Finger binary Finger binary Finger binary is a system for counting and displaying binary numbers on the fingers of one or more hands. It is possible to count from 0 to 31 (2−1) using the fingers of a single hand, or from 0 through 1023 (2−1) if both hands are used. In the binary number system, each numerical digit has two possible states (0 or 1) and each successive digit represents an increasing power of two. Note: What follows is but one of several possible schemes for assigning the values 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc. to fingers, not necessarily the best.
Touch typing must have been using similar systems. In 1889 Bates Torrey coined the words "writing by touch" in his article. In 1890 Lovisa Ellen Bullard Barnes defined the words "write by touch" in her book as follows: Touch typing is contrasted to "search and peck", also known as "hunt-and-peck" or "two-fingered typing". Instead of relying on the memorized position of keys, the typist finds each key by sight and moves their finger over to press it, usually the index finger of their dominant hand. This method is considered inferior as not only is it slower than touch typing, the typist would