Why TypeRacer is good news for writing

Last evening or thereabouts, Orkut came out of the closet and declared, "We have become Facebook!" Not that I mind. A good idea belongs to nobody. And social networking works best when there are games to be played. Sooner or later, you are bound to get tired of "hi!!! hru??" scraps.

I was particularly kicked by a social gaming application called TypeRacer. Once installed on your Orkut profile, it allows you to race your typing speed with your Orkut friends. And you are not just ranked on the basis of your speed. What is truly beautiful about TypeRacer is that it brings the much-ignored criteria of grammar and punctuation back into stark focus. I love it because of that.

I have always considered myself an able keyboarder. Last night, I realised I had been competing with the wrong kind of people. I logged an average of 35 words per minute in my first eight races. Someone who does text commentary for a cricket portal beat me black and blue in three fights.

I am still recovering. But I am not a sore loser. TypeRacer can be a boon to the state of online writing.

The state of writing in general (online mostly, but also offline) is, frankly speaking, sad. Writing 'hru' may be easier than 'How are you?'. But it sure as hell is not easier to understand.

Journalists, copywriters, sub-editors, teachers and students of English. These are the people generally considered guardians of the sanctity of the language. I would like to add bloggers to this list as well. But there is some distance to walk yet. I am not against errors. Mistakes happen.

But to embrace mistakes as a new way of doing things just because you consider yourself incapable of doing any better sounds irresponsible.

If TypeRacer becomes anything of a competitive fad, it will at least help the Orkut and chatroom crowds get over the belief that fast typing is the same as good communication.

TypeRacer is like a fussy chat friend who wouldn't pay attention to your IM's if you don't spell all the words exactly right. As someone who has seen resumes soaked in ignorance about what language is, I see great possibility in TypeRacer.

So then, I am up for a match. I am 35 w/m. Beat me? Be warned though. I am getting better at this.