Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 8.0 (Jewel Case)

by Broderbund

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005NUNW
• Item model number: 381156
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 3, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,523 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #76 in Software > Education & Reference > Typing
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing continually monitors your progress; adapts to your strengths, weaknesses, and rhythms; and customizes each lesson to fit your needs. Key features include live-action video illustrating proper office ergonomics, hand exercises, and more; links to other typing- and education-related Web sites; and exercises that make use of poetry, historical documents, astronomy, trivia, and folklore.

Product Description

Mavis Beacon can teach you the important skill of typing. Whether you are learning to type or you want o improve, this tying program is a time-tested learning system that stand above the rest. Mavis is a proven, effective way to learn and master keyboard skills.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great tool for typing, September 11, 2002

By 

Adelknight Seven "oodleman_aka_mazza_2k3" (New Orleans) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 8.0 (Jewel Case) (CD-ROM)

I purchased this from Best Buy for 10 bucks. My mom told me that there is no price for something you learn. I think about it, and I really agree. I mean, we waste so much money on games and then when something educational comes up we hesitate.

This is a great learning tool for the whole family. I love the setup and graphics, they're simple yet neat. They are also appealing. This program can teach you how to type even if you never ever typed before.

I am a fast typer (not bragging, 65 wpm on average) and I still use this program. My mom, who got it, is about 4 words a minute.
Mavis is very encouraging. She tells you to keep practicing. She gives you compliments and advice. There are fun games that enforce what you learn. These games include Penguin Crossing (where you type the words as they appear on floating icebergs), Chameleon (where you type words as the Chameleon eats them), and even Race (where your speed moves the car). I find these games fun. I don't know how to play the piano game , ragtime, correctly though. It has to do with a metronome.

Even if you're a fast typer this program will find out your level. It game me a typing test, and cleverly found out my weaknesses. My weaknesses are numbers and symbols (e.g. 1243689()!@#$#$%^][{]}). It gives you tests like dictation and transcription (I don't know how to work that).

If you want to practice your own lessons, you can do that too. All you do is create a text file in notepad, import it onto the program, and then type it. I think I can try that with funny text to make it a more enjoyable experience.

In conclusion, this software is a great value. I don't think there is a better value out there. It can be used by multiple people, and is a very fun tool for learning. It's a keyboarding class in itself.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The wonderful review, March 5, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 8.0 (Jewel Case) (CD-ROM)

I think this is a good typing system. I use it at my school, and it is easy to use. I think Mavis Beacon is fun sometimes, otherwise it gets boring if you do it too much. But then again, to be a perfect typer you have to practice 1 hour a day, 5 days a week, for 3 months. I want to be a perfect typer and you should, too! It will help you later on in life!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost 5 stars...Reply to Bertha, February 20, 2003

By 

"khkrall" (The Woodlands, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 8.0 (Jewel Case) (CD-ROM)

We have really enjoyed this product. It is much more patient than I would be if I were the teacher! :) The program is very flexible and offers a lot of variety. I am reluctant to give it five stars because one of the games (piano metronome) is difficult to understand and use, and there is no option to remove it from the repertoire. Otherwise, it is really a great product. In response to Bertha's comment about period spacing. In the user settings (accessible at the welcome screen) you can choose whether you want 1 or 2 spaces following a period. I share her frustration with the change from 2 spaces to 1. I was taught the two space method, and it has taken quite some time to break the habit. Happy typing!