All it takes is the one CD that comes with the Ainsworth Keyboard Trainer, a commitment to learn, and your enthusiasm. Soon your fingers will be trained to go where they are supposed to go. This software program can teach the novice how to type as well as increase skills for typists of all levels. Ainsworth is thorough; he stretches your knowledge to include the entire keyboard, which means numbers and symbols as well as letters. Get ready for lessons that will teach you to type, drills to improve your speed and accuracy, and tests to measure and record your progress. It's not all work and no play. The Type-Oh! games get you thinking and typing at the same time. Program-generated reports document your progress and help you recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. Well into the program, the Ainsworth Conversation Piece and Ainsworth Writer work on improving communication skills.

The automatic monitoring feature was impressive. Intuitively, the program matches up to your dexterity and skill level and offers you appropriate challenges. It keeps your place if you start a lesson and want to come back later. A little touch of "homework" is not bad; Keyboard Trainer offers exercises intended to increase speed, accuracy, and overall keyboarding skills.

From the beginning, Keyboard Trainer was easy and immediate. All you do is pop in the CD and the program loads in less than a minute. Documentation and instructions are on the CD and very easy to understand; F1 is the help button. The learning curve is immediate, yet gradual. One word of advice, be sure to take the practice test. The instructions on the practice test apply to all the speed tests. Ainsworth's program indents paragraphs with five spaces. Experienced typists may not be using this indented format as their standard. If you do not align your words and type exactly as the tests are formatted, you will be disappointed with a poor score because the program reads improperly aligned typing as errors.

Home computer users would be interested in the single computer application, but a network version is also available. A nice feature is that both versions keep automatic records for any number of users. All family members can be learning or sharpening up on their keyboard skills simultaneously.

One of the Conversation Piece practice drills involves typing questions into the computer to which the computer responds with pat answers based on the keywords you type. Learning to compose at the computer is a good skill for those new to the word processing world, and the conversation with the computer is sure to make you smile. Your ability to compose at the computer will be put to good use during online chats.

Don't forget there is much more to the keyboard than just the typing keys. That keypad section is just waiting for your fingers. Ainsworth has another single CD program called the Keypad Trainer. This program for the number keypad is primarily intended for people using spreadsheets and calculators. Believe it or not, it is fun. Many Senior Centers offer the keypad as well as the keyboard because senior surfers have enjoyed both programs.

The value of the Ainsworth Keyboard Trainer, V4.1, is its success in enhancing your input skills. Your keyboarding will be faster and more accurate which could result in greater personal satisfaction as well as better skills for any job that involves a computer or typewriter. Although this program was very simple to use, it still did a good job of challenging my typing skills. With this software, anyone can improve his or her keyboard expertise, no matter what level he or she has currently achieved. The program is perfect for young, old, beginner, intermediate, etc, but especially for those new to the computer keyboard. The Ainsworth Keyboard Trainer is particularly useful for seniors who have decided to take on the computing world but find themselves with rusty (or no) typing skills. The keyboard is a necessary input device, and the sooner you master it, the more productive and enjoyable your entire computing experience will be. Thanks, Dick Ainsworth, for your help.