To those who touch type without looking can you use the special characters?

Sure.

Yup but . . I’m out of practice; can hit most and sometimes all.

Yes…my error rate is NO worse than typing all the letters!!!

Yep. I learned in high school business class while some learn by having to do it. The typing and shorthand I took way back then still occupy a space in my head and are recalled easily.

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No. At least….not on my laptop. My laptop’s keyboard geometry and angle throws me off juuuust enough that I can’t do the number row with accuracy. I can do SOME of the specials without looking, but not all, and not on this keyboard. I used to do better on a regular desktop setup.