3 ms·

OP here. keybr says that my speed is 97 on average and 150 max. IIRC my average was below 90 a year ago, but that was measured through some other method. I type

OP here. keybr says that my speed is 97 on average and 150 max. IIRC my average was below 90 a year ago, but that was measured through some other method. I type a lot more code than English prose, though, and English is my third language. That switching away from QWERTY will give you a massive speed boost is a myth. Although the world's fastest typists do not use QWERTY, the main benefit of alternate keyboard layouts is not speed, it's comfort (and, well, ergonomics). The question is polarizing - you can find testimonials of people who tried Dvorak/Colemak/Workman/etc. and either liked or hated it (so be careful to not fall prey to confirmation bias). I don't mind the "hobbling" as I very rarely use others' computers.

arafa 11y ago
As somebody who has typed in Dvorak continuously for the last 13 years, I agree one hundred percent with this post. I find that I type about the same (a little slower maybe) than in my QWERTY days, anywhere from 70-100 WPM on average. It's all about comfort, since my wrist pain basically went away for me (and my brother) since the switch. It's not for everyone. But you can remap (and set a key to go back and forth) easily on most computers these days. I find myself mostly on my own devices too. Some people (myself included) can also switch back to QWERTY and be functional. It feels so wrong, though, that I avoid it whenever possible. Never felt hobbled after that first few weeks learning, which were terrible. That's where a natural curiosity for learning new things really helps.