I am tall, not lanky. I never properly learned to touch type, at least not via Ms. Mavis Beacon or Mario's teachings. I found practice was very useful, but with programming in particular, it's been my experience that consistent speed helps me get into a flow. If I'm not sure what I'm going to type next, my brain focusing on what to tell the computer to logically do next 'crosses the stream' with what last statements I want to write out and causes typos.<p>As far as general touch typing goes, my dad showed me the keyboard he connected to the Gateway Win 98 box and said "that there is an IBM Model M keyboard, and if you learn how to use it right, it will last your whole life".<p>I was inspired to learn to type without looking at the keyboard, so over the age 9-12 years, I worked on it. These days, I don't have to look at it much, but still do things like typing 'ahve' instead of 'have'.<p>Oh, and that IBM keyboard was lost in a move, since replaced by a identical-if-i-didnt-otherwise-know keyboard I 'disposed' for my work with the evilest grin.