You might not have noticed this about your keyboard, or maybe you have just always wondered what those two little bumps on the F and J keys are. They actually weren’t invented until 2002, but now almost every keyboard made includes the little things. If you place both your index fingers in on their respective f and j keys, you might notice something: your hands are perfectly positioned to reach every key on the keyboard. In an effort to improve the speed of many typists, and create a keyboard that can be used without looking, the bumps were added.
For those of you that still type with the two finger approach at a breakneck speed of two words per minute, the little bumps may not be of too much help. However, if you’re looking to start typing fast and keep yourself from having to look at the keyboard, try using the bumps to help you figure out where each letter key is.
In the “touch typing” realm, when your index fingers are placed on the bumps and the other fingers placed on the keys beside them, this is called “home row.” Home row is where your fingers should come back to a natural resting position when finished typing. There are many websites out there that can help you improve your typing speed. Maybe you could even reach over 100 words per minute!
Invented by June E. Botich, the small little bumps help many around the world type just a little bit faster. Try to start practicing your typing using the bumps and see how much faster you can finish all those papers you have to write. Who knew those little bumps on F and J could be so useful?
