Description:
Ballet dancing, juggling, pole vaulting--these are activities best learned as a child. Touch typing, however, is not a skill that requires early practice. It makes no difference what age you begin, as long as you've got the motivation and the proper teacher. Thanks to the Mavis Beacon programs, adults and children alike have been able to learn to type for years now without having to suffer droning public instruction. And with each new version of the software, the program's sophisticated personalization features keep enhancing the sense that you have your own private coach egging you to challenge yourself and improve quickly. Take the practice test for starters and Mavis eerily pinpoints your exact weak spots. She then offers a program of exercises to target those specific areas. Choose to ignore her plans, and you can go play one of eight distinct activities in the Games area or fool around watching videos in the Media Center. Soon, however, you'll find those initial weaknesses Mavis diagnosed tripping you up again and again, whether you're playing the hilarious Chameleon Picnic game or wandering into the Media Center to transcribe The Owl and the Pussycat. Eventually, when you settle in to do the meaningful practice work here, as everyone does, you'll find you progress surprisingly quickly because it's so perfectly individualized, everything from the keys you're hitting to the background soundtrack. Mavis certainly knows there's nothing like success to breed increased motivation for work. And she knows there's really no shortcut for the work. To keep you securely on track, this new version of the software puts a "personal coach" icon on your Windows task bar, allowing you immediate access to a speed gauge and finger-position table you can use in whichever software program you're working. It's also got a pop-up session scheduler that reminds you to practice daily and take rest breaks to relieve typing stress. The Mavis Beacon plan asks that you spend just 15 minutes a day practicing your rhythm, speed, accuracy, and 10-key skills, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you don't see satisfactory progress when you follow that plan. To add to the allure, this version of the program is bundled with Address Book 7.0, a fine utility in its own right. --Jean Lenihan
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