Goodkind XXXI: We read it so you don't have to

[Jon AS]

I may have missed something here. Is there an actual Yeard quote about the evils of QWERTY keyboards?

[The Real Will]

I may have missed something here. Is there an actual Yeard quote about the evils of QWERTY keyboards?

From a Q&A with fans, answering the question of how fast he can type:

I type on a devork keyboard layout, which is fundamentally different than a standard qwerty kb. QWERTY was developed in the late 1800's specifically to be as slow and awkward as possible to deliberately slow down typist so they would not jam the typewriter. Devorak was designed specifically to type the English language. It is a faster and more accurate kb layout, but while I have never timed my self I can go pretty fast when I need to.

The original is here.

[danro]

From a Q&A with fans, answering the question of how fast he can type:

The original is here.

Well, the Yeard is partly correct.

While not designed to slow down the typist (as Goodkind claims), the QWERTY layout is optimised to keep the bars on a mechanical typewriter from sticking, not for fast typing.

[PhoenixFlame]

Well, the Yeard is partly correct.

While not designed to slow down the typist (as Goodkind claims), the QWERTY layout is optimised to keep the bars on a mechanical typewriter from sticking, not for fast typing.

Lordy, my father for some reason thought that me learning to type on one of those old typewriters was just as good as typing on a computer. I typed so slowly (because the keys would always stick if I typed too fast) that my computer teacher was failing me. My father thought I was just being lazy when she called him in. He went "Don't worry, she'll be typing for 3 hours every night." The computer teacher yelled at him, and when he told her what I was typing on, she yelled at him some more and gave me a typing program for my computer.

Gah, the Goodkind! Yeah, I don't hate him, but he's great to mock. Look at his Facebook group--it is the most hysterical thing you will ever see.

[Shryke]

Yeah, I don't get the mocking. The Dvorak keyboard is superior in every way to the qwerty. It's designed with the most used keys all on the main line, with the least used ones being the furthest away, and so on. All the fastest speed typists and such in the world use a Dvorak.

The qwerty is designed to actually spread out the most used keys, making it actually one of the LEAST efficient keyboards for typing. The whole point is to spread out well used letters so that the bars don't hit one another when using a typewritter.

Of course, everyone got used to using the damn thing, and now it's like we'll never switch. There was a great quote from the guy who invented Dvorak keyboard (ie -pretty sure his name is Dvorak) after he'd gone through all the effort of inventing the Dvorak keyboard, and then no one used it. It basically amounted to "Fuck humanity. You do something good for them and they spit in your face". It was pretty funny.

[The Real Will]

Yeah, I don't get the mocking. The Dvorak keyboard is superior in every way to the qwerty. It's designed with the most used keys all on the main line, with the least used ones being the furthest away, and so on. All the fastest speed typists and such in the world use a Dvorak.

The qwerty is designed to actually spread out the most used keys, making it actually one of the LEAST efficient keyboards for typing. The whole point is to spread out well used letters so that the bars don't hit one another when using a typewritter.

Of course, everyone got used to using the damn thing, and now it's like we'll never switch. There was a great quote from the guy who invented Dvorak keyboard (ie -pretty sure his name is Dvorak) after he'd gone through all the effort of inventing the Dvorak keyboard, and then no one used it. It basically amounted to "Fuck humanity. You do something good for them and they spit in your face". It was pretty funny.

Oh come on, haven't you worked it out by now? The mocking is because Goodkind said it, more so because he said it in a condecending way. Also, the fact that it's such a petty and obscure thing and he has to make it into a pissing contest. My keyboard is great and yours is designed to be bad, so there. There is nothing Goodkind owns or does that is too minor to make an issue out of.

Also, the word QWERTY amuses me.

[Happy Ent]

Also, the word QWERTY amuses me.

The German keyboard exchanges the letters Z and Y (because Y is almost never used in German, while Z is used a lot). So the keyboard layout is called QWERTZ. Much cooler, I think. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTZ

[Guest]

I've never wanted to hate someone so much. Working on Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay, but going to delve into TG once I'm done just to join the discussion.

[Maltaran]

The German keyboard exchanges the letters Z and Y (because Y is almost never used in German, while Z is used a lot). So the keyboard layout is called QWERTZ. Much cooler, I think. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTZ

I was on holiday in Germany once, and it was very annoying whenever I had to use a kezboard.

[The Pita]

After reading the interview, I find most of his answers much more amusing than the one about the evils of QWERTY.

[The Wolf Maid]

So, the usual warnings:

1. No trolling, especially in the 'other' world.

2. DO NOT FEED THE YEARD.

3. Personal attacks are a no-no, least we see the mods don their bra/hat.

ENJOY!

[Foreverlad]

So, the usual warnings:

1. No trolling, especially in the 'other' world.

2. DO NOT FEED THE YEARD.

3. Personal attacks are a no-no, least we see the mods don their bra/hat.

ENJOY!

hooray, my first fresh Tairy thread.

Now that I'm free of Tairy, I was trying to decide what to do with his books. At first I considered giving them to the library but soon realized they're a commie establishment. Even if the work is trash, the paper and binding were of some value. Allowing the wretched and poor free access to these materials would fly in the face of our father, Lord Gonemind.

I considered simply throwing the books away. I figured that by filling a garbage can and placing the can onto the curb, I was helping to promote industry. While this was under serious consideration, I hated to think of all the time I had committed to slogging through the crap. I had already wasted weeks of my life on the books. It should not be possible to throw away the same weeks of your life twice.

Burning the books was not an option. While a man is worth being mocked, his books do not deserve to feed a family, let alone a fire.

So they sit there on my bookshelf, telling my other fantasy books they're pinko democratic snuff. I once had to move my copy of The Fountainhead to another shelf, Faith of the Fallen wouldn't stop dry-humping it's binding.

What's a reader to do?

[Shryke]

I once had to move my copy of The Fountainhead to another shelf, Faith of the Fallen wouldn't stop dry-humping it's binding.

What's a reader to do?

Put some rubber over Faith of the Fallen. You don't want that shit breeding in your house.

[Foreverlad]

Put some rubber over Faith of the Fallen. You don't want that shit breeding in your house.

My god. The philosophical love child of Howard Roark + Dick Rahl? ...and I thought Ayn Rand's "Rape by engraved invitation" was frightening enough.

[BrainFireBob]

No, he's pretty cool if you enjoy horrible prose, flat characters, internal inconsistencies, plot contrivances, ham-fisted attempts at philosophy, and a healthy dose of rape, almost-rape, and monster-rape.

Why do people always forget the guy eating his own testicles?

[Foreverlad]

While Tairy was mostly correct in his explanation for the keyboards, I remember reading that people who have grown up with Qwerty can type just about as fast as any Dvorak user (supposing they're both trying to be proficient.) Seeing as how Tairy doesn't have the internet, it would be almost impossible for him to google such a research topic so he instead sticks with what he believes he knows.

While the keyboard bit is amusing, one would assume Terry only measures things with the metric system. After all, it's soooo much more efficient.

I highly doubt it though.

Lastly, I think the idea of an objectivist who doesn't have the internet to be laughable. They measure reality based on what their senses provide them, yet this one does not have the world's most basic tool for research and study (and porn, of course).

Actively living a life that denies you a source of understanding isn't objective, it's foolish.

[Ecchi-Oni]

My god. The philosophical love child of Howard Roark + Dick Rahl? ...and I thought Ayn Rand's "Rape by engraved invitation" was frightening enough.

Well that child would build you a "modern" looking house, read ugly greenhouse with thrown in AC to keep you cool complete with neo-classical sculpture.

[Rimmer]

In one of his strange and wonderful interviews he says that he doesn't have the internet because of the risk of his book being sabotaged. I mean even if that minute risk is valid, he could just have two computers.

[snob]I find it hard to understand how any thinking person could never ever be inclined to access an unlimited source of information and communication, but there it is.[/snob]

[Foreverlad]

In one of his strange and wonderful interviews he says that he doesn't have the internet because of the risk of his book being sabotaged. I mean even if that minute risk is valid, he could just have two computers.

[snob]I find it hard to understand how any thinking person could never ever be inclined to access an unlimited source of information and communication, but there it is.[/snob]

"Well, I managed to rip off RJ without the internet, imagine the kind of shitstorm I'd be brewing if I could read about other authors' works online"

[Myshkin]

Well that child would build you a "modern" looking house, read ugly greenhouse with thrown in AC to keep you cool complete with neo-classical sculpture.

And then he would claim that it was the greatest and most beautiful thing ever built, and everybody who says it's not has been indoctrinated by the cult of mediocrity!