Comments on: QWERTY v. Dvorak Keyboards

By: kyith

kyith — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 07:26:15 +0000

Dovark might not garner the same following with the smartphone revolution. i am going to find one for android and test whether i can type on such a layout.

http://www.productiveorganizer.com/mobile-productivity/will-the-virtual-keyboard-bring-about-a-change-from-qwerty/

By: Coach V

Coach V — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:39:10 +0000

I wat to find a virtual Dvorak keyboard for my Palm Treo 755p. Can anyone help?

By: Kenneth Burchfiel

Kenneth Burchfiel — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:40:59 +0000

Dvorak was the first keyboard on which I learned to touch type. For that reason, perhaps, I was able to learn the keyboard in about three to six months. It proved out to be the best technology decision I’ve ever made. To see a Dvorak keyboard in use, check out some of my typing test videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXd6IH_oOpU

To those avoiding the Dvorak keyboard on the premise that they wouldn’t be able to touch type at work: there exist plenty of “Dvorak Converters” online. Just google “Qwerty Dvorak Converter,” and you’ll find sites where you can convert your text without having to change any of your computer statistics.

I’m now able to type at 100-120 words a minute without any wrist strain at all. The Dvorak keyboard is far superior to Qwerty, and I implore you to give it a try. You may very well end up typing faster than me.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:32:24 +0000

Two months for me to get up to speed. Now much faster. So much more comfortable to type with dvorak and it’s supposed to be better for your hands too, I’d agree.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:36:58 +0000

I switched to Dvorak 3 years ago. It took 2 years to get back to my normal speed. It’s not hard to re-train your fingers to do each letter. Since we think of words when we type you really have to re-train for each word. That’s why it takes a long time to change. I never labelled my keys.

If you are doing a lot of normal writing, I think it’s worth the investment. When coding, not so much. Added bonuses: noboby will want to use your computer; you can type your password with people watching and they still have no clue to what it is (as long as they aren’t using you machine).

By: Bert

Bert — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:52:48 +0000

Thousands and thousands of keystrokes eventually wiped the red away… and now that laptop doesn’t even work anyway. It was a long time ago.

By: proudgeek

proudgeek — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 10:49:16 +0000

Interesting, Adrian and Bert!

Adrian, I’m jealous that you got your grubby paws on an Android phone. Send one my way :-)

Bert – that’s why I’m afraid to try to learn the Dvorak layout. Did you ever wash the red markings off the keyboard??

By: Bert

Bert — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:27:04 +0000

Hi Proud Geek-

I tried to learn to use Dvorak when I was a freshman in college- thinking that the investment in time then would save me time later on when I had to write a lot of term papers.

I changed the setting on my computer to Dvorak and I wrote the new letters on the keys in red permanent marker. I spent about two hours relearning how to type and was eventually able to do it, if not too quickly.

I was doing some kind of translation in my brain, like “old L = new N.” Eventually it really messed with my brain. In fact, someone came to my dorm room and asked if my room mate was there. It took me a long time to get the word “no” out of my mouth because I was thinking “new N = old L; new O = old S.” That person probably thought I was on drugs…

Later that week I had to write a small assignment and changed my laptop setting back to normal. Wasn’t quite worth it at the time.

By: Adrian Havill

Adrian Havill — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:18:39 +0000

I use a Happy Hacking keyboard with a Dvorak layout and keycaps on my Ubuntu workstation (my main machine that I’m in front of the most hours). I use a Japanese-variant QWERTY layout on my one of my Windows machine, and a straight English QWERTY on my Macbook Pro.

As for my cellphones, I use both JP 10-key for some. And for my Android phone, I use QWERTY. :)

By: proudgeek

proudgeek — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:45:37 +0000

Learned how to type on a manual typewriter too. I remember trying to pound the keys together to see if I can get the strokes (or whatever the thing that actually prints the letter on the paper is called) to jam together on the paper.

Nope, never tried the European version!