geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Popkeymon on Fri, 27 May 2011, 08:19:54
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I can no longer type on a qwerty layout without looking at the alphabet printed on the buttons. I confess that I enjoy being different from other people and being able to touch type on a dvorak layout.
When I have to use a computer for a prolonged period, I must have to add the dvorak layout in setting and set it into the system default before I can work productively.
Actually, I did not become a superfast typist by switching the layout which originally motivated my desire to switch. However, I have learned true touch typing on the dvorak layout. I can actually type without looking at the keyboard that I used to be using a hybrid hunt and peck and non-standard way to type on the qwerty.
I cannot figure out how much wpm that I gain (or loss) by switching the layout. But I find no reason to switch back as the Dvorak has become the most natural way for me to type on my home pc and office pc. I really recommend anyone interested in Dvorak to have a try.
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I can easily switch back and forth, because I use distinctively different keyboard for Dvorak. I use the Kinesis contoured keyboards for Dvorak, and stick to QWERTY for any kind of flat keyboard. The different shape really helps the brain adjust from one layout to the other. I have a hard time typing Dvorak on a flat keyboard, and even harder time typing QWERTY on the Kinesis contoured, because I never really used QWERTY on it.
By far my preferred combination of layout/keyboard is Dvorak on the Kinesis.
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I'll sure have this in mind, since I was really thinking about switching once my mech keyboard arrives, the lettering on the keycaps it's just what will be difficult, since my keyboard has sculpted keycaps, and I cannot switch the keys around properly, I'm after some blank keycaps...
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I've had the syndrome for a while now. If I visit a colleague (and they are all qwerty) I just hunt and peck - no biggie.
The swap was totally worth it. Oh, and blank keycaps can really help if you can't stop looking at the keys.
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I was thinking of changing a while ago, but I decided against it because I can already fully touch type on QWERTY and I also want to be able to use other people's computers without any problems. I play a lot of SC2, and often have to use other people's computers when I do support stuff and I like the "bragging rights" of getting on someone else's computer to fix it and just letting rip a string of keys in quick succession every time I need to type in a web address or something. In the future when I get out of computer support and am in university or working a proper full time job I may try switch over and get used to DVORAK.
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I must be misreading your post, but if you were a hybrid hunt and peck with a qwerty, i don't understand why you think that learning to touch type with dvorak will stop you from being a hunt and peck with qwerty.
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I've been learning Dvorak for one month now, switching to Qwerty for conversations with friends and I've noticed only a 5-10 wpm loss from my Qwerty.
I tracked this with Typeracer.
Starting Qwerty speed: 115 wpm (average)
Starting Dvorak speed: 15 wpm (average)
1 Month Later, Qwerty speed: 105-110 wpm (average)
1 Month Later, Dvorak speed: 75 wpm (average)
You really shouldn't give up using Qwerty (I think) because it's useful to retain the skill you've developed over many years time. I never for a second thought I would "forget" how to touch-type Qwerty while learning how to be proficient in Dvorak (and I won't consider myself proficient until I reach my Qwerty speed), and all that actually happened was that I lost a little Qwerty speed (simply from less use), and I expected that to happen when I started with Dvorak.