Typing speed test
Until the end of the 20th century, texts were typed on special mechanical typewriters, and only in the 1980s did they gradually begin to be replaced by electronic devices.
Personal computers already had a basic text input function (via the keyboard) with the ability to print them later on peripheral devices (printers). When PCs became widely accessible, the need for typewriters disappeared on its own.
However, if typewriters had never existed, it is unclear whether the alphanumeric input method would have been invented later and what modern keyboards would look like. Therefore, when discussing text typing and printing, we must first remember the history of typewriters.
History of the typewriter
Texts and illustrations were first reproduced on paper and textiles through printing in ancient China. This is confirmed by archaeological findings in East Asia, dating back to the 3rd century AD. Later examples of printed materials were found in ancient Egypt, estimated to be over 1,600 years old. These include preserved papyrus scrolls and textiles with printed inscriptions and images.
If we talk about large-scale book printing (not individual copies but using stamps or templates), this method was invented between the 6th and 10th centuries. The Chinese are also credited with this invention, and the oldest surviving printed material from China is a xylographic copy of the Diamond Sutra from the year 868.
For many centuries, text printing was reserved for large institutions, mostly governmental or religious, while for ordinary people, this craft was too expensive and inaccessible. The situation began to change only in the 18th century, when the first patent for a portable typewriter was issued in England. Many European engineers worked on such machines, and it is not definitively known who exactly invented the first one.
What is certain, however, is that the first commercially successful (and widely adopted) typewriter was the one developed by Sholes and Glidden, also known as the Remington 1. Presented in England in 1873, this model, equipped with a QWERTY keyboard, laid the foundation for the further development of writing mechanisms.
Much earlier, in 1808, the Italian mechanic Pellegrino Turri introduced a mechanism with a fast-printing function. He is also famous for inventing carbon paper. Although Turri’s machine has not survived, documents printed with it still exist.
The typewriters invented by Charles Wheatstone in the 1850s have also not survived, as he never patented them or launched mass production. Thus, the only surviving model is the Remington 1, although history shows that the first typewriters were actually invented 150–170 years earlier.
By the mid-20th century, electricity became the driving force, and the first electromechanical typewriters appeared. In 1973, the IBM Correcting Selectric model was introduced, featuring a function to correct typing errors. It allowed the carriage to move back and cover incorrect characters with white ink before printing new ones on top.
New stage
The era of electromechanical typewriters did not last long: by 1984, IBM PC’s printing standard had been globally adopted. Typewriters were increasingly replaced by personal computers equipped with XT keyboards with 83 keys.
These keyboards allowed switching input modes, making it easier to alternate between uppercase and lowercase letters. By 1986, XT keyboards had been replaced first by DIN devices and then by Model M keyboards with 101 to 106 keys. The connection port was switched to PS/2, and for the first time, Windows and Menu keys appeared.
Modern keyboards connect via USB and, in addition to standard keys, include extra multimedia buttons such as volume control, search, refresh, and more. Typing on them is as simple and convenient as possible. Signals are transmitted to the computer almost instantly, allowing text input speeds of up to 300–400 characters per minute. The current speed record belongs to Mikhail Shestov, who typed 940 characters per minute using touch typing.
No one has surpassed this record yet, but that is not necessary. Typing 200–300 characters per minute is already enough to be considered a skilled typist, and you can always test your speed with a free online test.
You can take the test regularly to track your progress. Being able to type quickly and without errors is a useful skill that saves time and effort, and it is also highly valued by employers.
