KP Typing Tutor International Generation Version 4.0 Copyright (C) 1996 Zijian Huang All Right Reserved Shareware KP Typing Tutor International Generation supports most of the keyboard templates and alphabet languages, and provides more free choices to users of various characteristics and experience. KP encourage you learn to type as soon as possible, shorten your total learning time as much as possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ REQUIREMENT The KP requires the following minimum equipment to run properly: * IBM PC, XT, PS/2, 80X86, or IBM compatible * MS-DOS Compatible - All version from 3.0 and up * 640 KB memory * Monitor (Mono, EGA/VGA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ INSTALL and RUN KP file list abstract: ===================== *.exe *.cfg *.txt *.bat *.key kp.rec KP file list and description: ============================ BASIC FILE LIST: kpworldc.exe The running program kp.cfg The config file kp.rec The user record readme.txt User manual readme2.txt Complementation for "readme.txt", more detail about KP readme3.txt Some tips on how to make sure KP more suitable to your personal situation register.txt Registeration form, licence agreement, copyright issues kpuk.bat Batch file to start KP, using UK keyboard template kpukf.bat using an alternative keyboard template for UK keyboard kpukm.bat using mono mode kpus.bat for US keyboard kpusf.bat alternative keybaord template for US keyboard kpus2.bat using longer course kpus3.txt using course with another style. kpfr.bat for French keyboard kpgr.bat for Germany keyboard kpbe.bat for Belgium keyboard kpit.bat for Italy keyboard kpib.bat for Spanish keyboard kpdvorak.bat for Dvorak keyboard, with Dvorak course uk.key keyboard template for UK keyboard, a text file ukf.key an alternative keyboard template for UK, different colors us.key for US keyboard usf.key an alternative keyboard template for US, different colors fr.key for French keyboard gr.key for Germany be.key for Belgium it.key for Italy ib.key for Spain dvorak.key for Dvorak keyboard kp.txt Text file for practice kpcourse.txt Course file for QWERTY keyboard course2.txt A longer version of "kpcourse.txt". course3.txt A course with different style coursed.txt A course for Dvorak keyboard NOTICE: New keyboard template files and course filesmay be added later without advance notice. Please check any KP typing tutor WWW page or contact the author for further information. You may select your favourite course for practice, by modifying a batch file. Other text files can be used as sample source files. For more details, please see the document "readme2.txt" and "readme3.txt". It is recommended that you run KP via a batch file. KP also supports PC networks. For more details, see document "readme2.txt". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ INTRODUCTION The functions of KP are divided into six parts: 1. Sentence Practice 2. Letter Practice 3. Text Practice 4. Course 5. File 6. Help 0. Exit You can type the appropriate number or initial capital letter to select a function. YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE ORDER OF THESE FUNCTIONS TO PRACTISE. KP provides two styles for beginners who can select function 1 and 2 to discipline himself or herself, or select function 4 to be guided while learning. 1. Sentence =========== This function is for users who are familiar with most of the key locations and want to practise more skilfully. A sample from a text file will be shown on the screen. There are also a virtual keyboard and palms shown on the screen. Then you can type characters following the sample. The key that should be typed is illustrated by blinking the appropriate key of the virtual keyboard and the appropriate virtual finger. When you press a key , the character will be echoed on the screen under the sample. If the character that you typed is not correct, the character will be echoed with inverse format. When you accomplish typing the sample and press the Enter key or space key, the speed and accuracy rate will be shown. The line that you typed will be cleared. A new sample line will be shown randomly. You can terminate the current line of practice by pressing the Enter key, then the current sample and input are cleared, but the speed and accuracy rate are not shown, a new sample line will be shown, waiting for you to type. You can press Esc at any time to go back to the main menu. IT SHOULD BE NOTICED that when the first letter is typed, a beep will sournd, and the stop watch start to run until the sentence has been finished. You can use the Backspace key to delete what has been typed. To train yourself for good manner of typing, just look at the sample, try not to look at the prompt of the virtual keyboard and palms, never look at the keyboard. 2. Letter ========= This function is for users who are in beginner level and want to practise a few letters first. You are expected to input what you want to practise. You can input a character string as a sample, then the string will be repeated several times to fill a line shown on the screen as a sample. Then you can type characters following the sample. The key that should be typed is illustrated by blinking the appropriate key of the virtual keyboard and the appropriate virtual finger. For example: You input "afet koe"; then the screen will show "afet koe afet koe afet koe afet koe afet koe ..." You can delete what has been inputted while inputting a new sample or practising. The other facilities of this function are the same as function 1. 3. Text ======= This function is for those who know all the key locations and want to type faster or test their speed with a long article, simulating the real office typing enviroment. The program will ask you to indicate how many (like 5, 15, 218) lines you want to practise. After you input a number, several lines of text will be shown on the upper part of the screen, the cursor will on the lower part waiting you to type. Within a line, you can delete. When you finish all the lines selected, the speed and accurate rate will be shown. You can press Return to terminate input of the current line and go to next line, but the letters left behind are regarded to be typed incorrectly. You can also press Esc to go back to main menu. This function combined with function 4 can also be useful for competition of typing. For more detail, please read the document "readme3.txt". If you select too many lines out of the total lines of the text file, then the whole text file will be used. 4. Course ========= This function is for those who like to be guided to practise step by step from the very beginning. You are free to move to any part of the course any time you like. This function is similar to function 1. You (or teacher) have choices to select a favourite course. For more details about this, see "readme2.txt". 5. File. ======== You can re-define a file as source of sample text. This function will change the source stream used by function 1 and 3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SUGGESTION TO LEARNER * Use all your fingers to type; * The home keys for you fingers are "A S D F J K L ;"; "F J" are where your index fingers can detect the location of keys by touching and feeling; * Never look at the keyboard, try your best not to look at the virtual keyboard, and palms, unless you forget the key location or which finger should be used; * Any time you input a line you can use the Backspace key to modify, then your right index finger move back to 'J' key; * Any time you can press the Esc key to go back to the privious status; * When you press the first printable character, the stopwatch starts to run; * You can learn to type within eight hours in one week, or twelve hours in two weeks, or fiften hours in three weeks. * Take it easy and learn it easy.You can teach yourself in the way you like. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUGGESTION TO TEACHER AND NETWORK MANAGER It is possible and recommended to change the content of practice according to your flavour and the situation of your students. You can also modify the keyboard template including key locations, key colors, finger colors. You may get some ideas if you compare the running of 'kpuk.bat' and kpukf.bat', then compare 'uk.key' and 'ukf.key', and then read "readme2.txt". If you want to get more free choices from KP for your particular situation, please read "readme2.txt" and "readme3.txt", escpeically if you are a network manager. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- DISTRIBUTION It is recommeanded that the package of this typing tutor is distributed in the form of a compressed file named "kpmost.zip". Other text files made by users should NOT be packaged inside "kpmost.zip" to avoid cofussion. In case you package some sample text files with the original package of this typing tutor, you should package them in the form of "kpmost.zip + *.txt + *.key -> kp*.zip". You are very welcome to redistribute KP if all the files listed in document "readme.txt" are included and without any modification. The distribution that involve commercial activities should follow the terms of the copyright note and disclaimer of KP Typing Tutor International Generation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COPYRIGHT NOTICE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please see document "register.txt". ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOPE Hopefully you can learn to type through KP, mostly through yourself quickly. What will be the milestone where you learn to type? * At least, you can type A-Z using at least nine of your fingers without looking at the keyboard. * Or you can type a sentence at a speed of 60 keystroke per minute, or 15 WPM. * Or you can type as fast as you write. * Or you can type at a speed of more than 240 keys per minute or 40 WPM. Which standard do you like? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Zijian Huang E-mail: n4521661@aidan.ncl.ac.uk Computing Science Department University of Newcastle upon Tyne UK Tel: +44(UK) 0421 377903 www: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/~n4521661