Comments on: Dvorak – Two years later, was it worth it? http://hanschen.org/2010/01/30/dvorak-two-years-later-was-it-worth-it/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:44:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Jan Gundtofte-Bruun http://hanschen.org/2010/01/30/dvorak-two-years-later-was-it-worth-it/#comment-895 Jan Gundtofte-Bruun Sat, 31 Jul 2010 22:32:28 +0000 http://hanswchen.wordpress.com/?p=1327#comment-895 Interesting write-up. It's been 3-4 years since I switched, and I deliberately chose the first day after x-mas to do it -- not much pressure at work so I could force myself to take it as slow as necessary. For this purpose, I pried off and rearranged the keycaps of my normal (ThinkPad) keyboards (at work and at home), and I've found that to be perfectly adequate. I was a (95%) touch typist before, and it took me less than two weeks to be fully comfortable in Dvorak (well, the bulk of my writing is code, which is symbol-rich and not exactly "prose" in the traditional sense). My qwerty touch-typing only deteriorated to "acceptable", which is okay since I rarely (want to) use other people's computers. A curious observation I've made is that in hunt-and-peck mode (for instance, on my smartphone) I absolutely suck on Dvorak but zip along on qwerty, so my virtual keyboard has remained qwerty even though a Dvorak variant is available. The by far most tricky part was to set up the Windows XP login window so I could enter my password using the Norwegian Dvorak layout! Interesting write-up.

It’s been 3-4 years since I switched, and I deliberately chose the first day after x-mas to do it — not much pressure at work so I could force myself to take it as slow as necessary. For this purpose, I pried off and rearranged the keycaps of my normal (ThinkPad) keyboards (at work and at home), and I’ve found that to be perfectly adequate.

I was a (95%) touch typist before, and it took me less than two weeks to be fully comfortable in Dvorak (well, the bulk of my writing is code, which is symbol-rich and not exactly “prose” in the traditional sense). My qwerty touch-typing only deteriorated to “acceptable”, which is okay since I rarely (want to) use other people’s computers.

A curious observation I’ve made is that in hunt-and-peck mode (for instance, on my smartphone) I absolutely suck on Dvorak but zip along on qwerty, so my virtual keyboard has remained qwerty even though a Dvorak variant is available.

The by far most tricky part was to set up the Windows XP login window so I could enter my password using the Norwegian Dvorak layout!

]]> By: Hans http://hanschen.org/2010/01/30/dvorak-two-years-later-was-it-worth-it/#comment-888 Hans Wed, 19 May 2010 22:13:43 +0000 http://hanswchen.wordpress.com/?p=1327#comment-888 @sofagreen: I don't have any proof to back up my statement that using different keyboards makes it easier to switch between the two layouts, it's just my personal experience. I do believe, however, that anyone can learn to switch with a little bit of practice, even on the same keyboard. If you still want to use this trick, you can try it with two "normal" keyboards with different feel (for example, one with flat keys). No need to buy an expensive keyboard; I'm sure you can find an old one lying around somewhere. Oh, and don't rearrange the keys to the Dvorak layout - you want to learn how to type without looking at the keys, don't you? ;) @sofagreen:
I don’t have any proof to back up my statement that using different keyboards makes it easier to switch between the two layouts, it’s just my personal experience. I do believe, however, that anyone can learn to switch with a little bit of practice, even on the same keyboard.

If you still want to use this trick, you can try it with two “normal” keyboards with different feel (for example, one with flat keys). No need to buy an expensive keyboard; I’m sure you can find an old one lying around somewhere. Oh, and don’t rearrange the keys to the Dvorak layout – you want to learn how to type without looking at the keys, don’t you? ;)

]]> By: sofagreen http://hanschen.org/2010/01/30/dvorak-two-years-later-was-it-worth-it/#comment-887 sofagreen Wed, 19 May 2010 21:27:43 +0000 http://hanswchen.wordpress.com/?p=1327#comment-887 I wish I could get a typematrix for free. Can anyone consciously make the switch? Touch typing uses muscle memory. And I understand that by learning dvorak on a different feel of a keyboard, you can know both layouts. But on the same keyboard, how do you switch without messing up? I wish I could get a typematrix for free. Can anyone consciously make the switch? Touch typing uses muscle memory. And I understand that by learning dvorak on a different feel of a keyboard, you can know both layouts. But on the same keyboard, how do you switch without messing up?

]]> By: Antonx9 http://hanschen.org/2010/01/30/dvorak-two-years-later-was-it-worth-it/#comment-648 Antonx9 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:12:23 +0000 http://hanswchen.wordpress.com/?p=1327#comment-648 I think that it'll take very much time and effort to make me use and learn how to use Dvorak, so I'll hold on to KTouch and learn touch typing on QWERTY... Wonder how i found this website? Wonder who I am too? It's pretty easy to solve... ;) I think that it’ll take very much time and effort to make me use and learn how to use Dvorak, so I’ll hold on to KTouch and learn touch typing on QWERTY…

Wonder how i found this website? Wonder who I am too? It’s pretty easy to solve… ;)

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