Dvorak Layout?

[mfratt]

I want to rearrange my key caps to make my keyboard into a dvorak keyboard. How can I adjust the windows keymap accordingly?

[GomJabbar]

See following link: Select a Dvorak Keyboard Layout

[dsigma6]

I've never seen that before...it looks insane, but I guess anything does that involves learning again. I'm reading that it's faster and involves less hand movement, definitely a plus...But can anyone here actually switch to dvorak after using a qwerty keyboard for so long?

[larrys]

Can you define "so long"?

I switched to a Dvorak keyboard when I was 30 years old, with 15 years of typing on Qwerty typewriters and keyboards.

After 1-2 weeks of tension headaches caused by the remapping of conditioned reflexes, I could touch type in Dvorak.

I just use the normal keyboard, and have changed the keyboard language to Dvorak via the control panel.

If you want to switch to Dvorak, I would simply print out a Dvorak keyboard layout on a piece of paper, and place it on or near the keyboard. Then look at the Dvorak layout when necessary. When I was first making the switch, every time I started to type my finger/s would automatically reach out for the qwerty key, then I would have to rein it back in, and purposefully reach for the Dvorak key. It was tedious. But after the break in period, no problems. The sound of a Dvorak typist is different than a qwerty typist. The fingers move in more of a strumming pattern, and you do not hear the staccato like keystrokes of a qwerty typist.

It does cause some inconveniences, such as when I use a keyboard outside of the office & home, I have to hunt & peck. Those instances do not occur frequently, but when they do it's annoying.

I do not regret the move to Dvorak in spite of the occasional inconvenience. I became somewhat of a faster typist in Dvorak, maybe a 10% wpm increase, but don't expect magic.

[dsigma6]

Good information larrys. The wpm change is entirely subjective, but since you've been at it for a while, I'll trust your judgement. QWERTY it is!

[larrys]

This site has some additional information on the Dvorak layout, and the author noted he had about a 25% increase in speed:

http://www.theworldofstuff.com/dvorak/

I never really tested my change in speed after the conversion...maybe I'll have to do that at some point

[w0qj]

I've read somewhere before that the traditional keyboard layout that almost everyone uses had its roots in mechanical typewriter.

ie: A number of commonly used keys (eg: vowels, r/t/n) were purposely spread out, so as to slow down the typist's speed so that the (very early) mechanical typewriter won't jam!