HACKER Q&A
📣 amichail

Does keyboard backlighting result in fewer people learning touch typing?


Also, why doesn't the top row of keys on MacBook Pros have bumps/ridges to help you distinguish the various functions without looking at the keyboard (e.g., pause/play, mute, etc.)?


  👤 JohnFen Accepted Answer ✓
I don't think so. The decline of the prevalence of touch-typing skills was mostly complete before backlit keyboards were much of a thing.

I suspect this is because touch-typing isn't a skill as necessary as it was in prior decades. I also note that when I was in high school in the late '70s, there were no courses in touch-typing, but when my parents were in high school, learning touch-typing was mandatory.


👤 ungreased0675
I don’t think so. I use an RGBKB Sol 3 with more lights than most streaming setups, but I don’t look at it when using the computer.

If the hardware has anything to do with it, I’d point a finger at compact layout keyboards with poor key feel.