Dvorak simplified keyboard experiences

[plawks]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gssMCfxhe8E/T44GCv0TKpI/AAAAAAAAAQg/qj4zjcB9F1Y/s1600/dvorak.png

For those who are curious: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard

Last year I made a decision to switch to the Dvorak keyboard, and with perseverance, I was finally able to type on the Dvorak keyboard with a decent WPM (though the WPM improvement isn't significant). The transition was painful and I went on for months by hunt-and-peck before I finally got used to it. But now I'm doubting whether my efforts are worth it. I can never use my friends' computers or public computers (eg: at library) anymore because now I'm typing at a snail's speed on the QWERTY keyboard. Also every time I play games I have to switch back to the QWERTY configuration which is very very troublesome. Imagine the WASD keys scattered; playing shooting games is impossible.

But there is a perk though, no one will ever borrow my laptop since it's impossible for them to type on it. :))

Was wondering if anyone on ReCom is using the Dvorak keyboard. This thread would probably get zero replies lawl.

[henry_yew]

No, I'm sticking to QWERTY. But I like the way the Dvorak keyboard arranges its letters such that the most used key is often not far from reach (as in you don't have to change your hand positions much).

I guess it's just a matter of practice when it comes to switching keyboards.

Good grief, how did you even get a Dvorak keyboard?

[youngyew]

I tried out Dvorak many years ago due to the touted benefit in typing speed. I soon gave up before ever my familiarising fully with it.

I suppose if you are a full-time typist or secretary of some sort then you WOULD benefit from the increased typing speed (the world's fastest typist Barbara Blackburn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typing#Alphanumeric_entry) type on a DVORAK keyboard at a maintained 150WPM). However, for reasons you stated above such as the prevalence of qwerty layout and the difficulty with gaming, I think it's most likely not worth the trouble learning to type in DVORAK and inconveniencing yourself by losing the QWERTY typing skill.

No, I'm sticking to QWERTY. But I like the way the Dvorak keyboard arranges its letters such that the most used key is often not far from reach (as in you don't have to change your hand positions much).

I guess it's just a matter of practice when it comes to switching keyboards.

Good grief, how did you even get a Dvorak keyboard?
DVORAK is designed so that the average moving distance is minimised when one is typing in English.

You don't have to get a DVORAK keyboard. Both Windows and Mac allow you to remap your keyboard and make it either QWERTY or DVORAK. You can then pull the keys out and rearrange it after changing it on the system :)

[plawks]

Good grief, how did you even get a Dvorak keyboard?

I plucked out all the keyboard buttons on my laptop and rearranged them, then went to the control panel and added a new input language "English - US - Dvorak". FOC :laugh

[henry_yew]

A very brave move. If I were to pluck out my keyboard buttons, I wouldn't be able to put them back. Reason: They're all locked with a pivot. So if I force them out, I'll have to break the pivots, and then I won't be able to put them back in.

[youngyew]

Not necessarily, those pivot are quite strong and malleable at the same time. I have pulled out and replaced my keyboard keys many times without any trouble. I have only had to buy a new key once all these years. It was the Backspace.

[hyperair]

I tried to learn the Dvorak layout sometime in the past, going as far as to change the key layout on my USB keyboard to match the Dvorak layout, but the step down from 100~120WPM to ~50WPM was too painful for me to last more than a week.

[Nicholas92]

I never tried it, and I don't think it's really worth it for anyone who's already way too used to the standard Qwerty layout, especially if they use computers other than their own often.

I have seen people arrange their keyboards in the Dvorak layout just to mess with people and discourage them from using their computer, while maintaining Qwerty settings - it's pretty clever, given that most experienced typists don't need to look at the keyboard much anyway :P

[youngyew]

But then again most young people today are touch typists, or at least are familiar with the basic layout of the keyboard without actually looking at it.

[hyperair]

I reckon it would take a while before you're confident enough to type on a keyboard with all the keys saying the wrong thing, though.

[henry_yew]

Not necessarily, those pivot are quite strong and malleable at the same time. I have pulled out and replaced my keyboard keys many times without any trouble. I have only had to buy a new key once all these years. It was the Backspace.

That's not the case for my laptop. Stupid punya Vaio... one of the pivots in my left-arrow key broke when one of my files accidentally got lodged in the space between the key and the key "hole", and the applied pressure broke the pivot, and it can't be fixed back anymore.

[youngyew]

Buy a new key?

[hyperair]

Buy a new key?

Where can you buy a single key?

[youngyew]

http://www.laptopkey.com/

5 dollars per key.

[hyperair]

Hey that's pretty cool. My Thinkpad E220S doesn't seem to be covered though.

[Nicholas92]

I reckon it would take a while before you're confident enough to type on a keyboard with all the keys saying the wrong thing, though.

Actually I tried it before, it's not too bad. If you're somewhat used to the system of positioning your hands, and finding the start point of the two keys with the raised markings, (F and J? On mine anyway) it's pretty easy to type on a messed-up keyboard :)

Tried on my friend's, before.

[hyperair]

Actually I tried it before, it's not too bad. If you're somewhat used to the system of positioning your hands, and finding the start point of the two keys with the raised markings, (F and J? On mine anyway) it's pretty easy to type on a messed-up keyboard :)

Tried on my friend's, before.

You're experienced enough such that you can type blind. I used to type with my hands between the keyboard and the base of the desk (in the keyboard drawer) so I can pretty much handle typing on a wrongly mapped keyboard as well, but it took a while for my sister to be able to type completely blind even after she got the hang of touch-typing.

[Nicholas92]

You're experienced enough such that you can type blind. I used to type with my hands between the keyboard and the base of the desk (in the keyboard drawer) so I can pretty much handle typing on a wrongly mapped keyboard as well, but it took a while for my sister to be able to type completely blind even after she got the hang of touch-typing.

Haha I suppose, yeah :)

Well to me if you've done enough school projects on a last-minute deadline, chances are you'll have typed fast enough to not rely on looking at the keyboard anymore - and I never really had the hang of touch-typing, I always like a more tactile feel...

You know how you just get used to typing, then even if the keys are wrong your muscle memory kicks in and you just 'know' where the right key is? Something like that I suppose, haha.

No one ships Dvorak keyboards specifically, do they? I mean not as part of the PC or laptop.

[plawks]

Well I've never seen shops selling them even in Lowyat, but it's pretty easy to buy one online.

The most economic way would be using stickers or rearranging the buttons.

[hyperair]

Haha I suppose, yeah :)

Well to me if you've done enough school projects on a last-minute deadline, chances are you'll have typed fast enough to not rely on looking at the keyboard anymore - and I never really had the hang of touch-typing, I always like a more tactile feel...

You know how you just get used to typing, then even if the keys are wrong your muscle memory kicks in and you just 'know' where the right key is? Something like that I suppose, haha.

Yeah I know what you mean. I never actually made the effort to learn how to touch-type. It just sort of came naturally while I was competing with a couple of friends on a typing test..

No one ships Dvorak keyboards specifically, do they? I mean not as part of the PC or laptop.
No, but on the other hand, they do sell those blank keyboards. And then there are those with really great switches that are feel really awesome to type on (but are noisy as hell).