
- Easier to Use... Screens are self-explanatory.
Book-like interface lets users know: what options they have, exactly
where they are, where they've been, and how much is left. They're
never lost or stuck anywhere. They can take any lesson
anytime. Screens can be skipped back & forth
anytime ... Even while in the middle of a typing exercise!
- Easier to Digest ... Straightforward,
organized, self-contained, bite-sized lessons ... Easy
to resume after breaks ... Fits comfortably into the schedules of busy
people.
- Promotes Correct Keyboarding Techniques... Correct
techniques are taught then continuously stressed. Animated
lessons teach correct techniques. Animated reminders
are sprinkled throughout the program to simulate what every good human
typing teacher does. Real-time technique instructions always
show the correct way to type the next key in a practice drill. Other
products don't do this... Their users often develop bad
hard-to-break habits.
- Doesn't Skip the Basics... Helpful, animated
basic lessons provide an important, thorough background before
diving into typing drills. Answers questions that all beginners have ...
Questions that most other tutorials do not answer.
- Matches User's Keyboard... Keyboard layouts vary.
Keyboard key locations, labels, sizes, and shapes depend on the make and
model. Twelve finely-detailed screen keyboard layouts
ensure that the screen keyboard is more likely to match the user's
keyboard. Instructional text and graphics automatically adapt to the
current screen keyboard layout.
- Better Keyboard Coverage ... Straightforward,
individual lessons cover each key. All
the keys are covered. Users get plenty of practice with each key before
moving on to the next. Punctuation, and other symbols are explained ...
Users don't walk away wondering what unfamiliar symbols like,
| or ~ are called, how they're
used, or how they're typed.
- Better Feedback... Detailed reviews
show exactly where mistakes happened, how many mistakes were made,
exactly what the last mistake was, and prompts the user for correct
input.
- Less Distractions... Screens focus
attention on important items. Unobtrusive technique prompts
give real-time help. Game-like pacer
line gives speed feedback without users having to take their eyes off
their work. The cursor is a silent metronome that sets
the pace by blinking at the current speed-goal rate. No distracting
gauges, sounds, or non-value-added gadgets. Animated line drawings focus
on useful concepts. Screen keyboard colors are subdued
so they don't steal attention away from the text to be typed.
- Less Frustration... Extremely efficient,
graphics-mode software runs uncommonly fast ... Even
on old hardware. No annoying delays within lessons. Response is
immediate. Large single screen exercises ... No
bewildering, "how much more do I have to type?"
scrolling that other tutorials torture their users with.
Schools' / Learning Labs'
Benefits
- Private (Floppy Disk) Registration Option... At
registration time, users have two registration options. Public
registration is easier since user records are stored
on the same disk/directory that the program is on (normally a hard
disk). But private registration has the advantage of portability
since user records are stored on a private floppy disk. This is useful
in learning labs with no seating charts (users may use different
computers on different days). It also provides high security
without the hassles of easy-to-forget password schemes. If several users
have access to the same computer, you may want to ensure privacy with
this option.
- Do-It-Yourself Unprecedented Customization... The
YEDIT Lesson Editor lets you customize lessons and tests. Nearly all
instructional text, practice drills, and tests can be
edited (up to 94,000 total words). Animations can be turned on/off to
support text. Pages and bullet points can be added and deleted. Words
can be highlighted. You can even change the order in which the
keys are learned ... To match your own teaching methods. The
changes in lesson order you make will automatically appear in the menus
in You'll Soon Be Typing.
- Done-By-Softwrights Unprecedented Customization...
Softwrights realizes that your organization may have special
needs. To meet those needs, we're willing to change/add/delete
anything in our products ... Even if it means custom
programming above and beyond the advanced capabilities of the YEDIT
Lesson Editor described above. If you don't have the
time/inclination to make changes that the YEDIT Lesson Editor
can perform, we'll also do that work for you. For a reasonable fee,
we'll do whatever is necessary to satisfy all your needs.
- Force Keyboard Startup Option... The Kn (force
keyboard layout) option is especially useful in a classroom
environment. It saves time. Newly registered users don't have to select
the screen keyboard layout (from 12 layouts) that most closely matches
their keyboard ... The Kn option already does that for them. For
details, see Startup Options.
- Lower Support Costs & World-Class Quality...
Compared to its competitors You'll Soon Be Typing is
faster/easier to install. Friendlier, self-explanatory
interface. Uncommonly informative error prompts. Thoroughly
tested ... Even the screen scripts were exported (with a custom program)
into WordPerfect® to check/ensure correct spelling. No known bugs.
- Low-Cost Flexible Licensing... Softwrights offers
several no-nonsense licensing options at low cost.
- No Time Wasters & Annoying Noises The program
has a bit of humor in it to keep the tone light in a manner that doesn't
waste time... Unlike the games in many other products
that are of dubious educational value which often have noises and/or
music that co-workers/students would find annoying in a corporate or
classroom setting.
- More Productive Work Force ... Computer-oriented
typing work will be performed in far less time, with
more accuracy. People will be empowered to focus more
on their work instead of the mechanics of typing. In large corporations
with high numbers of computer users, the hidden cost of people who can't
type can be more than one hundred million dollars per year.
- Healthier Work Force ... Besides teaching users how
to type, You'll Soon Be Typing has detailed ergonomics
lessons (posture, furniture adjustment, equipment adjustment,
breaks, etc). This can help people to avoid painful Repetitive Strain
Injuries (RSI) such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which can
disable people for long periods of time ... Sometimes permanently! Note:
Repetitive strain injuries have become the most common
disability claim. Insurance claims and lawsuits are
skyrocketing. Average cost to companies per workers' compensation case
for carpal tunnel syndrome is $29,000 according to the National Council
of Compensation Insurance (reported in PC Week - May 1, 1995).
- Lower Support Costs & World-Class Quality ...
Compared to its competitors You'll Soon Be Typing is
faster/easier to install. Friendlier, self-explanatory
interface. Uncommonly informative error prompts and manual. Thoroughly
tested ... even the screen scripts were exported (with a custom program)
into WordPerfect® to check/ensure correct spelling. No known bugs.
- Low-Cost Flexible Licensing... Softwrights offers
several no-nonsense licensing options.
- Reinforce Corporate Policies and Values ...
Although the YEDIT Lesson Editor is designed primarily for
teachers who want to edit lessons, practice drills, and tests to match
their own methods and materials, it can be used by corporations to
emphasize their mission statement, policies, values, etc. by replacing
the text of one or more (up to 10) full-screen typing tests
with the desired corporate information that you want to reinforce.
- No Time Wasters & Annoying Noises ... The
program has a bit of humor in it to keep the tone light in a manner that
doesn't waste time ... Unlike the games in many other products
that are of dubious educational value which often have noises and/or
music that co-workers/students would find annoying in a corporate or
classroom setting.
Systems / Tech-Oriented Users'
Benefits
- Optional Security Without Passwords ... Home users
and others with no security worries, store their records on hard disk.
Others can optionally store their records on their own floppy disk. This
avoids having to use easy-to-forget passwords. It's also the perfect
answer for learning labs that don't use seating charts
(students may use different computers).
- Saves User Time in Classrooms ... A command-line
startup option can force a given keyboard layout. Users in
learning labs don't have to choose the correct keyboard layout while
registering. For details, see Startup Options.
- More Video Options ... Command-line startup
options can force several graphics modes, just in case automatic
graphics hardware detection doesn't work on yet-unknown hardware. Pure
black and white video options are perfect for color-blind people who may
prefer high-contrast black and white instead of color or gray-scale
screens. For details, see Startup Options.
- On-Screen Technical Info ... Tech Info
command-line startup option gives technical details about the
program like: Whether or not the Lessons Database has been customized
(and the date it was last edited), how many times the program has been
run, the current graphics mode, whether or not special effects buffers
are being used, what type of memory is being used for effects buffers
(conventional, expanded or extended), and how much memory is being used
by the program. For details, see Startup Options.
- No Disk Hogging ... People appreciate the uncommonly
lean program ... Especially those with older systems with
relatively small hard disks and anyone with a near-full disk.
Technically oriented users will immediately recognize the world-class
quality and engineering.
- No Disk Clutter ... People appreciate the uncommonly
small number of files, whose functions can be guessed from
their descriptive names ... Without having to call for
support or refer to a manual. Educational programs (and many others too)
are notorious for sloppy design/programming that needlessly clutter-up a
disk with dozens, or hundreds, of files. Technical users know that
besides clutter, their disk space is also being squandered by those
other sloppy programs ... due to allocation units (minimum
file sizes).
Copyright © 1996 - 1999 by
Softwrights, Inc. All Rights Reserved
