The screen shot below is from page 13 of the Section 2, Lesson
5: Your Posture lesson. This is one of several detailed
lessons from Section 2: Learn The Basics section of the
program. Unlike other tutorials, this section thoroughly teaches important
basic concepts and correct techniques that prepare you for the typing
lessons in Section 3: Learn 76 keys.
- The graphic of the typist as well as the workstation (chair,
keyboard, monitor) are all animated ... The animations
support the tutorial text that appears above the graphics.
- Read the tutorial text near the top of the screen (green background).
Like the rest of the program it's packed with useful,
practical, comprehensive information that will help you to type
faster, more accurately, or more comfortably ... No other tutorial gives
you such a good background in the basics that every professional typing
educator teaches.
- As in all screens in the program, the top line
always shows exactly where you are ... You'll never
get lost as in other tutorials.
- The second line shows optional commands
like the F3 Sound switch ... The green indicator light
shows that sound is ON ... No need to hunt through a bunch of menus to
turn options on/off ... Switches let you do that ... even in the middle
of typing drills.
- The bottom line always show what to do next ... Even in the middle of
a typing drill.
The screen shot below is from page 4 of the Section 3: Lesson
61: ) Key lesson. You won't be force-fed several keys at one time
as in other tutorials. Each key has its own lesson in Section 3.
- Line two contains several switches with indicator
lights that let you control your learning environment ... Even
in the middle of a typing drill ... No need to leave a lesson and wade
through menus to change your environment. For example, to concentrate on
speed just tap F4 to turn the unique LockErrors switch OFF. Or
turn F4 ON to concentrate on accuracy.
- In the reading/typing section of the screen (green background)
reading text (in black) can optionally appear above
text to be typed (white) ... Unlike other tutorials,
this allows educational guidance to appear on the same screen as a
practice drill.
- Softwrights' practical, clean, screen design allows large practice
drills to appear on one screen. So you always see
everything that needs to be typed. ... Other tutorials must scroll
drills and tests (you have no idea how big those drills are) to fit on
screens that are filled with graphical junk like drawings of a fictional
teacher who wastes valuable screen space.
- You type on top of the text (text erases as you
type). This provides a game-like atmosphere and focuses you on what
comes next ... Other tutorials have you type below the text. This cuts
the size of drills that fit on one screen in half.
- You always know how to type a key. Simply look
down at the keyboard graphics and technique instructions:
- The key (like R below) to be typed next in the
drill is highlighted (in blue) ... If a Shift key
should be held down, the correct one to hold is also highlighted.
- Blinking home lines show which finger to tap
the next key with by drawing a line between the home key and the key
to be tapped ... This also shows the distance and
direction you need to move the correct home finger
(before taking Section 3, you'll know which finger is placed on each
home key). This is faster and more informative than the 3-D hands
many other tutorials use.
- The bottom-line technique instructions show
correct technique details that graphics cannot show ... Sometimes a
few words tell more than a screen worth of graphics.
- Race the game-like pacer line
(purple line that moves at your goal speed rate above the text
you're typing) ... See if you're meeting your goal ... Without taking
your eyes off your work.
- Pace yourself with the blinking (yellow) cursor that blinks at your
goal-speed rate ... It's a silent metronome ... Tap a key each
time the cursor blinks to meet you speed goal.
- A choice of 12 finely-detailed screen keyboard
layouts help you match the screen with your keyboard layout ... All
keyboard are not alike. Some have L-shaped Enter keys
others don't. Some have a few keys in different locations ... Other
tutorials only have one layout which may or may not match your layout.
The screen shot below is the Table Of Contents (main
menu) from You'll Soon Be Typing. Softwrights' unique book-like
interface and side-by-side design satisfies the
following needs of any student in ways that traditional pull-down
menus cannot:
- What's covered in this course? ... You get a broadoverview
on one screen.
- Where did I leave off ... The section and lesson
are automatically highlighted.
- What comes next ?... Just select the next lesson
after the highlighted lesson.
- What did I complete? ... Completed sections/lessons
are marked with an * (asterisk).
- What's left? ... Uncompleted sections are not
marked with an *
- Can I review things? ... Unlike other tutorials you
can review anything at any time.
Additionally, throughout the program:
- You'll immediately understand menu items and
lessons ... Unlike other tutorials, everything is
straightforward, practical and organized ... No hieroglyphic icons to
decipher!
- You'll always know what to do next
... Just look at the bottom of the screen.
- You'll never get stuck ...
Skip/review anything. Flip pages back and forth ... Even in the middle
of typing exercises.
- You'll never get distracted ...
No goofy gauges or gaudy colors to steal your attention.
- You'll always know how long a lesson, exercise, or
test is ... No confusing scrolling.
Note: In the Table Of Contents, the lessons on the
right are the contents of the
currently-highlighted Section on the left. In the
example below, Section 2 is highlighted (in green). The lessons in Section
2 appear on the right. You can tell that Section 1 has been completed by
the * (asterisk) that appears there. You can tell that Lessons 1 through 4
from Section 2 have been completed too.
Copyright © 1996 - 1999 by
Softwrights, Inc. All Rights Reserved
