Citation Needed

[randrews]

Hey everyone. I'm new here, just realized there were other people who liked keyboards.

I found this link today: http://www.pigdog.org/model_m_retrofit.html

Everything seems pretty normal, except that last paragraph. Is it a joke? Is Dvorak actually illegal? I can't find any other references to this, except a bit about someone claiming copyright on the French Dvorak layout. But it's not banned or anything that I can tell.

[eth0s]

WTF?  You are following the advice of somebody called "pigdog" who posted on July 6, 1999?

Dvorak layout is not banned.  You can use it.  It was invented by Prof. August Dvorak in the 1930's.  Any worldwide copyright has expired.  Any worldwide patent should have expired.  I don't know what "pigdog" was talking about.  But the fact that he is talking about his bunker and the coming revolution, might have tipped you off that he/ she is a whacko.

[randrews]

lol, I wasn't exactly taking his advice, I've been using Dvorak for years and the fuzz hasn't shown up yet. Just curious if this was like a commonly known urban myth or what.

[Grim Fandango]

except for a few older models 'grandfathered' into recent legislation, possession of the Dvorak 'simplified' keyboard can get you jail time in many states and European countries. Therefore, unless you happen to live in a place that values freedom and the right to free speech, this article is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended to promote the use or collection of actual Dvorak keyboards. Specifically, Pigdog Journal does not endorse any efforts to commit crimes using Dvorak keyboards, nor do we wish to encourage the stockpiling of Dvorak keyboards or burying cases full of them in your backyards, nor do we endorse furnishing your underground bunker with Dvorak Model M keyboards for when the revolution comes. Those things would be bad. Don't do them.

What the ....

This kind of sounds like that myth that you could be prosecuted for taking the tag of a mattress.

[eth0s]

I've always wanted to try a Dvorak keyboard too, but I've too browbeaten by conformity to try.  They say that during 8 hours of typing on a QWERTY keyboard your hand travels 16 miles.  But on a Dvorak, your hands only travel 1 mile in the same 8 hours.  So less fatigue = more gaming after work.     Which would be good for me.   )

[randrews]

Great for typing, annoying for gaming: I've found a lot of games where they don't actually use the OS keymap and just assume all keyboards are Sholes. Plus it gets old to have to remap the keys in every game to something sane before you can play it (if they even allow it). QWOP was unplayable (well, more unplayable than normal).

So what I do is, keep a Sholes layout around for gaming, and a Dvorak for general use, and just swap them out.

[baldgye]

I don't know about anyone else, but I do love reading though websites and posts that are properly old.

[keymaster]

Thats_the_joke.jpg

It's supposed to be funny and not be taken seriously.

[tp4tissue]

WTF?  You are following the advice of somebody called "pigdog" who posted on July 6, 1999?

Dvorak layout is not banned.  You can use it.  It was invented by Prof. August Dvorak in the 1930's.  Any worldwide copyright has expired.  Any worldwide patent should have expired.  I don't know what "pigdog" was talking about.  But the fact that he is talking about his bunker and the coming revolution, might have tipped you off that he/ she is a whacko.

You're clearly the wacko for not having any bunker at all.