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I have converted to the Dvorak in Aug 09, to see if the Dvorak suits me. I averaged about 70 words per minute on QWERTY and got back to this speed in Dvorak aft
by kschua 17y ago
I have converted to the Dvorak in Aug 09, to see if the Dvorak suits me. I averaged about 70 words per minute on QWERTY and got back to this speed in Dvorak after about 4 months. I don't buy the claim that a person can switch to the Dvorak in 25 days. Took me almost that long just to be able to type with the Dvorak without looking at the keyboard. The DVAssist program for Windows was very helpful in the transition stage.
Wikipedia claims the fastest typist in the world uses a Dvorak.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_Keyboard so you draw your own conclusions about speed from this
I am sticking to the Dvorak because I don't feel as much strain on my wrist as compared to using a QWERTY. I have had a pain in my right wrist which hasn't occurred since I started the Dvorak. (Note: It could also be due to the slowdown in speed during the transition process).If I get an increase in speed it is a bonus.
A small bonus on using the Dvorak is that I don't need to bother about people looking at my keyboard when I am typing my password.
Cons:
1) Pair programming is a pain if the other guy doesn't use Dvorak. Having to switch keyboard layouts often isn't fun, unless of course your workplace allows you to install DVAssist
2) When using outside terminals, such as Internet cafe, it is highly unlikely you are going to be able to switch keyboard layout.
3) On a Mac, the shortcuts still follow the QWERTY keyboard, so the Apple-C key is really an Apple J key.
Signed
A QWERTY keyboard typist for 25 years
- mattm 17y agoI had a similar experience. I was beginning to experience pain in my fingers from typing on QWERTY. Since making the switch, that pain has completely gone. My typing speed remained about the same but I am very glad I switched. It took me about a month practicing 30-60 minutes per day to make the switch.
- snth 17y agoI've been using a Dvorak layout for about 7 years now. I converted for efficiency; at that time I had no wrist or hand problems. Within the last couple years, intense typing sessions have give me lasting pain in my hands (mostly emanating from my pinky fingers). The Dvorak layout actually seems to be worse in this regard (pinky strain) than Qwerty, so I've switched to using a Kinesis keyboard, which has helped somewhat. Though nothing seems to help like backing off of typing for a while, and avoiding long laptop typing sessions.
- garnet7 17y agoLooks like the carpalx software (mentioned above) can be tuned to find you a layout that doesn't work the pinkies so much.
- mtoledo 17y agoDvorak does have some cons, but I'm not sure yours are really the most relevant. 1) Most OSs allow you to switch layouts with a hotkey like left and right Alt, right Alt+Ctrl, etc. (ubuntu and osx at least) 2) Typing on internet cafes, is not really the norm, and is something most people just a small amount of time in long periods to be really relevant. Its like having to go to an internet cafe in france (where some keys are misplaced), assuming you totally forgot qwerty. 3) On my mac, all shortcuts are where they should be, following dvorak layout and not qwerty. so close window (Cmd-W) is cmd-w in dvorak (which is relative to pressing cmd-.)